Popcorn and Parables (Disney Villain edition) - Week 1

Frozen: A Bad Parenting Story

So often I have heard myself say, “that will leave a mark” or, “they will be in therapy for that someday”.  To all my fellow parents out there we have to face it, we are not perfect, far from it at times. None of us set out to mess up or be “bad parents”.  On the contrary, we are trying hard to be great parents, sadly so much so that sometimes we get it all wrong.  

As we look at our first week in the new series “Popcorn and Parables” we take a look at villains and compare them to biblical failures.  Week one is Hans from Disney's “Frozen”, he is compared to Adonijah (1 Kings 1), both of whom try to usurp thrones from the rightful heirs.  The primary cause is the bad parenting of the villains which results in the actions they take. The blame falls largely on the parents for not speaking into the lives of their children and leaving them to sink or swim.  Yes, this is a bad parenting technique.

Before I delve further into Hans and Adonijah, I want to get back to my original statement.  None of us set out to be bad parents. Nonetheless, we, like Anna and Elsa’s parents, act in a way we think is helping, but in the end can be just as damaging as ignoring our children completely.  Anna’s parents thought the trolls advice to take away her memories was good, they agreed it was best for Elsa to hide the gift she had been given rather than embrace it, and they even felt leaving their children to live isolated lives from the world and one another was good for them.  King David, was also an absent parent for his children, he seldom gave them time, avoided conflicts among them, and even sent them away from his presence (2 Samuel). Both the Disney Parents and King David made poor parenting choices, but they were not evil or villainous.  

It is easy to sit back in a chair and judge the bad choices of others, but not so easy to look at our own failures.  How many of us get sucked into a TV program or our phones and ignore the child climbing the walls? How many times have we said “no” 10 times only to cave in on the 11th request?  How many of us still run lunches or homework to the school to save our child from the pain of failure?  The very person who claims to have coined the phrase “Helicopter Parent” (John Rosemond) now cringes because our society has made it out to not necessarily be a bad thing.  He goes on to now call parents “Blender or Cuisinart Parents” whose lives are so enmeshed in their children’s lives you cannot tell where one begins and the other ends (Rosemond “Parenting by the Book”).  Prior to looking at others, we must first acknowledge the query: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers’ eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3).

Now, back to Hans and Adonijah.  Both were lost in the shuffle of where they fit in amongst their siblings.  Both seem to have had absentee parents. And both seem to have developed a ‘make my own way’ philosophy.  Hans was the 13th son of a Lord of a distant land who comes to find his purpose in marrying and then attempts to usurp the throne from Queen Elsa.  Adonijah doesn’t wait for his father, King David, to be dead before claiming the throne from David’s declared heir Solomon (1 Kings 1).  Hans and Adonijah likely had never heard their father say they “matter” let alone show them they were loved. They may have had some relationship with their mothers, but the fact is neither mother nor father had instilled in them a sense there was a right and wrong path. 

No matter if you are the good parent just making mistakes like so many of us, or if you are the parent who have lost your way and need to make things right; none of us are alone.  The Lord can show you the way to be an attentive parent and guide your parenting choices if you read His Word and listen with a soft heart.  There are resources, friends, mentors, small groups, and classes all of which are available to get better on this whole parenting thing.  We are not perfect, nor will our children be, but we are all forgiven and made righteous by His blood. Let us all do our best to leave our children a little better than ourselves and the world a better place than we have now. 

“May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children.  May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalms 115: 14 – 15).

Written by Christian Love

The Big Game-Week 4

Reverse Engineering the Faith

When I was freshly saved, newly bowled over by the peace of the Gospel, I immediately began to explore why “it worked”!  The question plaguing me was something like this:  did it work (to bring me peace with God, to fill me with an overwhelming sense of being reconciled, sins forgiven and a hope for heaven) because it was true, or was it merely “true” only because it “worked”?

In this way you could say I was suddenly interested in reverse engineering the Gospel. 

Which reminds me of the B-29 Super Fortress Bomber the US developed in WWII.  That plane was a game changer for world powers because it was the only weapon in the world that could deliver atomic bombs anywhere in the world.  Seeing its powers at the end of WWII, the Russians were worried and jealous.  They had no such tech and didn’t seem close to developing it.

Then, they received what they called (ironically in an atheist country) a “gift from God.”  In 1945, 3 B-29’s that were in trouble in the South China sea had to land in (then fellow Allied power) Russia.  International law gave Russia the right to seize the military equipment but return the combatants – which they did.  America considered the planes a loss.

2 years later, an American delegation showed up in Russia for one of their gaudy public displays of military hardware.  At the end, they were stunned to look up and see not one, not two, but three B-29’s fly overhead!!  At first they assumed these were the three confiscated planes, but then a 4th flew.  And eventually 300 Tu-4’s would fly!!  The Russians had reversed engineered the B-29 down to the last rivet, making a perfect copy of the superweapon.

With that kind of zeal, I wanted to know HOW the Gospel worked, WHY the Gospel worked, and so I needed to investigate (after I had accepted it) all its inner workings.

Sometimes the questions people ask about Christianity, come BEFORE they accept Jesus, and they can’t accept Him until those questions get answered, until the plausibly of Christianity is established.  That’s why apologetics and Ask Anything series matter. 

Other times, the questions people ask come AFTER.  And this doesn’t make them any less important.  For if we ever want to reproduce faith in Jesus in others, we need to understand, not just THAT it works, but WHY it works.

And finally the careful investigator finds that it works, because it’s true!  And truth can always handles the hardest questions.

-Written by Rick Thiessen

The Big Game--Week 1

Ask Anything: Cattle, Hills, and the All Powerful

If God has the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), then why do I need to tithe (give a tenth of my earnings)?  What about all this stuff about trying to break free from the bondage of our creditors (Proverbs 22:26-27), shouldn’t I use my money there instead?  If God is all powerful and created all things, why does HE need my money?  Questions like this are among some of the hardest I have had to deal with while I was exploring my faith; and even today, especially when money is tight.

Many of us have heard the most direct answer is, God doesn’t ask for our money, time, or harvest specifically, and it’s not because He needs it.  God asks for us to tithe, or more specifically give to Him from the best of our first fruits (Leviticus 27:30).  What He is really asking for is the thing we are most likely to replace Him with in our hearts.  In our time and culture, it is not fruit or cattle that is important to us, but our finances which are the gateway to the things we want (stuff) and physically need (such as food).  So God asks us to trust Him and He will provide, therefore through our trust we can tithe willingly.
So, God does not need my (or your) money and He asks for the purpose of winning my heart for him…OK.  Now, we come to the stuff about getting our house in order and not being a slave to the lender (Proverbs 27:7)?  Wouldn’t it be easier to overcome those debts with that tithe (or tenth) applied to pay them off, getting me free so I can do good for others?  In the extreme short term, the answer is most likely “Yes”, however, our hardened and stubborn hearts would not really do it the right way, would we?  Most people who pay off debt or consolidate debt don’t end up giving more, they just harness it to go back or further into debt.  Therein is part of the lie the devil tells us to help us justify not following God’s command.

Now, here is where it gets even stickier.  If we justify taking our tithe away from God to pay our debts, which He has told us not to get into in the first place (Proverbs 22:26), are we sinning to pay for our sin?  Put another way: If I take God’s requirement of a tithe and disobey so I can pay my debt which I got myself into by not following His command, am I committing a new sin to cover an old one? Yes, I would be.  It is true we should let no debt remain outstanding (Romans 13:8), but we should never venture down the path where we disobey a command of God to try and pay for our previous sin.

Tithing is necessary for my heart to be right with God.  We should not therefore use our tithe for anything other than a tithe.  However, you might wonder about the debt that still needs to be paid.  Four points to ponder: 1)  Trust in God and His provision, 2) Budget with Discipline, 3) Pray and praise God for the guidance you need and the good He has done, 4) Trust in God and His abundant provision.  Ok I know the first and the last were the same, but it is so vital it needed repeating.

-Written by Christian Love

Man Up--Week 3

When my son was young and in school, I used to dream of being a teacher myself. But as a single mom of three boys and working long hours, there was no way to go back to school. Still, I longed for it. I remember the eventful day that dream changed, however. My young son and I were sitting at the kitchen table and I was trying to teach him to tell time. (Remember analog clocks?!) It did not go well. Tears may have been shed. He wasn’t happy either. Not only did that session change my ideals about becoming a teacher, it made me doubt myself, my son and whether I really knew how to tell time! What I said and what he received from me seemed to be two different things. I had no idea how to teach this boy. When he turned 16 and got his driver’s license, I tried to teach him to drive a stick shift. These were hard days, people.

What I realized is that all the things I tried to teach my kids: kindness, the Golden Rule, the love of Jesus, fractions…. I was teaching them the way I would want to learn them, not the way they could easily learn them. In particular, when it came to growing into young men with the strength and confidence of becoming adults, no teaching from me was going to do it. I realized that mentoring and accomplishment were the ways my boys were going to come into their own. My kids were still  in elementary school when Shea and I married. He let them get under the hood of a car and help change spark plugs. He apologized to them after an argument that had unnecessary words in it. He let them try things, do them badly, then help them correct it patiently and with praise. This is mentoring.
Mentoring is more than just teaching. It’s modeling, encouragement, problem solving together, coming alongside. It’s not solving someone else’s problems, it’s helping them work through them beside them. Mentoring a child or an adult should feel like support to the mentee. It should feel empowering, encouraging and give them a sense that they can solve the issue at hand or make an idea happen. When it’s done well, mentoring is a beautiful and organic thing.

When done poorly, mentoring is the worst thing that can happen to a person who is vulnerable and ready to be led. It tears down. It is judgmental and full of ridicule. It conveys disapproval and condescension. It is not beside someone, it is over them. The fact is, most people using this kind of “mentoring” don’t even realize they are doing it, but it is harmful. It can cut the growing branches off the tree entirely.
Think of someone who’s been a great mentor in your life. Were they generous? Patient? Did you walk away from them feeling better about your situation or yourself? Empowered? When you look back at the people you feel have helped you in your life, did you even realize you were being mentored at the time? Everyone loves a great mentor- it feels good. But here’s a harder question: Who have you mentored? Who have you let walk beside you and watch you and ask questions? With whom have you been patient and generous?

Jesus was a tremendous mentor. He modeled all the important things for his disciples that are hard to teach on a blackboard: Love, forgiveness, generosity, trust, prayer, when to pour into people, when to go away alone and commune with God. He modeled loyalty, teaching, follow-through, how to pray, when to get angry and when to turn away from anger. He had strength of character and was not afraid or influenced by others. He is not done mentoring these things, friend. He’s mentoring you today if you let him. Scripture lets us continue to learn from him.
If you have been yearning for a mentor, asking God to send someone your way that you can glean from, maybe you are forgetting the other part of what Jesus did. He mentored others. There is always someone who can use the mentoring you have to offer. I’ll go a step further: Maybe you are already mentoring someone, though maybe you haven’t realized it. Your kids, nieces or nephews, siblings, co-workers, small group members, neighbor. Someone who looks to you and your actions for guidance and example. Maybe ask God who he has brought into your life that needs you. Maybe you are the person God will send to someone else who has been praying for a mentor. When you participate with God in this kind of activity, you are in the sweet spot and it is amazing.

As for me, I have had the great benefit of learning from others and mentoring others, both. Both are rewarding. There are great rewards and teachings in being the mentor as well. I have received many, and I am thankful. I’m thankful for all the ways people have taught me. I’m thankful for the ways Jesus continues to mentor me. And I’m thankful for digital clocks.

Get to know... James Boerner

We will be voting on the Elder board this weekend at the annual meeting. James Boerner is our only new nominee, so let's get to know James a little bit!

As a youngster, my parents did the best they could.  Seriously, they did.  They understood only too well that their youngest child (yours truly) was full of rebellion and a fighting spirit.  “If only we could channel that fighting spirit for good”, I’m sure was a recurring thought in their minds.  So, they did what I’m sure all Christian parents do; they tried to turn me to God at an early age.  In my teenage years, I rebelled against that, too.

It took God a mere 20 years to bring me back to Him in the Spring of 2009.  An investigative mind (who am I kidding?  I’m a nerd) led me down a path in search of Truth which in my 30s I already recognized was an external thing.  I landed an engineering job that was dependent on that fact; that my opinion of a thing doesn’t change a thing.  Truth is an abstract thing that exists outside of myself.  One morning on a Wednesday in March of 2009 while reading the Gospel of John I saw a man declare himself to BE the Truth.  The embodiment of Truth.  That amongst other things resonated powerfully with my journey and after the declaration in John 10:28 that no one can be taken out of His hand it became clear that though I had left Him, He had never left me.  That very moment in the bathtub while reading the Gospel of John, I uttered the words “I’m Yours.  Save me.”  I was saved in that moment, brought back into the fold.  Plus, since I was in the bath at the time it was a free instantaneous baptism, so bonus!! 

A few years later my family and I walked through the doors of AC3, and have been rooted here ever since.  Early in my Christian walk, I asked God where He wanted me to go to church.  I never got an answer.  At some point in those first couple of years attending AC3, a sermon was preached about the local church and what it’s supposed to be.  During that sermon, sitting in the audience I asked God this time “Where do you want me to serve?”  The answer was clear, and we’ve been serving at AC3 whenever we can, going forward with the gifts we have.  This next season I’m honored to be serving as an Elder at AC3.  Like any other endeavor I land myself in, I’m committed to serving the church body as best I can, with whatever gifts I have now and Lord willing, with the gifts He will grow over time.

I’m a husband, married to my lovely wife Fedra, coming up on our 14th anniversary.  I still have friends at work that can’t believe I managed to successfully date, let alone get married.  I guess I understand. It surprises me sometimes, too!  We live in Marysville with our two children and my mother-in-law (Rocio),  Matias, aged 7 and Gabi, aged 4.  My boy Matias is a sweet soul, and a good friend.  Gabi is every bit the fighter and fierce little bobcat that God said she would be before she was born.  My God is a God that starts things with the end in mind, so I chuckle at the thought that a recurring conversation between Fedra and me is “If only we could channel those fighting spirits for good”. 
 Thank you, AC3.  We’re looking forward to serving you, and doing this thing called the Jesus life with all its messy beauty, together.
-James

Man Up--Week 2

Be Strong, Be Strengthened Warrior

Ah men and their addictions...
Porn gets much of the spotlight in the christian culture these days, followed by either drugs or alcohol or a soupy-swampy cocktail of both. What we don't hear much about it seems is violence addiction. "What's that?" you say? Exactly my point...

Movies and TV series force feed us violence at unprecedented levels these days. I know Game of Thrones has had all kinds of controversy within the church because they blatantly show some boobies - but the level of violent display goes all the way to eleven. If you watched it (and I'm not saying you should or shouldn't have) consider the feeling you felt when that hated character of Joffrey got what was coming to him. The feeling of elation at the violent death of a character you have been led to despise - it is a toxic formula for your heart. The worse a bad guy is in a movie, the more you look forward to the spectacular death that awaits them. Sure this has a word to us about justice, and who can fault anyone for upholding a thing like that, but it also generates a blood frenzy within our hearts that does not belong alongside the mind of the one following after Christ.

Just as porn takes a healthy masculine desire (sex) and twists it into a thing pernicious, so does extreme consumer violence take a healthy masculine impulse and buckles it into abuse and cruelty and bloodlust. That impulse is warriorship. 

 

"Protecting yourself is self-defense. Protecting others is warriorship."

I rather like this simple definition of warrior. Yes it implies physical confrontation, but it surely goes beyond that. As warrior, you are committed with protecting the people you love, whether family or community or perhaps even an ideal you hold as beneficial to your loved ones and theirs. In this world you will have trouble, and there is a time for both peace and for war. Days will come, and may be upon you in a tick, when you must take up your sword and enter the struggle.

Why is Rick such a great teacher? Because he is a warrior about it. He teaches to strengthen you and protect you. He, as a spiritual leader, is committed to seeing you grow and thrive because you have much to contend with and fearsome enemies at your doorstep. These enemies are not savages with curved swords. These adversaries look like complacency and consumerism and self-absorption. They may be a simple disgust with the Good or a disregard of the Beautiful, or disdain toward the Truth. 

A warrior is one who is actively engaged in the battle. I would suppose it is possible to be a warrior and a pacifist at the same time, but certainly it is not possible to be a warrior and a spectator at the same time. I know there are many warriors among us here at AC3 - please allow me now to call you forth as our champions to stand with us and for us.

Quoting one of my teachers - as I like to do:
"The true warrior is not merely a superb fighting machine.He needs to confront and overcome much more than mere opponents. He must triumph over adversities, philosophical stumbling blocks, spiritual trials, emotional crises, social and cosmic injustice, his own weakness and possibly the devil himself." ~David Carradine

If you were to visit my house and peruse my movie collection, I'm confident that you would be quite impressed with the kung fu section. (we can discuss my own violence addiction later...) I've been watching kung fu movies my entire life. As a kid in Hawaii, I often spent my Saturday afternoons in front of the tv. I was not watching Scooby-Doo or Gilligan's Island like the rest of the kids... no, I was watching Kung Fu Theater - Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Gordon Liu and all the rest. My favorite part of any kung fu movie is the training scene. This happens shortly after the protagonist's master has been murdered by the evil bastard warlord and justice must be fulfilled at any cost. Our hero then goes into a season of training... beating his body to make it strong and capable. The fight of his life, and possibly his death, awaits him.

Watch this for a taste (really, I mean it, spend 3 min and actually watch it):
https://youtu.be/G6f0w5BRasw

"Kung fu lives in everything we do. It lives in how we put on a jacket, in how we take off a jacket. It lives in how we treat people. Everything is kung fu."

In China, the word Kung Fu refers to any practice that requires discipline, patience, energy, and an extended period of time to complete. It is not specifically a style of fighting even though that is how we use the words here in the states. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any skill achieved through hard work, tireless study and relentless practice - the grueling training scenes to strengthen the mind and the body are a great example, but the idea can be applied easily to how you live today. 

Kung fu lives in how you show up at your day job, in how you treat your wife and children, in how you study the scriptures and apply the wisdom God gives you. It lives in how greet a brother, in how you serve a sister, in how you teach the young and revere the aging. Kung fu lives in how you respect and love and fight to protect. 

Kung fu results in honor and a code - every true warrior has a code. The one without a code is brute beast and no man. There are things worth fighting for and people worth protecting. The code of the warrior rightly assigns value to these and sets the price of protecting them. This is not a thing that can be stolen from another nor passively received - the strength of the warrior must be developed through training and resilience. 

 
You may not think about "gentle Jesus meek and mild" in a conversation about warriorship, but give it some thought. He carried the ultimate code - the gospel of the kingdom, and he paid the ultimate price to protect the ones he calls friends. He spent years developing his kung fu - the temple elders were amazed at his grasp of scripture even as a child, and He could not be tricked by his adversaries but turned their words back upon them time and again. He fought in life and he fought with His death. He was and is the True Warrior in this world. 

Now, we are in a series about biblical masculinity, but I want to make it clear that women also have an instinct to warriorhood. It doesn't always involve swinging battle axes on bloody battle fields (though in some stories it rightly does - think Joan of Arc). The female warrior protects and nurtures. The female warrior has moved beyond petty competitions and fights the good fight so that her children and her tribe may be harbored in the safety of her strength. 

Whether man or woman, the Word speaks the same call to you:

Be strong in the Lord for the fight
Train fiercely for the conflicts that lie ahead
Stand firm before the destroyer and protect those that would be his prey
Watch for attacks from the left or the right, ahead or behind, within or without
Be strengthened by every encounter for your adversary will be relentless

I will leave you with another training scene (real life stuff here) - not because I want you to develop the Infamous Iron Palm Technique but rather I desire to inspire you to train up the Force of Iron Faith. The battle of your life is still before you but LORD is with you mighty warrior (Judges 6:12)
https://youtu.be/EL1Nvy6bMDs

-Written by Shea Caperoon

Man Up-Week 1

It’s Not About the Crown

“I am King of the Mountain and nobody can knock me off!” as children we would declare such statements as a challenge to our friends, just to try and take us down.  After all, who could resist the glory of being the king?  When we envision a king, we generally picture some guy sitting on a throne being indulged by his subjects. Often, he is overweight and while dress nicely, is a bit slovenly.  Pop culture would have us in one of two camps; the careless king who does little for his people or the king who is tyrannical in his treatment of his subjects.

I am called to be “King/Lord of my domain”, what does it really mean? And what about the part about me being the “man of the house”?    Should I have a throne in my living room? I don’t think it would fit with the current décor…

Stu Weber talks about being a king in his book “The Four Pillars of a Man’s Heart” (Weber, 1997) and has some valid points about what it means to be one.   Unlike the pop culture vision of the king, Stu focuses on the balanced and self-sacrificing king.  He goes on to pose an out of balance king is one who is either an abdicator or a tyrant; but a balanced king is a provider of leadership, support, and guidance.

“God took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order” (Genesis 2:15 MSG).  The man was to work the ground and “keep it in order”.  Wow, now there’s a big charge.  God creates this amazing universe, filled with all kinds of life, and says “Ok, this is yours to take care of”.  In fact, God commands it through His blessing, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28 NIV Emphasis added).

Ok, so let me recap:  As a man, I am called to be a king…I am to take care of the land, keep it in order, subdue it, and rule over all creatures…but still I do not fully understand what it means to be a king.  Here is where I turn to look at the great leaders of all time and see who really got it right…yup…Jesus.  He was a called a Rabi, Lord, Teacher, King, yet he never lorded it over His disciples.  Jesus nudged (John 6:5-6), He taught (Matthew 5:3-12), He served (John13:1-17), He loved, and He sacrificed Himself (Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-46, and John 19:28-30) for all who were in His care (every last one of us).

All right all you men out there, here is the core message as far as I can tell: We are all kings, but the one true King, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, came to teach us.  We are not to be hard handed tyrants who rule with an iron thumb, nor are we meant to be lackadaisical and aloof letting anyone who wants them to take the reins.  Men, we are called to lead, guide, nudge, teach, inspire, serve, love, and yes, sacrifice for those placed in our sphere of influence regardless if you are a commander of an army of one, two, ten, or thousands; whether they are family, friend, colleague, or neighbor.  It’s not about the throne or the crown; kings are men of action and every action is to be done in love and with an attitude that places others first.

When in Rome--Week 5

Today's blog is about relationships, Specifically my relationship with people after I became a Christ follower. 
by Wayne Clinton.

There's no question that my relationships became different as time passed., And there's no question that it was difficult to establish the new way to have relationships with people through Christ. I thought that it would be easy, but it wasn't so simple. I had changed in my inner spirit, at least the way i viewed who Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit were relationally to me, Those relationships were now far more personal and deeper and more meaningful and the bible made more sense to me than ever before. 

However my thoughts about people hadn't changed along with it. Almost all of my friends at the time that I became a Christian were not Christians. And those relationships suffered because i withdrew from a huge portion of my past lifestyle. That's the "do not conform to the patterns of this world" part for me, I didn't leave the people from those relationships as much as they didn't want me around them any longer. My new thoughts towards people and how to handle those relationships needed help. I found the right words in the book of Romans. Romans 12 begins with the word (therefore) I've learned that means I need to know what happened in God's word before what I am reading now. So I back up to Romans 11 which talks about grace, Gods grace for me the person who is not from Jewish descent. in Romans 11 it talks about gardening and being grafted into the main VINE of the (chosen Olive Tree.) that would mean (descendants of Abraham) grafted in where some of the natural branches have been cut off from the main branch for their unbelief. So i better not do this.... fall away from unbelief, for if God didn't spare the natural branches why would he spare me the grafted in one for doing the same thing.

I'm not confused about this, it makes sense its simple gardening. God's grace saved me and he tells me not to be arrogant BECAUSE I have been grafted in where its natural branches used to be, and to remember that the branch that I am grafted into is fed from the root, and that root is Jewish by nature, therefore I must not be conceded and think of myself more highly than I should and i must remain in my belief and not fall. It was with that humbled mind set that Romans 12 speaks living words of wisdom.
Romans 12:1-2 reads, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

So I gathered from that read, That because of Gods mercy for me and by changing the way I think about who i am and how i choose to live my life, and by not following the ways of popularity of the worlds approach and the need of their approval of my choices, it will change the outcome of the relationships that I'm dealing with in my life. Both with God and mankind.
it continues with this..
Romans 12:4-5
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4‭-‬5 NIV

This is where i get my NEW THOUGHTS going. So just as i have my physical body with its different parts like my eyes, hands, feet, ears, nose, mouth, heart, lungs its still ONE body. I now have this NEW BODY, because i have become a Christian. And i no longer belong to myself but to all the other people in the church..SAY WHAT !
If that's the truth, then how i think and how I live in private, and in public is subject to the rest of the ONE body, and its members.
In other words i need to be the best version of me through a renewed way of thinking for all the other people in the church. And i need to also be PRESENT to be WITH them at church regardless of whether or not they conform to this new thinking. I need to be available to be seen and to be ready to help the other members of the ONE BODY. I need to be in the body even if my life gets tough. 
This is so true. I know that when i make the devoted choice to drag my butt to church again when life's struggles or its business are pulling me the other way, and i walk through the doors to find the woman whose husband just abandoned a 25 year marriage or the man who just buried his sister to the grave days earlier standing in the lobby, that i without a doubt made the right choice for the rest of the body. Its a new way of treating relationships for me. And it has been very fulfilling. 

Now there is still the relationships with the rest of the world, the non believers.
So i must return back to Romans 12:9-21
Here is a brief summary stolen from my bibles footnotes of these verses.
Stop pretending how to love and how to speak kind words, stop pretending to be compassionate. Sincere love requires concentration and effort. It means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement. 
Honor people because they are created in Gods image not because of who they are in their position or stature or wealth. Be hospitable even with a messy house and Top Ramen for a meal, not just when things are clean and above average. You can be hospitable even when your too tired, or too busy or not wealthy enough to entertain.
Be willing to forgive because you have experienced Gods grace, don't you want to pass on what that is like to experience. Remember grace is undeserved favor. Do not repay evil with evil, but with good. Kind words or a smile and right actions can diffuse a bomb. Be willing to forgive. be kind to those who persecute you, turn an enemy into a friend if possible. Live at peace with everyone. 

WOW what a big order to follow right. But remember...
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13

Who is AC3? Love the World

How To Hate The World
(Disclaimer: I think I've made it painfully obvious, but just in case... The following is satire - an extreme opposite of what I would like to actually say)

Welcome to my blog! The New Scrooge!
Many of you have reached out to me at The New Scrooge (#DaGeezerEbenezer) asking for a basic tutorial on this subject because you have noticed how well-practiced I am at hating the world. When I say "world" I don't really mean the "Earth" like you see on the nature documentaries - that stuff is alright I suppose - no what I really mean are the people in the world. And when I say hate, I don't really mean the kind of hate you might get out of some club-wielding skinhead at a some supremacy rally... no... I just mean a low-level disregard and indifference (bordering on latent hostility perhaps) for everyone who has not given me some really good reason for treating them with respect. So let's get to it.

Number One: (Pragmatism)
Well I sort of already teased this one... but if another so-called "human" person has not lately done something for me personally (and by lately I mean very quite recently) then there is no pragmatic reason for giving them any respect or consideration. That lady with 3 kids in her shopping cart at the Costmeco - what has she done for me lately besides get in my way and slow me down? I need not even ask to let me by - I just push past. Who cares that she thinks me rude. General courtesy towards other humans might have worked when there were very few of us around - but with nearly 8 billion fighting for my space and my air, who's got the energy to be nice?

Number Two: (Dehumanization)
I really helps to perceive other people as accidental combinations of molecular matter. After all... what is really all that bad about objectifying people? Why not dehumanize someone you don't like or even know? The antiquated notion of personhood can just go rot in my opinion...
Defining personhood is a controversial topic in philosophy and law and is closely tied with legal and political concepts of citizenship, equality, and liberty. According to law, a natural person has "rights, protections and privileges". Blah blah blah... like I said - antiquated stuff. People are essentially no different from cattle and chickens when you look at the science of it, so let's just get over the moldy-oldie notions,

Number Three: (Divisionism)
Speaking of law and politics... you can really express your hate for the world in the voting booths and in the memes you post on social media. Chances are you will be in disagreement with a lot of others in today's political climate. The time for rational and reasonable discourse with a willingness to see things from the others side is over - way over. The only truly effective method of argument these days is the ad-hominem attack - so learn it, practice it on facebook or whatever - get really really good at delivering vicious chat-attacks against any disagreeing person - rather than trying to argue only the position they are maintaining.

Number Four: (Indifference)
All these religious types keep talking about being compassionate towards the suffering. Well I got enough suffering of my own to worry about... why should I invest in the care of fools I know nothing about? If you follow my advice above - only help those who are in a position to help to you back - for the rest - just disavow their humanity and you're golden. If anyone thinks differently find some flaw in them to point at and thereby negate everything else they might say.

Rather than taking my queues from the book that has led humanity for thousands of years - I choose to follow after my fore-bearer Scrooge

I Hate People
(as expressed by Scrooge in Scrooge the Musical - 1970 https://youtu.be/hU6WXCvNGms)

Scavengers and sycophants and flatterers and fools
Pharisees and parasites and hypocrites and ghouls
Calculating swindlers, prevaricating frauds
Perpetrating evil as they roam the earth in hordes
Feeding on their fellow men
Reaping rich rewards
Contaminating everything they see
Corrupting honest men like me
    Humbug! Poppycock! Balderdash! Bah!
    I hate people! I hate people!
People are despicable creatures
Loathesome inexplicable creatures
Good-for-nothing kickable creatures
    I hate people! I abhor them!
When I see the indolent classes
Sitting on their indolent asses
Gulping ale from indolent glasses
    I hate people! I detest them! I deplore them!
Fools who have no money spend it
Get in debt then try to end it
Beg me on their knees befriend them
Knowing I have cash to lend them...
    Soft-hearted me! Hard-working me!
    Clean-living, thrifty and kind as can be!
    Situations like this are of interest to me
I hate people! I loathe people! I despise and abominate people!
Life is full of cretinous wretches
Earning what their sweatiness fetches
Empty minds whose pettiness stretches
Further than I can see
Little wonder I hate people
And I don't care if they hate me!

~Written by Shea Caperoon 

Who is AC3?-Love God

Who is AC3?

Love God-

Imagine for a moment what it looks like for you to love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all our strength and with all your mind. What do your neighbors, co workers, friends, immediate and extended family see?  Does your life look any different in your imagination as it appears in your day-to-day life experiences? For me, there is a clear distinction from my life before I accepted Jesus as my savior and my life after my conversion. But, that's not what I am really talking about. I am honestly evaluating my life against the lens of who I am for God. I am frankly asking myself how can others tell that I love God? More importantly how do I see in my core that I truly love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind? Does my life reflect my deep love for Yahweh in ways that are profound?

Just last week I thought I could squeeze into my already packed day a quick workout at the gym. I was trying to manage my mental to do list with limited time to really get the things done that I sought to accomplish. When things were not going the way I anticipated I began to spiral into a frazzled and frustrated form of myself. Have you ever been there? My heart was distracted and my mind in chaos and yet God in His perfect timing corrected me, gently and lovingly in the form of service. I was rushing down the hall and a woman rushed by me even more frazzled than myself. She was really  in need of help. And she needed that help immediately. Two things were evident: no one else was available and this was not the kind of help that would be easy. She needed the type of help that requires time, effort, compassion and love. So there it was friends, the profound moment when my own timetable became irrelevant and God pressed upon my heart to love my neighbor as myself. I was obedient to His prompting. These revelations help me to see that I really am different. “But, if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:5-6  Only through the Father may I have the heart and strength to love extravagantly. Loving God with my all my heart, soul, strength and mind looks like Jesus and how He calls us to live everyday.

The process in which we grow more like Jesus has a fancy word, sanctification. As we grow in our faith and in our disciplines we embody the word Christian- which from this past weekend’s sermon means to be little Christ. I move forward in my growth in my relationships with the people whom God places in my life. I find that with the form of grouping I can love God in ways I never would have imagined a decade ago or even just a few years ago. But, in stepping out to look more like Jesus I am surrounded by many who are doing the same thing. Growing in profound ways that show others that the church isn’t a building but the bride. My groups challenge me to speak truthfully, walk faithfully and love the church in beautiful ways.

I will add for the sake of transparency that I am hesitant to admit how often I find myself caught up in things that don’t feed my soul and distract my mind. The things of this world that tie up valuable bandwidth, things such as my never ending laundry, my constant drive to declutter our home and my desire to be productive and seen as worthy. All of the chaos created by me or thrust upon me robs me of opportunities to just love God with my soul and with my mind. I tend to become preoccupied  by circumstances and not what truly matters, which is HIM. As I am growing in my spiritual disciplines I do find myself more and more stopping to sit in His presence. I regroup my scattered thinking and rest in HIM. I pause to revel in His abundant blessings.(John 10:10) I am sustained as the Lord draws near to me when I cease to run ahead of Him or lag behind Him but instead choose to rest in Him. How do I do this? Like Dan suggested in his teaching on the topic, I come to HIM and glorify my Father in Heaven. I have my go to scriptures that recalibrate me back onto the narrow way. I sing songs of praise. I call out to Him and in my pleas for mercy He feeds my soul and calms my mind. I confess, repent and love Him with all my heart, soul, strength and mind. And in those moments of honest and heartfelt devotion I discover I am loving God in profound ways.

Happy Where You Are-Week 2-Married

I fell deeply and madly infatuated with Lee Braaten almost immediately upon meeting him. The way his eyes crinkle when he smiles made my heart skip a beat instantly. I knew this man was something special, and I had a bit of experience with lots of not so special. As we would learn, though, infatuation is not enough to sustain a relationship, let alone a near 25-year marriage.

The saving grace for our relationship is that neither one of us ever wanted to divorce at the same time. We were both young and stubborn, and as much as it pains me to admit it, A LOT of the turmoil was my creating. Interestingly, both Lee and I were raised in non-Christian homes with parents who divorced. In fact, my own biological parents were married to other people when I was conceived. Lee’s parents divorced after nearly two decades of marriage. Needless to say, neither one of us had any idea how to navigate a healthy marriage.

Lee himself had been married and divorced years before I met him. I had been involved in a complicated relationship right out of high school that had been what I will only describe as abusive and codependent. Consequently, I was raising my son Chase as a single mother when Lee and I met. We both can say with complete transparency that we began our journey together with a few suitcases full of baggage and no clue in which direction we were headed. It was like we didn’t have the compass to find our way to happiness, not to mention a reliable road map to be happy where we were but heck if we were not going to get married and give it a try!

And try we did! And yet, within our first five years of marriage we faced huge financial problems, dealt with child custody in regard to Chase with outrageous attorney fees and welcomed our son Caleb into our lives. In addition, Caleb was born with a condition in which he would need two kidney surgeries, and I lost my (foster) father to leukemia, which broke me in many, many ways. So, here we were: I was broken, depressed, and empty. Lee was stuck, frustrated, and tired. We were lost. Yet, God in His mercy met us where we were. We heard the Gospel, accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, were baptized, and started a new path with a life-changing trajectory.

And guess what, even with our change of direction, Lee and I had even more challenges, trials, and tests as new baby Christians. Our life was full of strife and pain and loss. Lee lost a job but then took a job that required him living in Wenatchee during the work week, we faced a potential foreclosure, and I experienced my most painful season of losing babies to both miscarriage and stillbirth. And that is where we clung to Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Memorizing scripture sustained us as the word of God does. He is the bread of life and we rested in Him. Lee usually did this far better than me, but I am a quick study and followed his lead as he followed the leading of God in our lives. He was steady and patient as Jesus is with his disciples. Lee would encourage me to find comfort in God, despite our circumstances.

Being happy or content in marriage is no easy task. It takes a great deal of dying to self and perseverance, patience, and a softening of one’s heart. And that is the thing of marriage; it is a constant journey. Being married is not just a legal document that entitles me to a portion of Lee’s 401K. For us, our marriage is a connection that honors God. My marriage is the catalyst that compels me to look at Lee the way God looks at him, with great joy, love, and hope. I am finding more and more every day that being my husband’s biggest and loudest cheerleader is far more fulfilling than constantly critiquing his choice of shoes, how he spends his money, or the status of his facial hair. I love him with a love that is beyond me. I love him through my loving Jesus. I am not equipped to do this on my own. It is only through the Christ that I find the strength to love Lee the way I was designed to love him. I honor my marriage with the grace of Jesus. Do I mess up? Every day! Do I confess, repent, and try again? Every day!

Being married to Lee Braaten has brought me immeasurable joy. Seeing him smile after well over two decades together still makes my heart skip a beat. Our life together is only sustained through our complete devotion to God. We approach our marriage with Paul’s words to the Colossians “and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him.” This approach allows us on most days to say that we are truly, madly, deeply happy where we are, married.

Happy Where You Are - Week 1-Being Single

Joy in the Single Life

By Wayne Clinton

I questioned at first if I was even a good candidate to write about this, but then I realized that in just 6 more days I will have lived my life as a single man for the last 7 years. I went from being a fully committed husband, to a struggling single overnight. I had to redefine my life and learn all over again what it's like to live single. I was fortunate to have someone living with me, my son, who brought me comfort and camaraderie to help me from being too lonely, but he had his own life too. So, I began to study what contentment meant for me: I had to relearn how to pursue joy, and really define for myself what “Joy” truly was.

John 16:20-22 NIV says...
(Jesus talking to His Disciples about his upcoming crucifixion..)

Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.  A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born, she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.  So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

..... I was in LOVE with how that sounded. "and no one will take away your joy".  The key to my contentment and joy was in Him. Jesus. even though my days were tough right now. Joy was to be found in Him.

Romans 15:13 NIV
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit......
Hope and Joy....and Peace. How do these get acquired? By trusting in Him, says Gods Word”.

And finally, in Philemon 1:7 NIV
“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people”.

...I wanted to be able to refresh people's hearts through Christ.  So, I began to engage in relationships that were safe. I must admit, it was very difficult for me at first. It seemed like everyone was busy, and already committed, and I wasn't very good at reaching out, or setting up long term goals for events and planning for future dates with friends to do things with. I was more of a spur-of-the-moment person, and I found that most of the people I dealt with were not. They also had to check in with their significant others to see if they were available or could break free to do things. I didn't really have to check in with anyone, it was really kind of nice. I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to, but not with whomever I wanted to. 

There were boundaries, there still are. I also had to fight off the voice that would constantly call out my singleness, like this phrase in my head, "you’re the only one without someone here". Those that I was with didn’t care, why did I. So I started routines, small ones, ones that I could accomplish and feel good about. I found I had a lot more time on my hands, time that I wasn't used to, the reality is relationships take a lot of time. The one thing I found great satisfaction in doing was serving other people. Sometimes I would directly for friends sometimes indirectly. Directly, was a hands on serving, helping people move, helping them fix something or clean up some mess, watching their pets and kids, while they went on vacation. I enjoyed it all, but it wasn't very fulfilling, at least not completely.

For me it wasn’t until I got in alignment with God's plans for me, His plans to use me and stretch me beyond my comfort zone. To challenge me in my faith and beliefs, and He did exactly that. I began serving in youth ministries. And WOW what a ride. I’m still on it and the rewards have been amazing. It was a commitment of only 2 hours a week at youth group, God grew that into much more than I could have expected. Now, years later I’m dating again and I am very happy. Life returned to me long before the dating commenced and is probably what made me look worthy of dating to her. Gods provisions for me were and are my Joy and Hope. He has met all my needs and has left me longing for very little that I have not received from Him already. I trusted His care for me and also trusted those around me that He placed there to guide me, walk with me, and correct me and at times, rebuke me. I may be single, but I am NEVER ALONE.

You Got This-Week 3-Perfection

“Practically Perfect in Everyway” 

Mary Poppins magical tape measures her to be “Practically perfect in every way”, which begs the question what is “perfect”? Shel Silverstein’s character “Mary Hume” tries to judge this very question with an “Almost perfect…but not quite” to everything she assesses, only to have her final judgment at the pearly gates to be: “Almost perfect…but not quite” (Silverstein, A Light in the Attic).

As Christians we are called to righteousness to the degree of perfection, knowing that we always are going to get Mary Hume’s “…but not quite” at the end. We are called to be the best self we can possibly be at all times; not just on days we are at church or serving at a church function. We are called to strive to live the way Jesus did all the time, even when no one else is looking.

At this point you might be asking “so what defines perfection?” or “where can I get a firm definition of something as seemingly subjective as perfection?” Pointing to Jesus is a good start, but let’s start a little more basic than that…the Ten Commandments. The Commandments are the nuts and bolts of what God calls us to be like. When asked which the greatest commandment, Jesus responded, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength”. He goes on to tell us the second greatest, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:29-31). Now that is a tall order, isn’t it…and that’s just two of the commandments.

Love God: I can try and do that, but all my heart, soul, mind and strength? What about my family, my dog, and…football, oh and my neighbor…He said to love my neighbor? We are called to not put any of these things before God; more specifically we are to love them through God. By loving God wholly, we are able to love all other things far better because God, when we allow Him, filters out all that is not good in the things we love. The first four commandments are all about this relationship with God; summed up they are to love God, love no other Idols (even football) before Him, to never use His name in vain (Yes this includes “OMG”), and to keep the sabbath day holy.

So far, I am not doing so well on this test, how about you? I am running about 50 percent. Ok, so next is the remaining six commandments: Honor your parents (“love you, Mom and Dad”), Don’t Murder (haven’t killed anyone yet), No Adultery (this can even be in the mind, without the physical), No Stealing (do pens from work count?), No lying (even little white lies?), and do not envy (but that car is so cool). These all point to how we are to love one another and that is not just our own social circle either.

As Christians, we all generally try hard to not do these things; at least not often. However, we are all broken and as such, we will always reach those gates and hear “almost perfect…but not quite”. So, that brings us back to Jesus, it is only through Him that we are washed clean and made acceptable; not by our own merits, but by the grace that comes from His. Thank you, God, for allowing me the way to be perfected through your son Jesus, for I know I cannot do it alone.

~Written by Christian Love

It's Not What You Think...

It’s Not What You Think

    So, the time of year has come again where we redecorate our homes, sing a different set of songs, and are barraged with sale after sale.  Yes, my friends, it is Christmas time. The secular side of Christmas is that of Santa Claus bringing toys, snowmen (and women), cookies, and sleigh rides.  The Christian side of Christmas will paint the picture of the neatly designed nativity. Mary, Joseph and a few important guests; the shepherds, wisemen, and a few animals crowded around the manager.  While both Christmases have their place, even in my life, neither gets truly to the nature of what Christmas is all about…its not what you think.

    To start, I will mention that Santa Claus (aka Saint Nick, Pair Noel, Sinterklaas, etc.) has very diverse roots; many of them pagan.  Saint Nicholas the person was a follower of Christ as well as a giver of gifts. He was once defrocked for hitting a peer in full assembly when a Bishop, named Arius, downplayed the divinity of Christ when he stated Jesus was not equal to God the Father; painting a lesser picture of the significance of Christ in the church.  Being a believer today often makes us the minority, watching what we say and how we say it in the workplace and in many public settings (sometimes to extremes in places such as China). Christmas is the one time of year we can get a little braver, declaring our faith by the carols we sing and the nativities we display.

    The focal point of every nativity scene is the manger and more important the baby that lay in it- Jesus.  Much is said in the Bible about this baby that bears many names beyond that of Jesus, “and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  The entire Old Testament foreshadows His coming and the New Testament is about His time here and why he came.  While the nativity scene is a symbol of celebration and the birth that changed everything, it is not completely what Christmas is about.  If the meaning of Christmas is only about the baby in the manger, then I will challenge that Christmas is not about what you think it’s about.

    So what is Christmas really about then, you might ask...? The musical group Go Fish sums it up very well with their song “It’s about the Cross”. The first verse and chorus are as follows:

“It's not just about the manger
Where the baby lay
It's not all about the angels
Who sang for him that day

It's not just about the shepherds
Or the bright and shining star
It's not all about the wisemen
Who travelled from afar

Chorus:
It's about the cross
It's about my sin
It's about how Jesus came to be born once
So that we could be born again

It's about the stone
That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday

It's about the cross
It's about the cross”

Go Fish – Album “Christmas with a capital C”

    Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but really, it’s about the ending of the story 33 years later.  It is about the cross, “it’s about the one who came to be born once so we can be born again” (Go Fish). Yes, the birth is important, and we must always celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we need to remember what it is really about…” God so loved the world He gave His one and Only Son for us” (John 3:16).  

Merry Christmas everyone!  Now I call you all to go tell it on the mountain; not just that Jesus Christ was born, but why.

Please enjoy the link to Go Fish’s “It’s About the Cross”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjOR4PBzvbo

~Written by Christian Love