Tag Archives: fear

ITS HARD TO BE REJECTED

 

 

It’s hard to be rejected. It’s probably one of the cruelest things we do to each other. And Christianity has embraced Rejection just as much as the rest of the world. They even call it a godly tool and have classes to show us how to reject someone “lovingly”.In a world where children are bullied and rejected in school, why do we, the Peacemakers, embrace the very behavior we hate?

It’s a great example of calling evil, good. And finding justification in causing pain. After all, if my church says it’s a necessary and godly tool, then I should do it. Plus, they said “shake the dust” off my feet.
My, how eager we are to justify our cruelty even though Jesus never gave us that justification. He never rejected anyone. Continue reading ITS HARD TO BE REJECTED

THE SILENT AND UNQUESTIONING

 

silent and unquestioning

 

Today I was reminded how so many good church-goers have embraced silence. They label questioning seekers as troublemakers and find great comfort in the status quo. It’s called unity.

But that unity is a prison of hypocrisy where the mind and heart are silenced without free expression. And a smiling mask is worn to cover a dying soul.

Father never created a human heart that didn’t crave more. And it is only silenced through fear. The biggest one being Rejection.

No one ever wants to be rejected. It is the most painful thing we do to each other. And yet all the best churches teach how to properly and lovingly reject others as though it is a cooking class meant to make your meals better than you’ve ever known. Continue reading THE SILENT AND UNQUESTIONING

Viewpoints: from a Police Officer

my visit with a police officer

 

I took the opportunity to visit with a cop for a while the other day.  His name and other details will be kept confidential, but his story should be heard.

He was gentle, and kind although his voice was subdued with sadness, or hopelessness.  I didn’t know which.  He dreamt of being a cop as a child, and that dream solidified as a young adult when he witnessed an officer help a young couple calmly through the angry emotions of an ending relationship.  The officer disarmed their need for retaliation, and planted a seed in the heart of the young man to help others in chaos, to be a peacemaker. Continue reading Viewpoints: from a Police Officer

WHAT HAS TERROR DONE?

terror

My parents unwittingly took me to find terror for the first time in my two-year-old life.   I screamed, I clawed at Daddy begging him not to take me and he did what most Daddy’s would do. He slowed his pace and talked to me.  He held me in his arms and reassured me. He coaxed me forward and reasoned with my fears. Gradually, bit by bit he got me down to the shores of Lake Erie. Continue reading WHAT HAS TERROR DONE?

An Exercise in Dismantling A Terrorist

Today we had an active shooter in the Colorado Springs area.  For 5 hours Police and First Responders worked the situation to defuse and disarm the threat.

I went to Father to learn how we can overcome these spiritual mountains, to gain access and take the territory away from our enemy. Continue reading An Exercise in Dismantling A Terrorist

The Terrifying Colliding Planets

DREAM  (Sept 18, 2015)

4 planets were going to collide.  One was Earth, next was our Moon, and I don’t know the other two.  People around the world were aware that it was coming and everyone was full of terror.  I was afraid.  Everyone had given up hope and sank into overwhelming fear.

I ran around yelling about speaking to the planets, frustrated that no one would speak to the planets.  Even my family on FB were scattered by fear and no one would listen. I attempted to speak to planet-649863_640the planets myself, but my fear made my words ineffective. Continue reading The Terrifying Colliding Planets

This Side of Heaven

“We won’t know all the answers this side of heaven” is ‘the phrase’ I’ve received all my life in answer to many of my questions.  As a child, I concluded that no one had permission to ask questions.  Questions about life received short, pert sentences that inferred threat if this line of communication was pursued.  Questions about christianity were worse.  They received ‘the phrase’.

I reasoned that everything about christianity was secret and guarded by a God with a mean countenance, grouching out severe warnings about never asking again.

Today children question parents and receive an almost break-neck effort to supply answers, or at least tools to search.  Fear of questioning seems gone and thank God it is, because quite often my generation is still delivering ‘the phrase’. Continue reading This Side of Heaven

SET MY BROTHER FREE part II

We just finished a week-long family event at our home. Almost 30 people from several states came and enjoyed being together. It was wonderful.

And it was a trial, although not for all the obvious reasons, save for one: religion. My family was raised Pentecostal/Charismatic and we all shared similar doctrines for most our lives. Then about 2-3 years ago, I began learning new things and my doctrines began changing.

I stepped out of the lines and did things like, umm, reading outside the usual doctrinal stuff. I read “Pagan Christianity,” by Frank Viola and George Barna. This book was one of the first to rock my status quo, and then it was “Raptureless,” by Jonathan Welton. Of course, there were many other authors in the mix like Maria Maddalena de Pazzi; hers was some rather obscure but enlightening material. Continue reading SET MY BROTHER FREE part II

SET MY BROTHER FREE!

Dream

In my dream, I was a young man in my early twenties trying to visit my twin brother in a mental health facility. (I’ll call myself Joe and my brother Jim.)

The receptionist told me I couldn’t see Jim because it was time for him to eat his dinner and then take his evening medications. She said I’d be wasting my time trying to talk to him after he’d taken meds.

It seemed she was quite intent to keep me from seeing him, so I pretended to leave the building. Instead, I hid around the corner listening as she and the home’s director went into Jim’s room. I heard them hurriedly feeding and medicating my brother. I also heard Jim whimper and cry quietly. There was no response from the receptionist or the director, the ones who should care about his welfare and happiness. Continue reading SET MY BROTHER FREE!

MONEY CHANGERS

greed

Can we talk a minute about Jesus and the money-changers?  He didn’t whip, or chase away sinners, nor did He judge them very harshly.  But the money changers brought on a whole different response than we see any other place from our Lord.

Lets think about this.  We are the temple.  This verse depicts a physical example of our hearts.  The money changers in Jesus day Continue reading MONEY CHANGERS