what's moving you?

as everyone gets home from the church event this weekend i can only imagine the spiritual high they must be on. a weekend full of God, worship, intense bible studies, a great speaker, and wonderful fellowship. the unbelievable power of God that filled up your heart and the hearts of others. but, ask yourself...

are you being moved by the event or by God?

as a christian, i think this is the question we need to keep in the front of our minds and hearts during christian events. i have been to christian events before where there was so much passion and emotion during the worship, the teachings and in the small groups. it really felt like God was moving. and I am sure He was. but, are you really being moved by Him? i have seen so many people leave school on friday afternoon as one person, show up at the event as another person, and go back to school on monday just the same as they were on friday. they kneeled down in prayer, cried out to God, raised their hands during worship... it would seem as though God had moved that person. 

but i would like you to consider something. i believe it is so easy to get wrapped up in the emotion of a church event. isn't it? you hear a new speaker, you have an intense worship service, you see people crying, you have great prayers... but is it really life changing? i will say that most of the time it is not... i will go even further to say, usually people are not truly changed at events like that at all. the fact is it is only temporary. you are being moved by the event, not by God. 

i do believe that God is present and moving... i believe that He can use those events to plant an idea in people's hearts about who He is and what it is all about. but i think the event is structurally flawed. it is made to be a place to get filled up and get a spiritual high lasting only as long as that weekend. we say we change... the leaders pray that we will... but it doesn't happen. it is temporary. the leaders and students create a place, teachings, and worship in order to change lives. it is based  on emotions. and when it is based on emotions is it not a real heart change. a real heart change is life changing-- it happens when you change not based on how you are feeling or what others are feeling, but you change because of the overwhelming sense to be who God wants you to be and live a life that gives glory to Him. a heart change is not an experience. it is vital to who you are, who you are becoming, and who God is. 

so as you return back to normal life this afternoon, ask yourself that question. reflect on what you have learned and apply it to your life. be careful not to allow Satan to get your emotions confused with a heart change. it can be a dangerous trap that robs God of the glory He deserves and does not allow you to have a full intimate relationship with Him. 

open wide

so as you are sitting in your pews at church today you will probably hear a message and nod along in agreement. because of the passion from the pastor and the agreeing nods of your friends, you too will believe in that message. you may even think you hear God speaking to you about it.

next wednesday while you are in your small group, youth group, college group, singles group... whatever, you will hear an opposing message. and then your mind will suddenly change. you will hear the passion in the speaker's voice and see your friends noding in agreement. you will believe in that message. you probably will hear God speaking to you about it even though it directly opposes what you just heard on Sunday.

ok. so your pastor says, let's question this. let's really take a look at where we are and what we are doing. however, speaker guy on wednesday says, no no. don't you judge that. it is not for you to judge.

so who is right? aren't they both leaders in the church? should you just be spoon fed a belief and go with it? and you believed the first one right? but now you believe the second opposing view? you, whoever you might be, confuse me.

i believe that God enables certain people to speak His truth. i also believe, that even in today's churches, there are some people that are not speaking the truth. they speak the truth according to them. they read a verse and interpret it differently than the way Jesus intended it to be taken. i do believe people are fooled in most churches. they take no time to really question what they are being taught. they take what the speaker is saying as the truth. it is so easy to be spoon fed ideas. it is so easy NOT to think for yourself. but as children of God we need to live, walk and breath the truth. otherwise we are just being empty vessels, playing church and playing the role of "Christian".

how do we expect the world to change if we never question anything? it is that different thought that changes the world.

Judge Jesus

don't we all fall short of the glory of God?

i can hear you saying "yes, yes of course we do! we are all sinners!"

yes. we are.

but don't we tend to forget this when we see someone doing something that we think is wrong? we think, "i can't believe that person is doing that". of course, right. i mean, we would never do that! we are super christian with our bibles in our hands... quoting scripture... raising our hands during worship... attending church every sunday. no, no we would never ever do that. we are better than that.

see, the mentality here? see the problem? people like this fill the churches. this is what defines christianity. do you really think this was Jesus' mission? to make judgemental followers?

i know we are not perfect. i said that up there already if you haven't been paying attention. i know we cannot love like we are supposed to all the time. we mess up. we are human. and my husband once said "for one human to judge another human is to say that they are more human than you". and that is so very true. the fact is that we can only see someone's actions. we cannot see the heart. only Jesus can. only He can really see what is going on. only he knows a person's true feelings and motivations . so, please, let's leave the judging to Him.

a snow day... teacher style

as i walked out to my car to leave this morning i was greeted with fluttering snow flakes and a snow covered road. i had been checking the snow closings religiously all morning and school was still not closed. as a teacher, i can say that we want a snow day just as much as the children do. a few minutes later when i called up to the school to tell them i would be late because my car was a block of ice i heard the wonderful news that school was closed! ahhh a snow day! i have enjoyed my traditional cup of snow day hot chocolate and plan to enjoy my day off. yay for finally getting some snow!

to be or not to be... a number

tonight someone mentioned church memership. this person wanted to play in the worship band at a church and was told they had to become a member first.

church membership in general does not sit well with me. i don't agree with church membership. i don't think it is neccesary, nor do i think it is biblically founded. therefore, i don't think churches should have it. i don't see any benefits of having it.

a couple years ago i was regularly attented a local church in my area. i had be going for a couple years and was even a youth leader. this church pushed memebership quite frequently. when my husband and i were in the process of wedding planning and setting up our date they urged me to become a member. i thought my commitment to the church was obvious and did not feel the need to join. the process of becoming a member requires a lot of steps at that particular church. first you had to get baptized by submerssion if you had not been already. after that you had to take a new member orientation class. all to become a member. number one, i don't think being baptized should be associated with joining a church. that should be a personal decision and action out of you desire to follow God. number two, you should not have to go through all those steps to just be considered a member. what is a "member" anyway? is it just so the church has a number... like we have this many members look how big and christian we are? did we forget that the church is not a building? did we forget it is not about how many, it is about the relationship? so should we really encourage membership or should we encourage a relationship?

i really think there needs to be a major shift in the mindsets of many churches and their leaders. if you accept Jesus into your heart we are all members of the body of Christ. we don't need to focus on numbers, who is more christian or all the other silly things we get wrapped up in. these are things that keep us from having an intimate and wonderful relationship with God. and that is what it is all about.

lets get real

i work at an episcopal church, though i am not part of that denomination. over the past few days i have heard much talk about lent. i had people asking me if i was going to be fasting and heard others talk about what they were giving up for lent.

all this just baffles me really. the whold ritual of putting ashes on your forehead and fasting and giving up something for lent. i don't agree with it. i know a lot of people find comfort in such rituals, but i think this is the same type of thing Jesus talked against in the Bible. Matthew 6: 16-18 clearly says, "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." by putting a black ash on your forehead and talking about what you are giving up and how it will be hard is not keeping it in secret. it is saying, "look how Christian i am". and that is NOT being authentic.

why do that on that certian day anyway? because some random church leader back in the day said so? did Jesus say "40 days before Easter you MUST put ashes on your head and give up something to show me you are sorry for your sins". no. nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say anything like that. i understand if someone really feels like God is wanting them to fast or give up something and doing that. i say that is wonderful. definitely listen to God and follow His commands. but don't just do it because the church tells you do, because some leader says so. why do people just accept these things? why is there no questioning about all the ritualistic crap going on in the church? where is the authenticity? do people really thing God wants them do something because some church leader told them so? i think God wants His people to listen to HIS words, and not someone elses. so many times Jesus spoke against things just like this and people can't step outside their box for a second to see they are just like that.

i wish that people would just let their passion for God and His glory lead their lives. i wish people wouldn't get so wrapped up in the rituals. i wish people could just be authentic in their faith. people need to stop playing church. so many pews are filled with empty hearts.. so many prayers full of empty words... and the worship is just a mindless action. worship is all the time- it should be a response to how unbelievably Glorious God is. and we should all try to live our lives as an out pouring of that. it is so not about us. it is truly all about Him. and we really need to start living that way.

big mean snowbird

those of you that grew up in tennessee probably remember watching the snowbird report on those rare snowy days. i remember i would get so excited to hear the music and watch the snowbird report and i would hope for a snow day. i found out a few weeks ago that snowbird was coming to the school that i teach at. i was so excited. i have been telling everyone i was going to get my picture taken with him. i made sure to bring my camera today. i was ready! as i was walking in the child i assist this morning i saw the man that was going to be snowbird. he was standing there with this huge bag that pretty much looked like a body bag. being the excited child i am, i said in passing, "looks like snowbird is here!". he turned and looked at me and said, "why would you do that?" with this horribly rude tone. i was shocked. i did not say that to call him out or anything. i was just very excited snowbird was there. i tried to laugh it off, but was pretty mad and hurt. i went to the classroom and was no longer excited to see snowbird to say the least.

i was so bummed that my experience was ruined by some crabby guy. he even was rude to my during our class photo with him. he had heard my name and said to the other teacher in his high pitched snowbird voice, "that rachael seems like trouble to me". i was crushed. my dream to see snowbird turned into a nightmare. i couldn't believe he could be so rude. i was just so excited to see him...

oh well... such is life i suppose.

oh you know...

it is late. i am tired. and i am annoyed.

number one annoyance of the night: people that like things because everyone else does. gah. i freaking hate that. be your own freakin' person. seriously. don't start liking an artist, style or LOST because all the cool kids do. especially LOST which is probably far beyond your understanding...

number two: stupid people. get some common sense.

number three: people who are fake and lie. once again, be yourself. trust me, when you walk into starbucks nobody cares if you are wearing the latest fashions or hang with the cool kids. in case you haven't noticed the world does not revolve around you. and don't lie to get attention. people will think you are crazy. which you are.

number four: tennessee being in a bubble that does not allow snow. i would greatly appreciate a snow day. thank you.

i must seem very bitter, but i am not. stupid people just annoy me sometimes.

but on a much lighter note, michael drew a smiley face yesterday! i cannot even begin to express the joy that is in heart! i am just bursting with pride. up until this point i have only seen him scribble. yesterday he drew a circle, then two eyes and a mouth. i excitedly asked if that was a smiley face and he got the biggest smile on his face! he told me to close my eyes and he continued to draw two legs. perfect!!! i was so thrilled. and today he drew some more, and even made it into a picture. he drew two of them, one being him and the other one his friend! this is so huge! and i am so happy to be a part of his growing process! what a blessing i have recieved to work with this child. he is a pure joy!

well, i hope you at least enjoyed the later part of post. have a wonderful night!