I am convinced that many of us are living a Christianl life that is the product of a culture that emphasizes concept and principle above demonstration and experience. For example you can attend a business school and earn a degree through classes that are taught by individuals who have never started a business nor achieved anything in the business arena. What is even more facinating is that their qualification for being able to teach you is based on their ability to teach - and attending and passing the very same classes you are now taking from them. Western church culture is often no different. Seminary for example, could educate you for years on the theology behind the "love of Christ" its greek and hebrew origin, the scriptual context and versus in which it exists but at the same time never introduce you into a living experience of His love - or leading you to live a life that constantly demonstrates it.
The alarming truth is that we applaud and value concept so much that we think we know something when we can recite it or explain it. I believe that the knowledge of something stems from the truth of it, and genuine truth must lead to an experience and an experience will bring you into greater understanding of what has been made known. Many believers stop short of a divine encounter because of thier satisfaction with good theology or doctrine. And In many cases doctrine downplays experience and faults peopel who pursue one. This concept, however, should be disqualified by a the world that has been changed by the experience of Jesus Christ not simply the knowledge of him.
Think about it. The disciples were radically transformed through the experience of Jesus not simply the words he spoke.This is why when Jesus spoke his words were either followed by a demonstration of what He was speaking about - or he spoke after a demonstration of Himself in an individual who had just encountered the living God. We also know that the words of Jesus were spirit and life which meant that there was never a seperation between what was spoken and what was then instantly birthed into existance resulting in some sort of tangible experience. It is in this light that I propose that transformation does not take place because I know what the bible says or that I can recite it..transformation takes place because what the bible says has been manifested in our lives in some form of personal experience.
The bottom line is that God must be encountered. If we live and contend for this then we can not be sastified with just words about Him. I believe that it is an absolute injustice to speak about an attribute of God, for example: His love, His healing touch, or His power but then limit the revelation of what we have spoken by how good we explain it versus what is actually demonstrated and experienced after we are done talking.
The truth of the God we serve must be validated by a living encounter with that truth. As believers we are called to be a walking and living encounter of God for others.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
What's Your Life Sentence?
Words, one of the most powerful resources known to mankind. Think of what has been accomplished because of words. What a single word has started, has created, has stopped, or completed. Words that start a revolution, "I have a dream". Words that start wars, "give me liberty or give me death". Words that change your life forever, "I do". Words of defeat, "I give up". Words of excitement, "it's a boy". Words or degradation, "your stupid". Words of transformation, "Father, forgive them". It is absolutely amazing how something so small, something as simple as a single word such as - yes or no - can change your attitude, your thoughts, your words, your dreams, your life, and your destiny forever.
I believe that words create worlds. Our words actually impregnate the atmosphere, creating new realities and realms that our lives eventually occupy through the agreement of what was spoken. I am sure that everyone reading this is thinking, "yah, I know the tongue is powerful - yah, I know what I say is important" but what amazes me is how often we abuse this truth. The question you must ask yourself is what is coming out of your mouth. What are you saying about your day, about your life, about your wife and kids? What are you saying about those you work with or work for? What are you saying about your future? Or what has been said about you that you are agreeing with? What world are you creating for yourself and for others?
Words, spoken or written, in a single sentence can actually create a life sentence.
I believe that words create worlds. Our words actually impregnate the atmosphere, creating new realities and realms that our lives eventually occupy through the agreement of what was spoken. I am sure that everyone reading this is thinking, "yah, I know the tongue is powerful - yah, I know what I say is important" but what amazes me is how often we abuse this truth. The question you must ask yourself is what is coming out of your mouth. What are you saying about your day, about your life, about your wife and kids? What are you saying about those you work with or work for? What are you saying about your future? Or what has been said about you that you are agreeing with? What world are you creating for yourself and for others?
Words, spoken or written, in a single sentence can actually create a life sentence.
Monday, August 31, 2009
There Is So Much More...
If there is one thing that I have become convinced of at the young age of 27 is that there is simply so much more to this amazing thing called "life". I say this not to draw any unnecessary attention to the things in life that you don't have but to the things in life that you should have. The statistics show that only 30% of Americans actually feel that they are living, and or ,have lived a life that utilizes all of there talents and giftings while appealing to their passions and maximizing their potential. What does this mean?? That 7 out of every 10 people will suffer from a life that is defined by unsatisfaction, regret, disappointment, and overall some feeling of failure. Why?
Why are we not living the lives that we are capable of living. Sure such words as discipline and choices play a part of the process but no matter what you have or haven't done today there is always a new tomorrow. Some of the most successful people in the world failed miserably multiple times before achieving great success or fulfillment in their lives. In fact, most progress in life is built on the premise of failure. Think about it, when you were a baby how many times did you try to crawl before you actual could, how many times did you have to fall before you could stand, how many times did you stumble before you could walk, and how many cute sounds did your mouth form before an actual word was produced. What's even more amazing is, that as an infant, every effort towards a new goal is never considered a failure no matter what result that effort produces.You are not disappointed at your child for not walking the first time they try but rather overwhelmed with excitement because they took their first steps.
So if failure can produce progress then it is not fair to credit failure with an unfulfilled life. So what truly lies behind the alarming statistic of only 30% of people being fulfilled with their life? I personally believe that this number exists because we have become a people that have lost the ability to dream. Think about it, when you were a little kid what was the one question that was always asked??? "What do you want to be when you grow up"- and any answer was a great answer - no matter how impossible. Then when you graduated from high school that questions begins to change into, "here is what you can possibly be based on what you did or choose to do" if you go or don't go to college, have good grades, are not pregnant, have not dropped out, etc.,etc. Then if you make it to college and through college you are now limited by what you have studied and, for the majority, the financial burden of students loans for the next 10 years of your life. Now, that childhood question has evolved from a question geared towards your dreams and surrounded by limitless possibilities - into a confining life sentence of "here are the only things possible for you to be, now that you are grown up". And in this single statement your ability to dream is lost - because the world says that your dreams are no longer possible.
But what if you don't buy into to this process? What if you don't want to become another statistic. What if you actually began to dream again? What if you pursued every dream that you have? What would your life look like? What would you do diffently every day? And what would happen if you celebrated every step and every effort towards your dreams no matter what the results were - just as an infant walking for the first time. If you dare to dream again and start pursuing those dreams today....I believe that this amazing thing called "your life" will never be the same again.
Why are we not living the lives that we are capable of living. Sure such words as discipline and choices play a part of the process but no matter what you have or haven't done today there is always a new tomorrow. Some of the most successful people in the world failed miserably multiple times before achieving great success or fulfillment in their lives. In fact, most progress in life is built on the premise of failure. Think about it, when you were a baby how many times did you try to crawl before you actual could, how many times did you have to fall before you could stand, how many times did you stumble before you could walk, and how many cute sounds did your mouth form before an actual word was produced. What's even more amazing is, that as an infant, every effort towards a new goal is never considered a failure no matter what result that effort produces.You are not disappointed at your child for not walking the first time they try but rather overwhelmed with excitement because they took their first steps.
So if failure can produce progress then it is not fair to credit failure with an unfulfilled life. So what truly lies behind the alarming statistic of only 30% of people being fulfilled with their life? I personally believe that this number exists because we have become a people that have lost the ability to dream. Think about it, when you were a little kid what was the one question that was always asked??? "What do you want to be when you grow up"- and any answer was a great answer - no matter how impossible. Then when you graduated from high school that questions begins to change into, "here is what you can possibly be based on what you did or choose to do" if you go or don't go to college, have good grades, are not pregnant, have not dropped out, etc.,etc. Then if you make it to college and through college you are now limited by what you have studied and, for the majority, the financial burden of students loans for the next 10 years of your life. Now, that childhood question has evolved from a question geared towards your dreams and surrounded by limitless possibilities - into a confining life sentence of "here are the only things possible for you to be, now that you are grown up". And in this single statement your ability to dream is lost - because the world says that your dreams are no longer possible.
But what if you don't buy into to this process? What if you don't want to become another statistic. What if you actually began to dream again? What if you pursued every dream that you have? What would your life look like? What would you do diffently every day? And what would happen if you celebrated every step and every effort towards your dreams no matter what the results were - just as an infant walking for the first time. If you dare to dream again and start pursuing those dreams today....I believe that this amazing thing called "your life" will never be the same again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
