Questions: The Rich Man

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”…

From the start of kindergarten, to graduating college

From ignorance and innocence to imitating knowledge

It’s heralded from billboards and tvs and the world wide Net

From parents to child from teacher to student

“This is life’s goal: The American Dream”

It comes in all shapes, colors, packaging and sizes

The notion never questioned as its popularity rises

Get a good education

Get a husband or a wife

Get a house

Work hard

Retire… that’s the end of life…

Right?

Am I willing to give up this stuff? Honestly?

I rolled out of college in May with a degree in my hand, ready to hustle the streets, in search of a job.  After job-hopping for an entire summer, the thought occurred to me: Is this it? Is this what I was meant to do for a lifetime? To increase my pay? To find a wife? To settle down? To work? To have kids? To retire?

For most of my life, my prayers had been utilized to see the American Dream accomplished in my life:

“God, please help my family with finances.”

(God please give us money to help us to continue to living in this comfortable lifestyle with tvs, cellphones, and a nice house because I don’t want to be uneasy.)

“God, please bring a girl into my life.”

(God bring a the best looking girl into my life that fits with my personality exactly so I don’t have to love her inspite of her weaknesses.)

“God, please give me a job that will pay for the bills.”

(God please give me a job that I absolutely love and feel fulfilled in and that will offer all these benefits to make me feel comfortable in life.)

I know I have always thought wealth, riches and comfort as a blessing from God. But now I wonder: why did I ever think that? For I was never promised any of those things as a follower of God.

In fact, Jesus said I would be persecuted.

I would be made fun of.

That I might be disowned.

That I might be homeless.

That I might be killed.

It seems that’s what happened with Peter, Paul, John the Baptist, Stephen,

And even Jesus.

So why am I searching after security and treasure?

And that’s when I realized that I was the rich young ruler.

That I was in search of comfort and not really the truth.

That what I wasn’t really losing this life in order to gain another

But was loving the treasures here on earth, the American Dream

Truth was, I had neglected my spiritual life

I followed the rules

Yeah, I screwed up every now and then but who doesn’t, right?

That’s just what you do as a Christian, right?

My cup was clean on the outside.

Just when I thought I had this Christianity thing down, a kink was thrown into the mix

God opened up my eyes to see where my heart could be found

And as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

It wasn’t up in heaven, where neither moth nor rust can destroy

But down here on earth, stuck in the dirtiness of this Dream

Maybe you are like me, with money and comfort and things

Hear it from Jesus: we are at a disadvantage

He was speaking to us when he said “You can’t serve both God and money.”

Maybe you are like me and uneasy about what he asks

To count everything as a loss compared to knowing him

To take up our crosses and go follow him

Let’s stop thinking that we are superior with our riches and our stuff

Let’s stop looking towards comfort for it has turned into an idol

Let’s stop looking to money for security and start looking to Jesus for redemption and salvation.

Are you willing to give this all up in order to follow Jesus? Honestly?

Look at your heart.

Ask yourself the question: What do I really want?

Don’t pretend. Don’t say what you think is right.

Say what is in your heart.

Then…

Confess. Genuinely. Daily

Repent. Genuinely. Daily

For They Know Not What They Do

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Upon a cross, Jesus said these words as he looked out over his executioners

At those who mocked his existence

At those who condemned his teachings

There he hung dying at their hands, and yet there he pleaded for their forgiveness of their hands and their lands

Who does that?

Who prays for his enemy?

Who turns the other cheek?

Who dies that they may live?

He must be crazy.

Or… maybe he was the one that knew the truth.

The one that truly knew love.

The one that understood the cost of love.

The one that knew something that his accusers didn’t.

That the very thing they thought was right was really wrong

That the very thing that they thought would destroy a movement started one instead

And as he sits enthroned in heaven, I wonder…

How many times he continues to pray that prayer to God about us…

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

In an age where opinions and words run rampant

Where political correctness is valued over moral rightness

Where which side you’re on is more important than who you are following

Where a statement can be your demise or a picture can ruin a life

What have we become?

Where the individual is held supreme over community

Where pleasure is more diligently sought than peace and purity

Where love has more to do with lust than sacrifice

What have we become?

From the moment sin entered our existence, we have been walking blind, unaware of the pain we place on ourselves. This corruption of the created order has steadily and exponentially progressed to this very moment.

Today we see division over restaurants, foods and politicians. We see strife over money, websites and statuses. We see hatred over cultures, skin color and religion.

We are provoked to take sides and to demonize others. We are pressured to rightfully fight for our independence. We are persuaded that radical protests is love and passivity is tolerance.

I’m not a political activist nor do I aspire to be one. But can we admit that our actions are messed up? Instead of turning the cheek, we throw our fists. Instead of praying for our enemies, we beat down and back stab.

What happened to those that interceded and sacrificed for their neighbor?

What happened to those that gave up individuality for the sake of the community?

What happened to those that believed in Jeremiah 29 1 through 10 , not just verse 11?

The more diligently we seek independence, the more we divide.

The more we choose sides, the less we realize:

No one is righteous before God.

Not one.

We all are sinners.

We all stand on the same side.

We all are in need of forgiveness, salvation, and grace.

Let’s look to his example.

Let’s stand in the gap.

Let’s turn the other cheek.

Let’s stop throwing stones.

Let’s seek out His and His glory alone.

The Fight

Let me set the scene

A crowd huddled as the struggle ensued

Anticipating the moment to cheer or jeer as the fighters move

What seemed so promising and so fascinating, turned out to be nothing more than this:

Blood and broken bones, shattered glass and scuffed up shoes

In this corner, a body draped drearily on the concrete floor

In this corner, the victor glaring at his opponents demise

The victor looks to the crowd, awaiting his applause

But is met with disinterest and disapproving eyes

While the opponent gathers up his body off the ground and the crowd disperses

The fighters’ eyes meet and the same thought enters both their minds

Maybe you’re the crowd

Just drifting by, stopping at whatever catches your eye

No real investment in others but just there to watch

And though detached from the situation, you feel superior

Casting your judgment from the sidelines

And when the hype has died and the outcome decided

You throw in your two cents, and buy your tickets for the next show

Maybe you’re the opponent

Pretending to be bigger than you are

Muscling your way into situations that will leave you bruised and broken

And though you knew the outcome before you threw a punch

You stepped in the ring anyways and got leveled in the gut

Now, you’re making excuses, claiming the victor’s luck and foul play

And though everyone else can see your blindness

Tomorrow, again, you will step into the fight

Maybe you’re the victor

Enthroning yourself too highly than you should

And when an opportunity to flex your strength arrives

Too quickly you chase it to claim your “kingship” as a prize

No mercy is considered in delivering blow after blow

Compassion is a weakness that only cowards show

And when it’s all said and done, you turn to bow and accept praise

But you’re letdown to find your royalty is nothing but a dream

Ask yourself this

Was it worth it?

To stand by

To endanger yourself

To weaken another

See, nowadays, we step into rings that we have no business entering

Whether it’s greed, whether it’s lust, whether it’s anger, whether it’s drugs

We even idly watch others step into these rings and call it entertainment

Or rather let them step into these fights and call it love and respect

And as the punches are delivered, everyone knows the outcome, it’s always the same

It’s always anticlimactic and never lives up to the hype

Rather, it leaves bruises, wounds, blood, even corpses

And brings everyone back to the question: Was it really worth it?

So if you’re left standing in the ring, take a good look around you, you are standing alone

And if you are lying in the ring, get up and go home

If you are a spectator sitting in the crowd, get your buddies out of the fight

It’s time to enter into these rings : faith, hope, love

It’s time to start fighting the good fight

Not just any fight

Expectations

"Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin"

A message to a king

A message sent in the midst of a party

A message sent with an understanding

Expectations

We all got ‘em

From cars, to houses, to boats

From husbands, to wives

From jobs, to status, to reputation

From friends, to family

Expectations

I knew where I would be in my life right now

I knew what I would be doing

I knew how I would get there

I knew that no matter the pitfalls, I would meet His expectations.

But now, here I stand, looking at the writing on the wall….

Written from a supernatural Guide

A finger on the wall

An inscription so clearly written

The king gathered the enchanters, the Chaldeans, the astrologers

But none of them could read the message it had hidden

Until Daniel came in…

How did I get here?

This is not where I was supposed to be.

Graduation in the rearview mirror…

And yet here I stand…

What does this writing say?

“You have been weighed in the balance and been found wanting.”

“You have been weighed in the balance and been found wanting.”

Expectations were not met.

I am a failure…

This is it…

This is the end…

And yet…

I am still standing.

Expectations were not met…

Yet somehow, I breathe another breath.

I deserve death

But instead, I’m given life

Why?

….

Grace, grace, God’s grace.

For I have fallen short of God’s standards

I have not met his expectations

And yet, while in my imperfections,

God took the punishment that my failures deserved

And because of that, I can meet expectations.

Through faith,

In the One that came

To take away my debt.

Take heart in this life. We all fall short of expectations. But through faith in Jesus, you can be redeemed and renewed. 

A Mere Mortal

“You have never talked to a mere mortal.”  -C.S. Lewis

______________________________________________________________

 It’s the walker running down the street on his morning jog

It’s the construction worker paving the streets you drive on

It’s the person behind the counter serving us our burger and fries

It’s the homeless man holding up his cardboard sign on the corner

It’s the person that cuts us off on the highway

It’s the businessman who nudges us aside on the way to his office

It’s the child who screams at the playground

It’s the person who made the clothes that you are wearing

It’s the criminal on the news

It’s your favorite actor in your favorite movie

It’s your mom

Your dad

Sister

Brother

Relatives

Everyone.

Each one a separate path

Leading to an afterlife,

Each one a different story

Giving reasons to their actions,

Each one a different soul

Living for eternity.

It’s easy to forget they are running the race too

It’s easy to forget that the world’s not about you

It’s easy to forget that it’s not about first or last

But an eternal place where each soul will rest.

__________________________________________________________________________

Yes, you are immortal

Yes, you are held responsible

Yes, you will be judged

But upon what platform do you stand?

Do you stand upon your deeds, awarding yourself goodness in spite of flaws?

Or upon freedom, crowning you first above all?

Do you stand upon your feelings, a pile of sinking sand?

Or do you stand upon grace, the rock that never falters?

Whatever you choose is where you place your life

But look behind you and see what all you have left behind

In your haste to finish, you missed the entire point

While caring only for yourself,

You missed:

The man who stumbled

The woman who fell

The boy who got lost

The girl who was killed.

_______________________________________________________________________

Stop

Look forward

Look left

Look right

Look behind

Think…

One word can pick someone up

One smile can give energy to weakened legs

One good deed can change an outlook

One moment can change an eternity.

Love God above all

But don’t forget:

The second part does is not to finish the race alone

But to love your neighbor as yourself.

This is the race set before you.

Run it well.

When...(The After-Party)

When the speakers stop blaring…

When the voices cease muttering…

When the energy dies…

What will my heart say?

When the colors fade

And the darkness rolls in…

When the only way out 

Is the way I came in…

Will I stand firm?

Because I long for closeness

A comfort and a healing

But it’s hard to see light

When you’re searching for a feeling

When Dawn breaks the sky…

When the Sun brings its light…

When the world is laid bare…

Where will I be standing?

When the party closes shop

And packs up its illusions…

When the world is woken up,

Drunken with delusions…

Where will I be standing?

Because I know I want closeness

A comfort and a healing

So I'll follow that narrow road to Light

Instead of clinging to a feeling 

Life is...

Life is hanging in the balance

One step either direction could be the last

Where is the sure footing?

Where is the safety and the peace?

Where is the breath underneath these inexperienced wings?

Life is holding on when grips give way

One foot on the rock

Another foot in pursuit

A hand on security

Another hand aloof

Life is taking a breath, realizing the hills and valleys

Sometimes, there’s beauty

Sometimes, there’s fear

Sometimes, it’s unseen

Sometimes, it’s clear

Whatever life is, one thing is certain

It is here to be lived, not to be observed.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3