What the heck we're you thinking!?!

I live what must be a pretty sheltered life. I go to work, Church, home, Life Group. Occasional date night, or trip to the local Wal-mart. But that is about it.  This observation was brought to the forefront of my mind this last week.

I just wanted cool whip, got way more than I bargained for.
While I was at home my lovely bride apparently experienced a Cool Whip emergency which required an immediate response from me, the CWEC ( cool whip emergency coordinator) So I drove up to the convienence store knowing I was about to pay 200 X the price of the grocery store.

Upon my arrival, I find someone having a seizure but already had people around them. I asked if they needed help and was told "No were OK" So I thought well if this person has seizures regularly there family is usually used to it as well as the patient themselves. So I go in the store.

Desperately and throughly seraching the cases, scaning Hi and low and talking to the clerk no, Cool-whip. Outside the store nothing has changed since entering. Now I'm more concerned. The two gentlemen, were still just talking like this was normal. After brief questioning, neither wanted to take any responsibility for the person. First name is all I could get.So I called an ambulance, which took them lights and sirens away into the night.

SO what the heck were they thinking? Where in all of human existence did people loose there compassion. Now I'm not the most compassionate person on the planet. But this was insane. By my own investigatory ability I'm sure drugs were involved.

The only thing I can say is people need Jesus, they need God's Love. They need someone to care and take action. This was the scripture that came to my mind..



Romans 5:6-8 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We need to do this, it takes good people, not perfect, but good people to step in for those who need Jesus. We are that extension. Someone will need you and it maybe an ugly situation. In this instance the only thing that was needed was anyone, who didn't want to see somone else DIE in a gas station parking lot!! not rocket science! Be in constant contact with God, do what you can do. Help the ones you can, like God sent you there at that time, that specific place. God sent you to touch their life. Love in Christ- David.

More of a Question than a Blog.........

Currently reading 1 Corinthians, now in chapter 4 and I'm not quite getting it yet.  Maybe you can help.

Paul refers the people to imitate or follow him a couple of times throughout scripture one of those times is in Chapter 4 so I want to understand it. I think Paul is talking about the church being comfortable. Things are good, comfortable even, but is that where we are supposed to be? Maybe it was the same group of people coming in every week. The same service, little has changed from week to week. They give their time and tithe to God and all is right in the world. Is Paul trying to spur them on from this comfortable Christianity?

So one of the verses that stood out to me right off the bat.....

1 Corinthians 4:3-4 (New International Version, ©2011)

³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

If you truly believe you are doing all you can do, that maybe be better defined as, you know God is flowing through you. Maybe people are judging you, your church, maybe your actions. Your weird, constantly misunderstood, few true friends.  Maybe Paul got to the point he just had enough, "Judge all you want, you're not the judge your playing the Judge"

I think the rest of chapter 4 is basically sarcasm, and you? Still another verse that caught my attention is vs 6. in it "do not go beyond what is written" . Maybe this church had created a bunch of traditions and rules that needed adhering to. Maybe similar to some of modern churches? vs 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? 

He goes on to compare the hardships of the disciples to the "blessings" on the Church of Corinth. In then in vs 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.  That statement makes me re-read this chapter over and over.

Lastly

1 Corinthians 4:20 (New International Version, ©2011)

²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

God is all powerful and we have read about miracles that were tremendous manna from heaven, the burning bush, cloud by day fire by night. But I think there are more examples of power by which God works through his people. Acting in crazy, misunderstood, life altering ways. All in obedience to God, allowing His power and love to flow through you.

You are a connector to the conduit of the power of God- Steven Furtick.

Thanks for reading!! Feel free to comment or email. David

How to tell which church is right.

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

 ¹ Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

When my wife and I first married we attended the church where she and her whole family did. It was smaller in size, about 30 souls every week. The small town she was from had a population of about 400 and somewhere near 8 churches in the area. Your average small Oklahoma town.

The church is still there, same pastor is over it, and nearly the same people attend minus us and the rest of my wife's family. We left there as a young family looking for a "church" that had more "stuff" for kids and families.

But was that church wrong for not supporting the younger generation? Or was that just a perception?

So we found (as noted in a previous blog) a church that did a lot for kids. My wife and I had become the children's minsters there. However over time, though this church had a variety of programs for all ages and the community, it seemed to lack something. But again that church is still there same pastor, same people. We went back and visited this church just last week. Some new faces a lot of love for old friends. Still the same feeling for my wife and I, was there.

So was this church wrong for making us feel the way we do? Or how about the 40 plus churches, the great Google, puts in our town which one is right? It would seem many can't get along or they compete with each other. As many of you have read in my facebook posts, I verbally support and have friends in many churches. So what about the church we go to now; Lifechurch, is it right?

Mark 9:38 (New International Version, ©2011)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us

 ³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

At some point in all the churches we have attended, they must have been good. Or we wouldn't have stayed there at all, right? What if, since all things work for good for those who love the Lord, what if your church, your body of believers, is apart of that? So your moving closer to Him, would that result in constant change in your life? New opportunities, new friends, and new churches? 

Mark 9:39-41 (New International Version, ©2011)

   ³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

So which church is right? (For the record I do not like the term church the way we use it but it's what we have)  I personally believe there is a feeling that you have inside, indescribable, you are growing. Your spirit is being challenged. God has surrounded you with a group of extraordinary people and you know this is Church!!

OH, so is Lifechurch right? No, maybe not for you. But for us, prayerfully, it is. We love our church.(and church means people) Our synagogue is located at 1917 N. Country Club. a small sect of Christ Followers meet there throughout  the week.

Proverbs 16:9 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course,
   but the LORD establishes their steps.



Love, once again- David 

Things You Can't Forget...

So a little more about my life. I have been around Fire, Police, and Emergency Medicine most of my life. My Grandpa was employed by Civil Defense and later our local sheriffs department. My dad was a firemen in South Dakota and Louisiana. I myself am employed at our local airport where we are responsible for fire and rescue, along with operational duties of the airfield.

I have seen how amazingly tough the human body is and how fragile it is almost simultaneously. The most interesting thing is the mind.  Or the will to live, memories, the ability to forget.  The human mind is very interesting and different for everyone.

The reason I bring all this up is I had to attend some medical training over the past 4 weeks. One of the topics we have to address is stress and stress management for medical responders. There are things that I had swore I had forgotten until we brought up this topic. So I was wondering where my ability to forget had gone. I longed for that ability.

But God has designed us, each one a certain way. And our mind, as you know, is not like God's.  Is 38:17 and Ps 103:12 both talk about removing our sins, putting them behind us or throwing them away. Their gone. Is 43:25 says God remembers your sins know more. God is not a human, he really can forget. Num 23:19

I was right out of EMT school, first on scene single vehicle rollover, one ejection, one walking wounded. Truck rolled several times down a fence row, apparently drunk driver ejected, sober passenger actually the one that lived. But i remember the feeling. It was a huge mess. I remember thinking "I should do something" Sheriff's deputy gets on scene I told him " I'm all by my self"  I felt totally helpless. Medics right behind him, pronounced her dead on the scene.

That helpless feeling is also how I felt about some of the things I have done in my life. Knowing something is wrong inside and not knowing what to do. Or maybe we know but the scene is overwhelming. It's too catastrophic to handle on our own. But thankfully we don't have to go it alone. God will take on some of your burdens for you. He has made provision for us to give Him these things we can't handle. (although you can handle more than you think)  He will take it on Him because He loves you. So whatever that one thing is that you are holding on to. I think it's time to even let that one go. Put it in God's hands.

My EMT instructor gave us a great tid-bit our very first night. "Were going to train you to do your best, teach you all we can. Sometimes you will do all you can do and it's still not enough". It's not up to us, give it to God.

Much, very much Love in Christ- David.

A perdetermined choice

Many times I have pondered predestination in years past. Many times did I find myself lacking an adequate answer. But in recent years, I have come up with my own resolve. That is, predestination and free will are both at work. TA DA. Now that I have confused you let me explain.

As you read scriptures it would seem that both principles are at work. We read the terms predestined and choice throughout scripture. So how can this be? One of the best scriptures to sum up this complicated system God has set in to motion is in Isaiah.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways,”
            declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

After visiting with a friend of mine for quite some time, this is the best way to describe it for me. Have you ever rented a movie or recorded a TV show and didn't want anyone to spoil it for you? Some one started talking about it and you were screaming LALALALALA with fingers in your ears. To me that is how predestination works, only God knows the outcome. I like to use a football game as an example.

God has a plan for the game. His plan is actually for both teams, because He owns them both. He already knows the end, But everyone enjoys a good "game". Me- I'm a line backer, left side. I don't want to warm the bench, I want to be a player. However everyone is involved. The only ones who don't know the outcome are..... well no one knows but God. But the stands are full, cheerleaders are in place. Defense is taking the field, God's people are on the continuous offensive.  (we'll have to talk about offense through love at a later time) But it wouldn't be a game without everyone in place.  Even if people weren't watching from home it would affect the game in the long run. Again everyone is involved.

Maybe God has certain predetermined objectives He wants accomplished, but allows us the opportunity to achieve those through time and grace. When talking with my friend about this he offered me this question, "Do you think or feel that God is at work in you or around you?".  My answer, "yes".  He said, "Than what does it matter"

Hmmm. Not really what I was looking for at the time. But I now believe my friend was correct. This argument is just something to slow down the believer. Live the way you believe God is calling you to. Resolve to not talk about it if you must. 2 Timothy chapter 2 has great insight.

Try to keep it simple. Another friend has a saying; Live Loved. so simple, luckily I"m able to complicate that too.  To borrow some Paul

1 Corinthians 10:15 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹⁵ I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

Love in Christ- David.

OK STOP EVERYTHING!! JUST HAD THIS SENT TO ME. Baron Batch's Blog If you got here please read his blog!! Thanks Gavin!!