Today

Who likes heaven? I do!

Ok, in order to clarify any misunderstanding. (because I do get carried off in my own thoughts or voices in my head). I am pro heaven, what am not too excited about is an escapist mentality, a "lets get out of here while we let the world burn." type of thought. I know that is a gross overstatement, but we are not to be concerned with what is around the corn in the future or other, rather we are to be concerned about what God is doing Today and join with His plan. It's funny that in the book of Hebrews a book speaking about the reality of Jesus fulfilling and completing the new creation, a book full of examples of faith, people looking through the thin veil to a deeper reality, a book speaking of the future day of God making things right. Within this book it's warnings and call aren't about the future, rather about NOW. The, "how is this present day and your current life reflecting that glorious kingdom?" "IN light of all that is and all that is coming, what are you about TODAY?"

12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

If we all lived the mission in the here and now I'm thinking we might be doing thing a little different.

Shivers

So there was a good questioned that was posed, in relation to recent talk on some gnostic gospels (Thomas, Judas etc.) If Christianity was really about personal spirituality and escaping this world, then why would Cesar have given a flip about a butch of Jewish peasants? The reality was the name Jesus sent chills down Cesar's spine, worse than Mufasa of the Lion King, ("Mufasa" shiver "Ooooh say it again""Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa!") because it is a claim for an aulternate way for doing things and an alternate Lord to follow. It's the following that says Jesus, not Cesar is Lord and that His way will truly bring the reconciliation and peace of the world, starting right here and now in this present reality. We might say, "Amen brothers and sisters" and "Down with the gnostic gospels." But... I have a sneaky feeling that some of that thought has crept into our present church language. "Jesus is your personal Savior," and "the hope of heaven is what we strive for" and "this world is a passing fancy." What might be worse is that in our practice of faith we many times by pass, even sometimes contribute to the problems of the here and now, because of our "out their" "sometime later" type of thinking. Now before we break out the torches and head for my house, I understand what these things mean and I don't disagree with them, its just a word of caution that we might be slanting the emphasis of the gospel to the detriment of missing Gods full mission to the world. God does care about the here and now, and he still does have a plan for this world, and we should care about all the anti-gospels the injustices that take place not because it is the test before heaven, but until the Trumpet sounds God's not done with us, the poor, the environment, this world etc. etc. And until that time I will do my job of stewarding this world and committed to His mission and kingdom being revealed. "Ooooh, say it again." So maybe a good question to pose is would Cesar shiver at us today?

Much

Well, we're back at it school...work... snow (ok, maybe not, I will try not to curse us with that 4 letter word), but it is life back in regular fall routine. However I was contemplating the summer, (really life in general) the other day and I think God reminded me of something. It was the word "Much". And I knew exactly what it meant. I have been given Much! I know looking at our vehicles this past year, you wouldn't really have that word come to mind,.. but the gifts God has so generously given to us, our family, health, our life... We have Much. And I know our minds usually turn to $coin$ when we speak of Much, but even in that are its all relative. We live under a warm roof, our stomachs are well fed (maybe too much) we have 2 vehicles for crying out loud. We have "Much" in that area too!! And the awesomeness of Much is that I have a responsibility to be Much!! To Much is given Much is expected. I understand in the blessed community I live in the financial Much might not be all that needed, but what an awesome responsibility it is to share my family, my friendship, my God with people around me. Things could look totally different, but God has chosen to graced me with this beautiful life. Much should be expected.