Useless Worship

S - "Jesus replied: You are nothing but frauds! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said, “All of you revere me with your words, but your hearts are far from me. It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans.” You disobey God’s commands in order to obey what humans have taught. … And you ignore God’s commands in order to follow your own teaching. You do many other things just as bad." Mark 7:6-8, 13

 

O - According to Jesus and Isaiah, religion is the leading promoter of useless worship. It inserts itself with attitudes, conclusions and requirements which are polar opposite to God’s person and instruction. The verification of this tragic activity is not found in the method of expressing worship (words, songs, rituals, gatherings etc.) but in the thinking and practice of everyday living. 

 

A - The validation of worship which actually connects with God is not in the words, settings or activities engaged during worship but in the ongoing relational dynamic of daily living. Is my worship useless? Am I giving to the one who asks per the instructions of Jesus or turning away based on the conclusions of human reasoning? Am I learning childlike-living (sheep among wolves) or just trying to be a better version of a wolf?  Am I pursuing the ongoing transformation of my heart or just the calibration of my words in certain settings?  Is my focus on how things look or how they actually are? I am in the hopes to avoid and refuse the practice of useless worship by assessing my daily living and thinking with the help of God’s spirit and my brothers and sisters. 

 

P - Dear God,

Thank you for the gift of worship given to the world for our benefit - not yours. Am so glad to be learning, growing and changing day by day. I want to possess and offer to you a right heart and authentic living - not merely right words. Convinced of your love and help, this is more than possible. I love you back.

Steve

When it comes to God, where do you start?

 

Where we start matters. Jesus comes to enable us to know where to start in our thinking, speaking, living, praying and loving. When it comes to God, he invites and instructs us to start at only one place - Father; more specifically our Father and the focus is love; that we are loved and wanted unconditionally (at our worst).  Religion wants us to start at Creator/Judge and the focus is sin (performance).  Theology wants us to start at Eternal/Almighty and the focus is accurate information (knowing about). Religion calls us to the Courtroom, Theology calls us to the Schoolroom and Heaven is calling us to our own room in our Father's House. "Then Jesus said to the crowds [all the people] and to his followers: … none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Don’t call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven." According to Matthew 23:1, 8-9

Essential to the Recipe of Life

S - "You are the salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on." Matthew 5:13

 

O - This dynamic described by of Jesus of Nazareth is admitted and admired by people of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds (religious and nonreligious). In spite of all the diversity in our world, the actual composition of the "salt" is just about universally missed; religion, politics, social sciences, education, business, etc. included. It's not missed because the understanding begins with salt's flavor enhancing and preservative qualities.  It is not in the admission that salt is required for us to live. The miss isn't because the universally accepted observation of "a little goes a long way" is erroneous.  The miss is in identifying salt as anything other than love.  Love universally enhances the flavor of everything it comes in contact with and is a preservative like no other. It really is essential to life.  

 

A - Culture tragically and consistently misses this essential conclusion.  It describes salt in terms of things to not do, of opinions to hold or refuse, of conclusions which promote judgment of others in the harshest terms. Jesus and scriptures are unflinchingly clear on the point that without love it all becomes noise and nothing even it is true.  No love … no longer salty … thrown out and walked on.  Jesus, and according to him God as well, always starts at love. It is the only place he instructs those who follow him to begin every day, every circumstance every person.  In the thinking, living and teaching of Jesus the salt of the earth people are those who love.  If we love we cannot fail and if we do not love failure is certain.  

 

P - God who loves the world (7.8 billion),

I accept the instruction, encouragement and experience of the salt you're looking for us to be.  Love is the only dynamic which offers the hope of life's greatest flavors and a longevity which has no shelf life. I admit that it is not the concept of unconditional love but the activity of it. Yes to salt! Yes to love! Yes to flavorful and vibrant living,

Loving you back,

Steve 

 

The Purpose of Unlimited Power

S - "After Jesus had finished speaking, he looked up toward heaven and said: Father, the time has come for you to bring honor to your Son, in order that he may bring honor to you. And you gave him power over all people, so he would give eternal life to everyone you give him. This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent." John 17:1-3

 

O - In this conversation with the Father, Jesus affirms the surprising purpose of unlimited authority. It is not to exert a forced compliance on others but to enable them to a relationship which is eternal life; a vibrant and irrepressible life. This humble and loving use of such power demonstrates God’s relentless love and his desire for ongoing relationship with the human race, individually and eternally.  

 

A - The Kingdom of God is relationships not theological conclusions or religious rituals. There is no one unreachable or "too far gone" to make eternal life impossible.  Without the direct involvement of Jesus and this power none of us will be able to engage the relationship which is eternal life.  It requires a miracle for each one to enter and remain in this eternal dynamic.   

 

P - Father of Jesus and Father of us,

You are not only amazing in your limitless power but in the way you choose to wield it.  This great dignity of choice and the relational dynamic which is your kingdom is mind blowing and heart melting.  I am intensely grateful that the possessor and dispenser of this authority is Jesus!  I admit the impossibility without him and so enjoy the knowing made possible by him.  We are completely and unconditionally loved and I love you back!

Steve 

The Essential Metric for Effectiveness

S - "You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other." John 15:16-17 TJB

 

O - Four sentences which continue to underscore the relational nature of the Kingdom of God which is near.  We are given the great dignity of choosing back the one who chose us.  

·       Our understanding and participation in the reality of God's Kingdom is never the result of our own intellectual or spiritual prowess.  

·       Producing anything that will last has only one starting place - love.  Without love whatever we're working on or hoping for cannot and will not last.  It must be our starting place each day, circumstance and activity.  We choose where we start.

·       In our metrics of assessment in all facets of life, if love is not the first and most important we've missed big.  I can actually know if I'm choosing and pursuing love … even if those around me don't think I am.  

·       The only direct command of Jesus is that we love each other.  Fruitful living and praying are directly connected to our engaging this instruction.

 

A - The beginning of all worthwhile activities is the same, love. My capacity to miss, drift from or refuse this reality is always present. Nevertheless, it’s something I can choose do to regardless of my current emotional state or opinion. Culture wants me to work longer, think deeper, study harder and acquire more as the way to successful and useful living.  Heaven wants me to love.  In fact, the Scriptures are clear on this point: without love it all becomes noise and nothing. Not only do I admit Jesus' command, I will embrace and engage it.      

 

P - Our Father, 

Thank you for the great dignity of choice and of choosing you back; of choosing where I start and what I will embrace as my primary metric of assessment.  An open heart, open heaven and open future are all connected to this always simple but not always easy reality.  I say yes to you, to love and the nearness of your Kingdom.  Am so very grateful that love and all its relentless benefits are only a decision away.

Grateful for the command and coaching of Jesus,

Steve

Where We Start Matters

S - "When you speak with God, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long speeches. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask. You should speak to him like this: “Our Father in heaven, we honor your name.”" Matthew 6:7-9 

O - Where we start matters.  Jesus comes to enable us to know where to start in our thinking, speaking, living, praying and loving. When it comes to God, he invites and instructs us to start at only one place - Father; more specifically our Father and the focus is love; that we are loved and wanted unconditionally (at our worst not just at our best).  Religion wants us to start at Creator/Judge and the focus is sin (performance). While God is the Creator Judge and sin is an issue it is not the most important one.  Theology wants us to start at Eternal/Almighty and the focus is accurate information (knowing about). God is the Eternal/Almighty and accurate information is not a bad thing but it too is not the most important one. Without love it all becomes noise and nothing even if it is true.

 

A - If we start at Creator/Judge and move toward Father that "father" is never fully pleased with us. If we start at Eternal/Almighty and move toward Father that "father" is distant and disinterested in us. Religion calls us to the Courtroom; Theology calls us to the Schoolroom; and Heaven is calling us to our own room in our Father's House. "Then Jesus said to the crowds [all the people] and to his followers: … none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers and sisters. Don’t call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven." Matthew 23:1, 8-9 

 

P - Our Father,

Thank you for sending Jesus so I would know where to start every day, every circumstance in my thinking about You, others and life on earth. Thank you for wanting me at my worst … for loving us first and most and for refusing to change your mind. Thank you for inviting us to our own rooms in your house.  I do love you back.

Steve

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” Albert Einstein

S - "About this same time Jesus was told that Pilate had given orders for some people from Galilee to be killed while they were offering sacrifices. Jesus replied: Do you think that these people were worse sinners than everyone else in Galilee just because of what happened to them? Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don’t change your thinking, every one of you will also end in ruin. What about those 18 people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse than everyone else in Jerusalem? Not at all! But you can be sure that if you don’t change your thinking, every one of you will also end in ruin." Luke 13:1-5

O - God sends Jesus of Nazareth to the world to clarify his person and purposes.  How would he begin the conversation?  What statement would he have Jesus start with?  Jesus begins the conversation by saying: "Change your thinking.  The kingdom of Heaven is near." The current events described in the section above shows him continuing the invitation and instruction to pursue a change in our thinking. To refuse this ongoing change is to end in ruin.  

 

A - Culture (religion, politics, etc.) is always trying to change peoples’ opinions.  Heaven is inviting and insisting on a complete change (transformation) of thinking. In computer terms it is a completely different Operating System (OS) not a mere change of programs or apps.  The new OS affects everything, every program, that runs on the computer.  The kingdom is near and is insisting on change, an ongoing transformation, of our thinking.  Jesus examples, describes and is the way of this transformation. I admit, accept and pursue this essential and ongoing dynamic of a change in my thinking!

 

P - God who sent Jesus of Nazareth,

Thank you for the clarity and essential coaching he brings to us and to our world.  Believing him about earth and not just about heaven is key. I accept that living this out loud is always more important than saying it out loud.  Yes to you and to following him.

Steve