Jesus @ MindSay

            I had lunch with a friend of mine yesterday.  We’ve known each other for over thirty years, although we haven’t been close for most of that time.  He wandered away a bit, but now he’s back. 

 

            He’s a valuable friend to me, because he was the guy that came and talked to me about Jesus after I’d had those first two, very powerful sovereign experiences with God.  He came to the resort town of Chelan, Washington, where I was working for room and board at an old hotel, with the intention of starting a Jesus coffee house.  The coffee house never got off the ground.  As it turns out, the only reason he came to Chelan from Spokane, Washington, was to talk to me.  Amazing.

 

            Anyway, after lunch, we went to the men's room, and there was a man in a wheelchair, struggling at the urinal.  When we asked if we could help, he said he was ok, but added that he was afflicted with what he called post-polio, which is polio from childhood that has now returned.  To make a long story short, we prayed for him right there, with two other guys in the restroom, doing their business.  Yes.  We even held hands. 

            We often misunderstand Jesus’ teaching.  Let’s take what is called the Beatitudes, for example.  No, they’re not just a series of wise sayings, that look good on coffee mugs.  They’re the most challenging teachings that one could possibly imagine.

 

            Like a sample?  Well, let’s begin with His very first statement: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

 

            Are we poor in spirit?  No, we’re not.  And since we’re not, the kingdom of heaven is not ours.  What’s the answer?  We must ask the Lord to make us poor, to understand how tragically, desperately powerless and destitute we are without Him.  Otherwise, we just think we’re pretty cool, cruisin’ with Jesus.  However, if we will find the humility to ask for this realization of how spiritually impoverished we are, we will begin to understand what it means to…reign.

 

            Let’s try another one, His very next statement.  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  What is Jesus talking about here?  We’re blessed when we mourn over a loss, like the death of someone we love?  No.  That’s worldly sorrow, and it’s natural and understandable.  However, Jesus is talking about spiritual things, and this is sorrow over our spiritual condition, which He brought up in His first statement.  Are we sorrowful over our destitute spiritual condition?  No.  Therefore, we don’t experience the comfort that God brings.   

 

            At the end of this teaching, which continues in the book of Matthew through the fifth, sixth and seventh chapters, He says that if we do the things He has just taught, we’ll be like people who have built their houses upon a rock.  We evangelicals read that and say, “I’m a Christian.  My house in built on the Rock, Jesus.  I’m good.”  No.  We must do what He has just said in order to have that unshakeable house.  We don’t.  Our house will be shaken.  And many will fall.

               

 

    Is truth relative?

    What I’m going to write here is an unpopular belief stance in the United States today.  

    Jesus came to the earth telling people that He was the Truth.  He didn’t say that He was a truth among many.  No, He said that He came to tell us He was and is the Truth, how the universe is for everyone, the way ultimate reality is.

    Most of us here in the States don’t adhere to this.  Much more popular is this: “Whatever truth is, it’s in the personal realm.  Whatever you believe to be true, is true for you, and is fine as long as your truth isn’t binding on anyone else.”

    So when you show up telling people that Jesus is the Truth for everyone, you are labeled as intolerant, bigoted and the reason that all wars have ever been fought.

    Ok, perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration.  

    But not much.

    Instead, I’m told that I should embrace the belief that truth is relative.  However, this belief system has its own huge problems.

    I heard recently about a Christian guy who was protesting something.  A group showed up to protest what he was protesting.  They handed out pamphlets that said this guy had no right to put his belief on other people.  At the bottom of the pamphlet in giant letters was this sentence: “Intolerance will not be tolerated.”

    The belief that truth is relative says there’s no truth that governs everyone.  In saying this, they proclaim a truth that must govern everyone.  

    Oops.

      


 

           All of you Christian mindsayers out there, run, don’t walk, to purchase Frank Viola and George Barna’s Pagan Christianity?

         Wanna do church?   Perhaps we should consider doing it biblically.

            We got together and prayed again last night.  Again, we were a small group. There was nothing unusual about our time together, with Him, except that it’s always wonderful to be together in His presence.  So, we prayed.  We sang. 

 

            About halfway through the time, Number Two Child came and just observed.  We invited her to join us, and she did.  After awhile, two others little ones, younger sisters, came, although they didn’t stay as long. 

 

            At the end of our time together, Molly, our daughter, asked if we would pray for her headache.  She said she could feel a really bad one coming on.  As soon as Molly said this, this thought came to mind: “Number Two Child.”  So, I asked her if she would pray for her Mommy.

 

            She did.  A minute or two after she was finished, Molly said, “My headache is gone.  And those kind never just go away.  They’re bad ones.”

 

            We gave thanks to Jesus, who is the Healer.