Where is your focus?

I will say this with as much respect to Dr. Still my Greek teacher for what seemed like forever at DBU. I hope Im getting the Greek right cause it IS the crux of my entire argument. The Greek language has what is called the Future Passive Indicative tense, unlike English where we just use the Past tense of a verb. The Future Passive Infinitive of a word means that it is in the state of being. Now not to sound too much like an English teacher, I will begin.
We come across several times in Scripture this tense being used. Most notably is when John the Baptist and Jesus declare "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Now we in the western cultures view this phrase as a future tense. So we think okay we need to look forward to a grand day in the future when The Kingdom will appear. This I believe is how we get our many predictors who write such books as 88 reasons Jesus Christ is coming back in 1988. Now I am not necessarily proclaiming to know more than Hal Lindsey, the author of that book, but it is well past 1988. In fact if my calculations are right we should have those hoverboard's from Back to the Future 2 by now.
Okay so back to the phrase, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand." This is to be read in two ways in english it is what is called the "already and not yet principle." When Jesus proclaims his Kingdom he is telling us that it IS here on this earth and is not completed but it in the process of completion, much like our very salvation. Yes, we are saved but we have not been saved, so much as we are in process of being saved. Growing up in church it was always a simple God said it I believe it that settles it mentality. Until I was able to get my head around Greek phrases I did not have the full understanding of the Word as I do. This is not to say I am a scholar by any means but its amazing how understanding the Greek opens the Word up to you in marvelous ways.
When you think of salvation in these terms, you realize that we are a people in need of Savior every single day of our lives, and it brings taking up the cross daily into a whole new light. This to me helps me understand my own struggles with sin, you see I am dead to sin, or better am made dead to sin. However, I am also in the process of being saved as well as I am saved. The best way I can think to exemplify the two is that I am alive therefore I am also in the process of salvation while if I were not alive then I could say I was saved.
Now with all these major concepts somewhat put into place I go further. Heres the crux of what I am writing I think. I see us as Christians living in two manners. There are those that are looking forward to a great rapture, and then there are those regretting the past.
Essentially we are looking forward because Jesus may come anyday. In fact I believe the phrase is "Jesus, is coming soon, so look busy!!" Yes, Jesus will come back someday, but that does not absolve us from our resposibility as Christians to be living. We are to be living and working on this earth, because as it says in Revelation the entire earth is groaning for its redemption. We are to be apart of that transformation. We are to lead the lost to a Savior that will continue to love us daily, and start the process of salvation in our lives. Now, understand I am not saying that our salvation can be lost, just that it is a process and not a finished act.
The other major flaw in our Christianitan thinking is our focus on our past. I think of the scene in the Lion King when Rafiki whomps poor Simba on the head and he says "Hey!,What did you do that for?", to which Rafiki says "What?, it is in the past." Imagine if we lived in this manner too. Okay maybe not so ridiculous, but instead what we do is worry about or past sins and failures and feel this deems us unworthy to serve, unworthy to worship, unworthy to be loved by our Savior. We allow the past to interfere with our realationship with Jesus. We, become so focuse don our sins, and in turn ourselves that we miss a loving Savior that wants to use us in mighty ways.
Thus I say that when we focus on the future, or regret the past, we miss the most important part which is RIGHT NOW. I believe that the way these concepts are presented in Scripture are to point to the present. Jesus said He will come like thief in the night. The purpose of these analogies He used was not for prediction but for readiness. Jesus wants us to focus on RIGHT NOW because, RIGHT NOW someone is homeless and needs food, RIGHT NOW someone is abused and needs LOVE. RIGHT NOW someone is drowning in their own despair and needs to be LIFTED UP. RIGHT NOW there is a world that needs Jesus Christ and RIGHT NOW we can be the ones to introduce them to HIM, but not if we are too focused on the past or what may happen in the future, (besides we never got any of those cool future things promised to us anyway where are those flying cars and hoverboards? )

Love is the Light

When you are sitting at home watching your favorite show on the television and suddenly the power goes out if you can not find a flashlight probably one of the first things you do is light a candle. Once the candle is lit it illuminates all that is around you so that you can see what was once in the darkness. We are compared to a candle.

Jesus said "You are a city on a hill" and "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify the Father" We are called to be the light in a darkened world. He tells us to be the light of the world. Notice He did not say the light above the world. That means we are to live here down in the dirt and grime of the world with everyone else.

We are to shine amongst all the world around us. We are not to live this life with our heads in the clouds. We need to be the light. The love we show is that light. I say "Love is the light". The one thing that shows other people that you indeed are a believer is the love you show them. No matter what you say, or what you do, its not about words or actions if there is no love. Love is what seperates us from everyone else. We are commanded to love as He loved us. How does he love us? He initiates a relationship with us. That is also how we are to love.

We are to love by not coming to people like we are above them or better than them but that we are one of them. We have the same trials, temptations and tribulations that they do. We are all in this together this life we live. This means we cannot just simply hand someone a tract or go "soul-winning" and expect results. We are not salesman for the Lord. We are not advertisers for Jesus. We are the light. We are that beacon that shines and shows the ones who do not know Him what direction to go. We are what illuminates the darkness around us. We can not be this guiding force by simply investing 5 mins at the door of a stranger in which we become the "Great Inquisitor" asking simple questions about thier mortality.

Honestly, this is a weighty question should'nt more time and energy be invested in such a question than just spouting off scripts to get to Heaven? It seems to me we must be willing to invest our lives a little more than just that. Jesus did not go to the fisherman in the Sea and say heres is a 8 point plan to get you to Heaven. He said simply "follow me" This type of thinking may mean you do not get to see some results. You may only be the one watering the plant and someone else may come along to see the harvest. That is okay because God uses all of these people to bring others to Him. Every bit of this process is necessary and relevant. This is not simply a question to give people fire insurance for the after life but a question that asks are you ready for the commitment of a relationship with Jesus?

There's really not an app for that !!!

You know those commercials that say need such and such well theres an app for that? Well guess what? They do not make an app to get toilet water out of your iPhone. Believe me, I looked,twice.
Okay this week has been insanely lonnnng. It started with my youngest sending my iPhone into the abyss of our toilet. Luckily getting another was not that hard but i felt so disconnected from the world. I want to thank everybody that took the time to read my blog last week it meant alot to me. I read the blog in Tommy's funeral too. In case you didn't know Tommy is no longer suffering and is now walking the golden streets of Heaven. The family I know appreciate all your prayers.
Speaking of prayers answered "I PASSED THE ESL TEST!!!" I am on my way to definately becoming a teacher I can feel it. I was a little worried that I would be taking that bad boy again, but thank the Lord I will not. Well that about catches things up for today I have no deep theological diatribes this time around.

My Mentor, Pastor and Friend

It seems we get caught up in the hussle and bussle of life. Paying bills, going to work, spending time with the family and trying to juggle all these endeavors. I think about the circus and the man that spins the plates on sticks. Our lives become these juggling acts of keepin all the plates spinning.
Then it seems something will occur that sends the neatly placed plates toppling to the ground. Things happen that wake us up and make us realize how fleating life really can be. It is at these moments we become much more introspective and begin to really grapple with our own existence. These times in our lives we begin to see that keeping all five plates spinning is not necessarily the most important thing in the world. The world probably will not end if you leave the dishes in the sink or forget to mow the lawn.
Today is such a day. A day when it really does not matter if all the plates spin, or even are held up for that matter. Today there is a family in a little house gathered literally around a bed side of man that is clinging to life.
This man is and has been so many things to so many different people.He's a son who diutifully looks after his mother. He's a brother who continually and loyally prayed to God for thier souls. He's a loving father who would walk through fire and hell to do anything for his children. He's a grandfather who lights up when his grandchildren enter the room. He's a husband that faithfully loves and dedicated his life to support his loving wife. He's a best friend that is always there for his friends and willing to do anything for his friends. He's a pastor that dearly loves his church family and truly searches for God's will in thier lives. He's a mentor, teacher and friend to me and my life is never gonna be the same without him. None of our lives will be the same.
Our lives truly are changed for the better for having known Gerald Thomas Walls. He is such an inspiration to me. He is the definition of a never quit attitude. Tommy was diagnosed with cancer some years back. They told him then that he had a short time to live. Tommy never quit and said he was done, instead he fought it with tooth and nail. Many times I would say how do you do it? He would reply "What else am I going to do? I'm no hero I'm just trying to live my life."After having conversations like this with Tommy, I walked away thinking about how insignifigant my problems are in comparison.
This is the part that really gets me about him. Though my problems were miniscule in comparison to fighting through cancer my friend, and mentor would sit down with me and listen to those problems and genuinely care deeply about my plight. He would offer advice and tell me it was going to be okay everything will be fine.
You see thats the kind of man my Pastor Tom Walls is, he cares deeply for others. He always told me that the one thing he wanted more than anything was to have the power of God in his life. He would tell me stories of great men from days gone by that prayed intently so much so that there were indentions in the hardwood floor where they prayed daily. He told me about a missionary that witnessed to Natives in the artic regions. He would tell of how there was a trail of blood left where the man had been praying for these people.
Well I truly believe Tom Walls can be put amongst his heroes of days gone by. Tommy would lay in his bed and through the pain and agony he experienced with cancer would do just as those heroes from yesterdays, He would pray intently for his loved ones, friends, and church members. He always talked to about having God's power as almost an epic journey that I never quite understood.
Today I understand that journey. I believe that he has reached the top of that mountain. He led people to the Lord that he has been praying for for decades. The power of God was surley in his life and I believe has always been there. I dont really think it was a mountain but that it was always there for him. This mountain of experience that Tom has been climbing is not the epic journey, but instead proof that God has always been there. This is just the reality of what God knew all along. No matter how tough or rough it got Tommy would indeed cling to his Saviour. The power of prayer that was displayed was just the answer that Tommy had waited on for so long. So today as Tommy continues to fight against the cancer that has cut his life short on this earth we pray for you and your family. I hope our prayers are as earnest as the prayers you for had for us during those most trying times.
May Tommy's life be a reminder of how important and short life is on this earth. How we who are alive should drink every drop out the cup of life. Tommy would want us to live our lives bravely, and boisterious for God. Praying always...
No matter who Gerald Thomas Walls was to them, Tommy will be missed.
This is not to eulogize Tommy as he contiues to fight the battle that rages inside him. This is to celebrate all he has given and done for this world in which he lives. He may not win the battle that rages on but I can tell you he is giving it one heck of a fight. Tom Walls thank you my mentor, pastor and friend. Though he might argue this last point I still say hero as well.

Who Are Your Friends?

Jesus said "Greater love is this that a man is willing to lay down his life for his friends" Jesus believed that a friendship is so important that the friend would be willing to die for them. Jesus is that friend to you and I.
In New York there is a stock exchange that people buy and sell commodities on the market. The market that is doing well I believe is called a bull market and if it isnt doing well its refered to as a bear market. Do not quote me on this as complete facts for I am no investment banker. I do however know what a friendship is supposed to be. I believe when you are friends it is a bond that is both give and take. Sometimes people are hurting and going through hardships in thier lives and a good friend is someone who is there for them no matter what may occur and vice versa.
Friendship is not a commodity that is to be bought and sold according to how much one can gain. It is not something that only benefits one party in the relationship.In New York there is really not much emotion put into the buying and trading of stocks and commodities, it is all about what benefits the trader the most. A selfish friendship is not a friendship at all, it is just a one sided relationship that only benefits one person. Friends are supposed to be people that can count on each other no matter where they are in life. No matter how hard things get these people are to have each others backs. Jesus had our back 2010 yrs ago on the cross at mount Golgatha. Jesus is our greatest example of how we are to conduct our lives, and he was willing to lay it all on the line for us His friends, His followers and His family.

Frustrations of a Teacher

I want to teach so badly. I have attempted to pursue this endeavor for what is going on 2yrs. It feels like every time I try something knocks me back down. Last year it was time spent as a long term sub and realizing just how far I was into the deep end. I have had training this year and thanks to the good folks at Tx Teachers my eyes are so much more open this time around the block. I guess as a Christian I do feel God has a definate plan for my life that through my understanding of his leading includes teaching. I just do not understand why it is taking so long to come to reality. My feeble mind does not see the end result that my Heavenly Father sees. Jeremiah comes to mind where we hear that God knows the plans he has for our lives. I feel like I am getting all my ducks in a row finally and pray someone out there is willing to give me a shot.

I believe..

I believe that there is one way to salvation and that way is only through the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that to please God I must be perfect and the only way to obtain such perfection is through Jesus Christ Himself. I believe that if we lived for Him with the same fervency that He died for us there would be no stopping the Kingdom of God upon this earth. I believe that my family is the most precious gift my Heavenly Father could give me this side of salvation. I believe that there is not a single solitary thing that I could ever begin to do to justify myself without Jesus Christ. I believe that I have spent far to long living in the shadows of tradition when I am called to stand in the spotlight of grace. I believe that we can transform this world through Jesus Christ if we are only willing to get out of the way and let God be God. I believe that I stand in the way of His plans more than I move in the direction He is leading. I believe it is time to stop being the guy who waits for things to happen and it is time to be the man who follows His leading and makes things happen. I believe that Satan has convinced us that our sins make us useless in His will, when in reality the battles have made us stronger and Satan's arrows weaker. I believe if we stopped judging people and loved them as Christ loved us that the changes he wants to occur in their lives would happpen naturally by His time. I believe that it is time for God's people to stand up and be the shinning light in our homes, neighborhoods and communities. I believe that there is a movement of God going on and if we would stop and listen to the still small voice that is HIM we would see and hear it. I believe its time I put my beliefs down somewhere so the next time the god of this world tries to say I am unworthy I can say "Yes I am, but He who lives through me is not!!!" I believe its time....