I don’t really like myself. No, that’s not true - often I really don’t like myself but the rest of the time I spend my life admiring myself. It’s funny, well actually more like disgusting, to me to watch how I vacillate between arrogance and disgust. What’s even more ironic is that those two thoughts, or emotions, could co-exist within the same person. I find myself all too often applauding my efforts because I’m “better” than those around me. Then I move directly into a time of great disgust and frustration because I see myself for who I really am. Even then, though, I don’t really honor God with my actions. Instead of recognizing my faults, and turning to Him, I instead spend too much time wallowing in self-pity, and secretly hoping that others will “feel bad” for me too, and avoid recognizing my shortcomings.

As I thought about these things recently I was listening to the new Chris Tomlin cd, See the Morning, that came out this week. The last song on the cd is a remake of “Amazing Grace” which happens to be my favorite song. In it Tomlin sings a verse that I had not heard before. I did a little research and came across it in Wikipedia.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine;

But God, who call’d me here below,

Will be forever mine.

As I listened to that song, I was humbled by the reality that God loves me, even when I’m arrogant, or self-absorbed. I know we hear that often, but this time it was so remarkable. As I sit in the midst of my pride that I’ve struggled with for years; and as I wallow in the midst of my pity, rather than repentance, as I have for years, His love for me has never waned. That is powerful, is it not?

I was thinking about this thought some more and so I turned to scripture and was reading the greatest portion of scripture, some would argue, in reference to God’s grace - the book of Hosea. Listen to the words of chapter 2 verse 23.

I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one. ‘
I will say to those called ‘Not my people, ‘ ‘You are my people’;
and they will say, ‘You are my God.’ “

God’s grace really is amazing, isn’t it? I know you’ve heard this a million times, and I’m sure you’re likely to simply skim these thoughts and move on, and that’s ok. If, however, you have a moment, then meditate for a little while on grace today. Take a moment to be renewed by God’s love of you. If you are overwhelmed with your own failures; if you can’t seem to get beyond your own lack of holiness, than take a moment to consider these words, found in Zephaniah 3:15-17.

15 The LORD has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.

16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.

17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”

…that saved a wretch like me…

Passion is a funny thing. Without it, we wander around our little “worlds” viewing everything through hues of grey. Without passion life becomes hum-drum; just another so-so kind of day. With passion, however, comes vitality and life. Not just life in the sense of accomplishing the minimal task of breathing through a day, but life in the sense of “just got off the Free Fall at Six Flags and my heart is my throat” kind of life. What’s most funny about passion, I think, is that there are no material markers of passion in a life. In other words, your fabulous wealth could have all the excitment of a half empty can of tuna, if you don’t have passion. Conversely, regardless of your poverty, passion can translate what others would see as a mundane life into something that Time, Newsweek and even the New York Times want to write about.

I thought alot about passion this week. As I was thinking about passion, it occured to me that I had lost sight of what God has given to me, in forms of personality, giftedness, experience and heart-response that all adds up to my passion. My dad asked the question of me, “Micah, what is your passion?” It really made me think. There was a time when I could articulate my passion in less than 20 seconds, but I realized last week that in all the clutter of day-to-day life, the passion of my life has been clouded, and I had a hard time verbalizing my passion. This caused me no small amount of frustration because I understand, only too well, the equation that passion = purpose = prosperity. Let me explain, and then I’ll finish my story.

I’m convinced that passion is necessary, not for life to be lived, but for life to really be experienced. For life to be authentically loved, for you to be satisfied, you must understand your passion. Once you understand your passion, that identified passion will help to narrow down your purpose for your life. I am convinced that most people are living purposeless lives because they’ve never adequately identified their passion. So, if you understand your passion, and you identify your purpose, you will find yourself working in the most opportune place for you to expreience prosperity. Now, by prosperity I certainly do not mean the Creflo Dollar kind. What I mean is the authentic dictionary definition of prosperity kind. “a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, esp. in financial respects; good fortune” The kind of prosperity that gives you the chance to sit back at the end of your life and say that y!
ou lived a life worth living.

Having explained all of that, I can promise you that I spend some time this week contemplating passion. It was important for me to be able to sit down tonight and carefully, and succinctly, communicate my passion to you. So, without further ado, my passion is, “To communicate God’s word in a way that is both accurate and yet contemporary in order that the truth of scripture can be easily understood.” In a nutshell, God has called me to be a communicator (teacher, preacher, etc.) of His word. I often have said I’d rather speak the truths of God’s word than spend the day at Six Flags (and man do I love Six Flags), and it’s true. God has given me this passion and it defines every bit of who I am and what my future holds.

So there’s my transparency for the day. What about you? What is your passion?

As we think about culture, and our responsibility in it, I would encourage you to take a look at St. Anne’s Public House. It is a website that provides NPR type commentary but from an evangelical perspective. You can also sign up to receive their broadcasts through the mail on cd. I’ve chosen to take advantage of that offer, and I’m glad I have.

‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.’

I’m currently involved in a very profitable discussion (I think anyway) over at sbcwitness.com with Jedediah Coppenger. I’ve posted the length of our conversation, as it is currently, below. Keep checking for more updates on sbcwitness.com

Hello friends. I am in the process of trying to open up opportunities for friesville to partner with other people. Please take a look at this page and let me know if you might be interested.

In the Atlanta Journal-Consitution today, an article was produced taking a look at the prosperity gospel that is becoming more and more prevalent today. After reading the article, I am furious! I’ve long held great disdain for the innacurate exegesis (or more correctly, the biased eisegesis) imposed on biblical texts by “teachers” like Creflo Dollar. However, until tonight I had not been moved to outright anger. The following quote is taken from today’s article.

However, if Jesus and his disciples weren’t poor — because God had blessed them — what does that say about the millions of faithful Christians who live throughout the world in brutal poverty?

Is that due to a failure of their character?

When asked this, Dollar says: “Part of it may be, first of all, a lack of understanding. You cannot do better until you know better. I used to be broke and poor just like all of those other people. I had to first change the way I think.”

Rick Hayes, a 14-year member of Dollar’s church, agrees.

He says he was “homeless and hopeless” until he attended World Changers. He learned there that Jesus preached to the poor so they wouldn’t be poor anymore. Today he is a medical supply salesman.

Hayes says he believes Jesus was rich because some biblical translations suggest Jesus — as a baby — was visited by a caravan of about 200 kings bearing gold, not three wise men. Jesus also needed wealth to pay travel expenses for his 12 disciples as they took the Gospel from city to city.

Hayes, quoting the ninth chapter of Ecclesiastes (”The words of a poor man are soon forgotten”), also says Jesus could not have attracted a devoted following if he was poor.

“Nobody is going to follow a broke man,” Hayes says.

If Dollar wants to spout his heretical doctrine, that’s one thing. As he rolls through Atlanta in his Rolls-Royce (and yes, that is his vehicle of choice) I’m sure he’s comforted by his $3,000 suits. However, to claim that the millions of persecuted, impoverished believers who are suffering around the world are doing so because of their inability to grasp biblical truth is tantamount to the demonic in my opinion. I think about my Burkinabe friends who chose to lose everything they have, even at times their families, if they chose to reject their traditions and follow after Christ and I am filled with indignation that Dollar would even insinuate anything other than admiration for the depth of their commitment.

It is difficult for me right now to even attempt to be civil towards this misdirected theology. God have mercy on men like Dollar, who are leading thousands, if not millions, astray.

HT: Kevin Bussey

**I apologize to those who previsouly read this article. The language I used to describe men like Creflo Dollar was intentionally inflamatory and unecessary. I’ve edited the article accordingly.**

I would like to begin taking an occasional opportunity to address the idea of the christian and the culture that surrounds them. As a child who grew up very much a product of CCM, Thomas Kinkade, WWJD bracelets and “christian” subculture as a whole this idea of a christian and culture has seemed almost foreign to me. Growing up I was convinced that if you weren’t submersed into that culture, you weren’t fully christian. It seems to me that we continue to produce generations that buy into this very same methodology. Within the parameters of the church, rather than addressing culture and defining culture, we have chosen to create a subculture and then attack culture at large.

My hope is that we can discuss the concepts of the christian and culture over the next few weeks. I’m particularly looking forward to your comments as I share with you the ideas and thoughts that I’ve been working through over the past 3-5 years. I also look forward to sharing some resources in the form of both books, interviews, papers and videos that I’ve found that have shaped my thinking.

As a starting point, I’d like to share with you Mark Driscoll’s thoughts about “christian culture.” He shared this in the context of an intro video for the recent Desiring God Conference. Driscoll has some pointed, controversial thoughts, but one’s that I think carry value.

Enjoy “Christian Culture Vs. Biblical Culture“!