What amazing weather (I grew up with hot summers) and I even slept in this morning (a rare treat) until 7:30 (there's something wrong with that . . . part of getting old . . .). I'm alone, sitting in one of my two favorite chairs (drinking Kona coffee -very good!) and reading my British-Friend-Chap O.C. (11 yrs. this June) and journaling. I didn't like today's devotional at all - just does nothing for me! So I did something I almost never d0(strong words), I read tomorrow's devotion (May 18); Oh WOW! I didn't get past more than the first three sentences and I wanted to stop and blog . . . I did! I stopped half way through and I'm going to do some passionate blogging right NOW (buckle up)!
First - it's not dumb to "dumb-down life" to one simple philosophy - "Life is all about friendships!" Who your best friends, and your ultimate friend is makes every, I mean absolutely every, difference in your life, and a huge difference in others!" Aline, line up, yourself with people who are headed where you want to go. Hang out more with people who passionately have similar core beliefs. Want to lose weight and be healthy and full of energy? Add to your life people who are extremely healthy, happy, and in great shape! Life does rub off! Make your life focus more simple! Live to be in relationship with the ONE, and ones, you love. We were made to live in full, complete, passionate, all-good, relationships. (Heaven will be restored when all destructive hate is forever erased and everyone is completely BEST FRIENDS with God!) We are not even called "in the image of God" in ourselves, rather in relationships of friendship we become a "reflection" of what God's like! Yes, I'm a preacher dude!
Warning: I'm going to rant and rave in this paragraph (If you're real religious this might turn you off)! I've started hearing some criticism regarding the book, The Shack, lately. Some of this criticism is very faint, perhaps condescending. It goes like this: "It's a good book as long as you remember it's not theologically correct." I'll simply say that many of those making the comment may not even know the meaning of the word "theology." I think they mean it's doctrinally, Biblically, incorrect. This discounts or even raises concerns consciously or subconsciously, I think, regarding the book. Yes, it's a novel and the focus is on painting a picture of why God allows pain and suffering and what He's trying to do to win us back into a forever friendship (pretty good theology - try looking up this word! Note the "Specialty definition." Can you see why this word gets so misused?) I'm NOT going to try and defend the book. It's OK if you don't like it, or don't find it drawing you closer to Jesus. It might even be "wrong" teaching for you. Here's what gets me, "I have two friends who have never read the book but are pretty free to question it. Like the anti-Harry Potter craze that hit with the popularity of the first book, many are very free to give opinions for something they've not always looked closely at (I've only read the first Harry Potter book and actually used it to share how Jesus gave His life for us with a neighbor). Here's my "chicken," (or "beef" for those "north of Battle Ground WA." folk) BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU CRITICIZE PUBLICLY IF YOU HAVEN'T RESEARCHED IT WELL. God's Spirit can do ok without us. God is working and touch
ing people's lives. I think we end up playing "God" sometimes without even realizing it. You don't have to read "The Shack" to disagree with it. Reading stuff on the net can be very misleading - Several who criticize it haven't read it themselves! Several, a lot of, years ago I read the book This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti (I actually helped with an evangelist outreach in the Key Arena with his brother - cool guy). I didn't want to read it when it came out in 1986, and didn't for about 3 years. But some dear friends wouldn't leave me alone (Another Pastor at Living Hope and I have together bought more than 50 copies of "The Shack.") So Laura and I began to read it on a long drive from S. Idaho to S. California. I didn't like it. I felt it had wrong theology and wrong doctrine. I felt it set the reader up to be critical of all "mainline" Christian churches. I struggle with being critical of all denominations period (pray for me). Laura and I were on our way home from sunny Cal and found that every time she read the book for about 20 minutes or more we felt a dark oppression in our car. We finally stopped reading (we had less than 50 pages left). This is the first time I've ever publicly stated how much I dislike this book. I held back all these years, not because I didn't finish the last 50 pages (it's a good sized book), but because I saw so many friends' lives touched and changed by it! They began to pray more, care more for lost people and examine areas they had not given over to Jesus. It really became something good for them. Try out this idea (from Jesus), "Let each person be fully convicted (convinced) in their own mind." (Romans 14:5 - Greek). This is it, "Don't grumble about your fellow Christ follower. You might be condemning yourself. Watch out! The Judge is coming -He's standing at your own door!" (a bga translation - check it out HERE and HERE) James 5:9. One final note ("Enough Bruce!"): People who aren't exposed to religion and need to meet Jesus and accept Him as their personal Forever-Friend tend to love this book!Finally, back to O.C. - this is so cool: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin"— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, "Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me." In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you "will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38 ). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven." Reference listed above (May 18).
Do you try too hard to be useful to Jesus? A spouse or friend? Have ever met someone who was very intent on "getting married?" Relax in WHO YOU ARE IN Jesus! Just be with Jesus more (I'm speaking Memorial weekend on how to Win over Temptation! It has so much to do with our "Image" not our "Rock Star, wanna be" false images. It's one of my favorite of all talks.)
I have written in my Oswald Chambers journal these words, "Trying harder makes life harder. It just squeezes out God's amazing Grace!" What's your motive for "what you work so hard at?" Spend some quiet time listening -You will hear some very vital "stuff." Listen often and long enough and you're very likely to hear God's warm voice. The Best Friend in all the Universe will never lead you away from what is best or good. Only towards whole, complete, fullfilling, filled up-over-running friendship (True Love)!
2 comments:
Haven't read "The Shack", since I have little or no interest in such things I doubt I will. But I find the flak you are taking to be a little out of left field. Who should determine for someone else what "works" and what doesn't when it comes to personal relationships, especially one with God?
I spent the first 20+ years of my life going to church and attending Bible classes at parochial schools. Both activities were, of course, required. Then the next 20+ years teaching (sometimes those same Bible classes) in those same schools and as an administrator enforcing orthodoxy and rules of that theology. And felt absolutely nothing. Actually, LESS than nothing. In fact, the only time I have really felt truly and deeply moved at all in a religious sense was watching pop culture mind candy , like the "Oh God" movies and "Bruce Almighty" and listening to things like "Godspell". None of which would be even remotely considered theologically correct. Give me "Ben Hur" over a Bible study any day, anytime, anywhere. But that's just me and to each his own. It's not a true quest if someone tells you how you should find every clue to your destination. I'll take mine wherever I find them.
Had to chuckle out loud over your thoughts on "This Present Darkness". I was also told, way back in the day, that it was a must read. I also disliked it greatly, although more for the overblown writing style and ridiculous plot than any great dogma debate. Books like that and the "Left Behind" series seem more about vengeful fundamentalist wish fulfillment against the happily wicked and New Age nonsense than honest Christian thought. But once again, to each his own. I will not presume to know what turns people on to God anymore than I can explain why the Bible is so boring to me. Besides, if the "Rapture" is actually going to happen maybe I can finally get a new car. My neighbor has a pretty sweet new model. I hope he just doesn't go with his keys in his pocket.
But even the greasiest corndog contains a smidgen of protein. The end of "This Present Darkness" has a description of the hero being able to actually see the demons tormenting people. Evil, ugly creatures clutching the shoulders of their human toys and extending long, clawlike fingers deep inside the skull stirring, stewing, and confusing the thoughts and feelings of their hapless victims. Wow, now that's an image that has haunted me all these years. Particularly on those occasions when I could feel those fingers deep inside my own mind as I consiously chose to go out of my way to do what was so very wrong when I could have easily chosen correctly. Thank you Frank Peritti for that vivid and powerfully lasting mental snapshot. If "The Shack" contains even one moment as meaningful as that, well Bruce, your critics simply need to move on...
I thought I was good at "ranting" but You're good man! Like I said, I missed the final pages of Peritti's book. And dear Israelite friend, "I already bought you a copy of The Shack and am very anxious to have you read it!
I too learned about God, but never KNEW Him. It's so cool that God is more interested in us KNOWING HIM than anything else. The Hebrew's used (Gen. 4) the word "To know" for "Making Love." God wants us to know Him intimately! Your story is the biggest reason why I struggle with Denominations. Jesus said to the ultimate "Bad boys" of religion, "You search the Scriptures because you THINK in them you'll find life, BUT they are really talking about Me!" Jesus never said, "Doctrine will set you free." He still says, "I am the way. I am the truth . . . I will set you free!"
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