Musings with PWC

A.   Here are a few rather easy steps that will make you 'LOOK'  spiritual Raise your hands in worship Drop in your offering Have your own tithing envelope number Join the membership role Fill a needed serving vancancy:  usher, deacon, Sunday School teacher Show up when the doors are open Cooperate Carry a Bible Or have a really good Bible app Sing Show some kind of response If you are young and energetic:  jump, dance, shout during worship Respond to an altar Shake hands Hug  people:  if you are a 'hugger' Laugh appropriately Know the new songs   Listen to worship music in your car Know 'some' hymns Speak in tongues so that others hear you But all of that can be done from a totally empty heart All of that has the potential of outward 'show' Joel tells us  "Don't tear your clothing in grief, but tear your hearts instead" (Joel  2:13 ) B.  Here are some signs of spirituality that won't receive a passing nod from church/ religious people-...

Justin Buzzard wrote recently, “The gospel doesn’t just free you from what other people think about you, it frees you from what you think about yourself." I don't know about you but when I read that--to be totally honest--it made me want to dance.  Which brings up a quick side issue--I don't dance---cause it's just plain ugly.  I'd love to be able to dance. Anyway, as I was saying.  It makes me want to dance.  Not being much of dancer I turn to other things. It makes me want to laugh--long, loudly, effortlessly. It makes me want to jump into Father's arms and let Him hug me. It makes me want to sing. It makes me want to shout--real loud! It makes me want to love Jesus more, serve Him better. It makes me want to give the love Father has poured into my life--away. It makes me want to lay everything at Jesus' feet and run a marathon for Him! The gospel--frees me from what other people think about me.  Now that's good--because I live in the public eye.  I...

Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast; There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest. Hark! ’tis the voice of angels Borne in a song to me, Over the fields of glory, Over the jasper sea. Refrain: Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe on His gentle breast; There by His love o’ershaded, Sweetly my soul shall rest. Safe in the arms of Jesus, Safe from corroding care, Safe from the world’s temptations; Sin cannot harm me there. Free from the blight of sorrow, Free from my doubts and fears; Only a few more trials, Only a few more tears! Jesus, my heart’s dear Refuge, Jesus has died for me; Firm on the Rock of Ages Ever my trust shall be. Here let me wait with patience, Wait till the night is o’er; Wait till I see the morning Break on the golden shore.

I have just read Brennan Manning’s book “All is Grace.”  I found myself captivated by his honesty and integrity.  On one particular page he wrote these words:  “My message, unchanged for more than fifty years, is this….”  Stop!   He has my attention—does he have yours?  Fifty years is a pretty long time to stay focused on one message.  One of the difficulties in preaching for more than 35 years is this—what if there is some recorded sermon of mine from 32 years ago?  What if someone actually thought I knew what I was talking about?  Anyway, back to the point.  I’m very interested now—Brennan is preaching the same message for fifty years!   Here it is: “God loves you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.” This is good theology and flies in the face of a performance driven religion. It’s hard, for those who have been followers of Jesus for a long time (like me)—for those who have wo...

I've borrowed this from "Disposition Weeks for the Spiritual Exercises." "Poverty of spirit means that my confidence is in God alone, not even in my own talents, or gifts, or achievements. It is to open to God all the resources of my intellect, heart, possession, and time. It is to cooperate consciously with God's dream for planet earth in my plans, endeavors and choices. It means that I am sufficiently detached from such things as my need for approval, esteem, possessions, etc. so that I am dependent only on God's Spirit." I (don't shoot me-look in the mirror) will tend to lean on my own abilities.  These are the things I have accomplished and learned over the years of life.  I've done the assessments--learned about my personality giftings etc.  I know what I can do--and conversely I know what I cannot do.   However, as I look at all of that--I can tend to develop a sense of confidence in 'ME.'  I do this well--but not that well.  That i...

If you know me at all—you know I am not a baseball fan.  If there were more people around like me, professional ball players would earn what Walmart greeters earn annually.  However, that’s not my point.  I do have somewhat of a rudimentary understanding of baseball.  I understand that you have three chances at hitting the ball.  So, it’s three strikes and you are out! Here are three swings at a ball—which one are you swinging at? Swing Number One: There is a certain mind set—some call an orphan mind—a performance driven mind—that says the following.  I am working hard for the kingdom of God. I work for my church.  I attend everything at my church.  My church and its activities are the number one priority in my life and my family.  I am a worker.  I am driven.  I am busy for God.  I am striving hard.   And, with all that—God is happy.  He sees me working hard.  He sees me rejecting comfort, ease and pleasure....

Over the years, I have noticed that a local church has three kinds of givers in the pews—which one are you? Giver # 1: This is a giver by DNA—it’s just part of whom they are.  It’s not even so much spiritual as mere common sense.  This giver gives a portion (usually 10%) with every pay cheque that comes into his hands.  They give fifty-two weeks a year.  They give when they are mad at the pastor.  They give when they are on holidays.  They give when they dislike the music.  They give when they disagree with the church budget—because, it’s part of their spiritual DNA.  They pray, they read their Bibles, they don’t shoot their neighbours, they go to work every day, they love their spouses, they don’t steal, commit adultery or use the Lord’s name in vain and they give 10%.  And what’s more, they don’t even think about it. It’s not hard.  It’s just—normal.  They see giving the same way Jesus saw giving.  Jesus saw tithing as a mino...