I was listening to an album that I haven't listened to for a while, Switchfoot's Nothing is Sound. This song made me start to think about our society and what we spend our money on.
If you have watched tv in the past 5 years, I am sure that you have noticed a trend of using lust to sell products. Why do we do this? Why do we use something that God has created as beautiful and "in His image" (Gen. 1:6)?
Why? I think that it is because people are lonely. Jon Foreman, the lead singer of Switchfoot, puts it best in the song with; "Everyone's been scared to death of dying here alone."
We are striving to connect to whatever we can. The internet, cell phones, reality television; whatever medium you use. The main goal is to connect with someone else.
We are starving for community. We are hungry for connectedness. And to try and feel connected, we sometimes seek it out in the wrong places.
Where are you connecting? Are you feeling connected at church? Are you feeling connected with your family? How can I help you connect to the right things?
5/29/08
5/21/08
Faith without Works is Dead
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:34-36
This parable, as told by Jesus, is one that has been speaking to me more and more the last couple of years. For the longest time I thought that my faith was something that was personal to me, but it is more than just my faith that is important. It goes beyond my singular existence. It goes on to how I treat others on a daily basis.
As I said, over the past couple of years I have been learning that my faith is not really about me. It is about God and others. In Matthew 25, Jesus was telling a story about people's saving faith and what it looks like. And the crux of it is in the above 3 verses. It looks like service to God and others. Not service to yourself.
That is why I am so excited for this summer. We are going to be starting on some new service options on a weekly or monthly basis. It is our way to reach out to people for God's glory and I hope that you are with me to do this.
We will be heading to Urban Peak, www.urbanpeak.org , to help serve lunch to homeless teens. We will also be going to Food Bank of the Rockies, www.foodbankoftherockies.org , to help sort food for non-profits around Denver. And we will be heading back to Elmshaven Nursing Home to help with Bingo on Wednesdays.
Keep an eye on the calendar and let's start working on making our faiths more than just about us.
This parable, as told by Jesus, is one that has been speaking to me more and more the last couple of years. For the longest time I thought that my faith was something that was personal to me, but it is more than just my faith that is important. It goes beyond my singular existence. It goes on to how I treat others on a daily basis.
As I said, over the past couple of years I have been learning that my faith is not really about me. It is about God and others. In Matthew 25, Jesus was telling a story about people's saving faith and what it looks like. And the crux of it is in the above 3 verses. It looks like service to God and others. Not service to yourself.
That is why I am so excited for this summer. We are going to be starting on some new service options on a weekly or monthly basis. It is our way to reach out to people for God's glory and I hope that you are with me to do this.
We will be heading to Urban Peak, www.urbanpeak.org , to help serve lunch to homeless teens. We will also be going to Food Bank of the Rockies, www.foodbankoftherockies.org , to help sort food for non-profits around Denver. And we will be heading back to Elmshaven Nursing Home to help with Bingo on Wednesdays.
Keep an eye on the calendar and let's start working on making our faiths more than just about us.
5/15/08
Our Neighbor
When I was a little guy, I loved Mr. Rogers. I loved him so much that I even wanted a "Mr Rogers Haircut" when I went to get a trim. I was obsessed.
One of his favorite phrases was "Hello, neighbor". He was seeking all of us to feel connected, like neighbors. Revolutionary thought. Or was it?
After hearing of the horrible things that have happened in Myanmar (the cyclone) and China (severe earthquake) I think of what it means to be neighbors.
A friend of mine pointed out today that we are called to look at what we consider our neighbors and expand that out. These hurting people in Myanmar and China are our neighbors just like the family living next door to me is my neighbor.
Sometimes it is so easy to desensitize ourselves from the world because it doesn't affect our lives, but try thinking about a neighbor as being someone more than the person next door.
In Matthew 19:19, Jesus reminds us that we are to "love our neighbor as ourselves". This is a big commandment. Are you following it?
Last weekend was Marta's and my first anniversary and we spent it in Colorado Springs. At one point we were walking to a coffee shop to play some Cribbage when we were asked for some money for food from someone sitting on the street. Instead of giving money, we invited Joan to come and join us at the coffee shop.
She came and we talked for an hour. I would like to say that we blessed her life, but she truly blessed us more than we blessed her. It was one of the many highlights of our 1st Anniversary trip.
Who can you bless? What neighbor can you treat as you would treat yourself?
Try it out today!
One of his favorite phrases was "Hello, neighbor". He was seeking all of us to feel connected, like neighbors. Revolutionary thought. Or was it?
After hearing of the horrible things that have happened in Myanmar (the cyclone) and China (severe earthquake) I think of what it means to be neighbors.
A friend of mine pointed out today that we are called to look at what we consider our neighbors and expand that out. These hurting people in Myanmar and China are our neighbors just like the family living next door to me is my neighbor.
Sometimes it is so easy to desensitize ourselves from the world because it doesn't affect our lives, but try thinking about a neighbor as being someone more than the person next door.
In Matthew 19:19, Jesus reminds us that we are to "love our neighbor as ourselves". This is a big commandment. Are you following it?
Last weekend was Marta's and my first anniversary and we spent it in Colorado Springs. At one point we were walking to a coffee shop to play some Cribbage when we were asked for some money for food from someone sitting on the street. Instead of giving money, we invited Joan to come and join us at the coffee shop.
She came and we talked for an hour. I would like to say that we blessed her life, but she truly blessed us more than we blessed her. It was one of the many highlights of our 1st Anniversary trip.
Who can you bless? What neighbor can you treat as you would treat yourself?
Try it out today!
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