In my ears

Great son by Jon Foreman.

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you’re singing ‘em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you’re praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There’s blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don’t fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There’s blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let’s argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let’s argue this out
You’ll be one of the clouds
Let’s argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can’t love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can’t stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

God Box

My faith has been so incredibly challenged lately.  So, to start, we must define faith.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." - Hebrews 11:1-3

"belief that is not based on proof" - Webster's Dictionary

The amount of faith, based on those definitions, that I have....is small.  I have constructed an origami box that I allow God to fill.  Here's the problem with origami.  It's made out of paper.  It can be torn to shreds by anything inside wanting out.  With God, I'm finding that I first have to first open the box, and tell Him that I don't want to keep Him in there anymore.  I need to release Him from being my pet, and allow Him to change my world.

Most of this is probably me just sharing my journey, but I want it to challenge and encourage you as well.  What size box have you built to contain the maker of the universe?  If He spoke creation into being, and breathed the stars of the sky, what is He not capable of?  Can't He do whatever it is that He pleases?  Shouldn't we ask Him to do whatever pleases Him?

Here's how this thought came about.  Two close friends and brothers invited me to a healing service.  I didn't want to go.  Why?  Because when someone says "healing service" I think of televangelists, fakes, and creepy stuff that I would be embarrassed for people to think I believe in.

Through the process of wrestling with even being invited, I started to realize that my real issue was not with the fakes out there.....it was with God.  I honestly believed until the past couple of days, that the creator of the universe couldn't heal a simple issue within the body.  The body that He designed.  It's like telling the maker of a car, that they can't repair something that goes wrong with it.

What does that  mean?  I forced myself to go last night.  I walked in with a very simple prayer: God, don't let me walk out of this building the same as I'm walking in.  Change me.

Here's how He changed me.  There are people called by God to do His work, even when that work scares people.  People praying for healing corporately, and praying over each other, and with each other, begging God to be glorified.......that's a beautiful thing.  Do I still have MS?  As far as I know.  Is God able to heal it if He chooses to?  Yes.  Because He is God.  Should I be seeking prayer for healing with Godly people who love Him and me?  Yes, because the sick are supposed to want healing.  People lived their lives waiting for, and encountering the healing power of Jesus when He walked this earth.  What changed?  Why is divorce incurable now?  Why is cancer more powerful than God?  Why is depression more enticing than Hope?  Why is the human condition a hatred for God?

Here is how I walked out.  It's a very simple thing that I believe with all of my heart now.

If You heal me, I will be healed.

Think about that.  Not just from a temporal finite perspective.  It has eternal implications.  I even encourage you to wrestle with that, and be brave enough to pray it.  In every area that you have built God's dwelling place.

Open the box, and live in His dwelling place.

If You heal me, I will be healed.

in His love,

brad

Elijah: The heart of being human.

Thought I would share this video.  I had fun making this one.

Character

A man's character is not built or defined by the obstacles in his path.

A man's character is built and defined by the hope in which he endures.



just something i'm wrestling with after my visit at the doctor today.  where is your hope?

in His love,
brad