What is love?

God is love (1 John 4:8). So love is knowing God. Love is a spiritual concept we can continually move closer to but because it is spiritual, we have really limiting ideas of what it really encompasses. Being bilingual I now realize that the English language really limits the concept of love. Most languages have multiple words for love because it is so difficult to capture its true expression in one word. It's like trying to sum up God in one word. The Greeks had 6 words for love and I know at least 3 of them are used in the scriptures. You see, as you read your Bible in English, you read love, love, and love; but in the Greek it might be eros, agape, and philia with a big difference in meaning. 

The Scriptures do set examples for us of what love should look like so that we might know it. Like John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  And we know from Paul and his letter to the Corinthians, or 1 John 3, that love is a verb, love requires action, love sacrifices, and love prefers others. “How do we know what love is?

 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Love is primarily giving, not receiving. Love is in uniting. The opposite of love is separation and selfishness. When sin first entered us Adam defends himself by blaming Eve, a selfish act of separation. Love is the ability to overcome separation – to find “at-one-(mo)ment”. Love is no longer being separated from the Creator but experiencing that through Jesus, “God reconciled everything to himself.” (Col. 1:20)

Stop being a COWARD! (Cincinnati Invite)

Yeah bro, I’m talking to you (actually I’m talking to myself and letting you eavesdrop.) For the last 6 months, myself and about 4 other guys have been meeting every Monday at a local “watering hole” in Clifton. The purpose of the gatherings is to study some life changing books and also trying to serve the homeless in our area. We are about to start a new book on Monday Feb. 16^th and I got to be honest; I’m as scared as I’m excited. I think it is going to be the hardest book yet for the group, but especially me.

The book is brand new from one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller. The title is Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy. It’s my understanding in this book, Miller has had enough of failed relationships and the painful drama that has basically come from his fear of being his TRUE SELF. Because of this fear he has found it impossible to build deep meaningful relationships. So at forty years old he made a scary decision: to be himself no matter what it cost. And now this book and the group, are going to challenge me to do the same.

In our group we have often talked about how, in our experience, there was a lack of transparency and authenticity in the traditional church. In fact, the group is predominately made up of spiritually hungry dudes that are more or less dechurched, or unchurched, or done with church. Whatever you want to call it.

If you are interested in taking a risk that involves choosing to impress fewer people and connect with more …interested in the freedom that comes when we stop acting and start loving….interested in knocking down old walls to create a healthy mind, a strong family, and a satisfying career. Interested in hanging with some dudes who are authentically interested in you becoming the best version of you possible, without any strings attached, then we’d welcome you. Shoot me a message. Click the book cover above to go directly to Amazon to pick up a copy.

I will be posting blog post along the way about my journey with this book.

Scott
Twitter: @GrapplersChurch  

Identifying with "the Others"

You have no idea how broken I really am! Seriously! No one knows. I'm really good at keeping secrets and keeping closed off. I once had a "shrink" look at me and say "My God what happened to you to make you this way?" She accused me of having built a wall around my heart. She was right.

The last few years God has started associating me with people who are inspiring me to come out of this coffin I've built. I am seeing how important community and transparency are in this Spiritual life. I'm trying not to be so introverted and trying to give myself to a community. I'm actually letting people in on secrets or even things I deem "none of their damn business". It's actually refreshing. I feel lighter and more connected. Of course, these are people who have earned that right and don't disqualify me when discovering my shortcomings. In fact, they encourage me and allow God to empower me in those areas. It feels incredible to start peeling these masks off.

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

But maybe like you, I have some things no one will ever know. There are some things my wife will know but my best friends won't. There are some things, especially thoughts I've had, I don't believe I will ever tell another soul. No one can ever know. But He knows.

You see God knows all those things. Even when you see how well things are going for me or catch me on a really spiritually good day, he knows who I am. He knows what I've done; what I've thought. And even while I was His enemy, he displayed the most unfathomable sacrifice merely to demonstrate His love for me. It's up to me how I want to react to what He did.

See, you have no idea the mercy and grace that was shown to me cause I've never told anyone all of it. The drugs, the violence, the perversion, the bad decisions, the selfishness and the thoughts... my Lord, where did some of those thoughts come from? My debt was monstrous, and yet he paid it. Maybe you were a decent person. I wasn't. So maybe you can't understand why I feel I owe my life to Him. Maybe you don't understand my radicalism because you don't understand the amount of mercy given to me. There was a lot of sin and now there is even more grace.

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.

You ever went to correct a child or discipline them and then remembered how "bad" you were as a kid or something you had done worse? Puts the brakes on your wrath a little, huh? Well it should. (Matthew 18:22-35). So maybe it's my fault so many in the church can't understand why I go where I go and hang with who I hang. Maybe it's cause I've kept a secret of how much grace was really bestowed upon me. Maybe every time I feel like coming down on one of these "sinners" I remember the debt I carried and was paid for me.

Then again, maybe one day, you will know all I've done. I've had ministers in the past describe a judgement day to me where everything I've done will be projected on the universes biggest film screen for all to see, and then I will answer to God in front of everyone. But then...just before the film rolls...

... I will wait for all of those who can't understand me to use their theology, their Scriptures, their worldview to jump to their feet and scream, "He loved "the others" to much! He showed too much compassion! He was too merciful! Those people he served were the enemies of God."

And with the final credits, maybe you will see, I was just as broken as all of them.

New Place to Find FREE Christian Kindle Books!

Click the picture below and find the Christian books you should be reading in 2015. Get them for your tablet, computer, or smartphone! 

Free Book this Weekend on Amazon Kindle

Download Born to Raze Hell: Finding Your Purpose Through Love & Destruction [Kindle Edition] free this weekend! Click the image below. Download it, review it, and share it on social media!

New Book Release!

For those of you who haven't made it over to the GrapplersChurch.tv site yet, thought I'd swing by here and remind you that I have a new book out. It was released on Sept 26th and went to #1 in the Fatherhood subcategory which made me very proud because my son was my target audience when writing it. Only 99 cents. Go over and check it out!

5 Non-Traditional Podcast Traditional Christians Need

Copyright 2014 Scott Blair

Most believers I know are listening to podcast by Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, TD Jakes, and Joel Osteen again. Those podcast are great but if you are looking to venture into some new territory let me point the way. I am an avid consumer of podcast, possibly even an addict. I really like tuning into podcast that challenge me to consider new ways of doing things; whether it be getting in shape, making money, or walking with Jesus.

I consider myself a bit of a podcast expert as well. I am currently a freelancer that produces/hosts two podcast and writes copy for a 3rd. I also have my own podcast that was #1 in its category for New & Noteworthy as well as it has continued in the "What's Hot" section of Christian Podcast on iTunes for over a year. Between the 3 shows I am heard on (excluding the one I write copy for) we have a combined total of over 1.5 million downloads. (Yes, I'm still for hire too. But only if you are one of the first 3 ministers mentioned above).

I am always on the look out for new podcast to learn from, be inspired by, and enjoy. Churches that just take their Sunday sermons and have the tech guy upload them to iTunes were not considered in this list. Also, if you had a bow-tie on in your podcast photo in iTunes it was an automatic disqualification ;-)

Here is a list of 5 Podcast that you probably aren't listening to and I think you should. All of them can be found on iTunes (and probably Stitcher on your Android phone).

1. Christ is All   - by Frank Viola - I was first turned on to Frank when a friend of mine bought me his book "Pagan Christianity?" That book was a game changer for me. His blog, sermons, and books drive home Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! I am always challenged by Frankie V!

From his blog; "If you are someone whose heart cry is: “There’s got to be more to the Lord, to the Christian faith, and to church than this,” then this blog is for you. Let me explain . . .

Most Christians know that something is wrong with contemporary Christianity. They want to break free from the tyranny of the status quo. The two alternatives that dominate Christian culture today is spiritual complacency on the one hand or performance-based religiosity on the other.

Modern-day Christianity is 10 miles wide and one inch deep."

2. Church Planter Podcast - by Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell. By far the best Christian podcast out right now for me. It has everything; intelligence, humor, authenticity, great topics, 80's pop culture references, great guest, and I could go on and on. I have been on their show and Peyton has been on mine.......these guys are starting to feel like family. They also do "Church Planter Magazine". Get that on your iPad as well.

From the Website: If you are a church planter, soon to be church planter, or leader of an established church, that is looking for more insight and direction on what God is doing through church planting to reach the lost, then this is the podcast for you! Every week, the creators behind Church Planter Magazine, Pete Mitchell and Peyton Jones, deliver a powerful, funny, raw and relevant hour on church planting issues, solutions, and stories.

Peyton Jones is founding coach of New Breed Church Planting UK/USA (and author of Church Zero). He has worked as a tentmaker, a firefighter, factory worker, and psychiatric nurse, bringing all these experiences to the table in ministry.

Jones received his MA Theology: Pastoral Studies from Wales Evangelical School of Theology and served as the evangelist for Lloyd-Jones’s legendary Sandfields church, Aberavon.

Pete Mitchell, in addition to being quite the handsome dude, is a leading authority in Instant Results Marketing for brick and mortar businesses (for everyone born after 1992, brick and mortar refers to the big buildings you use to meet up with friends at that have “stuff” inside that you get your parents to buy for you). He is the Chief Marketing Mercenary at Big Guns Marketing. He has appeared on hundreds of radio and TV shows including CNN and KABC (by the same token, he despises Internet radio and has turned down every “opportunity” to appear on these shows).

He also runs a financial services firm that focuses on late stage college planning and retirement planning.

Lastly, besides being a husband and a father, he also sits on the board of directors for Apologetics.com.

3. The Bad Christian Podcast - by Matt, Toby, and Joey. So this podcast is pretty new to me but I'm getting sucked in. I'm a hip hop head but I guess these guys are part of a pretty big band that I should know about .......but I don't. I have a love/hate relationship with them already and I'm only about 4 episodes in. I hate them because they ramble too much. I keep screaming at my smartphone, "Get to the guest already! No one cares!" But at the same time, they keep making me laugh because it's like I'm hanging with my buddies listening to them rip on one another. So the same reason I want them to shut up is the same reason I am starting to feel connected to them. Maybe they secretly know what they are doing.

They have great guest on and are without a doubt, the most authentic podcast out there. Be forewarned, there is foul language, all the way to the "F" bomb, but I am jealous that they are so transparent. Even if you don't agree, it's good to be stretched like this. Plus, the southern accents make it hard to stay mad at them.

4. Rethinking Hell - by Chris Date. Chris is, to me, a true renaissance man. He is a huge powerlifter that can win a debate against well prepared theologians. It's just not fair one man has so much. Chris and the Rethinking Hell group have given me the most challenging doctrine shift that I've had in 20 plus years of Christianity.

From the website: Rethinking Hell is a central resource for a view on hell variously called conditionalism, conditional immortality, or annihilationism. As Evangelical Christians, we commend the view only in a form compatible with that scope. On the Rethinking Hell podcast we interview notable conditionalists, respond to the challenges of critics, present the stories of people who once held to the traditional view but are now rethinking hell, and much more.

5. Wrestling with God - by Scott Blair. The first shall be last and the last shall be first suckas! See, by listing my own podcast last, God will make it first. You guys still haven't learned how to use Scripture to your advantage. Plus, I can teach you sumptin about being humble. I possess a lot of humility. Just ask me.

From iTunes: The podcast features Scott Blair interviewing front line and sometimes controversial authors/ministers on topics like demons, tithing, breaking tradition, hip hop, gays, and more. Authors like Peyton Jones, Tim Kurek, and Tony "The Beat Poet" Kriz will have you wrestling with the questions the traditional church won't let you ask. Like Jacob, we encourage you to "Grab a hold of God, and don't let go until He changes you."

What's Wrong with this Moment?

This has become a really powerful question for me lately.

"What's wrong with this moment?"

I have to admit the last several years have really been an up and down roller coaster for me emotionally, spiritually, physically, mentally, and financially. I feel like stress, depression, anger, and confusion have gotten the best of me. I've somewhat lost my identity. I lost that confidence and God-esteem that carried me for years. It has all been drowned out by stress and uncertainty.

There is a concept I hear a lot about that I normally associate with Eastern philosophy/religion and that is the idea of "being present." I'm discovering it for myself in the Scriptures though and I must say it's a game changer.

Most of our anxiety and stress comes from places in the future and past, places we can't go to from this present moment. Scripture teaches us that it is a waste of energy to worry.

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, ... 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single foot to his height ? ...31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ...34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12:25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[b]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

The power of "worrying" will not fix your problems anymore than it has the ability to make you taller or live longer. IT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY! (in fact will probably make you shorter and die more rapidly).

There are things we all need to be concerned about. The test results of an important medical exam? The outcome of our court hearing? If we will make the sale? How are we going to pay the rent? I would be worried if you "weren't" concerned about things like this; but freaking out, losing sleep, being angry with others, falling into depression, and so on...will not change the result of your medical exam or pay the rent.

In fact, I believe it creates a negative feedback loop, that keeps you in a bad place. (We will get more into that in another blogpost.)

So when I find myself starting to go down this road lately, I've started asking myself, "What's wrong with THIS MOMENT?" I know that scary thing I'm concerned about is just around the corner, a mere few days away, but I'm not there, I'm here. I'm in this moment. When I start to look at this moment, I start to find so many things to be grateful for. I don't miss the moments with my son, friends, and family that stress recently has been robbing me of. I don't miss the mindset of the thousands of things that are actually beautiful in my life currently. I am reminded of how blessed I really am.

"In your presence there is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11 One of the reasons that worship times are so powerful for us is because it causes us to become "present" in His presence. It is one place that we learned to practice this idea of being present. We allow ourselves to focus in on Him, letting the world fade away, leaving our worries and concerns behind, and give the Lord what is due to Him. We must be "present" in His presence to experience the fullness of joy His presence provides." The problems and future worries still exist outside but we are able to get lost in the moment of being with Him.

Learn to worship not only in church and song, but in mindset and spirit. That same intention of focusing on his presence and what you can be grateful for is available to you even as work or go about your normal routine.

What's wrong with this moment? Nothing, for He is here with me.

"God Hates Fags" guy found out today if he is right or not?

I see a lot of FB, Twitter, and blog post celebrating the death of Fred Phelps, the pastor who headed the Westboro Baptist Church, an independent Baptist church based in Topeka, Kansas, prior to his excommunication in 2013. Phelps became infamous for protesting the funerals of soldiers and members of the LGBT community. Probably most well known for his "God Hates Fags" signs during the funeral protest.

Most of these celebration post are, of course, from military families and the LGBT community. I would expect his funeral to be picketed from members of both of these groups. I also see a lot of Christians celebrating his passing. There is a side of me that feels it too. Though most of us do not believe he represented our community, it was still embarrassing having the likes of this man with the title pastor and publicly quoting scriptures.

I want to address this post to my Christian family, those of us who are celebrating. I want to challenge you with two things to "grapple" with if I may. They are things I struggle with so of course I don't want to be alone and I'm going to push you in the pool.

The first is the "ideology" that Phelps perpetrated is not that far removed from some of the preaching and belief systems I have witnessed and participated in over the last 20 years in Christendom. I once too believed that "God hated fags", and so did a lot of other ministers behind closed doors, and in the secret places of our hearts. We dressed up the sermons in scripture and politics so it wasn't as brash as a picket sign at a funeral, but the message was the same. In fact, a part of our heart felt or may still feel this way. We don't admit it, maybe not to our congregations, friends, or even spouses verbally, but our actions and underlying tones reveal it. Phelps had the balls to put it on display to the world, yet a lot of us are afraid to come out of the closet with our little "hate" monster. We don't rebuke Pat Robertson when, live on the 700 Club, he suggests gays with AIDS wear rings to cut and infect others. We don't speak up when a North Carolina pastor suggest that gays and lesbians be rounded up and held behind electrified fences until they die off. If Fred Phelps does not represent us, these men do. They absolutely represent Christianity in this country and our silence aligns us with them. So I ask you, do you stay quiet because on some hidden level, you secretly agree with them?

The second thing is does our celebration line up with scripture?

17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
    and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
    and turn away his anger from him. - Prov 24

Ask yourself some questions:

Did you pray for your enemy as Scripture commands? You took the time to publicly celebrate his death but did you take the time to secretly pray for him when he was alive?

Do you believe in a literal hell and believe he went there? How could any Christian believe in such a place and also celebrate when someone goes there, even an enemy? If our enemy goes there it is not a time for celebration, but for mourning. Did we do our part to win our enemy over to God (see question above)?

For those former members of his congregation and family who are being bombarded by the media and world at large right now, how would the Spirit lead us to deal with them? To picket them? To celebrate publicly? To say good riddance? To remind them it is "us" vs "them" so the world doesn't associate them with the True Church? Or would we be wise to treat them with sympathy and love by demonstrating compassion and forgiveness? Apparently something never preached before in their pulpit.

I'm shutting my glass door. Let the rocks fly ;-)

Book Release!

Some of the blog post that were originally here are now missing? It's because some have been rewritten and used in my new book. Very excited about this and all the support.

Book is already a top 40 devotional on Amazon and included on their Hot New Release page.

You can get your copy here. Please spread the word. Thank you Grapplers Church fam!

Dear Steve,

Today, I went and visited a friend who is in a really bad place. It made me think of you.  So, I decided to look you up today. Thought maybe I’d finally reach out, and maybe visit. I’ve been saying that for years. Looked once or twice on the internet but couldn’t find you. I bet if I pushed hard enough, asked the right people, I could have. 

Well I found you today, at least your obituary. I feel like the worst friend ever. I loved you like a brother. You were my partner in crime. We had so many great memories. Laughing through the tears right now at how crazy we were. 

Sorry I didn’t see you the last several years. I lived overseas a while and when I got back I thought I’d look you up. I’m asking myself right now why I never really did though. I think it’s for a couple reasons. 

I couldn’t stand seeing you like that. You were actually about the only guy in my life I was semi-jealous of. There was a part of you that was larger than life. You were the party. You had so much energy it was insane. To witness that energy trapped in a mostly lifeless body was hard for me to witness. I felt like you were tortured and trying to hide it. I saw me in you, because we were so similar, and I don’t think I wanted to face the fact that something like that could happen to me too. 

The second reason is, you always asked me so many deep questions like I was your older brother. You asked me more “Why?” questions than a nagging 4 year old discovering the world. I always felt the need to have an answer for you brother. When your accident happened…I had no good answers. I rehearsed your questions and how I might respond a million times in my head over the years. Damn it, I never had a good answer. I was afraid you were going to ask me some really tough questions about God and about why. I didn’t want to let you down. I kept waiting till I had the answers before I was gonna see you. 

I see pictures of you now online. You were out and about some living your life as best as you could. How is it you were the victim and you came to terms with it; I was not, and I never did. My pride and fear kept me from enjoying years with one of my best friends. That is something I will have to carry for the rest of my life. I am ashamed. 

Just a couple weeks before your accident, we had dinner. It was the first time my wife had met you. She went on and on after dinner about how you looked like “The Rock”. It was another moment I was semi-jealous of you ;-) I think that is how I will choose to remember you. 

Jesus, can you help me redeem this sin I’ve committed somehow? I’ll burden the guilt, it’s mine. I just want to be better for it. Oh, and I know you are “The Rock”, but would you mind giving that “rock” a hug for me, and tell him I’m sorry and I miss him. 

Scott

Feeling all "warm & fuzzy". Encouraged to Love!

To me, Paul’s greatest encouragement, which stands the test of time, is to love.

 “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” -  Romans 13:8

Think about the law and loving your neighbor. If you loved someone, would you steal from them? Would you covet what they have? Would you murder them? Would you lie to them? It is easy to see that, love not only fulfills the law, but reveals Gods character. God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Without this love, even our most “sacrificial” acts are in vain. When things are done out of love, they are done with the intent of serving another. When love is absent, there is a selfish motive, sometimes even hidden in the heart from the doer. “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Cor. 13:3

Gifts are useless without love. Acts and character benefit no one without love. The law is useless without love. But Love, ties them all together perfectly. “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” -  Col 3:14

“…and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor. 13:13

“Love never ends.” – 1 Cor. 13:8

How you can support our free Christian Podcast

We are having great success with the launch of our free Christian podcast. The link below will take you to a post on how you can continue to support our podcast. We want to make sure that you who have been faithful readers of the blog for more than two years, dont miss out on the podcast as well.

Click Here to Learn About the Wrestling with God Free Christian Podcast

Official Release of the Wrestling with God podcast!

For the 2 year anniversary of Grapplers Church "Wrestling with God" blog we released the official Wrestling with God podcast!

The first few episodes are on iTunes and Stitcher already. They include some incredible interviews with gospel hip hop recording artist K-Drama as well as Missionary and Church planter Patrick Hubbard. We will be releasing a new episode weekly and have some really inspiring people lined up.

After only one day we are already on the New and Noteworthy section of iTunes Religious podcast. With your support by downloading, subscribing, and rating we will climb to #1 I am sure!

You can find it on iTunes here! Wrestling with God Podcast

You also can listen directly from your web browser by just going to GrapplersChurch.tv

Know of a unique ministry that we should feature? Have an album or book you are releasing? Let us know by leaving a message on Grapplerschurch.tv Just click the leave a voice message tab on the right hand side of the website!

Enjoy and God Bless!

Scott Blair

Cadillacs and Camels

 In my mind Scripture presents a dichotomy that I wrestle with. I would really like to find a solid answer for myself. Maybe you can recommend a book for me?

Cadillacs

Proverbs 13:22 "A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous."

I want to be a good person! I want to leave a financial legacy for my grandchildren. Most children in American spend 90% of their inheritance in 90 days after receiving it. You got to have a lot of "cheddar" to be able to not only leave an inheritance for your children but your grandchildren as well.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world"

I want to be pure and faultless in Gods eyes! What do widows and orphans lack? A providing man! For me to look after widows and orphans I need money! 

Read Matthew 25:14-30. Did you see how God dealt with the servant who didn't properly use his finances? The one who didn't generate a profit? Now I am really worried ;-(

Camels

Matthew 19:24 "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." 

I find it hard enough to have the required faith to be in the Kingdom. I throw myself on the work of the Cross. But if wealth makes it nearly impossible or even harder..........why would I want it? 

Luke 9: 58 - Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 

Acts 3:6 - Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

Jesus and the Apostles appeared to be broke and homeless? Shouldn't I want to be like them? 

Is there a dichotomy that truly exist between Creflo Dollars and Mother Teresas? Are both acceptable? A basic look at scriptures like these I sometimes feel "damned if do, damned if I don't"! 

Thoughts?

Investing in the Kingdom or Wasting Gods Money?

 I'm reading an article in the news this evening about the Old south Church in Boston. It has quite a legacy. Sam Adams was a member. Ben Franklin was baptized by the church. They even own two copies of the Bay Psalm Book, one the first books ever published in North America. Only 11 copies remain of the original printing, published in 1640 by the first printer in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Stephen Daye. I am really into Church history and would drool at the sight of either copy I am sure.  Not going to lie about the edifice either. I travel a lot and love to visit those old beautiful churches. They are freaking awesome!

So on Sunday members of the congregation voted to sell one of the copies, the 372-year-old hymn book valued at up to $20 million – to fund structural repairs and expand its ministry programs. It's their property, their vote, their congregation, their business. I just was trying to reflect on how I would feel as a pastor or member there. How would Jesus feel even? What could I find in scriptures about that?

What the vote says is that members are “agreeing that we are not conservators of rare and special objects, but a church in motion,” says Rev. Nancy Taylor. “We will turn the old hymn book into true doxology for today – helping the homeless, working with prisoners, and assisting victims of domestic violence.” I love that answer. I agree.

Here is where I got a little rattled. Part of the raised funds would go toward an estimated $7 million in building maintenance costs, the AP reported. Can a church really be considering the homeless and prisoners while spending 7 million dollars to maintain a relic of a building?

It's another biblical finance issue we need to wrestle with like the Crystal Cathedral ( see post http://grapplerschurch.blogspot.com/2011/06/owe-no-man.html ). Again, it's that churches business. I'm not standing in judgement. What I do want is for US as THE CHURCH to all wrestle with these financial issues that a lot of us are contributing to. We need to know what God and His Word says about it.

"Two and a Half Men" star, Angus T. Jones, finds religion, calls TV show "filth"

I thought this news was going to make me happy. So I’m watching the videos that were put out showing exactly what he said. I see a lot of “Christians” Amen-ing the videos. I would ask you to slowly consider not getting on this bandwagon for several reasons. 

First, the gentleman with him in the video is Christopher Hudson, aka The Forerunner. He is a Seventh Day Adventist cult leader who has penetrated many African American churches with his Jay-z is a Freemason, Illuminati, part of the end time New World Order nonsense. He talks often about end time prophecy and black helicopters. This spirit has been the footprint of the Adventist since it’s origination. The world was predicted to end in 1844 with the Second Coming of Christ, by William Miller, a New England Baptist itinerant preacher. Miller's followers condemned all the churches of the day as apostate and "Babylon," and warned Christians to come out of them. A great many did, and the "adventist" movement was born and grew rapidly (Melton, J. Gordon, Encyclopedia of American Religions, Vol. 2, pp. 21–22). 

Christ did not appear in 1844. After this "Great Disappointment," one "little flock" still insisted the date of their original predictions had been correct. They decided the event marked by 1844 was not the Second Coming, but the entrance of Christ into the Holy of Holies in the Heavenly Sanctuary. There, they said, He began the "Investigative Judgment." This doctrine was received and endorsed by Ellen G. White (Ibid., p. 680).

Study their history and you will see MANY repetitions of these doomsday prophecies that never come to pass and then are explained away. Hudson is peddling “chicken little” religion and is now exploiting Jones to do so (IMHO). 

Secondly, we should also be slow to consider why we need to parade celebrity “converts” around in the media. Mostly it’s about promotion if we are going to be honest. These ministers who use these new born celebrities exploit them often just like Hollywood did. I know we claim it’s because of how many people they could influence for the kingdom but we should be careful with that. It’s like telling a Jr. High school student to forget about all the hurting kids and just pray for the conversion of the quarter back. “If we can get him, it will impact the whole school for Christ!” Where is this type of evangelism practiced or taught in the Scriptures?

Lastly, if the show is so defiled Mr. Jones and you feel so convicted, then why don’t you quit? Why doesn’t your spiritual advisor suggest it? Would it have anything to do with you won’t make $350k an episode anymore and you will be sued for millions? A lot of people are truly suffering persecution around the world for their faith, that shouldn’t be so hard. 

Don’t tell a kid not to smoke, with a cigarette hanging out your mouth.

Stars & Scars ...

Guest post by my friend:

Ricky Maye - Author, Speaker, Activist

Scars can be painful, what I mean to say is that scars can ultimately be full of pain, even after the incident occurs.

Scars don't solve, they usually are prone to bring more questions to the surface. Scars don't resolve, they often offer more confusion, and the questions begin to follow.

Why me?

Why not him or her, or them?

Or even why, just why?

What often happens is that a scar or event can become part of our physical, spiritual or emotional makeup. We let this tragic event in so much that it becomes part of us. That ugly event, that moment of hurt is now a part of you.

I love the phrase, "light of the world." I do however think it is a little lost on this society. The light of the world isn't a lamp or light. (Matt 5:14)

What is it that lights up the world? Stars. Stars light up the natural sky and the world around us. Stars would have been the light of the world.

Stars are made from gaseous explosions and collisions of elements. What we are looking at are bruises of the universe. We are gazing at the travail of the worlds around us.

Let me put it this way, stars are the scars of the universe.

A star is the result of something that couldn't make it, couldn't contain itself so it combusted; stars are the wounds of the worlds.

Just as these stars that surround us I bet you have some scars, some physical, some spiritual, some mental and some emotional.

My arms are filled with visual reminders of the physical pain I inflicted on myself in my teen years, over 15 years later they are still there for the world to see. I used to cover my arms, I used to be ashamed but now I have a beautiful story of triumph and overcoming to tell. My scars contribute to my beauty.

You and the wounds you carry are very much like those stars we stare at, I would challenge you to think twice about the way you look at your own scars. There can indeed be beauty in devastation.

We don't look at the stars in the universe and say how tragic they are, how bruised they are, even though that is what they are. We look at them and speak of the beauty they contain. The inspiration they give us.

Even though stars are the scars of the universe we don't see them as these broken pieces of gaseous matter, we see them as these majestic astrological blessings that give hope to billions.

What if you saw yourself in that same light, or better yet what if you saw others in a similar way; beautiful despite...? Or as Jesus calls each one of us to shine, inspire and offer light, despite….