What the church needs today.

I'm reading a great book by Chuck Swindoll, I will leave it unnamed as it is a pre release that will hit the shelves Sept. 2010. The subject is church renewal. I am through the intro and first chapter and it really has my heart stirring. What is the church in a postmodern or more specifically a post Christian nation supposed to look like. A church in a nation that wants nothing to do with boundaries or absolutes. The only black and white this nation want to see is "grey". I'll do what feels good to me, If I think its OK then it's OK, that may be good for you but not for me. There are many paths that lead to God, I will end the list there.

It has been suggested by some that America is more Hindu than it is Christian in that there is a growing belief that are many different Gods that will lead us to a great afterlife. How can we be different. What can we do to show the truths of Father, Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit in this chaotic multi directional world we live in.

The foundation must be Gods word, the BIBLE, This must be the core of everything we do. If I don't have a healthy helping of Gods word each day I find that I am spiritually hungry and my direction is scattered. It becomes very easy to react solely by emotion rather than wisdom. I begin to look at the things around though my human eyes and I don't always see things clearly. I need my Jesus glasses. Help me God to see the things of this day through your eyes. Show me the good in people that I cannot see, help me to bless those who curse. This is part of the reason for the name of my blog. I'm convinced that we, in our fallen, sinful state are not able, or designed to, effectively deal with more than what this day brings us. James 4:13-14 ¹³Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. My goal each day is to take it one day at a time. That doesn't mean I never plan ahead, I do, I just try to do it with the attitude that things may change and that is alright. That's my goal, I don't always react to changes that way. So I need to stay grounded in the word so that my Jesus glasses will stay clean and clear, no smudges, clean and Jesus clear. it reminds me of Brandon Heaths song "Give me your eyes". Check it out if you haven't heard it.

So back to the beginning of my post. The church needs Gods word front and center to lead and guide everything we do. I believe church would be much more simple if we just went to His word first followed closely by prayer. Chuck talks about the church eroding, caused by following all the latest trends, we continue to accommodate the the teachings of popular culture. Don't offend anyone. If we hold to God's word Jesus promised us this " I will build my church, and nothing-- not even the gates of hell--can stop Me(Jesus). It may not seem the most fun or exciting, but what are we comparing that to, our favorite movie or the latest multi media extravaganza, that all the "popular churches are doing. I think Gods word ,when engaged with a heart that longs to be filled the wisdom of God, is very exciting, Gods word is " alive and active, sharper than any Ginsu knife", (Russ paraphrase). Check out the lyrics to Casting Crowns song "The word is alive"

Looking out from His throne,
The Father of light and of men
Chose to make Himself known
And show us the way back to Him

Speaking wisdom and truth
Into the hearts of peasants and kings
He began to unveil
The Word that would change the course of all things

With eyes wide open,
all would see

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

Simple strokes on a page
Eternity's secrets revealed,
Carried on from age to age
It speaks truth to us even still

And as the rain falls from Heaven, Feeds the earth before it returns
Lord, let Your Word fall on us and bring forth the fruit You deserve

With eyes wide open, let us see
The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

(Spoken) The Bible was inscribed over a period of two thousand years
In times of war and in days of peace
By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers, and shepherds
The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive could have been produced by such a diverse crowd
Over a period of time which staggers the imagination
Jesus is its grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive (the world and its glories will fade)
The Word is alive (His truth it will not pass away)
His Word is alive (His Word is alive, His Word is alive)

(Spoken) Jesus is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God is its end

After you read this go to Gosselinks Christian Book Store, or your local Christian bookstore and buy the CD.

If Gods word wasn't important why did Jesus quote it all the time? "Jesus the living word"

I may have rambled a bit but that is me one day at a time.

God Bless you with heavenly things.

Russ.