Puppy Love

Well, we got a new dog about a week ago. Not that our dalmation is old, but we have been looking for one for our daughter for a while, and we had the opportunity to buy one last week. So, we did. We got a AKC purebreed golden retriever, who is seven weeks old. Her name is Zoie's Amber Glow or Zoie for short. She is awesome and our daughter is head over heels for her.

Anyway , it is said in numerous articles about the golden retriever that they are highly intelligent and love interaction with thier masters or owners. They also have a knack for wanting to please their owners or masters. I can see this in her already, but as you know puppies are puppies and the benfits of training and interaction with them usually are reaped years later. Zoie's favorite thing is to play in our flower beds which have the cypress mulch laid down in them. She loves the mulch. When I take her out to go tinkle, she immediatley goes for the flower beds and forgets the primary mission at hand. And for the most part, I calmly pick her up and put her back to the place where she needs to go tinkle. This process happens about 15 times everytime I take her out. Let her down, she goes for the mulch. Pick her up. Let her down, she goes for the mulch. Over, and over, and over. I get so fustrated because she just wont listen. But I can't get mad because she is just a puppy and doesn't know better yet. However, this sometimes leads to "accidents" in the house when I think that she doesnt have to go.

The subject of obiedience training and just the personality of a golden retriever has been stirring around in me for a while. Not that Zoie needs it, but, I wonder when exactly does she decide to obey me for the enrichment of our relationship together, and not just for obiedience sake? This process that I have been going through with her and her tinkling has opened my eyes to the process of obiedience and pleasing God.

Much like Zoie, I try and obey God for the most part. And when I was younger, I just obeyed out of fear that God would take something from me or punish me in some way. Much like the way I hope Zoie would feel after going back to the mulch for the 15th time. As my relationship with God grew stronger, I realized that doing the things that God tells me to do actually enriches my relationship with him. I actually want to do those things that he tells me. And, still there are times in my life where I too, have a mulch pile; a place I love to go to that gets me off track with my primary mission at hand. It is there that the self-seeking pleasure often gets me as dirty as Zoie does when she rolls around in the cypress mulch.

In my walk with God, the point where I started obeying for His pleasure, and His benefit was when I realized that when I should have been punished for "going to the mulch pile" for the 15th time he calmly picked me up and put me back in the very place where I needed to be to continue on with my primary mission. It was that revelation that makes me think about what John says in his gospel. John8:29 says "i will always do what pleases him." God is not some task master barking out commands like I do with zoie. He understands that we are human and tend to make the same mistake over, and over, and over. That is why i like to obey. Grace and mercy when i should get a pop.

Whip.........

Space Invaders

I wanted to share what we talked about in our small group on Thursday night.

I feel the Holy Spirit tugging me, drawing me closer to him. I have no clue what this means, or what it even looks like. However, in the past month or so I have felt and gone through situations that bring the issue of my closeness, my intimacy with God, to the forefront of "Greg's
Agenda(s)". When we make the decision to become closer in our walk with God, it leads to a change in us. Always. Or, it leads us to choose whether to progress, or remain still. Progression leads to change, they go hand in hand.

In scriptures, we read about a man named Moses, who chose to progress in his walk with God. (Exodus 34:28) If we read this we realize a couple things.

1. If progression(closeness) leads to change there has to be a stimulant or desire to change. Moses' stimulant was the long list of promises and commands that God had just laid out to him. Look at them.
(Exodus 34:10-12) The Message Bible

I will work wonders that have never been created in all Earth.

I'm clearing your way by driving out Amorites, Caananites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Tear down alters. Worship only God-his name is The-Jealous-One- is a jealous God.
Do not make molten Gods.
Keep the feast of unleavened bread.
Every firstborn from the womb is mine.
Redeem each of your firstborn sons.
No one is to show up in my presence empty-handed.

There is alot more but you get the point.

God is setting up the peramiters of the covenant with Israel. God is, not another man. God.

God is moving into Israel's neighborhood. And this alone made Moses want more, more God, more. I think God gave him all he could handle. Scriptures say that his face glowed and everyone was afraid to get close. He was changing, progressing in a walk with God. Master...Creator...God.

This is how God wants us to be.

A lot of people want to feel the fire of God, The Holy Spirit, but are afraid to get close. The are afraid to get burned. If you ever have been burned by fire, two things happen.

1. It hurts like hell, and there is nothing to take the pain away, except time.
2. Where you are burned, it leaves a permanent mark.

Getting closer to God in your walk is going to hurt like hell. Why? Because you are human and he is God. As we progress closer there are things, emotions, hang-ups, sins, addictions, emotional battles, that we will have to let go of to progress toward the consuming fire of God's presence. The decision to go through this battle is where most of us decide whether it is going to be more pleasant to stand at a safe and comfortable distance to maintain a sense of warmth from God like we have been doing, or to go head first and let God's consuming fire burn the things that keep us away off. This is where I am at. I'm making the plunge, or maybe I'm letting God plunge in me.

Moses wanted to see God's glory because he realized that God wanted to be close to him.

Men dropped there nets because they were consumed by the realization that Immanuel, God with Us, Jesus, wanted to be close to us.

Rich men anguished over the battle to give up everything they built themselves out of; the hang-ups, the selfishness, the addictions, the corruption of thier minds, to be close to God.

And what makes me feel like I can do it is, that these guys are just like me.

Paul was one of these people. In the Book of Phillipians, Paul was as he says a Hebrew of Hebrews. The best God-fearing Jew in the land.

We have to take these things that we are, that we have accumulated, or become, whether "good" or bad, and treat them as dog dung. Why? To become closer to God. Paul says "I want to know Christ." I have said that millions of times. But what i rarely say is, I want to know what it is to suffer like he did. Create me to be discipined in your ways, to experience the liberation that salvation truely gives, which is not just forgiveness but wholeness, and mold me to be the creature that will go all the way, even if it means dying in the name of Jesus.

Paul didnt have it all together and he admitted it, even though he was "The Man". Why should we even think that we do. We are half the men that Paul was. But what he says is that he is on his way, he is progressing. He went all the way, till death for Jesus. Just read the new testament.
It seems like everytime you read about him he is in jail. The truth is, we have this open template of a story just waiting to be written about us. Just like Paul he went all the way.

Daniel's friends went all the way. You remember them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Nebendago.
In fact they told the King. "Your threats mean nothing to us. If you throw us into the fire, the God we serve can rescue us. But even if he doesn't, it wouldnt make a bit of difference, we still wouldnt serve your Gods or worship the gold statue."

I want for people to read about me like i just read about them. I want to be a story that when people think about God, they talk about me. Not to puff me up, but to let out this story of a God who came down to us and let us in on his plan and our parts in that plan.

Ive often heard people say, "Don't invade my personal space". "you see this circle? Dont cross it. Your too close."

Well God I'm about to invade yours and I brought my SPF 60 with me because i burn easily.
I have plenty for those who want to join me. Its a big bottle.


Let the invasion begin.



Whip......

Easter Greetings

Hey all,

Just wanted to say hi and happy easter to everyone. I got a great opportunity last weekend to share in our church. My Dad was in church for the first time in ...well I cannot remember my Dad being in church. However, I choose to speak about connecting with God. It was rough since I was time-pressed all week, and didnt get some points out as much as I liked. The cool thing was is that his wife loved the church, which is always good! At lunch she even admitted to tearing up in one of our worship songs. Hopefully it wont be the last time they come to visit with us. Thanks to all for the support you give me when these times of speaking come around. It really uplifts me. And also, H thanks for the prayer. It meant a lot.

Whip.......

Alternate Route

OK in an attempt for more exposure (Yea i know how lame) I am also posting on an alternate blog. www.myspace.com/thedustyscribe
I am currently working on a book/story which has most of my time. Sorry for the lack of input over the last month. However I'll be back scribing in a few.

Whip.......

Cherry Blowpops Unwrapped

My daughter and I have lots in common. One is that we both love cherry blowpops. She loves the fact that she gets a two-for-one deal. Sucker and gum all in one. We will often go to the store and get a couple on my day off when she plays hooky from day care. However she needs help getting the wrapper off because between her little fingers and her short patience she has a little trouble. So after a couple minutes of wrestling with the wrapper and bending the stick up, she swallows her pride and asks me for help. It was in this situation that God spoke to me about several things.

I had a pastor friend who is involved in a real estate deal tell me the other day that he was sketching building plans out on a piece of paper. He was mapping out his vision for a cluster of buildings when he realized that he didnt have the money or resources to accomplish the vision, even though he has been working on this plan for years. So he put the paper down on his truck seat and prayed to God. "God I dont know how this is going to happen, I dont have the money to pay for it, but I know you can do it." Immediatley the phone rang and the plans that he had a hard time figuring out seem to be on the way to completion through this phone call.

In both situations there was a Father figure who gave something of great joy and importance to each person. I gave my daughter a blowpop, and God gave this pastor a vision. Both had trouble handling it on their own, both to the point of fustration. However, when my daughter gave the blowpop back to me, she was able to enjoy what I had to give her. When the pastor realized that the vision could only be accomplished by leaning on the outstreched hands of God, things seem to start to fall into place. If you are struggling with something in your life that seems to be out of control, or over your head, ask God for assistance. Remember, he is the one who gave you that blowpop in the first place. Dont get so fustrated that you compromise what you really want for something that is easier to do or to handle.

Just a few thoughts for the journey

Whip........

I'm lookin for a good pair of walking shoes

It has been a while since my last post, however everything goes well.

Today I had an interesting "conversation" with God. During the past week there have been some situations that have come up that have made me mad, frustrated, and quite frankly pissed off. My apologies to those for the rudeness of my chosen words. I wont go into details to protect the privacy of those people of whom I shall speak of.
There is a aching in my spirit, the kind of aching that is best described as a dog that awaits patiently for his master to come home after a long day at work. Or put superspiritually, as a father awaiting the return of his prodigal son. I'm this way because the church plant that I am a part of is about an hour away from its master to bust through the door and send me out into the yard to play fetch. Or put superspiritually, I can see my son about a mile up the road on his way back from a long journey away from home and I cant wait to put my arms around him.

This week the aching has been worse than others, and what I thought was a piece of the big puzzle of our church plant coming together turned out to be something that seemed to fit, but unfortunately is going to fit into another puzzle, and that pissed me off and frustrated me for a bunch of reasons. With this in mind lets talk about my conversation with God. This very vague situation that I describe has been drilling away at my head for about a week now, so I questioned God on why the piece of the puzzle didn't fit. I was driving in my car venting to Him about all this when some song lyrics from my CD player interupted my tantrum. As I listened, I realized God was talking back to me through these lyrics.

Lyrics:

I don't understand your ways
Oh but I will give my song
give you all of my praise
you hold on to all my pain
with it you are pulling me closer
and pulling me into your ways

Now around every corner
up every mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
or water from fountains
I desperate in seeking, frantic believing
that the sight of your face
is all that I'm needing
I will say to you

Its gonna be worth it,
Its gonna be worth it all,
I believe this.
Its gonna be worth it,
Its gonna be worth it all,
I believe this.

What struck me was the lyrics in the chorus. The writer realizes that this life we live as Christians is not about crowning ourselves with the talents that God graciously gives us to edify the church. Its not even about seeking to be crowned "king worship leader","queen children's pastor",or "King Senior Pastor".The Holy Spirit is not a spiritual coke machine that we draw from when we are needing refreshment. These are the kind of things that I have seen in The American Church and have been purged out of my spiritual system.This is the reason for the aching I feel for the real thing to show up and bust throughout the doors into our church plant. Our lives as Christians are about seeking God. It is a journey. Journeys are hard, long, and require the patience and endurance to see them through.

With that in mind lets go back to what pissed me off. I can understand why Jesus used the term "those with ears let them hear what the spirit says to the church." With all the knowledge and wisdom of friends, pastors, and spiritual leaders it seems that some followers of God just don't get it. They don't get that seeking requires "seeking". Searching requires you to search. Following requires you to follow. All these things require action which in turn requires time. So there are some that I come in contact with that don't understand the concept of the process of the journey even though they have been spoonfed the same gospel as I have.

It is these Christians who often will settle for the crowns of righteousness as the finish line in their pursuit of ultimate spirituality. They consider these "titles" as careers, thus they seem to become the spoils of victory in Jesus. This thinking makes me upset. These crowns are the important spiritual positions that every Christian is tempted to acquire but few attain. It is unfortunate that these same people are the ones that often are the ones that lead us to the fountain to drink of the water from God. Now, there are some that do this with humility, however more often than naught these leaders often ban together and concoct a wild potion of spiritual gifts on Sunday in hopes of bringing down the Holy Spirit in a supernatural event. Now, once again, I love the presence of God, however those who seek to make Sunday as the day that you meet God and put pressure on themselves to perform their talents to somehow attract God's attention...Those are the ones I'm pissed off at. Those are the people who ,like the multitudes just took from Jesus. They didn't join him on the Journey. They didn't follow, they didn't seek, they just took from a gracious God who loved so much that he gave to all. These same people unfortunately are in our churches, at the alter Sunday after Sunday, taking instead of making the hard effort to follow. More often than naught they are lead by those who seek crowns and not sandals.

I am walking this journey, this wild adventure with the Holy One. That is why I ache. I ache because I am desperately seeking, frantically believing that the day I see his face is all I needed, is all I'm searching for. And I haven't seen it yet. I see blurry visions of Him, and it keeps me going. It is going to be worth it.

I say all this because God in our conversation told me our church plant aches as a whole because we don't seek crowns. We don't treat him like a vending machine. If you happen to stumble upon us, chances are you won't be able to tell who the pastor is, who leads worship, or who our awesome youth pastor is. We kinda like it like that. We move as one body together, caring for each other because we know that if one part is hurting or damaged, the whole is affected. People who search for crowns, who treat God as a vending machine, hurt the body. People who search, who walk, who seek, strengthen the body through their personal journeys, and stories of God in their lives. I love when God's presence fills our sanctuary, but that is not the end result of my relationship with him, like good sex at the end of a date. I love to pastor and teach our fellowship, however that is not the crown of victory for me. The crown is with Jesus up there in heaven, and it is a long journey to get there.
And God says to walk.. Because its going to be worth it all. All of our travels up the mountains and down in the valleys of our lives is going to be worth it one day.

I'm lookin for a good pair of walking shoes.


Whip......

Happy New Year

May the our eternal God who is infinant, the Alpha and the Omega, He who was and is and is to come, our God who never changes yet continues to abide in us everyday of our lives, may he bring you peace, joy, comfort, and good tidings for the next 365 days of this grand scheme of our lives that He pens down in His unending story.

Whipp