As you all have heard and seen, Rob Bell has been pushing the limits of non-orthodox Christianity in current times. I kind of want to come from a slightly different angle today, so bear with me as I cover rather "fragile ground" here today. And as un-biased as possible, I will review this current event as well as I know how. I, myself, Bill McCreary have followed Rob Bell for years. Started out with the Nooma series, and then I followed his teachings on his church's website, his books, his youtube videos. Everything you can think of pretty much! He has had such an impact on my theology, teaching me to "loosen up" so to speak and know how to be non-judgemental in my Christianity. Where I don't play the judge and rather let God have the final word on people and what they do in general.
I think whats happened is, over time, Rob Bell has really loosened up his muscles, and has really developed a compassionate ear for Apologetics. And had at one point almost become an Apologitics King so-to-speak. (other than Ravi Zacharias of course lol) And once you go down that road theres no turning back. I myself at one point had really gotton into apologetics, and you become so open, and so unbiased, that sometimes you can get so caught up in making sure people aren't offended, and side so much with people who have been hurt in orthdox christianity. And its true! So many people have been hurt in the Evangelical church, and Orthodox church when it comes to families and people messing up in general...because judgements are often passed with so much ease that it almost seems COLD. Unfortunetely, this isn't just the evangelical church, or the orthodox church but also culturally relevant churches (maybe the lowest percentage but still some..) and Spirit-Filled churches...the church as a whole in general. So it makes sense, in order to bring balance to this dilemma, is to bring in a theology that says "I don't have all the answers, yes i know the basis of the Bible and Christianity, but I don't always know how to address a person on a spiritual level, if they have been abused, and tossed around like a rag doll...by the church."
So how do we do this? We create a non-judgemental theology that emphasizes love and compassion. That we as individuals, can really create Heaven and Hell on earth. We have that choice! We can usher in heaven, or we can usher in hell. This is the angle that Rob Bell has taken on his recent interviews. Pretty much what he is trying to convey. Which I think is really AMAZING! And not many pastors like to talk about this stuff. I bet you if you have been through HELL in your life, meeting someone like Rob Bell might be very very refreshing. Just bear with me..keep reading....
Now Martin Bashir has raised some very good questions on MSNBC in the interview with Rob Bell. There is no doubt there. And by watching the video you definitely saw Rob Bell get a little uncomfortable. But remember who has been mentoring Rob Bell in recent times....Brian Mclaren. If you haven't heard of him, well maybe do a little research beofre you comment. However, even though Rob Bell was talking alot about Heaven and Hell on earth..i found it very interesting that he did not come out and directly state that he does NOT believe in a Literal Heaven and Hell. But he does however emphasize heaven and hell being created on earth by human beings.
So what do I have to say about this? Well, I have never met the man in person so I cannot make a judgement about exactly where he stands in his heart...except for what little ive heard in these interviews. So thats not enough to base off of! I think that he is a good man, with a good, caring and non-judgemental heart who has just gotton a little too caught up in apologetics. Aplogetics are "the exploration of gray areas in christian theology" And yes! There are gray areas! There is also alot of black and white but anyone that I have talked to who has been in ministry for 20+ years has never ever denied gray areas. In fact, they say that they pop up everywhere.
Do I think Rob Bell is a false prophet? Who am I to make that call?! If I call a Man of God that and find out in the end, when im before the judgement seat of God, that he was highly favored and was indeed doing the work Jesus called him to do, and I publicly insulted his spirit like that in this life...I would never forgive myself! Who am I to make a call like that?! If I, Billy McCreary were to post a video on youtube proclaiming that there is no heaven or hell...people could call me that too! Only to find out that it was a bet i made with some friends to see how people would react...haha. One thing thing is for sure. There is definitely a heaven and hell. I certainly hope there is cuz im not gonna put up with being reincarnated into a frog or a tree haha. Or a toliet! Oh God that would be AWFUL! Have to have people poop on my face haha. I WANT TO BE WHERE JESUS IS ONE DAY! I WANT TO GO TO A HEAVEN THAT IS SOMEWHERE ELSE. We are all aching, and groaning as in the pains of childbirth. We long for our heavenly home more than ever these days. Maybe Rob Bell doesn't believe in a literal heaven or hell. Maybe he believes in a literal heaven but not a literal hell.
Maybe he believes in both but isn't coming out and making a definitive statement about it so that he doesn't offend people from other religions.! He may have been avoiding the questions and dancing around but, truth be told, unless you read his book, we don't really know where he stands on that. Only Rob Bell and Jesus does. And maybe thats good enough for me! Maybe im not called to make a judgement on Rob Bell and move on with my life. And maybe thats what im trying to say here. Do you realize that there have been hate websites for Rob Bell being a false prophet, the anti-christ, and the devil incarnate for..over 8 years now?! Heck there are sites proclaming that Bethel Church, Life Center, Bill Johnson, Benny Hinn, Billy Graham, and Todd White are false prophets and anti christs! I have personally googled them myself! And yes I said Billy Graham! lol...and we all know that hes like the most awesome guy here on earth. And so are those other people I have mentioned above. They are doing the work of God regardless of what other people think. And I think Rob Bell is too, its just a much different style than we are used to. And if hes telling people that theres no heaven or hell...then thats something that he will have to deal with, and work out with God one day. And he might be in for a pretty great surprise when he enters heaven! Many, many people dislike Benny Hinn. But some of us like him! Alot! Many of us don't like Bill Johnson or think Bethel is weird. But some of us dream of attending that church!
If anyone of us thinks his or her theology is perfectly in line with the Lord. I guarentee you, that you do NOT have a fool-proof theology. Neither do I! There will ALWAYS be someone to tell us that we are wrong with something. You think Rob Bell is off with theology? Well, I've met some fellow pentacostals who have just as off theology, just in a different way. And I'm sure that I also have flaws in my tehology and belief system. But thats just what it is! A belief system...it doesn't define who we are as a person...who we are is separate from our belief system! Who we are, is who God says we are! So, In conclusion, I am not going to make a negative judgement on Rob Bell, because it is not my place. I don't know his heart like God does. However, where his heart is at, and who he is in Christ is what matters to me! And he knows himself, and Jesus knows him.
And thats good enough for me! And thank you so SO SO much for taking the time to read my thoughts on these matters. And whether or not we see eye-to-eye, I want to thank you so much for listening to what I have to say. I don't normally write notes, so I just really appreciate you taking the time today to read this :)
Peace out girl and boy scouts! :)
Billy
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Cement Without Ears
"Prescription without diagnosis, leads to malpractice.
Too often we cement opinions about others, without ever hearing their heart." -
-Al McCausland
I love music production. And so far, it seems to love me. *don’t jinx me* lol. Honestly, though, I must admit my ‘production studio’ consists of merely an ibook G4 [not to be confused with macbooks] and...my guitar. And a Bible (for percussion purposes). Consisting of mostly scratch—tracks and rough layouts and recordings. Thank you garage band! ;)
Now, the interesting thing though, is not that of a solid white square of awesome awesomeness (that too) but, how the music just sounds so much different in real life, than in the final mastered product. It may be the simple fact that my microphone sucks. Or possibly that my guitar is a Lotus; and a carefully crafted copy of some famous guitar and lest we forget, made in Japan. Anyhow...orr...it may be that I insert loops, apply effects, change alot of the aspects; and then EQ the master, move stuff around—maybe even pitch correction (given I’m Lady Gaga’s producer. Sorry!) Believe it or not, I do have a point here!
Talking, conversing, pouring out hearts like a faucet to people at church, investing trust in our friends, explaining situations, and current situations, updating buddies that we’ve been meaning to call for 6 months and finally did [talking to them right now], sharing your story, your rough, abusive childhood and teen years, significant other that you just began to open up yourself to, a random dude on the street dressed up as Jeffrey the Giraffe (Toys R’ US is STILL the Bomb!), possibly some young adults, or elderly people handing out tracks on the street and telling people about Jesus and one stops you; next thing you know, you are in his/her arms, pouring out your life story drenching their overcoat with bodily fluid [tears]—we, as humans, all make our hearts vulnerable to somebody at some point. And people so often, run it through a preconceived filter, and find it tough at times to see the 'heart' of what people are saying...we kinda go off of 'keywords' and go off on tagents based on those keywords.
Urban Dictionary defines communication as:
Person A emits verbal tones in the form of sentences while Person B utilizes sense of hearing to transmit exact words to brain which in turn, re-creates the sentence to fit their own agenda and re-emits into a new and improved, yet rarely accurate, statement.
Dude..urbandictionary.com can be just plain awesome sometimes! lol.
Do you feel like, sometimes [or maybe alotta times] people don't see the heart of your words? Maybe you share something very personal, or maybe of a theological or maybe even an experiential encounter with the holy spirit, and there seems to be some pre conceived notions and ‘filters’ tangled up in the conversation and stuff. And whether we consider ourselves non-judgemental, or not..we all carry some kind of filters around with us in our brains lol. Everybody has some sort of their own filter, EQ, effects, and mastering system intregrated in their brain to process and produce a reply. Hmm..sounds kinda like me behind my mac, except for…my head, and my computer always make it come out right. Which, is great for me. But if I would master everything, burn it to a cd; not everyone may like, or even understand my music. Even if I tried, really, really hard! Why do you think the word ‘Genre’ exists and may seem overused?
Billy Misunderstood: I feel, like theres more to the Holy Spirit than meets the eye, and that healing, signs and wonders might be able to happen and…
Reverend Bob Baptist: Now, Billy, you must be very very careful about any additional teachings other than whats in the Bible. It is written that many antichrists will come and perform miraculous signs and wonders and deceive many.
Billy Misunderstood: true..but...-sighs-
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy Misunderstood: I just…I can’t shake this feelin’.
Reverend Bob Baptist: Now, Billy, you should never be living in your emotions. The bible tells us that emotions come from the flesh man and that you need to put the flesh to death and only operate out of the spirit man. Yes, Billy, your emotions are of the devil. Your spirit is from God.
Billy Misunderstood: what. This is ridiculous. [then, switches to youth pastor Buddy Jones for further counsel]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy Misunderstood: Brother Jones, I’ve been thinkin’ bout getting a tattoo lately..dang, I need some cash tho.
Buddy Jones: [starts beat-boxing] boom boom kap! bam boo cheesh! Ohhhhhh Billy...bap bap ba boom....tatoos are of the Devil! Boom bap checka checka..on every level!..kap kap kat… Leviticus 19:28 says it all rightttt ONN! [starts doing the robot]
Billy Misunderstood: -sighs- there he goes againnn… And whats with this..ohhh Billy..nowww Billy spree everybody seems to be on? -sighs once again-
Just a few examples! More on a spiritual level! lol.
TO BE CONTINUED....
Too often we cement opinions about others, without ever hearing their heart." -
-Al McCausland
I love music production. And so far, it seems to love me. *don’t jinx me* lol. Honestly, though, I must admit my ‘production studio’ consists of merely an ibook G4 [not to be confused with macbooks] and...my guitar. And a Bible (for percussion purposes). Consisting of mostly scratch—tracks and rough layouts and recordings. Thank you garage band! ;)
Now, the interesting thing though, is not that of a solid white square of awesome awesomeness (that too) but, how the music just sounds so much different in real life, than in the final mastered product. It may be the simple fact that my microphone sucks. Or possibly that my guitar is a Lotus; and a carefully crafted copy of some famous guitar and lest we forget, made in Japan. Anyhow...orr...it may be that I insert loops, apply effects, change alot of the aspects; and then EQ the master, move stuff around—maybe even pitch correction (given I’m Lady Gaga’s producer. Sorry!) Believe it or not, I do have a point here!
Talking, conversing, pouring out hearts like a faucet to people at church, investing trust in our friends, explaining situations, and current situations, updating buddies that we’ve been meaning to call for 6 months and finally did [talking to them right now], sharing your story, your rough, abusive childhood and teen years, significant other that you just began to open up yourself to, a random dude on the street dressed up as Jeffrey the Giraffe (Toys R’ US is STILL the Bomb!), possibly some young adults, or elderly people handing out tracks on the street and telling people about Jesus and one stops you; next thing you know, you are in his/her arms, pouring out your life story drenching their overcoat with bodily fluid [tears]—we, as humans, all make our hearts vulnerable to somebody at some point. And people so often, run it through a preconceived filter, and find it tough at times to see the 'heart' of what people are saying...we kinda go off of 'keywords' and go off on tagents based on those keywords.
Urban Dictionary defines communication as:
Person A emits verbal tones in the form of sentences while Person B utilizes sense of hearing to transmit exact words to brain which in turn, re-creates the sentence to fit their own agenda and re-emits into a new and improved, yet rarely accurate, statement.
Dude..urbandictionary.com can be just plain awesome sometimes! lol.
Do you feel like, sometimes [or maybe alotta times] people don't see the heart of your words? Maybe you share something very personal, or maybe of a theological or maybe even an experiential encounter with the holy spirit, and there seems to be some pre conceived notions and ‘filters’ tangled up in the conversation and stuff. And whether we consider ourselves non-judgemental, or not..we all carry some kind of filters around with us in our brains lol. Everybody has some sort of their own filter, EQ, effects, and mastering system intregrated in their brain to process and produce a reply. Hmm..sounds kinda like me behind my mac, except for…my head, and my computer always make it come out right. Which, is great for me. But if I would master everything, burn it to a cd; not everyone may like, or even understand my music. Even if I tried, really, really hard! Why do you think the word ‘Genre’ exists and may seem overused?
Billy Misunderstood: I feel, like theres more to the Holy Spirit than meets the eye, and that healing, signs and wonders might be able to happen and…
Reverend Bob Baptist: Now, Billy, you must be very very careful about any additional teachings other than whats in the Bible. It is written that many antichrists will come and perform miraculous signs and wonders and deceive many.
Billy Misunderstood: true..but...-sighs-
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy Misunderstood: I just…I can’t shake this feelin’.
Reverend Bob Baptist: Now, Billy, you should never be living in your emotions. The bible tells us that emotions come from the flesh man and that you need to put the flesh to death and only operate out of the spirit man. Yes, Billy, your emotions are of the devil. Your spirit is from God.
Billy Misunderstood: what. This is ridiculous. [then, switches to youth pastor Buddy Jones for further counsel]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Billy Misunderstood: Brother Jones, I’ve been thinkin’ bout getting a tattoo lately..dang, I need some cash tho.
Buddy Jones: [starts beat-boxing] boom boom kap! bam boo cheesh! Ohhhhhh Billy...bap bap ba boom....tatoos are of the Devil! Boom bap checka checka..on every level!..kap kap kat… Leviticus 19:28 says it all rightttt ONN! [starts doing the robot]
Billy Misunderstood: -sighs- there he goes againnn… And whats with this..ohhh Billy..nowww Billy spree everybody seems to be on? -sighs once again-
Just a few examples! More on a spiritual level! lol.
TO BE CONTINUED....
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
ice.broken.by.the.Holy.
Your face frozen. like ice.
Then the ice was shattered, and
you were free to express your feelings on your face
and cry again. Hello, how are you?
Then the ice was shattered, and
you were free to express your feelings on your face
and cry again. Hello, how are you?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
the oregon pie (...dannys belly dream)
...I sigh, my oh my. Grandmas apple pie, curves my appetite.as i sit here, full of pie, my eyes gaze tiredly at my Grandma Ada Vye. so sly, is she, filling up my belly, with fats and sweets. my belly, bursting at the seams...of my pants. oh gee wiz, i think i see some ants. doing the hula dance, all over my college textbook, of france-history, is not the current mystery, for i know completely, what i have been doing, of a sweetly nature. Maybe i should write it all down on paper -danny swiggly
Monday, June 28, 2010
bounce.N'stick.bounce.N'stick.
then Balaam saw Amalek and uttered his oracle:
amalek was first among the nations.but he will
come to ruin at last.
then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle:
your dwelling place is secure.your nest is set in a rock;
yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.
then he uttered his oracle: Ah, who can live when God does this? ships will come from the shores of Kittim;they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin. [numbers 24:19-25]
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [psalm 91:1]
---------------------------------<3------------------------------------------>
'Have you ever been homeless, or endangered of being homeless?'
...my fafsa read as i apply, yet, for another semester. errr. my first semester rather. -sighs- do i seriously havta answer this one? today, the tackle is harder than getting hit by a car.harder than burning the ribs.harder than pride.walking.running.harder than being scared outta your wits by some jerk jumping outofa bush with a sudden yell.this is the cynical cultural drama of being boxed. cardboard boxed, that is. the art of being home-less.
Now, being the King or Queen of Details that you are, you probably noticed the proverbial 'hyphen' between home, and less. indeed this is a proverb. and in this word, are the people to whom we so often refer to as the 'hobo', the 'homeless' the 'boxers' and the 'boxlerettes', we so, so, so many times fail to notice something rather trivial. 'homeless', does not exist in the dictionary. home-less does. ok.ok.ok. so whats the diff dude? so lemme kiss the lips of the english book for a simple sec. 'home', in this context is a noun. and 'less', is an adjective. in lamens terms, the 'hypen' deems the contraption as 'unnessesary to be together'.
so to what we conclude to is 'home' and 'less' were never meant to be together!
why then are there thousands of homeless shelters in the US? gov't programs fighting home-less-ness? why do so many home-less people drop their drawers and pee and poop in public sight so they can get shelter in jail for the winter? why have 'will work for food and shelter' signs doubled in the last three years? why are homemakers a highly sought-after paid service now? why is there a couchsurfers.com? it wasn't meant to be like this.so many people, were on the highrise now on the lowrise.the dirt.the soil. we were meant to be home. where is it? i can't seem to findit. i musta misplaced it somewhere. i think i lost it somewhere on this rugged path called life. life.
i bounce. yes i bounce of course. place to place. you may bounce.bounce. or maybe not. if you bounce, lemme speak to you hereandnow.
your home is not here. you are an alien of another kingdom. with a King who covers you like a blanket.who is the ceiling, walls n' floors to your shack. and your palace. he is your heat.your airconditioning.your food.your drink.your cold cup of water.your health insurance.your life insurance.your affection.your love.your comfort.your shelter.your strong tower.your eyeducts.he likes you. he loves you too.kisses.kisses.kisses you all over your face, hands and washes your feet.but then, he also braces you like a man.kicks your spine straight.reshapes and reconstructs your stature.your foundation.and waters you like a seed and watches you grow.and so do other people. everybody watches you grow. and it brings Him great pleasure to watch you and be a part of your life. His name is Jesus.
now to those who don't bounce. but stick.stick.stick. lemme also speak to you.
you may stick, but make sure you know how sticky your adhesive is.make sure that you are progressive in the 'art of stick'. make jesus your designated brand of adhesive.meaning:everything you have is actually His. your job, your home, apartment, your kids, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your wife, your singleness, your led/plasma/lcd tv.your laptop. your macbook pro. iphone.texting plan.your car. nothing is sound. you could lose them all in the next two hours. you could lose them all while you are reading this. wait.is that a phone ringing? that might be your boss calling to say that they are letting you go and to finish out the week. what if you died in the next 3 seconds from a brain error? a heart error? you know these are not uncommon at all. do not be too proud to ask for help. give and sow generously, and in doing so, you will have friends to help you out when you bounce.invest in friendships around you. do not ever feel secure or comfortable. it is possible to be displaced. burn this concept into your brain, and into your heart: NOTHING IS SOUND. EXCEPT JESUS.
to the bouncers and the stickers. let us mingle in the kingdom. love jesus. love people. be there for eachother. stick well, bounce well, eat, drink and be merry.but not blot out the voice of reality, giving and sowing.making our homes with eachother. let us mesh with the heart of God together. bring heaven to earth and eat heaven truffles.ah. so good. tasty mmmmm. nom nom nom. let us dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and rest in the shadow of the almighty. let us sow generously, and reap bumper crops.
Praise the Lord, oh my soul/And let all that's within me praise His name/Praise the Lord, oh my soul/And let all that's within me praise His name/ For I will not die, I will live/And I will tell of the Works of the Lord/ And sing of His wonders.And I get to love You through whatever comes/What a privilege/That I get to love You through whatever comes/ Oh, how sweet it is.
-Kristine Mueller
amalek was first among the nations.but he will
come to ruin at last.
then he saw the Kenites and uttered his oracle:
your dwelling place is secure.your nest is set in a rock;
yet you Kenites will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive.
then he uttered his oracle: Ah, who can live when God does this? ships will come from the shores of Kittim;they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will come to ruin. [numbers 24:19-25]
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [psalm 91:1]
---------------------------------<3------------------------------------------>
'Have you ever been homeless, or endangered of being homeless?'
...my fafsa read as i apply, yet, for another semester. errr. my first semester rather. -sighs- do i seriously havta answer this one? today, the tackle is harder than getting hit by a car.harder than burning the ribs.harder than pride.walking.running.harder than being scared outta your wits by some jerk jumping outofa bush with a sudden yell.this is the cynical cultural drama of being boxed. cardboard boxed, that is. the art of being home-less.
Now, being the King or Queen of Details that you are, you probably noticed the proverbial 'hyphen' between home, and less. indeed this is a proverb. and in this word, are the people to whom we so often refer to as the 'hobo', the 'homeless' the 'boxers' and the 'boxlerettes', we so, so, so many times fail to notice something rather trivial. 'homeless', does not exist in the dictionary. home-less does. ok.ok.ok. so whats the diff dude? so lemme kiss the lips of the english book for a simple sec. 'home', in this context is a noun. and 'less', is an adjective. in lamens terms, the 'hypen' deems the contraption as 'unnessesary to be together'.
so to what we conclude to is 'home' and 'less' were never meant to be together!
why then are there thousands of homeless shelters in the US? gov't programs fighting home-less-ness? why do so many home-less people drop their drawers and pee and poop in public sight so they can get shelter in jail for the winter? why have 'will work for food and shelter' signs doubled in the last three years? why are homemakers a highly sought-after paid service now? why is there a couchsurfers.com? it wasn't meant to be like this.so many people, were on the highrise now on the lowrise.the dirt.the soil. we were meant to be home. where is it? i can't seem to findit. i musta misplaced it somewhere. i think i lost it somewhere on this rugged path called life. life.
i bounce. yes i bounce of course. place to place. you may bounce.bounce. or maybe not. if you bounce, lemme speak to you hereandnow.
your home is not here. you are an alien of another kingdom. with a King who covers you like a blanket.who is the ceiling, walls n' floors to your shack. and your palace. he is your heat.your airconditioning.your food.your drink.your cold cup of water.your health insurance.your life insurance.your affection.your love.your comfort.your shelter.your strong tower.your eyeducts.he likes you. he loves you too.kisses.kisses.kisses you all over your face, hands and washes your feet.but then, he also braces you like a man.kicks your spine straight.reshapes and reconstructs your stature.your foundation.and waters you like a seed and watches you grow.and so do other people. everybody watches you grow. and it brings Him great pleasure to watch you and be a part of your life. His name is Jesus.
now to those who don't bounce. but stick.stick.stick. lemme also speak to you.
you may stick, but make sure you know how sticky your adhesive is.make sure that you are progressive in the 'art of stick'. make jesus your designated brand of adhesive.meaning:everything you have is actually His. your job, your home, apartment, your kids, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your wife, your singleness, your led/plasma/lcd tv.your laptop. your macbook pro. iphone.texting plan.your car. nothing is sound. you could lose them all in the next two hours. you could lose them all while you are reading this. wait.is that a phone ringing? that might be your boss calling to say that they are letting you go and to finish out the week. what if you died in the next 3 seconds from a brain error? a heart error? you know these are not uncommon at all. do not be too proud to ask for help. give and sow generously, and in doing so, you will have friends to help you out when you bounce.invest in friendships around you. do not ever feel secure or comfortable. it is possible to be displaced. burn this concept into your brain, and into your heart: NOTHING IS SOUND. EXCEPT JESUS.
to the bouncers and the stickers. let us mingle in the kingdom. love jesus. love people. be there for eachother. stick well, bounce well, eat, drink and be merry.but not blot out the voice of reality, giving and sowing.making our homes with eachother. let us mesh with the heart of God together. bring heaven to earth and eat heaven truffles.ah. so good. tasty mmmmm. nom nom nom. let us dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and rest in the shadow of the almighty. let us sow generously, and reap bumper crops.
Praise the Lord, oh my soul/And let all that's within me praise His name/Praise the Lord, oh my soul/And let all that's within me praise His name/ For I will not die, I will live/And I will tell of the Works of the Lord/ And sing of His wonders.And I get to love You through whatever comes/What a privilege/That I get to love You through whatever comes/ Oh, how sweet it is.
-Kristine Mueller
Saturday, May 29, 2010
rain.rain splashing.falling.rain.rain
/*\
Brusters on thursday eve.mmmm. nottanothathing like it!
ok. So you may be thinking right now 'dude. wait.bruster.are you talking about that heffalump from winnie the pooh in episode #229?' And then I'd be like 'no.that was rooster. it sounds allota like bruster.but its not.brusters is an ice cream parlor.in central PA.
However, the greatest pleasure here,at brusters is not that of milk.cream.and.sugar. But rather, that of which we call in christiandom..fellowship! In modern vernacular, this could be godly young adults hanging out at 'the stick' of their choice. which, realistically, is great medicine for the soul, food for the spirit and fat for the tummy.
So.thursday eve.us young adults at CCC were having a blast. eating the cream, chicken-the-strips, laughing and carrying on. meanwhile, a storm was a brewin'. in the midst of all this great stuff we felt compelled to gather around in a circle and beckon the Holy Spirit to come blast us.fill us up with zeal, and vigor; and do whatever He wants. I remember all soo well...
Jesus!! Rock this town.fill us with love and compassion for people in this city.we claim this city! Lets take this whole region! Come fill us with your fire.power.and love God.we pray for spontaneous combustions of your presence popping up in the most random places.we also long and ache for your rain to fall.and.fill the earth. Kinda like Noah N' the Ark. Except the rain of your spirit Lord. fill the earth.the nations.your people up to the tippie-top and then let it spill out over the sides til' it fills up the sink holes everywhere. Whoa God.
At this point we were definitely pretty wacked. but nonetheless, we continued in prayer for several more minuetes as the storm began to fall. Everybody disbursed in their cars for shelter.
But I had a plan. And THIS plan had been A' Brewin for..like..since 9am this morning.
run.in.the.rain. Not that I'm weird or anything. ok well I am weird. despite the weirdness, however, I was and still am, very.very.very determined to chop the lbs down like a cherry tree. In other words, lose weight. Little did I know, that this would be a prettysuperamazing experience with the Giver of Life. the King of Showers. rain.and that this time, dancingintherain would become much more than a romantic proverb, but this time, become like.really deep man.yeah.crazy deep.
So I was already suited up in my pennstate pajama pants, rolled up like to my knees and my superhero shirt on.we started off like any other run.when all of a sudden...DOWNPOUR!!
We just ran and ran when all of a sudden, my hair started dripping furiously like a drenched mop.and my shirt became wet.and everything became cool.like jumping in a pool on a hot summer day.all of a sudden, I rounded the corner, and I started praying.and praying.and praising God for this.
God. Thank you for the rain that waters the earth.produces vegetation.causes the sower, and the reaper to rejoice together.the water that keeps us from becoming thirsty.the rain that we dance in and play in as kids.the rain that sparks a romance in 8 out of 10 chick flicks. God!! You are the God of Rain! You are the God of water! You are the Art of Woo!
This whole moment triggered a memory of about a month ago at Life Center when I was praying there. and all of a sudden. I heard this still small voice say:
'Bill, don't open the umbrella this time. don't be afraid to let the rain trickle down your face.
At first, it seemed kinda weird. but then like, 10 seconds later, I realized that I never really liked getting wet as a child growing up. and probably the worst thing for me was letting in trickle down my face.because it tickled! And it felt weird! But in this moment, I felt Jesus was kinda saying/asking; why do people ALWAYS open the umbrella when it rains? Be the one that enjoys it!
In the weeks that followed, every chance I could get, I would run out into the rain on purpose. To break through the proverbial discomfort of rain.and it worked.actually.
Fast forward. two months and I was planning for a rain jog!
Farms depend on the rain for their food.paycheck.pleasure.music.family health.weather forecast.entertainment.etc. And yet we get annoyed with rain, and dash for shelter! huh? Why are we so afraid of the beautiful touch of rain?
When was the last time you prayed for a local farmer? When was the last time you jumped out and danced in the rain? When was the last time you asked for the clouds to rip and heavens rain spill down all over you? How bout physical storm-rain? When was the last time you asked God to allow your car to leak? Or the fire sprinklers at work to start spraying all over your head, desk, papers, computer..everything that you THINK you need to perform your job?! Are you afraid of those fire sprinklers going off? When was the last time you asked God for your own personal rain cloud to follow you around everywhere that you go?!
Whoa.let us dance, spin and love in in the rain of the God of Heaven!
May we all carry around, our own personal, rain cloud! Nourish us Lord. Be out food.drink.pleasure and music.
Peace. /*\
Brusters on thursday eve.mmmm. nottanothathing like it!
ok. So you may be thinking right now 'dude. wait.bruster.are you talking about that heffalump from winnie the pooh in episode #229?' And then I'd be like 'no.that was rooster. it sounds allota like bruster.but its not.brusters is an ice cream parlor.in central PA.
However, the greatest pleasure here,at brusters is not that of milk.cream.and.sugar. But rather, that of which we call in christiandom..fellowship! In modern vernacular, this could be godly young adults hanging out at 'the stick' of their choice. which, realistically, is great medicine for the soul, food for the spirit and fat for the tummy.
So.thursday eve.us young adults at CCC were having a blast. eating the cream, chicken-the-strips, laughing and carrying on. meanwhile, a storm was a brewin'. in the midst of all this great stuff we felt compelled to gather around in a circle and beckon the Holy Spirit to come blast us.fill us up with zeal, and vigor; and do whatever He wants. I remember all soo well...
Jesus!! Rock this town.fill us with love and compassion for people in this city.we claim this city! Lets take this whole region! Come fill us with your fire.power.and love God.we pray for spontaneous combustions of your presence popping up in the most random places.we also long and ache for your rain to fall.and.fill the earth. Kinda like Noah N' the Ark. Except the rain of your spirit Lord. fill the earth.the nations.your people up to the tippie-top and then let it spill out over the sides til' it fills up the sink holes everywhere. Whoa God.
At this point we were definitely pretty wacked. but nonetheless, we continued in prayer for several more minuetes as the storm began to fall. Everybody disbursed in their cars for shelter.
But I had a plan. And THIS plan had been A' Brewin for..like..since 9am this morning.
run.in.the.rain. Not that I'm weird or anything. ok well I am weird. despite the weirdness, however, I was and still am, very.very.very determined to chop the lbs down like a cherry tree. In other words, lose weight. Little did I know, that this would be a prettysuperamazing experience with the Giver of Life. the King of Showers. rain.and that this time, dancingintherain would become much more than a romantic proverb, but this time, become like.really deep man.yeah.crazy deep.
So I was already suited up in my pennstate pajama pants, rolled up like to my knees and my superhero shirt on.we started off like any other run.when all of a sudden...DOWNPOUR!!
We just ran and ran when all of a sudden, my hair started dripping furiously like a drenched mop.and my shirt became wet.and everything became cool.like jumping in a pool on a hot summer day.all of a sudden, I rounded the corner, and I started praying.and praying.and praising God for this.
God. Thank you for the rain that waters the earth.produces vegetation.causes the sower, and the reaper to rejoice together.the water that keeps us from becoming thirsty.the rain that we dance in and play in as kids.the rain that sparks a romance in 8 out of 10 chick flicks. God!! You are the God of Rain! You are the God of water! You are the Art of Woo!
This whole moment triggered a memory of about a month ago at Life Center when I was praying there. and all of a sudden. I heard this still small voice say:
'Bill, don't open the umbrella this time. don't be afraid to let the rain trickle down your face.
At first, it seemed kinda weird. but then like, 10 seconds later, I realized that I never really liked getting wet as a child growing up. and probably the worst thing for me was letting in trickle down my face.because it tickled! And it felt weird! But in this moment, I felt Jesus was kinda saying/asking; why do people ALWAYS open the umbrella when it rains? Be the one that enjoys it!
In the weeks that followed, every chance I could get, I would run out into the rain on purpose. To break through the proverbial discomfort of rain.and it worked.actually.
Fast forward. two months and I was planning for a rain jog!
Farms depend on the rain for their food.paycheck.pleasure.music.family health.weather forecast.entertainment.etc. And yet we get annoyed with rain, and dash for shelter! huh? Why are we so afraid of the beautiful touch of rain?
When was the last time you prayed for a local farmer? When was the last time you jumped out and danced in the rain? When was the last time you asked for the clouds to rip and heavens rain spill down all over you? How bout physical storm-rain? When was the last time you asked God to allow your car to leak? Or the fire sprinklers at work to start spraying all over your head, desk, papers, computer..everything that you THINK you need to perform your job?! Are you afraid of those fire sprinklers going off? When was the last time you asked God for your own personal rain cloud to follow you around everywhere that you go?!
Whoa.let us dance, spin and love in in the rain of the God of Heaven!
May we all carry around, our own personal, rain cloud! Nourish us Lord. Be out food.drink.pleasure and music.
Peace. /*\
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