I know that Godsmack is the name of a heavy metal band but that is not what this discussion is about.  I also know that some of you might be wondering where I have been.  Let’s just say that life is a little full and quite hectic right now and I will try to post soon about what is going on and I am trying to get a better handle on this busyness so that I can at least write a couple of times a week again.  Thanks for hanging in there.

As far as the title goes, I am inteested in knowing what you think and believe about God punishing us.  Wondering if He does smack us.

Do you think God punishes today in light of what Jesus showed us concerning His mercy, grace, and love for us?

If you believe He does, what methods do you believe He uses?

What is your justification for your beliefs?

I miss the conversations and hope to not only post some more but I do hope you will comment.

Love you all

Tags: Belief, Believe, Conversation, Discussion, God, Grace, heavy metal, jesus, Love, Mercy, town hall, Tuesday

A few days ago I was reading some opinions concerning success.  A question was asked about defining “secular” and “spiritual” success.  An early conclusion by one person was that there is no difference between “secular” and “spiritual” success.  I agree with this wholeheartedly.  What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?

But the person went on to describe success as follows:

“There may be Christians who never do anything more than volunteer at their church and live their lives as witnesses of their faith, working diligently at their place of employment and raising their family in the fear and admonition of the Lord — they are immense successes.”

So here are my discussion questions for this week.

Do you believe this statement to be true?

Is what is being described here enough to end up being an immense success?

Is there anything you would add to this statement?

Love you all

Tags: Believe, Christians, Discussion, spiritual success, town hall, Tuesday, witness

I believe the bible is pretty clear in stating the fact that God does not change.  I am not sure that this implies what most seem to believe though.  If God does not already foreknow the future as a settled fact, whether He predetermined it or not, then it would seem that He would have to change to a certain degree to respond to the free choices made by His created beings.

This also answers my own question from a couple of weeks ago for me but probably not for all.

How do you define the biblical statement’s and concepts about God never changing?

In our understanding of the word change, do you believe He does change in any way?

I really want to read your comments.

Love you all

Tags: Believe, change, foreknow, free choices, future, God, town hall, Tuesday, understanding

I have a confession to make.

I am not who I believe I should be.  I am not who I want to be.  I am not who my wife thinks I ought to be.  But most of all, I am not who God made me to be.

I say all that to simply admit that I do make mistakes; mistakes in actions, in reactions, in words and in deeds.  I have to admit that it is even possible that my opinions and conclusions may be wrong sometimes.  But thankfully I usually try to admit that I could be wrong about those.  I am loud, passionate, and overbearing sometimes in my attitude and delivery.  I am human.  For that I apologize.

I have also been challenged more this past year about what it means to be Christlike than ever before.  I in turn have grown uncomfortable in my role in the mission Jesus left with us all.  I have tried to take the lazy way out and tell myself that my job was to discern and instruct, to study and to share.  But I realize that is not enough.  The time I spend trying to herd others onto the path I see, instead of taking the first steps onto that path myself, is wasteful.  And if there is one thing I know, it is that time is running out.

Our goal is to be a disciple and our mission is to go and make disciples.  Discipleship at its simplest is to become like the Master.  A lot of us are already working on the goal, including myself, but not so much on the mission.  It does seem that the vast majority of even steady, faithful, church goers are not ready to take those first steps.  I have been hesitant myself for too long and it grieves me more each day.  I know that the frustration that is building in me is starting to come out in ways that do the vision a disservice.  And it is not very Christlike at the same time.

I know that changes must come if the Kingdom is going to advance.  Changes in the way we have been looking at the mission.  Changes in the way we look at Church, denominational institutions, and leadership.  Changes in the way we present the love of Jesus to the world.  Changes in the way we relate to all of those around us.  Changes in the way we see ourselves as citizens of the Kingdom of God.  Changes in our worldly nationalistic pride.  Changes in our tacit acceptance of our own evil agendas.  Changes in our hate filled grandiloquence towards those that we see as beneath us good Christians.  Changes that have to be realized and actualized if we are to show our Father we really are on board with Him.

I have desperately tried to relay this, just waiting for someone to take those first steps. What I did not see was that maybe I need to take them.  There are about to be changes in my life.  I am going to step up and step out.  I just have to remind myself the first steps are the hardest.

Love you all

Tags: Believe, Christlike, Church, confession, frustration, Kingdom, Leadership, mission, Self, Service