Friday Thoughts

From what they tell us, this could be "Black Friday." Many who have their finger on the pulse of the stock market (not a safe place to have your finger, like sticking your hand by the mouth of a rattle snake) have gloomy forecasts for the world. The numbers are causing widespread panic. The idol of money is made of clay – it's raining.

I heard a story on the news this morning about the new "ghost towns." People who are losing their homes are packing their car and leaving. Complete sub-divisions are being left vacant. They don't have the money for a moving truck to keep all their "valuables -" so they leave... they leave all the stuff. The idol of possessions is made of clay – it's raining.

I watched a debate where two people promised to end "pork barrel" spending in government and then take time off from promise making to go to Washington to vote for a bailout plan that was filled with "pork". Then they went right back to make promises to not do what they just did. The idol of political ideology is made of clay – it's raining.

I had lunch with a group of pastors yesterday. One of them confessed they were disillusioned with what pastor's have been taught to work for, organize for, and go to conferences to be trained for. What he said was missing in our pulpits and pews is a filling of our spirits with the Spirit of God. The idol of mans effort is made of clay – it's raining.

I've talked with a hand full of people who are facing major upheaval in their relationships and priorities. They have been tasting from the buffet of desires that they have paid a high price to be able to feast from. They have lifted their face from the plate long enough to see that it is not satisfying and its promises are little more than empty claims. The idol of selfishness is made of clay – it's raining.

I got an email about one of the candidates for President being the anti-Christ. This is confusing to me because I got one earlier about one of the other candidates who was the anti-Christ. I'm glad we have such discerning minds interpreting the signs of the times for us (ok, that wasn't nice – if they keep saying that, one of these times they're bound to be right). Many place their feet in the starting blocks to proclaim the end of the world and the return of Christ while refusing to live like the Christ they are attempting to proclaim. The idol of religious pride is made of clay – it's raining.

"Lord, may the rain of Your Spirit reveal what is made of clay. May my life be built on the solid rock of Your truth. May the people I worship with be blessed with a spirit of generosity during crisis and a spirit of confidence during panic. May our hero's be seen as frauds and our pat answers be put to the test. Lord, may You cause the church to wake up and fight the real fight of faith not wasting our time on battles of pride and self promotion."

Isaiah 32:17
The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

2 Peter 3:10-11
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.

Today is a great day to live the hope you have in Christ not money, possessions, political ideology, mans effort, selfishness, or religious pride. Someone you know needs to see what that looks like.

Sunday is about hope! Bring a friend and hang on!

Loving this day,

Pastor Dave

The Report

Report Submitted for Your Information About the Current Condition:

They smiled and polished themselves up as best they could. This is all about perception. They rehearsed the right answers and gave the pet phrases as quotes that flowed easier than hot butter. What they thought of each other in private was to be put aside in public. The other person’s opinions were their main target – even if they really didn’t know the motive behind those opinions. Somehow they had to able to present themselves as good and the other person as… not as good.

People rallied behind them and took sides because the actors parroted what they like to hear parroted. They picked sides based on what they saw and how they connected personally. They tried to get as close as they could to the one they liked and distance themselves as much as possible from the one they don’t.

It was amazing to watch the people let words fall from between their lips while they hide the exact opposite within their hearts. They appear to think it’s not a lie if it’s said with a smile.

They pretended to respect each other in public, but harbored ill will for them in private. They claimed to be big enough to let the other person disagree, but they resented it when they did.

They claimed to have the good of the masses in their words and actions, but really were more concerned about themselves then the unnamed souls they will never meet. They said they had the other’s best interest in mind. But they got mad when they didn’t get their own way.

When they go to this much trouble to wear a mask the greatest fear is being found out. Truth becomes secondary and presentation is primary.

The most astounding thing to observe was the tenacious belief in what they really knew was not real, and the causal lip service that was given to what is.

It happens all the time. There is hope for change. There is hope that one day it will be different. There is hope… but no one will take the responsibility of being sure the change is right and not just change. Few learn from history. Instead they demand the right to make their own mistakes and claim they aren’t mistakes.

My summary is – it’s a mess. The whole process is far from what was intended. It seems to be a repeating cycle of aimless action. Doing the same thing and hoping for different results. This is my first report but I’m told it has been like this for decades.

Respectfully Submitted…

[the above report was submitted to God by an angel that was asked to report on the condition of the church… what did you think it was about? Go ahead - read it again.]

Concerned more about the Kingdom,

Pastor Dave