Until very recently I was unaware of the strange sounds people have been hearing in the sky all over the world and posting to YouTube.  If I had come across these videos on YouTube I probably would have said, “Yeah right!  This is fake!”  But that was before the early morning of Jan. 31st when at 4AM I woke up to the sound of some VERY strange noises coming from outside that could only be described as creepy- like some soundtrack from an alien movie or horror flick!

My wife and I were up in Door County at the time, one of our favorite winter vacation spots staying in a tiny little town called Fish Creek.  Our hotel was right outside Peninsula State Park and our room balcony faced the park.  We’d been coming to this place for the last 10 years and one thing about Fish Creek is that it’s very quiet- especially in the winter.  That’s why we go there; we like to get away from it all, and it’s the perfect place to do that.  It’s not the kind of place where you expect to hear much of anything, and definitely not what I was hearing!

It sounded like super giant machinery in the sky and had an eerie ”metallic” sound that faded in and out.  Like some spooky movie soundtrack!  It was massive in the sense of being expansive and seemed to fill the air, as if whatever was causing it stretched from east to west.  I had literally never heard something like that coming from the outdoors in my life!  We made a video of it to capture the sound but the video really doesn’t do justice to what we heard in person…

It was strange enough for me to wake my wife up (and trust me, that’s not something I’m going to normally want to do in the middle of the night!).  We laid in bed listening and thinking, ”What in the world is THAT?”  We laid there rationalizing trying to come up with an explanation… maybe it’s a train, an ice breaking ship on the harbor… anything we could think of to try to explain it.  But there aren’t train tracks up there or big factories manufacturing anything.

I went out on our hotel balcony with our camcorder and recorded the sound so I could ask around the next morning and see if anyone knew what it was.

When we got up that morning we went to the harbor- it wasn’t an ice breaking ship- the harbor was frozen solid.

When we got home I quickly got up to speed on the phenomena of “strange sounds in the sky”.  As I begin to Google I found that people all over the world have been hearing these weird sounds and posting them to YouTube.  When I watched the videos many of them had sounds that were exactly like what we heard!

First of all, I have no idea what these sounds are- it’s a really strange phenomena. Second, many of the videos on YouTube are a hoax in my opinion because it’s obvious people have dubbed a sound from one video and copied it to make their own video.  For example, in many of them you can hear the same bird in the background- but one time he’s in Chicago; next time he’s in another country; and the next time he’s actually in a car with the windows closed!  Pretty obvious fakes.

But here’s the thing- we heard it ourselves and so I know for a fact that what people are hearing is real.  It’s also amazing to me how many of these people have posted sounds that are true to what we heard.

One thing that I also noticed is that a lot of people are getting really freaked out about it- even thinking that it’s a sign of the end of the world and stuff like that. A lot of people seem to think it could be angelic trumpets sounding as described in the book of Revelation.  I can understand that, BUT, for those of us who are Christians I think it’s important that we don’t get caught up in that kind of hysteria and go down that road.  Here’s why… As Christians we have the Word of God- and the Word of God is the final word of authority and final truth for us- not our speculations, experiences, or ideas. All we have to do is read what it says in Revelation about the trumpets, and what happens when the angels blow them, to know that these strange sounds heard in the sky are not angelic trumpet blasts!

Nothing like what the bible describes is happening- and if the trumpet blasts of Revelation were being fulfilled we would see chaos, death and destruction such as the world has never known!  Read Revelation 8:6-11:19.  We are not experiencing the gravity of things the earth will experience when the angels sound their trumpet blasts.  For me that is the end of story as far as these strange sky sounds being angelic trumpets.

I can offer no explanation what the strange sounds people are hearing are- other than to say that they ARE real (we heard them ourselves) and that they are NOT the trumpet blasts of Revelation.

If you’re looking for an excellent free Christian eBook for your Kindle you should check out Project Gutenberg where you can download a number of free eBooks by Andrew Murray.  I downloaded ”Jesus Himself” and highly recommend it!

”Jesus Himself” could be better called a chapter than a book, but what an excellent word it is!  Murray reminds us that it’s actually Jesus Himself that we are to be wrapped up in and in fellowship with; he reminds us that our Christian life is really to be all about Jesus, and that close communion with Jesus absolutely changes everything about our life.  This little eBook chapter is a gem and will be one that I’ll be reading again and again.

”Jesus Himself” at Project Gutenberg.

Here’s the review:

”As I listened to these simple words, I realized that I say thank you so many times each day, and do I say it to Jesus that much? No, sadly no. It’s really nice when I hear a song for the first time and it opens my eyes and my heart.”

Amazing Grace may be one of the most iconic Christian songs ever written; Christian and non-Christian alike have heard it sung so many times that we’ve almost become numb to the real meaning of the song.  When I wrote my version I had no intention of sitting down and writing a new version of “Amazing Grace”.  I had no goal in mind other than expressing to God what was in my heart at the time- that His grace is so WONDERFUL, and so AMAZING!  The original words to Amazing Grace came to my mind at the time, but a new melody to express those words came out of my mouth!  It was just me, Jesus and my guitar when it happened; and so I decided to record it just like that- as simply as it came to me.

I was so happy that my first reviewer of the song “got it.”  They heard in the song what I felt when I wrote it- God’s grace is amazing and when we truly grasp that, thanks to Him will flow from our heart and lips.

I’ve spent most of my life being amazed by Jesus- I have no clue why He would love me as He does.  I certainly don’t deserve it, and yet, His tenderness, gentleness, and love are always there for me even when I’m at my worst.

I hope my song helps you to really hear the words that John Newton wrote so long ago when he penned Amazing Grace.  I hope by the time you’re done listening to the song you’re also “giving thanks to God” saying “Yes!!! Thank you Jesus, You are AMAZING!”

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16

The year was 1984 and I had just become a born again Christian.  I remember the popular saying at the time- “Christians can have fun too!”  But even though I had just turned 24 it wasn’t a “Let’s have fun with Jesus” gospel that saved me.  It wasn’t a certain style of Christian music that moved me; it wasn’t a new cultural church vibe that drew me- All it took was the Holy Spirit showing me I needed Jesus.

The path to Jesus is not found in this world, and it doesn’t need this world’s culture to validate it.  The church in it’s preoccupation with being “relevant” has bought into a lie- People do not come to Jesus because we have dressed Him up to look appealing, or to be cool, fun or current.  There has only ever been one way to enter into LIFE, and it has nothing to do with being like the world.

Only the Spirit of God is able to open blind eyes and move hard hearts; only the Holy Spirit can draw people to Christ- everything else is smoke and mirrors.  Salvation is the Father’s work, not ours: This is true for every generation; it’s true for every age group; it holds true for every people group and culture. 

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…”  (John 6.44)

I can almost hear the deafening reaction, “Yes, but, we need to be relevant; the church is no longer relevant!”

To that I say: The reason we are not relevant is because we are not focused on the eternal. 

God’s Word is always relevant because it never passes away like the world’s fads do.

When we seek to be like the world we cease to be truly relevant.  The church exists to reveal heaven, to point to Jesus and eternity, and when we fail to do that we make ourselves utterly irrelevant.

The heavenly call

The call of His Spirit is not an earthly call, but a heavenly one.  In Revelation, chapters 2-3, does God tell the churches to do their best to be like the surrounding culture?  Does he tell Christians to makes themselves attractive and appealing to the world by being just like the culture they live in?  No, He calls them to repent and return; He calls them back to Himself and refocuses their eyes on eternity.

So many in the church are worried how they will reach future generations- I’m worried for future generations if this generation fails to stand for God’s truth.  Paul, the Apostle, laid down his life to defend the faith so that all who came after him would be able to have the purity and truth of the gospel.

Many today appear more interested in having a dialogue or conversation about what the truth is, than being messengers of the Lord.  A messenger represents the one who sent him- We are to carry heaven’s torch to light a dark world.  This will bring us into sharp contrast with the culture around us.  What does light have to do with darkness?  The absolutes of God’s Word will bring the church into sharp contrast with the relativism of the world.  This is how it should be!  When we try to blunt that effect we’re hurting, not helping the gospel.

The death of doctrine

Have you seen the proliferation of Christian blogs that call for change in the church that come with an obvious dislike of doctrine and dogma?  “We shouldn’t be so dogmatic, so absolute!”  But the Word of God tells me that the church is supposed to be “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)  If we won’t stand for absolutes, for truth, who will?  Jesus put the truth plainly:

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”  (John 3:19-21)

The reason people refuse Jesus is not because He’s irrelevant or antiquated- scripture says they reject Him because they love darkness and refuse to walk into the light.  What favor do we do the world by blunting this truth?  To a world drowning in relativism we need to hold out the absolutes of God’s Word.  Who will stand and say, “Thus saith the Lord”?

A distaste for “preaching”

Why is it that those calling for change in the church often seem apologetic about the church?  Preaching has always been a staple of the church but it doesn’t fit well with our culture.  We’ve grabbed a hold of the world’s buzzwords and want everyone to “join the conversation”- preaching gets in the way of that we’re told, so preaching is now ”bad” and conversations and discussions are “good” according to the culturally responsive Christian.  Some are downright apologetic that a person would have to actually endure preaching!

Should we apologize for “preaching”?  And who forgot to tell George Whitefield?

The church would be blessed to have 10,000 George Whitefield’s to herald the gospel.  The guy preached to 20,000 people in open air meetings without a microphone!  (The year was 1742!)  Any account of Whitefield I’ve ever read describes the man as quite direct and dramatic.  Have you ever read the sermons he preached?  He preached absolutes and made declarations, and oh, how God used him!

The point of preaching is not only instructive, but declarative.  I think many Christians are afraid of that today.  We’re afraid to say, “Thus saith the Lord”.  Whitefield wasn’t having a dialogue or discussion!  Nor was Stephen in the book of Acts, when he preached with such fire and truth that they stoned him to death!  His message made his listeners so furious that the bible says they “gnashed their teeth at him”.  He suddenly became very unpopular for telling the truth, but the bible has this to say about Stephen…

“But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”  (Acts 7:55)

We should not expect to see the glory of God if we refuse to stand up for the truth of God.

There’s a place for conversation and a place for proclamation.  Where are the Elijah’s of God? Where are the men of Acts like Stephen, or Paul, or Peter?  Where are the messengers of God who when they speak, speak as one who speaks the very oracles of God?  (1 Peter 4:11)

You see, it’s not an “emergent church” that we need… comfortable with the surrounding culture, and the culture quite comfortable with it.  We need to be crying out in this wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”  (Isaiah 40:3-5)

A voice of one calling:
       “In the desert prepare
       the way for the LORD;
       make straight in the wilderness
       a highway for our God.

 Every valley shall be raised up,
       every mountain and hill made low;
       the rough ground shall become level,
       the rugged places a plain.

 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
       and all mankind together will see it.
       For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Yes, these words mark the first appearing of our Lord; but the message holds true- Jesus is coming back!  And not to have a cup of coffee!  The time is short- How dare we embrace this world instead of warning it!  It’s time to repent and return:

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.  The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  (2 Peter 3:8-10)

Does this sound like a good time to be cozy with the culture around us?  

“Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding…”  (Jeremiah 3:22)

I’ve noticed a growing trend among many in the church (especially evident on Christian blogs) regarding “preaching”.  It seems that “conversations” are all the rage now, and preaching is out!  We’re called to “join the conversation”, but who wants to sit and listen to the preacher?  Is there still a place for preaching in the church?   

I find it strange that people would question the idea of preaching, as if to say it was useless or even unbiblical.  Aren’t we commanded in scripture to “preach the Word”?  (2 Timothy 4.2).

I’ve always understood that the meaning here is one of making a proclamation; that we are to be heralds for Christ.  When I think of a herald, I think of someone who declares a message.  That implies a monologue, not a dialogue.  Questions and discussions may follow, but first a message is declared.  In fact, I remember reading Wuest’s Greek translation many years ago concerning this subject, and here it is:

“Make a public proclamation of the Word with such formality, gravity, and authority as must be heeded…”  (2 Timothy 4.2)

That sounds like preaching to me!  As I continue in the passage, I can see how preaching would lead to discussion and further exhortation. (Which I’m all for, by the way.)  I guess my point is, why throw the baby out with the bathwater?  Preaching and discussion are both biblical, and both are needed in the church.

I believe the present “anti preaching” bias that is present in so many who are questioning the traditional church structure is simply a reaction to not having been allowed any type of discussion in our gatherings.  As is so often the case, the pendulum then swings to the far extreme and we end up having the opposite problem!  I see the same thing happening regarding “leadership” in the church.  (See my post, “Leaderless Church“.)  Christians who have felt that they were oppressed by leaders, leave the traditional churches and opt for a leaderless church.  This type of reaction will never produce the right results; we simply exchange one lopsided form with another.

One reason given for not liking preaching-  “I can’t remember a single sermon I’ve ever heard.”  Really?  Is there so little impact from the preaching of God’s Word?  God has many tools at his disposal, and one of the best is preaching.  Under inspiration of the Holy Spirit I’ve been arrested by preaching throughout my entire life as a Christian!  Preaching that came from a pulpit, a car radio, a book, a song, or a friend… I’ve been challenged and changed by preaching.

For the record, I love discussion as well.  I think it’s invaluable, but I’m not buying into the anti preaching sentiment that seems so prevalent today.

I can’t help but notice something that I think speaks volumes about the heart of God.  As I read about the lukewarm church in Laodicea it’s hard not to see just what a wretched condition it’s in.  In fact, to this particular church God has nothing good to say!  He brings only rebuke.

But here’s the totally awesome thing… God’s rebuke is the proof of His love!  He still loves them!

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!”  (Revelation 3:19)

God’s not just giving up!  Here’s a church He has no praise for at all, only rebuke, yet even for that church, in that condition, He holds out His heart of mercy!  What a great picture of His longsuffering and love!

When we think of the church in Laodicea one of the first things that comes to mind is the words Jesus uttered about Him being ready to spit them out of His mouth.  I don’t want to soften that.  The warning is clear, it comes from Jesus, and we can be sure that He means it.  But why does He say it?  Because He loves us!  Because He wants us to repent; because He’d rather show mercy than judgment.  Look at the heart of God!

It sounds a lot like the awesome love God has for you and me as individuals, doesn’t it?  While I was yet a sinner Christ died for me!  Do we understand the love God has for His church?  That even if we’re in the most wretched condition He’s holding out His hand to us still?

Unless we come with this heart for His Church we’re not really coming with the heart of God.

When most people think about Jesus the first thing that comes to mind is “Church”.  Maybe you’ve done it all before, and don’t want anything to do with it.  I actually understand that and have felt the same way, but please read a little further, because my perspective is a little different than what you might be used to when you think about “church”.

First, I want to know what the bible says about church; I want to see the church through God’s eyes.  It might surprise you but the bible never talks about church being a building where people meet to have a “religious service”.  Many of today’s concepts of the church are not found in the bible!

Most people think of church as a building you go to, or something you do.  Nothing could be further from the truth. The meaning of church is actually, “the called out ones”.  The church isn’t a building; it actually refers to the people called out by God, to leave the world’s ideas, ways, and practices, to be followers of Jesus.

So it all comes down to relationship; having a relationship with Jesus based on what He has said about Himself, and a relationship with each other as “the body of Christ”, which is the church, the “called out ones”.

The truth is, the church as “the called out ones” is God’s idea.  It expresses God’s intention for us to belong to Him and each other.  Therefore, instead of thinking of it as a building, think of church as the people who are “called out by God”.  These people gather at homes, storefronts, church buildings, or even large settings like stadiums.  The true church is the people- not the building or denominational name.  You become part of the church by being “born from above“.

The church getting together

Though the bible doesn’t talk about church buildings or denominations, it does talk about Christians gathering together.  One reason for this is actually quite obvious: When a person is “born from above” they become “a child of God” and a part of a great big family along with the rest of God’s children!  What loving family doesn’t enjoy getting together?  The church isn’t a “religious business” God started; we’re His family!  No one has to tell me to go see my Mom, or call my sister, or force me to come to a family meal.  I do it because I love my family and want to spend time with them.  It’s the same with the church.

Some of the other reasons Christians gather is to encourage one another, learn more about God from the bible, and especially to worship Jesus.  (Jesus said that whenever two or more would gather in His name He’d be there among them, so there’s something very special about getting together with other Christians.)  This doesn’t have to be “churchy” at all!

Presently, my wife and I meet with other Christians who gather in a living room.  We have a small group of people who love Jesus and want to live for Him and know Him better.  The whole thing is very simple and non-religious; not at all what most people think of when they think of “church”!

On the other hand, I’ve been a part of groups that number in the thousands.  These have been much more in the vain of what people think of as “traditional” churches.  Do you think that these “churches”  might seem more”religious”?  I can see why people might think that, but I didn’t let that stop me from being a part of these groups.  Why?  Because I look for groups who are alive with a desire to know and live for Jesus and His truth, and I go where I can find that.  I let God lead me, I use His discernment, and because of that I have been a part of many wonderful “traditional” churches as I’ve traveled over the years.

The church that meets at Steve’s house!

It sounds very unofficial doesn’t it?  Yet, that’s the sort of thing you see when you read the bible’s accounts of the church!  Can it really be that simple?  Yes, it can!

I personally love the simple groups that meet in homes because I believe they best represent how the early church met.  Without going into detail here, they allow for the intimacy, simplicity and personal spiritual growth that larger settings often do not.  Home groups tend to lean towards everyone having an active role during the gathering, (compared to the Pastor doing most things in a traditional church gathering).  I believe this participation is one of the most crucial aspects to spiritual growth.  It is an aspect that most traditional churches almost completely lack with their structure, but is clearly talked about in God’s Word:

“What then shall we say, brothers?  When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church.”  (1 Corinthians 14.26)

For these reasons, and more, my wife and I are presently meeting with other Christians in a home.  However, I have to say that meeting in a home is not the end all and be all… loving and following Jesus is.  The truth is, it may be very hard for you to find a home group even if you want to!  There is a return to these groups happening among Christians, but they are few in number compared to the regular traditional churches.  (Not only that, but just because a group meets in simplicity at home doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good!)  Home groups can be in error and teach false doctrine, just as traditional churches can.  In fact, I have had a few close friends find out the hard way that just because it’s a “home church” doesn’t mean it’s a good church!  Be forewarned!

Asking God to lead you

As I said earlier, I try to go where God leads me, and I test it by His Word.  I do not see the church as being a denomination, a building, or a manmade organization.  Since I know the church is “God’s called-out people”, I look for people who are walking in truth and loving Him, be it a home or “traditional” setting.

Don’t be alone

One thing that I don’t want to do is sit home alone.  Remember, the bible teaches that gathering together is important because our spiritual life is part of a whole.  I am just one small part of a larger body called the Ekklesia, “the church”.  I need the other parts of the body, just as they need me.  (What good is an eye disconnected from the body?  Or a foot, without a leg?)  That’s how God looks at us- we are part of a much larger whole, (the Body of Christ), with Jesus being the head.

To wrap this up about the church… it’s not something you go to if you’re a Christian, it’s something you are!  Remember, the church is Christ’s body; don’t try to be a hand, or foot, out there all by yourself, it won’t work!  Find Christians that you can gather together with and be part of the whole.

Losing my mother in 2006 after a short battle she had with Ovarian cancer is a reminder to me of just how short life is, and how important it is that we are prepared to enter eternity.  It’s also a reminder to me of the many people who have never grasped the difference between religion and knowing Jesus through a personal relationship.

For many years I prayed for Mom’s eyes to be opened to know Jesus personally.  I’m glad to say that she did come to that place before she died.  She left behind her religious upbringing which was very ingrained in her to become a true follower of Jesus.  But what about the many who have never come to understand the difference between religion and actually knowing Jesus?  Their eternal future hangs in the balance…

Are you on your way to heaven?

On my website I share many posts that deal with the differences between religion and having a relationship with Jesus.  These posts are intended to make you think about eternity and where you will spend it.  I realize that some people will be offended by what I write concerning “religion”.

The truth is, I’m offended by the fact that we have allowed so many to believe that religion can save them.

How can we sit back and not tell people the truth?

At one time I was also among those who had no clue that the only way to heaven is found through a person, not a religious system.  We should be shouting it from the housetops, but we’re so afraid of what people think that we keep silent.  What excuse can we possibly give for our silence when we stand before Him on that final day?

My story’s a simple one… When I was young I had somewhat of a religious upbringing.  My best friend’s Dad even pastored a church, so for a time in my life I went to church with him.  Sometimes I’d hear stuff on the radio about God, but it often seemed to me that they were just trying to make God look cool to teens.  It was a turn off.  I knew God was more than about being cool.  Whatever exposure I had to religion and church wasn’t having much of an effect on me.  I was seeking something real with God, but I wasn’t finding it.  I never found what I was looking for in “church”, and eventually got back into psychic stuff which had I dabbled in.  But that was all about to change- In the summer of 1984, when I was least expecting it, Jesus opened my eyes and totally changed my life!

All of my life I had thought of Jesus as being about religion.  Suddenly I realized it wasn’t about that at all!  It was actually possible to know Jesus personally.  It wasn’t religion He came to bring; He brought Himself.  He showed up Himself!  Well, that was it.  I became born again and began to follow Jesus.

My family didn’t really understand what had happened to me when I became born again.  Suddenly I was toting around a bible and talking about Jesus all the time.  I used to wear a t-shirt that was specially made for me that said, “Jesus is not religious!”  I remember Mom saying to me, “What do you mean He’s not religious?  Of course He’s religious!”  I prayed and prayed she’d one day understand.

While religion might make us feel safe, or make us feel spiritual, it can never take us to heaven when we die.  We need Jesus to do that.  Christian singer Keith Green said it best:

“Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger!”

Unfortunately, far too many people believe that going to church DOES make them a Christian.  They’re staking their eternity on it; hoping that going to church and trying to be a good person will be enough, and God will let them into heaven when they die.

When death comes

Ten years before Mom died, she came to see that religion wasn’t enough, and she gave her life to Jesus.  Never again did I hear Mom say that she hoped to get to heaven by trying to be “good enough” or because she went to church.

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”

It hurts to know that in this world I will never be seeing my Mom, or be spending time with her again.  But for me there’s something that goes beyond that… the overwhelming joy I have knowing that my mother had given her life to Jesus, that she is now in heaven, and one day we will see each other again.

The bible tells us to consider the day of death because it’s the end of us all. (Ecclesiastes 7:2) We all have to face it, and we should think long and hard about it.  I for one don’t want to be putting my trust in religion assuming I can get to heaven that way.

If you’re trusting in your “religion” to get you to heaven I urge you to let go of it and to take hold of Jesus instead.  Heaven and hell are real places.  Heaven is the home of those who have given their lives to Jesus and look to Him alone for eternal life.

“…to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.”  (Romans 8:29)

When we were unbelievers we were pressed into the mold of the world. (Romans 12:2)  When we get saved we end up getting pressed into the mold of the church.  We talk, and act, and worship in certain ways, just because we see our peer group doing it!  We go right from one mold into another.  But God’s Word is pretty plain about whose mold we’re to take on:

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory…”  (1 Corinthians 3:18)

We need to be pressed into the only mold that will do us any good at all… Jesus.

The religious mold

It seems very few Christians ever escape the mold of religion.  I for one had a great start.  I met Jesus outside of the context of “religion”.  But it didn’t take long before I was acting out some roles, and playing some parts, that really didn’t fit me.  And it happened without me trying; I just wanted to love God and I patterned myself after what I saw in the church.

I saw and learned a lot of things that had nothing to do with Jesus, things I could find nowhere in God’s Word.  There I was shaped and molded!  But in whose image?  I’ve done some pretty foolish stuff in the name of being spiritual, just because it was the latest thing going.  There finally came a day when I asked myself, “Why am I doing this?  Would Jesus do this?”  It was foolish!  Just so much spiritual posturing.

The world looks at us and they don’t want to have anything to do with it.  They think this is what knowing Jesus is all about, and they don’t want to have anything to do with Him either!  And we’re to blame; we represent Him in some pretty strange ways sometimes!

Anyway, there came a time when I really began questioning why I do what I do.  I realized I had become pretty religious, and the fact was, a lot of stuff had to go if I was going to get real again.  I began praying for God’s help.  I dropped some practices that were pretty hard to find in God’s Word, and stopped acting in certain ways that just seemed foolish; I wanted to be pressed into Christ’s image.  Wasn’t that the whole point?

“…to be conformed to the likeness of His Son”  (Romans 8:29)

When you go through a self examination like this, you will feel the pressure to conform-Christians can be pretty dogmatic about things that God says little or nothing about!  It can be hard to leave the “religious” and embrace the “real”; you may not get a lot of support.  Suddenly you’re not in the mold!  Don’t be surprised if the church looks at you strangely.  (Please, make sure that the reason you get the strange looks is not because you are strange!)  Follow His Word, be molded in His image; this is a call to be like Jesus!

In the church, but molded in HIS image

Don’t misunderstand me… we need the church.  The church is His body; you can’t just take the head, (Jesus), and leave His body behind!  If you’re going to take the head you have to take the body too… they go together!  It’s important that we’re in fellowship with each other and connected.  That being said, don’t mistake following the crowd with following Jesus.  They are often vastly different.  Jesus said, “Come follow me…”

Be true to Jesus, and all that He’s called you to be… He did not create you to be a clone.  Let’s not kid ourselves, peer pressure in the church is strong.  Yes, God called you to be in the church, but molded into Jesus’ image.

 ”Lord, I want to be more like you, conformed to your image; help me see what that is.  Please help me shed the things that are just manmade religion, and strengthen the things that are making me more like you.  Bring me into real relationship with You, and your Body, the church.”

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

Do you think God is the only one who would like you to “be still”?  I have a feeling there might be more people out there wishing you’d slow down, relax, and stop doing what you’re doing long enough to notice them…

Be still, and know that I’m your wife.

Be still, and know that I’m your son.

Be still, and know that I’m your friend.

Be still, and know that I’m your neighbor.

Even your pets probably wish you could relax long enough to pet them!

Anxiety, worry, distractions and busyness plague us and rob us of the most important things in life.

My wife and I were in Door County, WI for a few days “getting away from it all” when God’s Word came to mind… “Be still…”  I didn’t expect the words, “and know that I’m your wife” to follow!  But that was, after all, what we were up there for.  It’s one of our favorite places to go and just be with each other.  It’s wonderfully quiet in the off-season when we most often visit, and it’s a place we’ve been coming to ever since we got married 11 years ago.  I look forward to it each time we travel there because it’s one of the special ways I can connect with my wife.  When we go, I don’t check my email; I don’t turn on a cell phone, I don’t even like to have a TV on most of the time, and rarely, if ever, do I have the car radio on- it’s just me and her together- and that’s all I want.

When we get away like that I often realize how distracted I am in the rest of my “everyday life”- When I’m back at home I’ve got tons of distractions and lots of things to occupy my mind and attention.  I have purposed lately that I need to “be still” and notice my wife more.  Not in those words exactly, but the thought has occurred to me at various moments just how blessed I am to have her.  Time will stand still every now and then and I will look at her and really see.  And I will think, “Wow!  This is the wife I asked God for all those long years of praying.  She’s actually here standing in the same room with me!  There was a time I thought it would never happen; when I thought I’d never be married- and there she is!  I have a life with her and God answered my prayers!”  And it will wash over me just how wonderful God has been to me and just how blessed I am to have her as my wife.

That’s what should happen more often!  That’s what “being still” is all about.  You can’t really see, if you’re not being still- life just flies by you along with all the people in your life, and it all becomes a blur.  Being still brings things back into focus.  Being still allows you to see that which is really important.

”Be still and know that I’m your wife…”

Husbands, I think you know that’s the heart’s cry of every married woman in the world!  They long for that.

It’s also the heart’s cry of children all over the world- “Be still and know that I’m your child.  I’m here!  Notice me!  Appreciate me!  See ME!”

We’re so busy and so distracted that we fail to really interact with people all around us.  Most of the world is crying out, “Be still, and know that I even exist!”

God most often gets the last scraps that fall off the table- if that.  In a world where we’re too busy to notice what’s right in front of us, a God who is unseen is all too often barely thought of at all.  We run around like chickens with our heads cut off- distracted, worried, anxious, stressed out- and miss the One who could help us through our daily life.

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

“I can help you!  I’m Almighty God, maker of the heavens and the earth!”

I like the alternate translation in the NASB:  “Relax, let go, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

The God who loves you

But there’s something even sadder than failing to get God’s help: it’s failing to know His love.

God would love nothing more than to spend time with us and we fail to see it.  We run about oblivious to the greatest love the world has ever known.  He’s right there in front of us and we don’t appreciate what we’ve got- we’re too busy to notice, too distracted to care.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

Our Heavenly Father, along with many other people in our life, are just wishing, waiting, and hoping that we’ll be still long enough to notice them- Will we?