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This is love. →
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Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
– James 1:27 -
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
– Proverbs 31:8-9 -
I’m not the artist, I’m the canvas.
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Honestly.
A friend said something to me the other day that floored me.
“Christians are afraid to be honest.”
For so many, this statement is so true. We’re afraid to show the good and bad. And it’s such a tragedy. The life that Jesus lived and the death He endured are a testament to how screwed up we are; we need a Savior because we’ve messed up too much. Christianity is for messed up people. Somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that we are no longer messed up when we begin a new life with Christ. The reality is that we’re still just as messed up, we’re just living in a love and a grace that overwhelmingly counteracts our mess.
Honesty is transparency. There are no secrets. There is nothing hidden. And that scares the life out of us.
It all started a long time ago.
The moment after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they realized how exposed they were (Genesis 3:6-7). Up to that point, they had lived life with complete openness and honesty; nothing to lose, nothing to hide. But now they’ve sinned and they’re not so hip on being naked anymore. They’ve got something to hide.
What we’ve forgotten is that God created us to be exposed. No, it’s not cool letting your sin and your screw ups all hang out. But it should be. Jesus died to take care of that. Let that be enough. Our sin is a badge of honor, NOT FOR US, but for the One who redeemed us from it. Our flaws are a witness to the love and grace and mercy of an unrelenting God who is passionate about His creation.
So let it hang out. Be who you are. Don’t void out the bad stuff. That’s part of you too. No, that stuff doesn’t make you look good. But it makes Him look amazing.
And be gracious. Your mess isn’t all that different from a porn addict or a thief. None of us have a holy high ground to stand on. Let’s share grace and show mercy… because we need it as much as anyone. -
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
One Day Without Shoes!
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We had an incredible time at Haitian Disaster Relief of Arizona this morning! A big group from Palm Valley Church drove 30+ miles out to Mesa to package water and clothing that’s going directly to Haiti for those in need. I normally get to make music with these guys but today we packed boxes and stacked pallets. :)
A big thank you Caleb, Ken, Caitlin, Jan, Mikey, Amy, Marcus, Cez, and the dozens from PVC that served so well today! Cheers!
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When you’re among the top 2% of the wealthiest people in the world (as you and I are), it’s tough to keep perspective, yet it’s so valuable for us to see life through the eyes of the poor, hurting, and oppressed. After all… those are the one’s we’re instructed to care for.
Here’s a chance for all of us to get a little perspective. Let’s walk a day in their shoes… or better said, their feet.
For more information and to find out about an event we’ve planned, check out our One Day Without Shoes page.
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Health Care.
The passing of health care reform in the US House of Representatives on Sunday has brought yet another polarizing issue to the forefront of this country’s dialog. There are passionate (and compassionate) people on both sides of the matter. This isn’t a post to defend or knock either view point. My intent is to offer a wider perspective to this conversation.
1 in 6.
That’s the number of people on our planet that lack clean drinking water; life’s most basic and essential ingredient. People. No different than you or I. Children. No different than your son or daughter. For many of these in such desperate need, they share ponds and puddles with livestock and dogs. For some, the only filter they have is a dirty piece of worn cloth that’s been doubled over. It sifts out some of the dirt and dead insects but does nothing to combat the E. coli, Salmonella, Cholera, and other countless contaminants that poison every drink. For everyone drinking this filth, their life expectancy in alarmingly short. So many will face a severity of illness and/or physical abnormality that we couldn’t wrap our minds around. I’m painting a very, very small picture of a massive problem.
A problem that the vast majority of our country doesn’t have to live with. If you’re reading this, chances are you have a roof over your head, a warm bed, three meals a day, a car… and all the clean water you could possibly drink. That puts you in the top 2% of the wealthiest people in the world. Life’s tough, isn’t it?
Now. Consider your view on health care reform. Through the eyes of a Haitian man who can’t provide clean water for his family. Through the eyes of an 8 year-old girl who misses school everyday so she can transport water from a contaminated spring a mile away, back to her home; she’s the only one in her family healthy enough to do the heavy lifting.
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” - Matthew 25:37-40 (NLT)
Let us be more passionate for the hurting and oppressed than for ourselves.
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I doubt Jesus’ method of apologetics would have appealed to many of us living in the West. I mean, just think of the opportunity Jesus lost when he was asked, “what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16) Is there an evangelist we know of who would have questioned the question, rather than sit down to the task of ‘closing the deal’ with the questioner? We are so eager to pull in the net that we have failed to understand why we are pulling it and for whom!
– Ravi Zacharias, Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith That We Defend (2007)
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