Why is it that only people in the desert who are spaced out on some sort of hallucinogenic drug have ever seen a UFO (unidentified flying object) or have been abducted by aliens? You would think that as long as aliens have been secretly observing us that they would eventually stop and talk to someone normal. Maybe that is the problem . . . . . they can't find one (Ha Ha!). I don't believe in green men with big eyes exploring our planet or planning a hostile takeover, but I have seen aliens before. They are called Christians. 1 Peter 2:11-12 says that, "You are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world." If you are a Christian, you should not act like someone who is not one. It is perfectly acceptable to share common interests, foods, sports teams, etc. with unbelievers. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about how we live our lives and what our goals are. Do we strive to achieve the work that Jesus has charged us to do, which is share His love and His incredible story with the world or is it all about us? Before you nod your head in agreement, do your actions back that up? Look, there is nothing wrong with having nice things, a good job, a big house, big bank account, or expensive car. If God has blessed you with any of those things, thank God for them everyday and enjoy them. If those things take priority over God's priorities and you are not giving God what He calls for and deserves, then that is where things gets out of whack. Peter warns us not to get to comfortable in this world. We need to have a "tent mentality" without actually leaving in a tent. A tent is temporary. Its intent is not to stay in one location for an extended period of time. That should be our mindset as believers in this world. We are way too comfortable with our corrupt condition. We need to understand that in the grand scheme of things, our life is very short. Everything that we accumulate throughout our life will belong to someone else when we die. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be successful or having a good career that provides for your family, but don't let material possessions or a thirst for power overcome your desire to see God make a difference in people's lives. It is easy to fall into that trap. We have a LIFE GIVING message that our world desperately needs to hear. We have hope and joy in Jesus Christ despite the circumstances that we are going through. Why do we not want to share this with others? The answer is that we are afraid of rejection and what people might think of us. Who's opinion matters more, the person at work or God? People rejected Jesus. They thought He was weird, but they were drawn to Him because they saw something in Him that they didn't see in their own lives. People should see a difference in our lives. If they do not, it might mean that we have too much of the world in us and it is time to re-prioritize. Live like an alien and share LIFE with those in your circle of influence. If people start to look at you differently it might be because your starting to look more like Jesus than you ever have before.
Finger on the pulse. . . . . . .
Todd Johnson
I have a question? Can we be real with each other? We live in this fast-paced, crazy world and it seems like all we do is try to get to the next destination with no concern for anything else. We never slow down or stop to see what is going on around us. We never take time to appreciate anything. Unfortunately, that attitude has worked its way into our churches. We want to get in and get out. We want to go through the spiritual drive-thru and order a watered-down version of God's Word and hold the spiritual conviction. The guy who died for our sins deserves that kind of awesome worship, right? (Please tell me that my sarcasm can be detected.) People enter our churches hurting and in pain and we blow by them because we are so busy and self-absorbed. We like to say, "Hello, how are you?" and get a "Good. What about you?" in return. We don't want to know the truth about what is going on. That might be inconvenient for us. Putting someone else's needs first has become a foreign concept. The truth is that behind the smiles and outward appearances are hurting people. We want everyone to think everything is good. We would look weak or burdensome if we really were just honest with each other. So, we put on our mask, enter the worship service, and act like everything is great. However, behind all that marriages are in trouble. Teenagers are causing major problems for their parents. A spouse finds out that they have cancer or has lost their job. They don't know what is going to happen next and they just want someone to care. We cover it all up because someone might not think we are spiritual enough if we ask for help. Is that what a church is supposed to look like? Read the following passage from Acts 2:42-47: They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. The "they" in this passage was the first church. A lot of new, exciting things were happening during this time period, but they genuinely cared for one another. They were concerned with the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ, not their own. They spent time with each other, ate together, and got to know one another. The meaning of the word authentic is "not false or copied; genuine, real." We've all been done wrong in some way, especially in the church. We can get bitter and resentful because of that. What happens to me is that every time I hear about how Jesus died for me, it refreshes my thinking about the purity of God's love and the relationship He wants to have with us. The pure, authentic relationship that I have with Jesus Christ is the same relationship I should have with others in the faith. It's hard enough to make it in this world and God doesn't want us to do it alone. There are plenty of things and people who are fake in this world and the church should not fit into that category. So, let's be real with each other. We need to share our hopes, dreams, struggles, failures, and successes. We need to pray for each other. Start small and get to know one person and let it grow from there. The love and excitement that the first church had is something that can happen again. People all around will be drawn to it because it is something that we don't see very often. . . . Something real.
Finger on the pulse. . . . . . .
Todd Johnson
