Though storms of life may rage, I will trust, I will rest and I will worship!
We love the major key. Positive, happy.
The minor key is where things are real.
In Hebrew culture, for the most part, everything is in the minor key.
We want things to be positive, hopeful. But, we live in this life.
The reality is we live in the minor keys. I don’t want to cuss, but this is where shit gets real.
Life is not positive, fluffy, whatever. Life is real, negative, a struggle.
DON’T GIVE UP!
I belong to a group called f3. Normally, we just work out together, exercise, encourage, insult and generally give each other grief.
Today was different. Our Q, the person in charge of the workout, wanted us to shovel snow off sidewalks, driveways in the neighborhood.
So we got to work.
As I was shoveling a driveway, an older lady (I can say that because I don’t think she was as old as me) came out and said thank you.
Yes, yes, your welcome, blah, blah, blah.
A few minutes later, as we were finishing up, she came out again. “Thank you, so much! You’ve restored my faith in humanity.”
Whoa, hold the phone!
I have heard the rhetoric of those who believe humanity will save itself. We will evolve to the point where we are perfect, no longer selfish, self-destructive, hateful creatures. We will become, oh, in a million years or so, loving, focused on the good of all, one with nature.
This is high grade horse manure.
No, I don’t want people to restore their faith in humanity. Apart from Jesus, and what He does by leading us first to the cross and then to the world, humanity has NO hope.
This is my problem with politics, with medicine, with psychology, all the things we look to to heal ourselves. They are the “splintered reed”, the thing that when we lean on it, pierces our hands. They not only fail us, they cause more damage when we depend on them.
Nothing I do. And the guys I hang out with would agree, nothing we do should ever restore your faith in humanity.
Can we point you to Him?
We have a small picture of my wife and I when we were just getting ready to leave for our first real date.
How did someone that drop dead gorgeous ever say yes to going out with a mook like me?!
And how do I repay that kindness, that audacious blessing and gift? I’ve done a pretty poor job of it, so far.
Today is a new day.
Despite the fact that we didn’t turn out the way I had planned, scarred and bruised, sometimes angry and afraid, we were held. We were held together by loving, strong hand. Not our passion for each other, not our faith, not our commitment to holiness. We were held.
We had passion for each other, an understanding that even when we were hurting and furious, we still loved. We would forget. We would say things to lash out, to guard our wounds, simple revenge. Our passion could’ve killed us.
We both had faith, a faith that God brought us together, planned for us to meet and fall in love. We would lose sight of that in the face of our selfishness, the lies we listened to, our humanity. We had to be a divine mistake.
We were good people. Hard working, church going, servants of Jesus. But in this, I was the worst. Going back to pornography, alcohol, oh the many ways that men “check out.” Holy? Hardly…
Ah, but today is a NEW day.
I can remind myself. I can look once more at the face of my Father, see His grace and mercy. Be grateful for all He has done. I can look back at who we were and see better who we are right now and choose to love.
And let myself be held.
Not a perfect system I suppose.
I think I can LIVE with that.
Our lives may not go down in history, Our story may never be heard. But it doesn’t matter and I’ll tell you why, Our names may not fit into any love song, But her hand fits just right in mine.
I used to wish I had a large audience for this blog, forum for deep discussion, encouragement, healing. I know some people listened, received, but it was very few.
Tonight is no different.
As I watch the election unfold, I realize that nothing I say can alter the outcome, no one will change their opinions on masks or presidents.
But maybe, just maybe, you can hear this.
I confess I have been fearful these past few days and tonight, as I was praying, I told God about it. He gently reminded me, “do not be anxious about anything” – Philippians 4:6. He reminded me of one of my favorite songs.
He spoke to me about his promises. “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
And ended by bringing me back to the place where He is my everything. No matter who is president, no matter where we are with a pandemic, or as a country.
He is enough.
Worship is one my favorite experiences in Christianity. We have an awesome worship team at our church, excellent musicians, hearts that love Jesus with all they have, lights, big screens.
But lately, I can’t breathe.
I sing but I’m afraid to pour it out, to let go.
I am going through a season where I don’t have enough. We pay the bills. We even get McDonalds or Chick-fil-A sometimes. But we are just surviving, no money to dream, no extra to give when we see a need.
And it’s all my fault.
I thought…
I thought. I thought. I thought.
But things didn’t turn out the way I planned. Dreams I hoped for died. And it feels like everyone has turned away from me as I lay wallowing in the ashes of those fires.
It changes worship.
“You’re a good, good Father.” Why Lord?
“Oh the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.” Where are you, my God and King?
Our big, fancy mega-churches with comfy chairs and temperature controlled sanctuaries can’t take away the pain of what seems like abandonment.
I think about churches around the world. Some hiding, many so small that the world will never know they existed. Churches where believers die at the hands of government or suicide bombers, or apathy.
I think the beauty of the bride, the church of Jesus Christ, shines from a queen, not a princess. A princess has everything perfected for her, protected for her. A queen stands with her King, fights beside Him, rules with Him, dares with Him, suffers and dies with Him.
Our churches can give the illusion that we are all princesses, that we are safe and comfortable as we lift our hands in praise.
But that isn’t what is real. What is true is that many that walk through the doors can’t breathe. Life has kicked at beaten every bit of joy and peace out of us and we can’t see a way out.
That is where our life is found.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself take up his cross daily and follow me.” Matthew 16:24
Blessing will come, through the cross. Peace and joy will come, through the cross. Life, real life will come only through the cross.
I can breathe, through the cross.
I have felt such heartbreak over things in this world. Suffering, human trafficking, divorce, pornography, wars, racism…
How long, oh Lord?
I listened to a song yesterday. It is one of my all-time favorites. And I needed the reminder.
See, Jesus isn’t shocked by racism, though it breaks his heart too. He’s not overwhelmed by the cruelty of man, our propensity for violence and our exploitation of those weaker than ourselves. His voice is not silenced by the tumult of evil. His light is not dimmed by the darkness on the horizon.
Remember, oh my soul, He wrote the story. He placed the characters and set the stage. His death on the cross culminated in His declaration that, “IT IS FINISHED.”
So do I live from His victory or do I wonder every day whether the darkness will win. Will satan ever be able to defeat the church of Jesus, the Holy Spirit inside us, His resurrection power?
Not even remotely!
Jesus wins, has already won. You can bet your life on it.
According to Josephus (Jewish historian), Jews were able to cast out demons in the name of Solomon. I didn’t know that.
So when Jesus asked, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.” (Matthew 12:27 ESV), they could have said by Solomon.
OK, before I lose all of you, let me explain.
Today, I was reading Matthew 12 and became intrigued by two questions. Could, and can people cast out demons without Jesus? And, is Jesus referring to demons cast out by other means or demons cast out by any means when he talks about them returning to the person and making him worse?
Yeah, that’s how I spend my free time…
Sounds intellectual (or just weird) but there is a burning question that is at the bottom of it all.
Can I be free?
Demons can refer to literal spiritual entities or addictions, habits or mental predispositions that govern our behavior. And I want to know if we can ever be really free.
If there is another way to freedom than the name of Jesus and, by association, His cross, then it might be good to pursue it. Jesus wants all of me and the cross is just painful. And if, even through Jesus, those demons might return to us, what is our hope?
I have only read bits of Josephus. I am no intellectual giant or prophet or philosopher. But I hear Peter when he faced the Jews.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 ESV
Nothing else can save us. What are we being saved from? Saved from death. Saved from fear. Saved from slavery.
Saved sounds like free to me. The only freedom I’ve ever known is through Him.
The same answer applies to all these questions.
Only through Jesus can anyone be set free and only by remaining in Him, and being filled up by Him, can we remain free. Psychology, religion, drugs, meditation, positive self talk can all be useful tools, but the demons will return.
But not to a life surrendered to Him.
Not to a heart and mind and soul that is surrendered to Him!
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph.6:12
So much hatred. So much anger.
I’m reading the articles about the people calling for assassinations, ranting, rioting. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this. We create enemies and feel so justified in our treatment of each other.
There are many reasons we worship. God deserves our praise no matter what it changes, or even if it changes nothing at all.
But it does change us. We can’t help but be changed as we focus our hearts and minds on the God of the universe. We can’t keep further away as we bow our heads and bend our knees to such a great King. As we breathe Him in, our hands naturally open against the clinging, grasping, clutching that divides us from each other, and from Him.
So raise your voice!
When you hear the cries of accusation, the shouts of anger and hatred, shout your praise. When you hear the confusion and fear that would tear our homes, this land, to pieces, sing your heart out. When you can’t see a way through, when peace seems so far away, pray. Pray out loud. Pray hard. Cry out to God!
Healing, unity, love are still possible.
For those of you that are new to this site, I will be going (again) to Nicaragua for what is called 1 Nation 1 Day with the missions organization Missions.me. My website is:
http://missions.me/go/matthew-nicaragua-2017
Please visit for more information and please consider praying for me and donating toward the trip. It has already been proving to be blessed by God and we are all excited to see what He has in store.
Lives will be changed! Hearts will be changed! A nation will be changed!
Thank you!
In follow up to my last blog, I want to share something with you.
The world may call you worthless and say that you aren’t enough. Your credentials may be weak, your heart may quaver, you may be downright homely, you may be caught in addiction, ashamed, forsaken, alone.
God is choosing you!
The God that created the universe, put planets in orbit, developed each strand of DNA and breathes life into every creature invaded earth and died, rising again to destroy the work of sin and hopelessness.
He then looked forward into time to make sure that you were on the other end of this post and reading words of hope, maybe for the first time. Some of you already know this and believe in Jesus. Some of you are not so sure. Jesus is too far out there, to far removed by history and religion.
But He isn’t. He’s right here, right now speaking to you.
You are chosen. No one else may believe in you or give you and opportunity to live. Not just be alive, but LIVE!
He wants your life, your dreams, your heart, everything. He calls you to be a living sacrifice, to give your strength and love to others in serving, in giving. But not to destroy you, to steal what little you have left.
He takes our broken to make it whole. He takes are ruined to make it new. He takes our falling, our failure to make us stand. He takes what is dead and buried to make it rise again!
He has chosen you.
Will you choose Him?
I would love the opportunity to come and speak to your small group, church or organization about what God has done in my life and what He can do in yours. As I seek to raise the remainder of the support for the mission trip to Nicaragua, please consider having me come and meet with you. We’ll sing and share and pray together.
The Healing Worshipper 