Last night, in a spectacular display of suspended legality, Pueblo very closely resembled a city under siege. Vividly embodying the lyrics about "the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air" as all manner of incendiary ordinance filled the sky. The ground was obscured by remnants and refuse, what remains after the fires have shone bright for their short life. The stars were blotted out by the thick haze of sulfurous dioxides. The shriek and whistle of these pyrotechnic creations is blended with the wail of emergency sirens, dispatched to aid persons in need of assistance and to arrest persons in transgression of the law.
On a night so full of noise and clamor, it is easy to forget that somehow in the midst of it all hides a holiday. A day of remembrance, for the men and women who have fought and sacrificed their very lives to establish and protect this country. From the first weapon drawn against the oppressive government across the ocean (parchment and pen) to the thousands of weapons then called upon to put action to the words of that bold Declaration, on down to the battles in which we are now involved against those who seek to destroy our way of life...
Perhaps in the end, the greatest threat to this great nation may well be its own citizens. Whose selfish and egocentric behavior wants everything catered to their whims, with no thought of the consequences on future generations. Who want the government to do for them what they ought be doing for themselves, to absolve them of personal responsibility and let them live their life without a care in the world. You cannot legislate morality, intelligence, responsibility, or honor. These things used to be taught by parents, who actually raised their children to continue a kind of heritage. A system of belief in something greater than yourself.
A generation has been brainwashed into buying everything that they want now, and paying later or perhaps never. As though ordering a magazine with the free postcard found inside, we have for many years been checking "bill me later", and putting off the cost for our children to pay. And pay they will, for our carelessness and our shortsightedness. To think that everything should just be free, and that money will rain from the skies over Washington, without having to come from somewhere. This philosophy of postponed responsibility: "we'll fix it later, I just don't want to deal with it right now" will soon be our undoing, if indeed it is not already too late.
If as a nation, we no longer consider anything greater than ourselves, we will not continue to be a nation much longer. There will be nothing holding us together, and nothing to defend us from anything.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Outcast
Through seeking to walk his own path,
the independent mind is deemed irregular.
A problem all too solvable with rehabilitation;
Just a spoonful of drugs makes the hateful lies go down.
A psychiatric nation seeks to fix the yet unbroken,
and weaken the strong, in the name of conformity.
None too different, none too special, lest some might take offense.
At the sight of what they could have been.
At the parts of themselves they've left behind, believed to be forgotten.
Believe the lies, and make them true. At least inside your mind.
You are yourself, made by your hand; It's no one else's choice.
And that's the part they fear the most, they've none but them to blame.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Judgement of God
In the wake of every natural disaster, there seems to be scores of "Christians" who proclaim to the world that this pain and suffering is the judgment of God. That we, or whoever the victims may be, are being punished for our sin.
My personal opinion on the matter is as follows:
God's Judgment has already been poured out. All of it. Nothing was leftover, none of it was saved for a rainy day. (more on rainy days in a minute)
All judgment for sin, and all wrath toward sinners, was poured into Jesus at the cross.
To say that God is still judging us, or judging the world, is to spit in the face of Jesus and tell him that his sacrifice was insufficient.
How arrogant! Especially from people who call themselves Christians. They are claiming to be good with God, that Jesus washed away their sins, but then God's mercy ran out. They got in, but then the door closed. If you truly believe in the goodness of God, you realize that God still hates sin because of the destructive effects it still has in our lives if we continue to live in it. But all His wrath, and all His judgment, HAS BEEN POURED OUT. "It is finished" are the final words spoken on the matter.
The other time that God's judgment was poured out, was in the flood. This display of God's wrath was so destructive, that we are still experiencing the echoes of it. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and the like are the ongoing effects of the destruction of paradise. The perversion of what the earth was originally created to be.
There is no present judgment. What we see today, and may inappropriately label "acts of God" are the results of living in a fallen world where the caretakers have abandoned their responsibility to take dominion. That's us. The church. God's children are called to step into the authority that God gave to Adam before the fall. We are to take dominion of the Earth, and bring the Kingdom of Heaven into full reality.
I believe that God is looking on the people in Haiti with compassion, not slinging lightning bolts and tidal waves like the "Apocalypse Now / Judgment Day" God of Wrath portrayed by Hollywood and the Media. Which makes me wonder how he feels toward the people who callously brush off this tragedy (and others) as His judgment. Those are His kids you're trash-talking. How we get from "For God so loved the world that He gave" to this kind of religiously-justified hatred and apathetic disregard for human suffering is downright disgusting.
Whatever sinful practices may have been occurring in Haiti, or in the United States, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, are covered under the sacrifice of Jesus. To believe otherwise is to directly contradict the finished work of the cross.
My personal opinion on the matter is as follows:
God's Judgment has already been poured out. All of it. Nothing was leftover, none of it was saved for a rainy day. (more on rainy days in a minute)
All judgment for sin, and all wrath toward sinners, was poured into Jesus at the cross.
To say that God is still judging us, or judging the world, is to spit in the face of Jesus and tell him that his sacrifice was insufficient.
How arrogant! Especially from people who call themselves Christians. They are claiming to be good with God, that Jesus washed away their sins, but then God's mercy ran out. They got in, but then the door closed. If you truly believe in the goodness of God, you realize that God still hates sin because of the destructive effects it still has in our lives if we continue to live in it. But all His wrath, and all His judgment, HAS BEEN POURED OUT. "It is finished" are the final words spoken on the matter.
The other time that God's judgment was poured out, was in the flood. This display of God's wrath was so destructive, that we are still experiencing the echoes of it. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and the like are the ongoing effects of the destruction of paradise. The perversion of what the earth was originally created to be.
There is no present judgment. What we see today, and may inappropriately label "acts of God" are the results of living in a fallen world where the caretakers have abandoned their responsibility to take dominion. That's us. The church. God's children are called to step into the authority that God gave to Adam before the fall. We are to take dominion of the Earth, and bring the Kingdom of Heaven into full reality.
I believe that God is looking on the people in Haiti with compassion, not slinging lightning bolts and tidal waves like the "Apocalypse Now / Judgment Day" God of Wrath portrayed by Hollywood and the Media. Which makes me wonder how he feels toward the people who callously brush off this tragedy (and others) as His judgment. Those are His kids you're trash-talking. How we get from "For God so loved the world that He gave" to this kind of religiously-justified hatred and apathetic disregard for human suffering is downright disgusting.
Whatever sinful practices may have been occurring in Haiti, or in the United States, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, are covered under the sacrifice of Jesus. To believe otherwise is to directly contradict the finished work of the cross.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Lukewarm Christianity
In Revelation 3:16, there is given a caution to those who are "neither hot nor cold" and it involves being spit out like unsavory broth. The mindset of following God but not wanting to "get too radical" is dangerously close to qualifying. The mission statement of this Lukewarm Christianity could read as follows:
"To successfully avoid both blessing and cursing."
The world is passionately devoted to their sin. We will never be able to offer them freedom if we are only casually associated with Jesus. We should be far more tenacious in our grip of the life that comes from God than the world is holding on to the wages of their sin.
They're willing to go to hell for their lifestyle... are we as passionate about our eternal destiny? enough to share it with the world?
"To successfully avoid both blessing and cursing."
The world is passionately devoted to their sin. We will never be able to offer them freedom if we are only casually associated with Jesus. We should be far more tenacious in our grip of the life that comes from God than the world is holding on to the wages of their sin.
They're willing to go to hell for their lifestyle... are we as passionate about our eternal destiny? enough to share it with the world?
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Too much traffic on the roads...
You can keep your indecision,
and your callous disregard.
Your expectation for the world
to play along and punch your card.
Fancy loosened feet are free,
to wander and get lost at will.
They always find a deathly trap,
intending to pursue a thrill.
Another pawn to march in line,
whenever needed heed their call.
The ones who do just what they're told,
will always take the hardest fall.
I am not one among your ranks,
in me you'll find no sympathy.
I walk this careful chosen path,
a way you've chosen not to see.
and your callous disregard.
Your expectation for the world
to play along and punch your card.
Fancy loosened feet are free,
to wander and get lost at will.
They always find a deathly trap,
intending to pursue a thrill.
Another pawn to march in line,
whenever needed heed their call.
The ones who do just what they're told,
will always take the hardest fall.
I am not one among your ranks,
in me you'll find no sympathy.
I walk this careful chosen path,
a way you've chosen not to see.
Monday, November 2, 2009
"it's that time of year"
I am reminded of a commercial (circa 1990something) that was singing: "Happy Chris-ma-Ha-na-Qwan-za-ka!" which was simply a conglomeration of multicultural celebrations with calendrical and symbolic similarities to Christmas. For the purpose of my rant however, I am considering all of the relevant Christmas-related holidays to fall under the umbrellic term 'Christmas' and combining the three major winter holidays (which grow in span with every passing year) in chronological order into the Super Season I hereby refer to as: 'hallogivemas.'
Picture a large turkey... dressed as Santa Clause, with a jack-o-lantern for a head. He's making his list and checking it twice, throwing bricks made of fruitcake at those who aren't nice. the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and the turkey's got plenty of pumpkins to spare. oh, the madness! It all starts with autumn.
Changing leaves and the resultant splashes of natural color are drowned beneath a sea of orange and black. Sugar is sold in every form: shaped as skulls, pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts and goblins. Spider webs appear in otherwise meticulously cleaned homes, and deliberately frightening images are plastered on walls, across lawns, and donned in the form of costumery deception. I shall not here delve into the history of the holiday, for that is another essay entirely; already written by a number of more scholarly folk...
But with halloween out of the way as we enter November, now begins the next stage in this consumerist monstrosity. The creepy death/horror/necromancy-themed decorations and the unhealthy deluge of candy gives way to turkeys and cranberries... We can now buy new living room furniture at outrageously prices! Along with fresh new fall fashions. Everything is on sale! But a sale is not really the low prices they advertise, it is merely the suspension of the intentionally elevated prices. Because at the appearance of such good deals, all the obedient shoppers follow the shepherd around the pen.
Instead of allowing each to grow individually, we should combine the three (they are already beginning to overlap) and thereby save us all some money! Celebrate the beginning of fall, the gathering of the harvest, remember the dead, give thanks for the living; but most importantly, remember the birth of the one without whom no holiday would have any meaning or purpose.
If we marginalize Christmas to the same socioeconomic status as these other holidays, we disrespect the very one who gave His life to secure our freedom: Jesus the Christ.
Whatever else we may do this 'holiday season' I would recommend a little less spending and a little more searching. Find your reasons, instead of blindly following habit, or cultural trends. Find out for yourself why you do what you do. And if you don't like what you find, you have the power to change it. Its your life, He gave it to you. What are you going to do with it?
What will you give to those you love? Are you willing to give yourself? Or does a gift card adequately convey the emotion. I for one am glad that God didn't send us clothes or a plasma screen television. God didn't send us a certificate to His favorite restaurant. He gave us His son, to pay the price for our sins. To wash away the eternal consequences of our past, so that every step forward could bring us closer to Him.
Relationship. That is the purpose, that is the goal. That is the "meaning of Christmas." Whether we give gifts to friends and family or refrain from any cultural celebration whatsoever, where are our hearts? Do we really ask ourselves why we do what we do? I'm asking myself... and you have the mixed-fortune of listening to me try to figure it out. I am praying for us all.
Picture a large turkey... dressed as Santa Clause, with a jack-o-lantern for a head. He's making his list and checking it twice, throwing bricks made of fruitcake at those who aren't nice. the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and the turkey's got plenty of pumpkins to spare. oh, the madness! It all starts with autumn.
Changing leaves and the resultant splashes of natural color are drowned beneath a sea of orange and black. Sugar is sold in every form: shaped as skulls, pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts and goblins. Spider webs appear in otherwise meticulously cleaned homes, and deliberately frightening images are plastered on walls, across lawns, and donned in the form of costumery deception. I shall not here delve into the history of the holiday, for that is another essay entirely; already written by a number of more scholarly folk...
But with halloween out of the way as we enter November, now begins the next stage in this consumerist monstrosity. The creepy death/horror/necromancy-themed decorations and the unhealthy deluge of candy gives way to turkeys and cranberries... We can now buy new living room furniture at outrageously prices! Along with fresh new fall fashions. Everything is on sale! But a sale is not really the low prices they advertise, it is merely the suspension of the intentionally elevated prices. Because at the appearance of such good deals, all the obedient shoppers follow the shepherd around the pen.
Instead of allowing each to grow individually, we should combine the three (they are already beginning to overlap) and thereby save us all some money! Celebrate the beginning of fall, the gathering of the harvest, remember the dead, give thanks for the living; but most importantly, remember the birth of the one without whom no holiday would have any meaning or purpose.
If we marginalize Christmas to the same socioeconomic status as these other holidays, we disrespect the very one who gave His life to secure our freedom: Jesus the Christ.
Whatever else we may do this 'holiday season' I would recommend a little less spending and a little more searching. Find your reasons, instead of blindly following habit, or cultural trends. Find out for yourself why you do what you do. And if you don't like what you find, you have the power to change it. Its your life, He gave it to you. What are you going to do with it?
What will you give to those you love? Are you willing to give yourself? Or does a gift card adequately convey the emotion. I for one am glad that God didn't send us clothes or a plasma screen television. God didn't send us a certificate to His favorite restaurant. He gave us His son, to pay the price for our sins. To wash away the eternal consequences of our past, so that every step forward could bring us closer to Him.
Relationship. That is the purpose, that is the goal. That is the "meaning of Christmas." Whether we give gifts to friends and family or refrain from any cultural celebration whatsoever, where are our hearts? Do we really ask ourselves why we do what we do? I'm asking myself... and you have the mixed-fortune of listening to me try to figure it out. I am praying for us all.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Just outside the fence - (Redemption)
Our front yard, the neighborhood. Our country, the world.
Boundaries abound: legal, physical, mental, and spiritual.
While legal boundaries seem open to interpretation, and physical boundaries are being pushed every day by scientific advancement, I'm going to focus on the last two.
Because the strongest mental and spiritual boundaries we encounter tend to be the ones we have created by our own hand. We lock ourselves into patterns of behavior by the judgments we pass on our actions. We cut ourselves off from spiritual experiences because of what we choose to believe is true.
We draw our map of the world, and sit down in the middle.
Jesus came to draw a new map. To surround us with His promises, and cover us with His presence.
But we have to give up ours. We have to surrender, to be Redeemed.
-----
I think that I can pay my way out of this mess...
...if I just work hard enough
That if I really stop to think, I won't react so quick...
...I can still fix this
I think that I can cause myself enough pain...
...I deserve it all anyway
To outweigh all the suffering that I inflict...
...my past mistakes have become my shadow
I know I should've done things a bit different
Chosen the high narrow path from the start
I know I should've payed closer attention
To the secret desires I've held in my heart
The answer is staring me right in the face
But the last thing I want to consider is grace
Someone should pay and I think its me
Freedom is expensive not given for free
I hold myself hostage with these lies that I yell
Condemning myself to this personal hell
Freedom is clawing at my reinforced walls
As I subject myself to life's bitterest galls
I think I have control of my heart and mind
I won't let anybody in because of what I know they'll find
I'm locked inside myself and I've thrown away the key
I've given up on getting out but I still long to be set free
How can I be forgiven if not by grace alone
No sacrifice of mine can earn the love that you have freely shown
I can't keep holding on I've got to let myself go free
Before the wages of my sin become the death of me
When you value punishment above Christ Jesus' sacrifice
You climb inside the grave from which He rose to give us life
You keep your anger and resentment and your poisonous thoughts
You feed the guilt that ties your soul up in a thousand knots
You cannot save yourself with an intellectual design
There's only ever been one way to turn this water into wine
The shed blood of Christ is the key to your chains
To unlocking your heart and releasing its pains
I'm finally ready to let you take command of my heart and mind
I give you the power to destroy what I know you'll find
Save me from myself Take every part of me
I finally surrender I want to be free
How can we be forgiven if not by grace alone
No sacrifice of ours can earn the love that He has freely shown
We can't keep holding on we've got to let ourselves be saved
Before the wages of our sin drag us to our own grave
-----
Go listen to Redemption - finding the freedom offered through grace
performed by aTemporal Chaos, words and music by Michael Brown
Boundaries abound: legal, physical, mental, and spiritual.
While legal boundaries seem open to interpretation, and physical boundaries are being pushed every day by scientific advancement, I'm going to focus on the last two.
Because the strongest mental and spiritual boundaries we encounter tend to be the ones we have created by our own hand. We lock ourselves into patterns of behavior by the judgments we pass on our actions. We cut ourselves off from spiritual experiences because of what we choose to believe is true.
We draw our map of the world, and sit down in the middle.
Jesus came to draw a new map. To surround us with His promises, and cover us with His presence.
But we have to give up ours. We have to surrender, to be Redeemed.
-----
I think that I can pay my way out of this mess...
...if I just work hard enough
That if I really stop to think, I won't react so quick...
...I can still fix this
I think that I can cause myself enough pain...
...I deserve it all anyway
To outweigh all the suffering that I inflict...
...my past mistakes have become my shadow
I know I should've done things a bit different
Chosen the high narrow path from the start
I know I should've payed closer attention
To the secret desires I've held in my heart
The answer is staring me right in the face
But the last thing I want to consider is grace
Someone should pay and I think its me
Freedom is expensive not given for free
I hold myself hostage with these lies that I yell
Condemning myself to this personal hell
Freedom is clawing at my reinforced walls
As I subject myself to life's bitterest galls
I think I have control of my heart and mind
I won't let anybody in because of what I know they'll find
I'm locked inside myself and I've thrown away the key
I've given up on getting out but I still long to be set free
How can I be forgiven if not by grace alone
No sacrifice of mine can earn the love that you have freely shown
I can't keep holding on I've got to let myself go free
Before the wages of my sin become the death of me
When you value punishment above Christ Jesus' sacrifice
You climb inside the grave from which He rose to give us life
You keep your anger and resentment and your poisonous thoughts
You feed the guilt that ties your soul up in a thousand knots
You cannot save yourself with an intellectual design
There's only ever been one way to turn this water into wine
The shed blood of Christ is the key to your chains
To unlocking your heart and releasing its pains
I'm finally ready to let you take command of my heart and mind
I give you the power to destroy what I know you'll find
Save me from myself Take every part of me
I finally surrender I want to be free
How can we be forgiven if not by grace alone
No sacrifice of ours can earn the love that He has freely shown
We can't keep holding on we've got to let ourselves be saved
Before the wages of our sin drag us to our own grave
-----
Go listen to Redemption - finding the freedom offered through grace
performed by aTemporal Chaos, words and music by Michael Brown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)