Jesus is not our Example - He's More! Easter for me means . . .

that Jesus never claimed to be a good man, and he never asked us to just follow His example. Pastor John's last blog asked the question, "Who are you listening to? The truth or the crowd? The critics or your God?" If we only look to Jesus as our example we are likely to remain trapped in the prison of performance, power struggles, and worshiping the god of Safety. I look at Jesus and his life, his death and his resurrection and I see so much more.

I'm about 3/4 through the book The Shack and I am truly amazed at the picture painted there. I will likely be blogging about it for the next several days. It points out that Jesus is the Truth and he invites us to follow HIM not a way, rather THE WAY - HIMSELF!

Surrendering to someone you see as ultimate goodness is the most rewarding, sensual, healthy, healing, way to live. It's God's way! We are being invited to surrender our hearts to a live, forever relationship with God. Even the surrender isn't our doing (God planted in our DNA a freedom of choice gene like His that enables us to do it). Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament says, "I have been crucified with Christ . . . I don't live now by my own power (bga translation), rather it's Jesus alive IN me!" Galatians 2:19-21 WOW!

It's not about Imitating His death, rather Identifying with with Him IN His death. I choose to give up all my emotional feelings, all my intellectual logic, all my Christianease (Is this the correct spelling? Sounds like a disease!), and all my safety rituals. I give all that up for the choice to no longer be held down by my own limited individuality. I give up my way for THE WAY, which is not a plan or map, rather a being who created everything and is only capable of love! God's way as seen in Jesus who is His Son and who is God. What does that mean this Easter? We can stop looking at what others think, (My dear friends who are opening a church in the Dodge City Saloon have gotten so much flack; so has Pastor John.) and keep focusing on letting Jesus live in us and back out to people who WILL come to a bar and meet not just people, but Jesus the Christ who died for them.

Reading March 20 and 21 of Oswald Chambers' devotion (the most read devotion of all times) so reminded me that God IS relationship. We can learn from Buddha, there may be something to the whole "toilet training trauma" that very smart "psychologist guys" have taught us about . . . maybe there's even a worthy Presidential candidate who can be a great example for our country (I have my doubts) . . . BUT THIS I BELIEVE, "God is Relationship" and the Three-One Trinity mystical teaching of the Bible wants to teach us ONE thing; "We were made to be in love with God who is love!" God said at the beginning of what we call time, "Let US make humans in our image." John's first words in his gospel are all about the three in ONE God we can fall in love with.

I don't look to a ton of people as my example. I used to try to follow religion's rules but it only made me more judgmental, selfish, unfulfilled, and unable to give or receive love. This weekend brings lots of emotions and thoughts, but most of all part of my love affair with God.

If you read the book, The Shack, you may start visualizing God as a large Black woman who sweeps you off your feet in a fierce immensely warm hug and oddly enough likes to be called "Papa." Read the book!

If you show up at our Portland campus tomorrow not only will you hear John's message about Jesus, but will see a very "life changing story" and baptism that will only be experienced at the Laurelhurst church. Please pray for my friends, Rick and Treasa who will be leading our Dodge City Saloon campus! ONLY GOD!