True and False Statements

I have gotten a kick out of a philosophical excercise lately. On my office door I tied a piece of paper with this on the front:

THE STATEMENT ON THE BACK OF THIS PAPER IS FALSE!

and this on on the back:

THE STATEMENT ON THE BACK OF THIS PAPER IS TRUE!

it's been entertaining to watch people flip over the paper numerous times trying to ponder it. You should try it too!

Idol Worship and Idle Worship

IDOL -vs- IDLE I raise this issue up because they are probably the two biggest problems in church today.

IDOL WORSHIP - was warned against in passages like Exodus 20 (10 Commandments), all throughout 1-2 Kings and so forth. God specifically said "you shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water. You shall not worship them or serve them, for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God..." (Ex. 20:4-5) With this in mind, what kind of idols are there in church? I can think of many "idols" that get more attention (which is worship in my opinion) than God does. Money, Power, Pews, Worship Styles, Technology, Food, Social Interaction, etc. are some idols we have made and placed in the church. Of course some things are not material but they are an idol nonetheless. I was walking with my lovely wife the other day and passed by a catholic church. we decided to walk around the church and see what it looked like. Beautiful! Catholic churches are some of the most elegant of all worship buildings. The problem is that it (the building and its contents) are being worshipped. in the parking lots were statues of different saints and people have placed wreaths and flowers by their feet as if something spiritual happens because of it. Idol Worship! Why place a flower at the feet of a handmade statue when you can place all your sins, worries, and cares down at the Jesus' feet?

IDLE WORSHIP - "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot I will spit you out of my mouth..." (Rev. 3:15-16) This was written to the church in Laodicia in Revelation. It gives the illustration of the water supplies in Laodicia which came from other cities via channels. By the time the cold water reached the town it was lukewarm and disgusting, as was the hot water. God want our best, not our lukewarmness. Our corporate worship has become lukewarm in my opinion. We come to church, sing some songs (and only worship if the music plays with our emotions the right way) give some money if any at all, listen to a speech, and go home. Did that sequence of events describe your church? I hope not! So what's worse...Idol or Idle worship?

Aren't All AddictionsThe Same?

My Addiction is Coffee...ooohhhh I'm a minister that is an addict! Why am I not being scolded at church for visibly guzzling half a pot of joe each morning? Church has warped their theologies into believing that some addictions are more evil than others. An addiction to caffeine or chocolate is no worse to God than Alcohol or even Sexual addictions! The addiction wagon rolls through my life each day as it does with everyone. I have a hard time hearing people in my church or even abroad that judge alcoholics, drug addicts, smokers, people dealing with pornography, etc. when they battle with addictions too. Sin is sin, anything that devotes our time, health, or money from being Christ-Centered is an addiction. Are there good addictions? Absolutely! We should be more addicted to Scripture, Prayer, and meditation on God than any substance on earth. Can some addictions be good and usefull for God? Yes! drinking coffee and conversing with strangers at a coffee shop like I'm doing right now as I got this idea for this post at Java Moon can be a wonderful tool for God. What are your addictions? How can you use them for good?

Bird Watching...Well Big Metal Bird Watching

Lately I have been taking my lunch break from the office and driving down to Sarasota\Bradenton International Airport (which is only 2 miles from my office) and watching the birds fly into town and land. You might think I'm crazy for religiously parking my Dodge Intrepid right in line with the landing strobe lights making sure the jets pass ever closely to my vehicle. Perhaps its the rumble I feel when the engines' exhaust hit my car, perhaps the noise level, perhaps the excitement and awe that I have whenever I contemplate the achievements that have been made in aviation in the last few years. Perhaps I just want to get away from the ordinary sitting in a Mcdonalds with 20 other strangers gnawing away at their dollar menu items. I enjoy, and need, for that that matter the time away from all interruptions and endless planning for church. The airport has been my place to not only think about airplanes and how I wish I took the licensing school when I had the chance, but a place I can think about God.

Do you have a place you go to when you need to be alone? Jesus went on his own to pray for others and for himself (Matthew 26:36-46). I often wonder where God would go in this world to "get away" and watch the birds. What place on earth did God set aside as his most prized piece of creation in which he finds the most pleasure by gazing on it? Some stake claim on it being their home state, while others claim it to be on a mountain top or the ocean floor.

God doesn't need to get away from it all because unlike us humans, He can handle all the pressures of the world. Perhaps He gave us wondrous things, places, views, and even airplanes to help us appreciate life a little more.

God want us to spend time with him alone as much as possible. How else can you truly get to know someone unless you do? Find that spot that no one else can bother you at, look around in creation, marvel at God's work and enjoy life to the fullest.

The World Is Your...Oyster Cracker?

O.k. This morning I was in our church's kitchen waiting on the stale Maxwell House coffee to brew so I can officially wake up when I saw it! On the counter was a box of Oyster Crackers from Publix that someone had left for some reason. Well it was a philosophical statement on the bottom of the box that intrigued me. "The World Is Your Oyster Cracker!" What could that possibly mean? I asked Pastor Ron to take a stab at it as he walked in and only got the same puzzled look I had. Going about my business this morning, all I can think about is how is my world like an oyster cracker. Was this some stupid saying they put on the box to get people's attention (it worked) or does it hold actual philosophical relevance? I want your opinions on this matter.

Possible Interpretations:

"You are what you eat?" well I am not an oyster but I am a Florida Cracker!

"The world is salty, flaky, and good with clam chowder?" hhhmmmm.

An oyster cracker is used to add flavor to a soup or salad so can we say the world adds flavor to our lives? What if you don't like oyster crackers? do you hate the world then? Maybe the answer isn't just about the cracker but whatever someone loves in life is considered to be their world! Is your world an oyster cracker?