Month: January 2003

Everyone knows them

They adore them

All see them

Pop culture idolizes them

These people are special

In the name of entertainment

These people “have it all”

But are they happy?

Are they scared?

Why do they live?

What is important to them?

So lost

So hurt

So needy

So followed

I know there are people all around the world, the poor and homeless, who need Christ. But there are people in TV, the movies, music, and pop culture who need him too, just as much. Every time I look at the culture my heart aches for not just the people in the lime light, but the people they are affecting. I want to affect people too, but I want to be in another kind of light, his light! People are looking everywhere for total fulfillment, they just want to be loved? I don?t care how bitter someone is, that is what they want, to be loved and cared for. But people are human, they want all of this, but can?t deliver it. So I remind all of you, and my self, don?t leave the culture because it is bad, be in it, know the people and love them as Christ loves us. Then they too will know him, and love him, and learn that his ways are better than anything they could ever do with out him. Sex and Money may drive the culture, but they will not produce love. So let that light shine, let his love affect everyone you come into contact with. We are all in full time ministry. Pray for boldness, and opportunity. The Holy Spirit will guide you, do not be afraid. Pray for those people in powerful positions in our culture to meet Jesus. This is my ultimate calling, I don?t know how I will fulfill it, but I know it is to meet the needs of our culture and generation.

The Holy Spirit: Because I felt like writing a message, and its been on my mind for a while.

I?m sure you?ve made a bad decision before. Think of a specific time you made a decision, something deep down was telling you not to do it, but for whatever reasons (most of the time selfish) you did it anyway. Now, was this before or after making the decision to follow Christ? Most likely if you felt compelled to ?justify? it, it was after accepting Christ, doesn?t matter how closely you were following? I believe this is one part of what the Holy Spirit does for us. If it was before accepting Christ, the Bible says ?Right and wrong are written are your heart?. For me, I made plenty of decisions before Christ was in my life, many of them not good for me, or the people around me, some times I thought, this isn?t the best, but I never felt compelled to ?justify? it or really double think about it. But, after accepting Christ things were different, I would actually have little ?is this right or wrong? wars in my head? Well this lead to some confusion, so for some time I decided to ?justify? things, make them right in my head? but even this, a lot of the time I felt ?wrong? about it anyway, the still, small voice in me was saying NO.

What is the Holy Spirit?

In short the Holy Spirit is the ?Mind? of God, when you accept to follow Jesus you are then filled with the spirit? Being filled with the spirit allows God the ability to speak and work through you. It?s like a teleprompter for your brain.

[1 Corinthians 2:1-16]

1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I first came to you I didn’t use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God’s message.2 For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.3 I came to you in weakness–timid and trembling.4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. I did not use wise and persuasive speeches, but the Holy Spirit was powerful among you.5 I did this so that you might trust the power of God rather than human wisdom.6 Yet when I am among mature Christians, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world, and not the kind that appeals to the rulers of this world, who are being brought to nothing.7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of God,* which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began.8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would never have crucified our glorious Lord.9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

In this passage Paul is telling the people of the Corinthian church why he spoke to them the way he did, instead of using words that the people wouldn?t understand he leaned on the knowledge of the Holy Spirit to guide him (v2-6), he kept it simple and basic for the new Christians. God?s spirit knows how to meet people just where they need to be, so we do not need to worry about talking to people, for we have the Spirit to guide us. We also learn that no one can know God?s thoughts except God?s spirit, and God has given us HIS SPIRIT! (v12). Remember though, only people who have the Spirit can understand the Spirit, the Spirit will help us speak to these people about spiritual things, but they will not understand God?s truths until they meet Christ for themselves. But we, Christians, can understand these things for we have the Spirit, we have the mind of Christ (v16).

When you begin to follow and release your self to the Spirit you develop certain qualities, which the bible refers to as the fruits of the spirit?

[Galatians 5:22-23]

22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

Love ? Loving God first, his people and all people, God is love

Joy ? Possessing what we desire or love

Peace ? Knowing that everything is good

Patience ? Time does not matter

Kindness ? Serving other people?s needs

Goodness ? Generally thinking/doing good

Faithfulness ? Knowing God is there when there is no proof

Gentleness ? Having compassion for others

Self Control ? Able to control emotional and selfish outrages

Some versus to ponder?

1 John 2:26-27 ? The Holy Spirit helps us discern false teachings

Ephesians 5:18-20 ? How much of ourselves is under the Holy Spirit?s guidance?

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 ? Holy Spirit makes us a new person

Luke 4:1-2 ? Holy Spirit may test us

Ephesians 4:1-6 ? It binds us together as a body of Christ

Ephesians 4: 28-30 ? We can bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit

Philippians 1:1-11 ? Holy Spirit helps us do God?s work.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 ? By the Holy Spirit and the way we work gives assurance to those we share the good news with.

If we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit?s calling in our lives God will use us to spread his great news through all situations in our lives.

I now know what puts me in a bad mood, what rubs me the wrong way, and what I hope I never do to people, but I know I do sometimes.

You know what it is?

It’s when I get to work and the first thing someone asks or tells me is “I have this problem”, “Can you help me”, “Quick, blah blah blah’s computer isn’t working and he/she needs it NOW!!!!”…. AHHH people, calm down. When this happens to me first thing in the morning, I get really defensive, and it puts me in a bad mood, I give quick snappy answers, and don’t make eye contact with the person… Grr I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

No “Good morning Travis, how are you?”… That’s all I want… just some polite greeting, a smile, not a frantic angry person who has no idea what to do but complain.

I wish that this didn?t affect me and that I could just turn the other cheek? I only remember one time where I was like? ?And how is your day?? with a smile. But that was a special day, not sure why I was just happy. I don?t always get angry or annoyed, but I always notice it, and it usually makes me a little less happy to be at work.

So, anyways, this is one of my biggest pet-peeves, just say HI people? Start a small conversation; don?t complain to me right away! I?ll be more than happy to actually help if you don?t attack me right away!

Help.

So here we are, in a black, cold, wet room. The world seems to be entering a vortex, spinning out of control. What can we do? Life just gets faster and faster, busier and busier, and every day we see less and less of each other. Our families go days, weeks, months with out seeing us. We talk to people, but do we really talk to them? Do we relate to people, do we really care? A man nearly 2003 years ago taught us how to deal with the world, keep it simple was the basis of his speeches. What can we do? The rain falls, the sky is gray, and the sun never rises. We make a trip to the top of the mountain, the sun rises, the air is warm the sky is blue and everyone lights up. But when we return the sun never comes out, and the rain never dries up. Our heads spin, our worlds collide, our lives are full, their busy, they keep us from enjoying our own little mountain top experience. The small still voice continues to thrive, although we do not listen. The doors open and they shut and we keep walking on by, or breaking down the shut doors. What can we do? Be still, be quiet, and be simple. Stop thinking, stop worrying, it’s going to be okay. These hands are small, his hands are big.

Questions for him.

What are the stars for?

Why did you make the planets?

What’s with the other galaxies?

You painted the sky so beautifully, you created the Earth so wonderfully, I can not but only imagine what the heavens are like, and what your glory feels, looks and hears like. Thank you for being you. We all need something bigger than our selves, to save our selves from our selves.

A nightmare to be told. Sex, Scandal, and Life.

This is an actual dream/nightmare I had last night.

The scene: Some kind of ?Christian? retreat or conference (at least everyone involved were Christians in my life at the current moment). In some kind of mountain resort, but in the summer time, possibly in Canada? in a Hotel/Resort.

The people: All people I know in real life, but it involves different groups of people I?m involved with, but the groups are not associated with each other, therefore these people don?t know each other.

It?s the first night of our little ?retreat/conference? and before I know it, I?m having sex with one of the girls in our group, I don?t recall any details, I just know it happened (you know how dreams are). So after this little night of sin? about half the day goes by before everyone realizes that this girl has been murdered. Yeah that?s right murdered, so apparently I have a problem? The thing is? I didn?t murder her. For some silly reason everyone knows that I was with her the previous night, so of course everyone assumes that it was me who killed her.

After about what seems like 2 hours, the police and FBI (dreams sure are strange) determine through ?biological? evidence that I was with her the night before. I distinctly remember the sheets where my sin took place being held up for all to see, as in a really bad movie version of ?Clue?. What to do? well it turns out that after a whole lot of humiliation that the leader of the group (who is a real group leader in my life) is the one who killed her. Why? I don?t know. This is where I woke up? with all kinds of things going through my head?

What on Earth, In hell, or Heaven does this all mean?

I?m guessing either it?s what my life would have been had I not decided to follow Christ. Or what it will be like if I fall away? Wow bad stuff, good reminder? a little harsh? maybe? but I?m glad that I?ve decided to continue to follow him. Otherwise, my goodness!

Our society makes me sick.

So there I am, sitting in a movie theater watching images of pour souls who are so lost. They have no idea what they are doing to themselves, they know there will be consequences but it?s all they know, they have never seen a good relationship with Christ. The majority of these people in the theater laugh at these things, find them entertaining, normal, and do not see why they are wrong. All I do is find my self getting upset, then I remember okay, this is a movie. I find my self praying, and asking God to just help these people see the consequences for their actions.

I want to scream at the top of my lungs and let these people know that they are loved, that I love them, that there are other people out there, that if they just opened their minds and listened that they could have this same love, we are all human, we all make mistakes but give us a try, or two, or ten, but you will see the love you will receive it. Why do people close their heads up, why do people just want to be left alone, this is so backwards! God I ask for you to give me the opportunities to talk to people, give me the wisdom, and give me the life to help people come closer to you! I am always praying for this? I also pray and ask for you to help me remember things I can use to do this work. Change me Lord to be a servant of yours.

?Catch me if you can? was good; in fact I liked it a lot. It was a good example of how the things in our life can be used for good. Although Frank had bad circumstances in his life he always found something to move ahead, although his means of this were not good, and he used the system and he used people, and he used women. Frank was just a lost soul making it through life the only way he knew, until he was finally given the chance to do it another way, but even then he wanted to revert to the old ways, it was more comfortable. That is where most people mess up, we get to comfortable with our selves, our jobs, our relationships to the point that we become blind and stop looking to better our selves and to grow. But the FBI guy (I forgot his character name, he was played by Tom Hanks) kept a relationship with Frank (which BTW was played by Leonardo DeCaprio), mostly because he had no family, but you see that?s just it, he wanted/needed a relationship and he found it through Frank as his mentor. I think the answer to the age old question of ?what is the meaning of life is?: To have a divine relationship. Until each and ever person makes that relationship, we can not be happy, we can not have peace, we can not have hope.

So I challenge you with this? Never get to comfortable, never settle for anything until you are completely satisfied, never worry about the future though, for if you worry about the future than you will not have peace, always move closer with your relationships get to know your friends, your family, meet their needs as a human. Smile, you never know it may change someone?s day. Compliment people, everyone has something to compliment. Thank people, when they don?t ?deserve? to be thanked by our cultures standards. Don?t be overwhelmed by everything going on around you. Remember God has GOOD plans for you, he will not give you more than you need, but the opposition may. Always strive to get closer to God. Remember to sit still sometimes, listen, do nothing but listen, don?t think.

I leave you with this favor to ask, always challenge me, if I say or do something you don?t agree with, tell me. If I get upset or angry, tell me. I am always open to being corrected. If you ask me how I?m doing, don?t let me get away with a bad answer like ?fine? or ?okay?? But most of all, let me know how I interact with people, because one thing I know is that I get into my comfort zone, and I don?t leave it, even as much as I want to, I don?t, if all I do is talk to people I know, then how will I reach people for Christ. Okay, that?s all I have to say right now. I?m done.

I’m sorry about the pride.

I’m so sorry about the pride.

You’ve warned me a few times.

The first was at the great yellow arches,

but your grace was amazing, thank you.

The second, well a few days ago,

the parking garage got the best of me.

Each of these times, i’ve just polished up my image,

got it all looking preatty, then bam I lose my self.

I’m so sorry about the pride,

I’m gunna keep on tryin’, because I want to be humble,

I want to serve, I must serve.

Lord! I’m frustrated!

I just want to show your love to everyone! I just want to wrap my arms around you! I just want to fall at your feet! I want to serve you! I want to serve people! But I keep failing too, I keep cowering away from things, I keep putting people in their bubles, finding excuses to just ignore them. I am so frustrated.

So this entertained me for a few hours today…

Fake check for $95,000 clears… Click here

You’ll need a lot of time for this… but it’s funny! Life is so strange sometimes, what would you have done? I think I would have done something along the same lines as this guy. Although I would have never tried to deposit the check to begine with… if I had… hmm… Infact I liked it so much I even tipped the guy $5 for entertaining me for the afternoon…

Well i’m going to see “Catch me if you can” tonight, i’ll let ya’ll know what I think…