OPEN FOR REMODELING

The building that our Church currently uses to gather will be closed for remodeling in a few weeks. The Church on the other hand will most defiantly be open the entire time. We will gather a few blocks down at the movie theater on Sundays and through all the modern technology we have from cell phones and texting to Facebook and instant messaging we the people who make up the Church will have the ability to be in constant contact.

And we the Church that call ourselves Revolution are always open for remodeling.

What do I mean? Please follow my strange mind the next few minutes as I share my thoughts. Remodeling to me means Carpenters, and Jesus was a carpenter right? He started off as a carpenter building with wood and then has spent the last few thousand years building with our souls. Nothing exists to day that we can point to and say, that was built by Jesus, but how cool would that be? Like something out of a movie, Indiana Jones and the Dining Table of Christ. And that table would be perfect, every angle, every miter; every joint would be something no man could recreate.

But God wants us to love him through our free will not because he left absolute proof of his existence. In the last two years Jesus has done a lot of carpentry work on me, he builds and then sometimes I tear it up. And he just picks up his hammer and starts over again, probably it would be easier if he hit me over the head with the hammer but that’s not the way he works thankfully.

There are a lot of good examples of Jesus doing carpentry both in the Bible and outside but the one I like best is the story of Saul of Tarsus. You probably already know the story if not read it, that would be way better than me telling you about him. But this dude was bad! I mean Game of Thrones Bad! Not only did he hate the early Christians he made it his work to kill them in unpleasant ways. Not the kind of guy you would figure would end up writing Fourteen of the love letters in the New Testament. (get that Erik? Lol)

So Jesus got out his tools and went to work, and out of Saul’s soul he build Paul, one of the Baddest dude’s FOR Christ that has ever walked this earth. So where doses that leave us? I’m open for remodeling.What you are reading right now is proof. Three years ago I wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with a Blog about God much less writing one myself so I know he’s working on me. And he wants to work on you too, please let him. I know we are all so busy with our lives, I get that, I live that, but taking time to stop, and spend some time letting Jesus work on us really doesn’t really take that much time at all. And it will help in everything else that you have to deal with. But don’t take my word, talk to God and see.

Love,
Dan

I GO TO A SINNERS CHURCH

                              

 

 

When Anthony made this statement in the Talk on Sunday it got me thinking. If you go to any church on this planet you probably go to a sinner’s church. Some of the people may not want to admit it but it’s true. We all fall short right? I don’t want to be a sinner and I’m guessing you don’t either. I’m not going to speak for you, but I know that as much as I don’t want to sin, I still do. 

If you have been around awhile like me you may remember a comedian who’s gag line was “The devil made me do it” funny line but just as I have the free will to turn to God I also have the free will to turn away from the devil. I don’t have to do the sins that I do, I can resist devil and try and lead a more Christ like life but out of habit, boredom, or just stupidity way to often I find my self committing the same sins over and over. 

I think, or at least I like to think I’m growing closer to the Lord. I know that I’m not going to get into heaven by the good deeds I do, or the money I tithe, there is no way to earn my way into Heaven. None of what I do, or don’t do will get me there. Jesus took care of that for all of us. He paid the price all we have to do is accept that and we are in. He forgives our sins. Does that mean we are free to sin over and over?  That’s not something for me to answer for you. But in my life I think every sin I commit hurts him because I claim to be a believer.

 

I don’t set out to hurt God in this way but it does happen. My goal is to never hurt God and hopefully the day I meet him I can spend more time in praise and worship than answering for my thoughts and actions. But ultimately my sins are for me alone to answer for. No one makes me sin, shoot I’m Dan no one makes me do anything I don’t want to. 

So yes I go to a sinners Church. And if you don’t go to Church because you feel you’re a sinner and it’s not right for you to go, please don’t let sin be the thing stopping you. Jesus paid an incredible price so you can feel free to gather with a group of believers at any stage of your walk with him.

 

Love,

        Dan

Sundays

So I haven’t bogged in awhile and I can give you several reasons, I have been very busy, I haven’t been inspired, I have been in kind of a funk, basically those are all different ways of describing my laziness. But while I was busy doing what ever I wanted to do, do you know what God was doing? He was patiently waiting on me to get over myself and get back to him.

 

 If you go to Revolution Community Church you’ll understand what I’m going to write about if not I hope that you attend a Church that you enjoy. On Mothers day Sunday we had a visit at our Church from the “Church Lady” and some of the things she said got me thinking. About a year and a half ago Lisa and started attending Revolution and I remember having some of the Church lady’s concerns, first off the location, a store front? really? Its kind of a cult location right? I mean a real Church has its own building with a steeple and pews and all that, or so I thought anyway. And the list goes on and on, casual dress, no membership; they don’t even take up an offering. I know the Church lady was done in jest but I had some of those concerns for real.

 

I consider my self sort of hip and with it, LOL,  I mean my kids won’t agree, but I have traveled the world and lived all around the country, We even went to Church for a while in California so I’m not  new to Church being different, or at least I thought I wasn’t. I spent the first few weeks at R.C.C. trying to figure out the angle of this new Church, where was the money coming from? Were they some kind of a secret plant from a bigger Church? What’s the deal? I have an idea of what things cost and the place was pretty nice, not over the top but pretty nice so someone was behind it. It took me awhile but I think I did figure out who is behind it.

 

When we went to what I’ll call traditional Church I was the guy who wore shorts to Church when everyone else was in suits or at least very nice casual wear. I kept getting tattoo’s, I let my hair grow then shaved it bald, I refused to join the Church but would teach Sunday school or what ever they needed me to do. I guess I was a Revolutionary in a Church that wasn’t Revolution.  So then why was it when I found a place that was about, what I was about, I couldn’t just relax and enjoy it? I had to try and figure it out. I even went as far as telling the Pastor one time that if he gets out the kool-aid I’m out of there.

 

Lisa and I started getting involved almost immediately after starting to attend. I know that for some people that is a struggle, and I don’t hold that against anyone, we personally had been doing jobs at Church for so long that it didn’t feel right not to be. One thing that is interesting being a Church that is only around three years old there is a small group of people I refer to as the originals. They were there at the beginning or close to it. And it’s my opinion that those of us who have come later owe them a big thank you. Because if it wasn’t for their bravery to get this whole thing started we wouldn’t have what we now do. And the originals to a person are not pushy or brag about the fact they were in on the start if you ask how long they have attended they will tell you. But they don’t make a big deal about it, and to me that really shows what kind of a gathering of Christ followers this is.

 

 

 

 But I was still trying to figure out the deal. Who is really behind all this? Is it all on the up and up? Why should I trust people I barley know?The conclusion I have come to is this, why I shouldn’t trust them. God is ultimately the one behind all this. The truth was there all the time I just wasn’t willing to except it. I was letting satan keep me distracted, keep me off focus, keep me suspicious instead of using that energy to work harder for God.

 

 As we have learned in this series of talks the Church isn’t about the building or the carpet, the pews or the Preacher for that matter, it’s about God, and the people working together with each other to share God with other people. Cause that’s all he really wants us to do. He doesn’t want monuments or idols he just wants us to share him. It’s really simple no necktie or steeple required. Just God, and you, and me. That’s all that’s needed. And that’s all that Revolution Community Church is about.

 

So as I said at the beginning I hope you enjoy what ever Church you attend, I wish we could all go to the same Church but unfortunately here on earth that’s not possible. Still there are lots of good Churches out there that are doing what God want us to. If your not part of one you should find one.

 

Love to you all 

Marriage Conference Assignment

Ok this blog is going to be a little different. My wife and I attended a marriage conference this past weekend. It was a very good and interesting event. As we talked about afterwards I don’t  think we learned anything new as much as it was reassuring that the things we have figured out in our almost 31 years of marriage were on track with the way a Christian marriage should be. I don’t want to give the impression that it’s always been a bed of roses because I’m not the easiest person to live with but we have always worked out our issues and never felt like calling it quits or looking for someone else. 

The last assignment of this conference is to write a letter leaving a legacy for future family. They gave me a choice of scenario’s  and the one I choose is this.

A hundred years from now , long after I’m gone a family member happens to be looking through my belongings and stumbles across this letter. I’m going to change this a little bit to they find this blog of mine on the internet or what ever they have a hundred years from now. So here goes.

 

Hello,

I’m your great, great, grandfather or what ever, I’m not grand anyway. But there were two in my life who were very grand in every way. And that is Jesus my savior and Lisa my wife. When I was 18 and a senior in high school I had just started attending church and the youth group was raising funds to go to an event. (Google anything that doesn’t make sense and that may include the term Google)  I had accepted Jesus into my life but I really had no clue of what that meant. God knew this, so just as he gave Eve to Adam he gave Lisa to me. We had a fund raiser called a rock a thon that’s where you got pledges to sponsor you then you rocked in a rocking chair for 24 hours. Of course I fell asleep but when I awoke and Lisa was rocking my chair it was like God smacking up against my thick head and saying, I am giving this woman to you to take care of you for the rest of your life, and you had better do the same. 

 So about five months later I pledged before God to do just that. And the adventure began. In the first four years of our marriage we lived in four different states one of them twice. We met lots of different people, we had lots of fun experiences and some very sad. When we lost a child to miscarriage I didn’t know how to hurt, I was just  young and dumb to really comprehend, but my soul mate was hurting and all I could do was try and be there for her as best I could. Shortly after that God gave us Holly and let me tell you I was scared to death. The first time I took care of her on my own was the most terrifying time of my life. But we all survived and God must have approved because he gave us a challenge we named Zach. He was all boy and ready to prove it. So there we were. All set one girl, one boy perfect little family. But it wasn’t perfect because we didn’t have Faith. 

Mary Faith that is,( and I’m sure when she read this she rolled her eye’s and groined Dad joke) so there is a little life lesson for you just because you think you’re done with something. That doesn’t mean God agrees. First God blessed me with Lisa, then he entrusted us with Holly, Zach, and Mary Faith. None of that I deserved. Till I became a husband and a father, I had never thought about being a husband and a father. I spent my time thinking about being a astronaut or a Navy diver.  I was as clueless as they come. But God had plans for me, and if you are blood of my blood. Then too you are apart of those plans. 

As I see it there are a lot of important scriptures in the bible, the whole thing in fact, but what I think are two of the most important. Tell us to love one another, and to spread Gods word. 

 John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another 

And 

Matthew 28:19¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

 My take on these two scriptures is simple, because I’m a simple person, love one another treat everyone was you would treat those most precious to you. Don’t have hate in your heart. Where someone comes from, their skin color, their sexual orientation, or what you see as an injustice they have done to you. None of that is included in Gods words so don’t be putting it in there. You are to show them love that’s all. God will deal with their sins just like he will deal with your’s if you let him. 

 And the second verse to me means if you are a follower of Jesus, and I hope you are.  Tell other’s! 

Share the joy you have found. Don’t just accept Jesus and let it stop there.  

And it will mean getting out of your comfort zone. Dying on the cross wasn’t comfortable. But sharing your faith isn’t nearly as painful. 

I’m trying to do this right now. I don’t know you but I love you, you are after all my future. Because God brought Lisa and I together you now exist. I had no plans on getting married the day after I graduated from High School. I had already joined the Navy and I had great plans to experience every depravity the world had to offer. But then God happened and saved me in so many ways. 

Its not easy being a Christian but I want you to know that just as my grandparents who preceded me to heaven and prayed for my soul were waiting on me the day I arrived. I along with them, are doing the same for you. 

 In His love,

                 Dan

 

So that’s my letter to my future family. It’s hard to imagine that one hundred years from there will be descendants of mine living, breathing, dealing with life. And I will be as forgotten to them as those a hundred years in my own past are forgotten to me. But I don’t matter, a personal relationship with God is all that matters and I hope that this blog makes it to them and can help them find that relationship if they don’t already have it.

 

Love and thanks for reading.

ERIK’S CHALLENGE

                       

The challenge was issued yesterday at Revolution to do a Blog or post about staying pure. That is one tough challenge when you really break it down. My first thought was that I have been married for almost 31 years to the only woman I have ever been intimate with so staying pure at least  physically is not that big of a  deal. But as I think about some of the other examples that Erik gave us I can see areas in my life that I need to be on constant guard. One of the big ones for me is T.V. (Although I’m pretty sure that seeing Yarger in drag yesterday caused some permanent damage to my vision so I may not be watching as much as I use to.) I have always enjoyed sitcoms but in the past year, in what can only be God bringing it to my attention, I have started to realize how much sex is used for humor.

There seems to be two types of shows now days, ones with a story that gets your attention and is humorous, and ones with a little bit of a plot and they fill the rest in with sex jokes and crude humor. Now don’t think I’m being all righteous or prudish I use to be the king of the dirty joke. But as I try and grow closer with God I feel my self wanting to be less offensive and crude. There is just no need for it. Yes there are jokes that you can’t help but laugh at. And sometimes I still let something slip that I shouldn’t, but I am trying to make a conscious effort to avoid it. But another part to this is where satan comes in. As I try to be a better person when I encounter someone who says something or uses language that I’m trying to avoid it’s easy to be judgmental in my mind. But are another’s person’s words or actions my responsibility? I did a little research to see what the Bible says and of course there is plenty on this subject. 

 Matthew 7: 1-3 1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 

That is a scripture not to be taken lightly but what I liked best was Romans 2:3, I’m not going to put it here, look it up and read it for yourself, let me know what you think. This is an area I would like to discuss with several people. 

So what does this have to do with staying pure? Have I gone way off topic?  I think it goes back to the old saying garbage in garbage out. I’m as guilty as anyone of filling my mind with trash when there is so much pure stuff I could be filling it with. Now days, I am finding it easier to change the channel when a show gets crude. And I do try to watch what comes out of my mouth. I have allowed enough of that trash into my life it’s time for me to move on. But it is a process not a project, as with everything in trying to lead a Christian life there will be challenges and I’m sure I will stumble along the way. Satan’s power thru today’s multimedia is unbelievably strong and the only way I will ever be successful is with God’s help. 

Stay Pure my Friends

 

I AM IRON MAN (NOT)

Proverbs 27 : 17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

I got a lessen in this over the holidays. In one of the pastor’s talks in December he said something to the effect of “ if satan can’t turn you away from God he will try and get you so busy your distracted from God” So having been warned of this, and understanding exactly what the Pastor was meaning, I promptly fell right into the devils trap.

I have a friend that I meet with on a weekly basis; we do a bible study together and talk about what’s going on in our lives. Its guy stuff, sometimes you can talk thru things with a brother easier. I have tried to explain this to my wife, but I think I did a poor job, she is my best friend, my soul mate, my partner for life, and I can go to her with anything. But and it’s probably just me, but I’m still the man in the relationship, I’m the husband, the alpha male. When you meet regularly with a brother in Christ it’s different. You share with each other your lives and the similarity’s it’s an opportunity to encourage each other to Act like Men and do the right things as God want’s you to. And sometimes it’s an opportunity to see that you’re not the only dumb guy in the world we all make the same mistake’s we are usually just too cool or macho to admit it.

So during the month of December I was out of town a couple of weeks on business and couldn’t meet with him or attend life group. Then the Christmas holidays hit with all their crazy busy stuff and I actually spent quite a lot of time at church working on a light rewiring project that turned into way more than any of us expected. But thru all this guess who I forgot about? You got it, even though I was devoting a large amount of my free time working in his house I forgot about God. I slacked on my prayers, didn’t spend time in the bible, and didn’t feel any inspiration to blog, just drifted off started doing my own thing again. Without a buddy to be accountable to or a Life group to spend time with or the weekend Gathering’s with other believers, in part due to an incredible snow storm. I drifted away from God worse than the snow drifted on the road in front of my house.

Now as I try to get back on track, I’m back to meeting with my friend and our life group. I shared with my buddy about how I had quickly drifted off the path, how I didn’t even have and idea of anything to write about, and he being much smarter than I, replied with I think you just told me what your going to write about Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Wow it seems to often take at least two Pastor’s to get thru to me what God is trying to tell me.

The White Christmas Post

As I start writing this post I’m sitting in a living room of a beautiful house in South Lyon Michigan. It’s all white outside and gently snowing huge flakes; the house is perfectly decorated for Christmas. It’s and awesome place to take a moment and reflect on a little bit about how we celebrate the birth of our savior.

There has been some controversy this past week because a news anchor said that Jesus and Santa were white. Here’s my take on that, one is a legendary historical figure that has brought joy to generations of people of all races over the years. His ethnic back ground really depends on your own. It’s about enjoying the fun with the people you love, not forcing your ideas or traditions on everyone else.

As for the other figure he is most assuredly real and alive but white? I got quite a chuckle as I imagined a white, long blond haired Jesus walking among the Jewish people of his time. He would have caused quite a stir. I can only guess at how crazy it would have been to have someone who was completely different looking from everyone telling them how to live their lives and to follow him. But actually I believe that was part if the problem the Jewish faith has with Jesus. Because he was one of them they couldn’t accept him as being the son of God. He was to close if he had been a white guy it might have been easier for them to accept.

He assumed a form they would understand. He was God, so he could have came in any form he wanted. And the form or depiction of God doesn’t matter anyway it’s not worth arguing about that’s just a distraction. Understanding and accepting God as your savior is the important part not what he looks like. We were created in his image as the human race, not as an ethnic group within that race.

The verse I want to close this with is John 13:34-35 (NIV)34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

So it’s not about what Jesus, or Santa for that matter looks like. It’s about what’s in our hearts and how we treat each other.

Love to you all and Merry Christmas,
Dan

PRAYER

 

In a word, I suck at prayer. I have plenty of opportunity to pray. And I have more than enough reasons to pray. Almost every second I’m awake I could be talking with the Lord. So why don’t I? Should I make a list of reasons why I’m not praying? Or should I just spend the time I would use making that list actually praying? 

 Recently I have come to realize that this is another area in my life that needs major work. And the place to start, as always is the bible. 

The first verse that hit me was John 15:7 but if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

 So Wow! What is my problem? Is that not a reason to pray endlessly? But as a weak minded and very easily distracted human, remaining in God and keeping his words in me, that is something I really have to work on. 

Here is another good one.

Matthew 26:41
“Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!”   

As I just said I’m weak; I’ve got to pray more!! So how should I pray? Do I need to build a stone alter, get some robes, really go old school Moses and do this thing right? I don’t think so. 

 My grandfather William Clark was at one time a West Virginia coal miner and I remember him telling of a small coal shaft behind his house where he would dig coal to heat their home with. But this dark, and often cold, hole in the ground was also for him special place to spend time the Lord. 

One place I have found to pray is when I’m alone in the car, I can talk with God all I want. And as a bonus when I get stopped by a train it’s a good thing. But there are other places I need to work on also. As I have started to grow closer to God I’m finding some of the TV shows more and more offensive. I guess if they can’t write good jokes they just go for the sex jokes. But I don’t need to watch that garbage so instead of surfing the channels I need to have a talk with the Father. 

I guess for most of my life I usually made it to church, but I wasn’t leading a Godly life and I let the devil tell me that because of the things I was doing I wasn’t worthy to pray to God. And while I needed to get my spiritual life in order, not praying to God was not the answer! 

 When I was in boot camp I volunteered to be what they called the Religious Petty Officer. My main job was to give a prayer at the end of the night. Some times I would write a prayer but more often than not, I would lead them in the Lords Prayer. Boot camp is designed so you have very little down time or time to get homesick so I didn’t get time to write very much. But I always felt if I didn’t get to write a prayer I wasn’t doing my job. 

 Never did it dawn on me that there is no way I can ever write a better prayer to God than Jesus did. So my goal from now on is to try and pray Matthew 6:9 -13 every day and not just as a ceremony or routine but to really mean it from my heart.  

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one 

Thank you for praying with me, and please pray for me. Love you all.

LANGUAGE

Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?  I would say that you can’t come up with a swear word that I don’t know. Or have not used. On the episode of Spongebob Squarepants, ‘Sailor Mouth,’ Mr. Krabs stated “there are 13 bad words.” To which Squidward says “I thought there were only 7?” Mr. Krabs replies, “not if you’re a sailor.” Well I was in the Navy and I learned quite a foul vocabulary. 

But does that skill set help me communicate any better?  Does it make me sound any smarter or impress anyone? I decided to do a little research and see what God thinks about this kind of talk and this is what I have found. First of all, the number 1, the biggie, is actually number 7 in the Ten Commandments. 

 Exodus 20: 7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

 That’s major! And I have broke it a lot in the past, and while I may have thought I was being funny or smart or cool, in  reality  I was just being stupid. How can I claim to love God and then turn around and treat his name like this? 

And sadly I may do it again. It’s so easy to do if you don’t guard against it. The devil is always right there waiting for the armor to drop. And in a split second it can slip out. 

 At least 35 times thru out both the old and New Testament God gives us warnings against using vulgar language. That’s a lot! I’m hard headed but I think God is really trying to tell me something. And up till now I haven’t done a good job of listening. In researching this I’m realizing just what a fool I have been.  Here are some of the verses that stand out to me are, 

 James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart; this person’s religion is worthless. 

 Wow that one hurts I’m so guilty of that. Another verse is, 

Matthew 12:36, 37

I tell you, on Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. 

Man I can only apologize for being a fool but from this point forward now that I know how God feels I have a great responsibility to guard against this. But let me end with this verse that gives me hope. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 

Thank you lord for loving me, and I am truly sorry for my actions. I have not given you the honor and glory that you deserve. I apologize for my speech and my actions that did not show you respect. I love you God.       

Victory thru Jesus

This past weekend I had what is up to this point is a rare opportunity to declare a victory over satan (spell check want to capitalize satan but I refuse to). I attended a men’s conference over the weekend with a group of guys from church and had an amazing time. It was personally very reassuring to me that I’m on the right path. 

But several times over the weekend the thought came into my head to gossip about a member of our group. And it was always at a time when the opportunity was perfect. I could have easily given into this temptation, but while I’m not one to remember scripture enough to quote it, I can remember the general idea behind it. So each time I fought back against the urge to spread the thoughts I was having. When I came home that Saturday night I was on a spiritual high, little did I know the Pastor’s talk the next day would be on the very subject of gossip. 

As I sat there Sunday morning listening to the Talk I began to realize the trap that had been set for me and how the Lord had helped strengthen my weak mind to avoid falling into it. If I had given into that temptation and shared what seemed like such a juicy piece of gossip in the “ Yo Adrienne” manner as Pastor described, then had turned around and came to the Gathering Sunday morning and listened to this message. I would have been devastated! All the good work that Christ had done to me that weekend would have been gone in an instant. But God did not want this to happen. Thru His strength I was able to avoid what the devil so wanted me to do. 

I am not that strong. This was a GOD thing! Left on my own I would have easily given in. Only thru the power of Jesus I was able to resist the temptations and win a victory over the devil. Praise be to GOD!!  

Exodus 15:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

² The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him!