In Season and Out

My mom was telling me a story that happened in the mid-1980's. Back then, one of the big fashion fads was to discover which season you were through what they called "color analysis". The idea was that specific groups of colors were more flattering to you than others. These colors were grouped under one of the seasons in which they are usually found. Basically, wearing those colors that complimented you would not only make you look better, but would help you be happier and feel better about yourself.

Based on the process you went through, you would be told that you were a certain season and you would then pick out clothes with those colors. Well, Mom did this with some group and the lady doing it told her that she was an Autumn. Mom had thought that she was a Summer, but the lady assured Mom that she had been doing this for quite a while and her analysis had always been correct; Mom was definitely an Autumn! The argument made, Mom settled in to accepting the fact that she was an Autumn and went through the next 6 months picking out clothes that fell in the Autumn spectrum. But the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't get over the feeling that she felt like a Summer.

Eventually, Mom "retested" with someone else and this time the analysis confirmed that she was indeed a Summer, just like she had always thought. When she went back through her closet looking at the "Autumn" clothes she had bought, she noticed that every single one of them had in them the Summer colors that she already loved!

"Bake Cookie Dough Before Eating"

No kidding. I just read this on the back of a package of refrigerated chocolate chip cookies, the kind that come in little squares and you bake them and pretend they were homemade. "Bake cookie dough before eating."

At first I felt fear, the same sort of anxiety I experienced as a child when I noticed the mattress tag on my bed. "Do not remove under penalty of law." At first I was tempted to rip the tag off to see if armed policemen would show up at my house......but then I figured my parents would be too upset if we were raided.

I decided, with much fear and trembling, that I needed to carefully preserve that tag from all harm, even though I had no idea WHY it could not be removed. It just looked so...official.....that obeying the rule seemed the wisest thing to do.

Now, years later, this cookie dough warning makes me angry. If I want to eat the whole package of raw cookie dough, whose business is it? Will I lose my salvation? Do the mattress tag police also double as the cookie dough police? Will I be better person if I eat baked cookies rather than raw cookie dough?

Well, the law did what it was intended to do...it stirred up sin. I ate two of the little raw squares and baked the other seventeen of them.

Jesus has set us free from mattress tag laws, cookie dough laws........and religious laws. Isn't it great to rip off the mattress tags, gobble the raw cookie dough......and live in the freedom of our faith in Christ?

Love,
Mickey

The Christian Agnostic

Found this on a blog:

'The Christian Agnostic” is inspired by Leslie Weatherhead’s 1965 book by the same name......

Weatherhead defines a Christian Agnostic as someone “who is immensely attracted by Christ who seeks to show his spirit, to meet the challenges, hardships and sorrows of life in the light of that spirit, but who, though he is sure of many Christian truths, feels that he cannot honestly and conscientiously ’sign on the dotted line’ that he believes certain theological ideas about which some branches of the church dogmatize.”'

Hmmm........it would seem that those who reject legalism and embrace God's grace would qualify as "Christian agnostics."

If so, some of my best friends are Christian agnostics!

Love,
Mickey

"not found in the original manuscripts"

i was in my early 30's the first time i realized that some portions of the bible - certain words, phrases, whole passages even! - were in dispute, or "not found in the original manuscripts." for some reason i had never paid attention to "the fine print" at the bottom of the page - but on the day i did, whew! - reading, "not found in the original manuscripts" sent me into a tailspin. never before had i even considered the possibility that things were not as concrete and clear cut as i believed them to be with regard to the bible and what was written therein...and that realization rocked my world like an earthquake...but only for a moment...a moment of reality is about all a person like me can stand before i go into shock...and denial. i think that was when i started really acting like a mad woman - shoving questions under the bed and into closets, nailing down furniture to the floor so it couldn't be moved, bending my logic into pretzels like a side-show contortionist. i'm sure i had probably done that all that stuff before, subliminally...but now it was quite deliberate...and consequently, exhausting. because if it was true that things were not as i had believed, then all bets were off. how could i ever be certain of anything again?

-grannymac

Grace offends

Yesterday a man yelling, "Allah! Allah!" set himself ablaze in protest outside the White House. He survived because security guards were quick to extinguish the flames. At the Boar's Head Tavern, Russ asks why they "rush to the aid" of "someone like this".

On Saturday, our Cathedral held a memorial service for a local man taken hostage and murdered by Iraqi terrorists a few weeks ago. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary were both guests at the service. My friend remarked how out-of-proportion it was that a man who went to Iraq willingly to make money, despite being warned of the dangers, was being given his own memorial service attended by Tony Blair, while hundreds of brave soldiers had died fighting for their country without receiving anything like the same special attention.

I cannot help but think that if Jesus were around today, these are the parables he would tell. After all, he told the story of a wasteful son being celebrated by a foolish father at the expense of a hard-working elder brother. He told the tale of a steward apparently rewarded for all the wrong reasons and a crook being forgiven on the spot while a righteous man went away unjustified. He liked to turn things on their heads like that. Hell, he liked to offend. And grace offends.

(Originally posted at the Grace Pages)

-Dave

Today's Observations

The other day, I was reading a "devotion" book... It spoke of this god who doesn't help you until you're in real agony and have given in to despair because he wants everyone to know that it's him when he helps someone...

I thought... what a self serving god... only interested in his own glory. No wonder those who believe in this god are most interested in their own position, getting credit, gaining power, etc. They're just emulating their god.

That Jesus guy spoke of doing your good deeds in secret, not for the world to see; not to gain commendations from others. Toward the end of that speech, he said to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect... I figured the stuff he preached on must first be God's character... If that's the case, God would do his good deeds without fanfare with the motive of an unselfish love and desire to benefit others... People who followed a God like that might have better attitudes toward one another...

You would know that you could trust that God and go to him for comfort when this life craps on you. And, you would be a recipient of real love... and I think a love like that would impact you immensely.

Just some observations...

-The Freenglad Chick

The futility of arguing about grace

Arguments about grace often end up self-defeating, partly because if we have to argue about it, we've lost the point already. As Paul Tillich says, "And nothing is demanded of this experience [of grace], no religious or moral or intellectual presupposition, nothing but acceptance."

But also, one of the most frequent objections that arises is that grace is just an excuse to sin. Problem is, the minute the criticism is raised, the instinctive reaction is to start defending yourself. Out comes the long list of evidences to prove to the critic that you aren't using grace as a cover-up for licentiousness; and then do you see what has happened? You've let yourself be roped back into the whole religious game of proving your spiritual credentials; you've fallen back into the trap of self-justification.

When you discover grace, it's still tempting to jump back into the match and try and reestablish your right to be considered a "good Christian", but when the result is missing the whole point of grace, is it really worth the cost? Let the self-righteous be.

-Dave

The True Meaning of "Nothing".........

.......is "something."

That doesn't make any sense? I agree.

But religion teaches that "nothing" means "something." And Christians who believe that "nothing" means "something" are plunged into the misery of legalism.

Look at this scripture:
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Don't you hear your heart cry "Yes!" to that scripture? Nothing can ever separate you from God's love. You are in Christ, included in the eternal security of the Father's love. Forever. And there's not a damn thing anyone can do to change that reality.

EXCEPT.......enter religion and the folks who tell you that "nothing" means "something."

Especially the preachers who stand in pulpits, read this scripture to their church members, and say: "Nothing can separate you from God's love EXCEPT your own sin......your own apathy.......your own poor performance.....your own lack of tithing.....your own unbelief. YOU! YOU separate yourself from God's love when you don't keep the rules."

Oh. So "nothing", saith legalistic religion, really means "something." I'm secure in God's love if I perform correctly. But if I fail, I separate myself from God's love and IT'S ALL MY FAULT!

So I must work and strive and obey to keep God's love........because "nothing" really means "something"?

Of course you see religion's lie. You see how religion manipulates you by fear, the fear that any misstep can cost you God's love. Fearful people keep the rules. And without good little ruleskeepers, religion would simply.......die. Hmmmmm.:)

"Nothing"means that even you are not powerful enough to separate yourself from the love of God. What good news!

Nothing really does mean NOTHING. Live in your freedom in Christ. And when someone tries to tell you that "nothing" really means "something"........

Smile and run for your life.:)

Love,
Mickey

was he saved?

the other day, a friend stopped by to visit. we used to be members of the same church several years ago, but hadn't seen each other in quite some time, so we were getting caught up on what had been going on in our lives, and i told her about my dad passing away earlier this year. the first words out of her mouth were, "was he saved?" i was taken aback. i knew what she was asking, and i knew the kind of answer she was looking for....and once upon a time it would have been easy for me to give it to her. but that day, i found myself thinking (though not saying aloud), "what the hell kind of question is that to ask?"

-grannymac

In Him We Live.......

A revelation of God's grace, for me.......that we are one with Christ, and that abiding in Him results in fruit in our lives.

Producing fruit does NOT cause abiding. No matter how vigorously religion tries to convince you that it is so.

Jesus depended on the Father as His source of life. He did not live independently of God.......He lived in unity of Spirit with God. In effect, Jesus said of His Father, "In Him I live, and move, and have my being."

Yet we've been conned by religion into believing that, unlike Jesus, we can live independently to the extent that WE decide the rules, WE strive to obey the rules we've invented, WE are our own source.

God didn't call us to imitate Jesus, or to ask stupid questions like "What would Jesus do?" before we decide on our actions. We are called to abide in Jesus.......and His life is the source of our own lives. We are one spirit with Him.

There's a rest, a ceasing from striving, as we simply believe what is already true about us......that we are loved and accepted by God, part of His family, free from condemnation, and free to be led by the Spirit of God. Not by rules in a book........ not by religion .......not by tradition ...... not by other people's opinions of right and wrong..... not by rules for what Christians "should" do.......

But simply living in union with Christ.

Maybe that's why religion hates the message of God's grace: because God Himself put an end to human striving that we might depend on Him alone. It makes religion rather useless, doesn't it?

-Mickey

Just God is Just Good

Religion promotes relating to God through the keeping of rules and performing of rituals. It’s based on the premise of not being good enough to please God, therefore you must do…. (fill in the blank). This kind of relating leads to all sorts of strange doctrines and behaviours as we seek to be pleasing to an unplease-able God, resulting in an inability to love self and others.

Relationship with God has a completely different basis… His love. In relationship with Him, there is an openness to be who you are, sharing your inmost self with Him, faults and all. He’s not a God who is petty, judging your performance in being able to live “perfectly”. He sees you as His beloved child and only desires to be in relationship with you. This kind of relating leads to inner peace, resulting in an ability to love self and others. Nothing else is needed.

Just God is just good.

-The Freenglad Chick

Some Trees Need a Hug!

The glory of God's creation revealed in fall foliage......mountainsides alive with reds and yellows and oranges and greens......God thinking, "Let me give this gift of beauty, just because."

From a distance, all the colors blend and complement each other. Up close, you can see individual trees expressing their unique beauty.

Sometimes my imagination comes up with strange scenarios. I pictured the trees arguing over whose leaves were the prettiest, or the brightest........or who had the most leaves.

I saw trees beating one another with their branches and shouting, "You aren't changing color fast enough! You should be further along than you are now. Stop making the rest of us look bad."

I saw trees gathering in little groups gossiping about a lone green tree: "Look at that, he broke the rules about changing colors. Wait till God sees this. Guess we all know who the next lightning bolt will strike, eh folks?"

I saw trees, discouraged as they compared themselves to the more glorious trees, simply drop all their leaves at once and give up.

I saw arrogant trees, convinced that their good tree behavior had earned their lovely colors.

(Honestly, with all this tree strife going on, I couldn't see the forest for the trees.)

Imagination flight over, I saw the glory of God's creation revealed in fall foliage......trees expressing the life of their Creator in varying stages and degrees. Yet simply content to reflect.........HIM.

No......it's not possible that trees might have a deeper revelation of grace than God's people do.

Is it?

-Mickey

In God's hands

It's funny how you can be hit with an almost evangelical sense of assurance at the most unexpected times.

I remember how one time when I was in theological college, I was on my way to church in the back seat of a friend's car, when suddenly I had this overwhelming feeling of having my life held in God's hands. My reaction was one of joyous laughter; it was Karl Barth who reportedly said, "Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God."

I was sitting a few moments ago flicking through the channels, and I decided, as I occasionally do, to see what was on Christian TV. Generally there's a steady diet of prosperity preachers and American televangelists, but once in a while there'll be someone worth listening to for a few minutes.Tonight when I switched on, three folk were sitting around in a church in London talking about the book of Genesis. One of them -- I have a feeling she was Billy Graham's daughter -- was talking about how good it was to know you're created individually by God, and how we find our true selves in pursuing the things we were created for rather than money and material things and all the things the "world" chases after. On the one hand, I recognized the crassness with which such sentiments are often expressed; yet on the other hand, I was struck by a sense of assurance of being created by God, of having my life in the palm of his hand, and of knowing that all the material crap I sometimes long to have and enjoy doesn't compare to the contentment and joy of abandoning everything to serve God and others, to live for what really satisfies.

It was another of those unusual moments of assurance. I half wanted to cry, and I half wanted to laugh, because it was joyous to think that when all else is done, I'm held in the palm of God's hand.

-Dave

Full-Time Life

I used to love the power verses of the gospels. Charismatics do, you know. Listen to a charismatic and in a few minutes we'll convince you that Jesus performed miracles from morning till night..... that He lived so deeply "in the Spirit" (we say in hushed, awestruck voices) that God's power oozed out of His every pore. Constantly.

We charismatics love power. We revere those who seem to demonstrate God's power.....healings, miracles, prophecies.......and we get pretty good at never allowing ourselves to wonder if God is really the source of the alleged power displays.

Somehow along the power-seeking journey, many Christians learn to separate life into two categories: the sacred and the secular. Or the clergy and the laity. Or the anointed and the wannabes. Or the holy and all the rest of us.

So we look longingly at those who have reached the pinnacle of "full-time ministry", and think that someday, maybe, God will anoint us so that OUR lives count for Him. See how religion can mess up people's minds?

Jesus played with children and washed feet and worried that people were hungry and walked and slept and cried. He radiated God's life, and that life made everything He did holy. Sacred. Anointed, if we must use the charismatic word.

Jesus didn't divide His life into the sacred and the secular. God's life permeated every action He took, every word He spoke, every breath He breathed.

And Jesus never mentioned "full-time ministry" as a goal to be attained. He spoke of abundant life, His life in ours, that would touch every aspect of our being.

Is going to work holy? Yes. Changing diapers sacred? Yes. Watching TV anointed? Yes. Are you getting it?

Refuse to tolerate the lie of "sacred vs. secular." Refuse to accept anything that implies that you are divided from the life of Christ. Refuse to see yourself as "less than".......you are complete in Christ!

-Mickey

The Greatest of These Is Love

We are so aware of our physical bodies and our current entrapment in them. We struggle to reshape them, extend the duration of our existence in them, but we know that those are, at the most, futile efforts to put off what is ultimately inevitable in this world. Yet, in the midst of this physical existence some of us have become more aware of another reality that awaits us once we depart, or "shuffle off this mortal coil" as the author wrote. What is it that has alerted us to the possibility that there is more to existence than just this life, just this earth?

We have become cognizant of things which do no have their source from us. These things that testify to us, Paul tells us, are faith, hope, and love. And the one that resonates so deeply within us speaking of another place is the testimony of love. Just like a man cannot go back and be a child again, we can not go back to our place of ignorance, of not knowing we have another home. And love is the worst culprit of them all!

Why Are You So Afraid?

“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matthew 8:26)

It seems we are predisposed to fear because, in this world, we really are helpless. We can’t command things in our lives to work the way we want them to. And if we could, it would probably just cause more destruction. It seems this world is constantly running toward destruction… like in The Langoliers.

We try hard to protect ourselves – from pain, from need, from threat, from loneliness, from life in this world. We are so afraid… and, often, we’re grasping at straws in attempts to deal with that fear.

God’s love… it comforts us and makes us feel safe for a little while… In relationship with a loving God, we catch a small glimpse of the things we yearn for. We have snatches of time when we feel safe, comforted, and hopeful. Relationship with God is about finding comfort in a hard world. Feeling protected… Feeling like everything is not running out of control. We have hope – that there’s more to this life than what we see… a greater purpose… a reason… or at least a happy ending… Rest for our souls… Restoration… We have the peace of being a child again.

-The Freenglad Chick

Marketing Jesus

Ever notice how religion often uses the same technique to market Jesus as a salesman might employ to sell you a used car?

"Jesus loves you just as you are. His grace will save you if you only believe. Salvation is a free gift."

Ah yes....but as soon as you sign on the dotted line to buy that extraordinary low-mileage, barely-driven car........or raise your hand in response to an altar call.......you begin to learn the rest of the story. The fine print of the contract. Shoved in front of your nose by the car salesman or by other Christians.

"Did I mention that the tires, engine, and gas tank for this car are additional charges? And the interest rate for your ten years of monthly payments is 45%?"

Sounds as ridiculous as the fine print in the "Christian" contract: "Yes, your salvation is free BUT you need to follow these rules if you want to be a GOOD Christian. Jesus loves you IF you stop sinning and get your act together. AND you need to prove your love for Jesus by obeying the commandments in the Bible."

Most of us wouldn't fall for the fine print in the car salesman's contract; we'd recognize that someone was lying to us. I wonder why it's so easy to fall for the legalism that distorts the gospel of grace? And why we allow the traditions of men to add pages of fine print to the glorious gospel of God's grace to us in Christ?

The Christian life isn't a contract between God and us. It's a gift of His grace, and there's no fine print to trick us.

In fact, if we could look at our own hearts, I think we'd see written in big bold letters, "I am Jesus Christ, and I am your life."

I think He took every fine-print contract that religion ever produced and nailed them all to the cross.

It doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Love and grace to you,
Mickey

The Voice That Lies

A friend posted this the other day:

"What is the point? Where is God in this life? It all seems so deeply hopeless...... I put my hope in the wrong places, but I can't figure out the "right" place......My heart is hard. I don't feel love, tenderness, compassion....well, maybe for someone in a movie or a book; someone who isn't real and will never reach out to plunge a dagger in my heart. I don't want to stay here inside of me. I don't want to feel the things I feel. God, do you have any clue what the hell you are doing?"

In the past I would have bombarded my friend with Bible verses. "Here's some scriptures, cheer up, see ya!" A quick fix solution. Take it or leave it. Do these scriptures or suffer.

When I saw God's grace in Christ, I realized that religion's "quick fix" solutions only increase suffering.

Now I think I just want to ask my hurting friend, "Who told you that your heart is hard? Who told you these lies about yourself?"

I don't believe the "who" is a person or a demon spirit.

The lying "who" is that tormenting inner voice, created by years of religious programming. The voice that calls you names and tears you down and tells you that God is displeased with you.....and that you must try harder, do better, pray more, repent of something.....

The lying accuser in your mind. You defeat it by recognizing it and refusing to agree with the lies.

In truth, my friend has already placed her hope in the "right" Person, and He has already placed His life in her. He really does know what the hell He is doing! :)And the next time I'm listening to the lying accuser in my own mind, I bet Jesus will send someone along to ask me, "Who told you those lies about yourself?"

-Mickey

Who's In Charge Here?

"He must increase, but I must decrease."---John the Baptist

I've heard more than my share of religious sermons based on this text. Sermons that convey the message, "You dirty no-good sinner, you better decrease and get your unworthy self out of the way so Jesus can replace you with Himself."

If you're ever trapped in a church when that sermon is being preached, do yourself a favor and take a nap until it's over.

I see something different in those words. I see Jesus looking at a weary Christian who is struggling to keep all the rules, and I see a little grin begin on His face as He says, "I think I'll increase in this precious life."

And Jesus begins to expand His life into the heart and mind of the Christian who has been beaten down by religion. But at first it's a shock and a distress to the object of His workings........

Because as Jesus increases His scope of life, He crowds out the Christian's cherished rules and sacred cow beliefs and "I've always done it this way" thinking. Life shoves against dead religion.........and stirs up the dust in places the Christian never knew existed.

"I've lost my faith!", we cry! "I USED to believe (fill in the blank) and now I can't believe that anymore! What's happening to me? I can't feel God. I don't want to DO all the religious things I used to perform religiously. Woe is me, I am undone!"

Oh no, YOU aren't undone. In fact, you are coming alive, maybe for the first time in your Christian life. Alive with His life. No longer pretending that keeping rules can impart life to you. No longer satisfied with anything less than Jesus Himself.

His life is increasing........and your legalistic beliefs are decreasing. His light is overcoming the darkness that has bound you for years. His glory is breaking forth in you.

The real you, complete in Christ, is beginning to arise and shine. Sure, it's scary......but can I give you a word of hope?

Don't get stuck in the "decrease" aspect, grieving lost religious beliefs. No, experience instead the joy and freedom of increase. His life, Christ in you, one with you.

Now just live........ love........ rejoice........... soar.......... and don't be afraid of falling. OK?

Love in Christ,
Mickey

The Relational Nature of Grace

The miraculous, relational nature of grace is what is responsible for transporting you from the world you see with these eyes, to the world you can only see through the eyes of God.

I'm told by several people that I live somewhere else. Sometimes, I dunno if that was meant as an observation, a compliment, or otherwise. Of course, I live right here. Right here where my body is, where every night I lay my head down and every day I get up to go about my daily routines. But if you know me, that's not where I LIVE. It's not where my heart is, it's not where my mind is. So, I guess in a lot of ways they're right. Call it "head in the clouds", "living in a fantasy world", "out of this world", whatever you will; for some reason, I can no longer see myself existing apart from the context of my relationship with God. Out of it comes this amazing transformation of everything around me. What had appeared to be dead and dying before is suddenly filled with evidence of life and growth.

Contradictions for sure, but then, that's the miraculous part of it.