It hit me on Sunday service. I showed up for service in a nice short sleeve button down, jeans and my converse tennis shoes.
I was comfy and ready to praise the Lord as I strapped on my guitar. That's when I noticed "the looks" I was getting from several of the older attendees. A look that I thought I would never see in my church. Disgust. Judgement. Now, I am used to these looks as I am heavily tattooed. But I never thought I would get them in my own church. The service progresses and I am exposed to several comments like, "...must be casual Sunday...". I blew them off and gave it to God. Now I could go on about how the Bible says "...Judge not lest ye be judged..." but I think that example gets widely over used and most Christians have become apathetic to it. I will however remind people though that the Bible talks about "Coming as you are..." Now, the Bible doesn't use those exact words at all. But what it does say is this: “Come! Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” - Revelation 22:17 So if I come willingly, seeking redemption and following in the footsteps of Christ; why am I to be criticized for it? Regardless of attire and appearance. Shouldn't the fact that I am there to fellowship and worship be the important thing? Now, some will say, "Spike, you're judging them aren't you?...". Well, ...uh...yea. I am. I have this nasty habit of calling people out on stuff like this. Especially when it's judgmental attitudes like this that are killing off church congregations across the globe. Younger generations WANT to believe! They are actively searching for it, however I feel that "Old School" attitudes like these are barring potential church goers from the church door.
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It's still around. It's just not widely promoted. I love all kinds of music, folk, acoustic rock, oldies, R&B, classic rock, heck; even show tunes. But every now and then I just want to Rock Out and headbang!!! It's not for everyone. But deep down inside I'm a Metal Head! I grew up listening to bands like Stryper, Petra, One Bad Pig, Tourniquet and so many more! But "that" style of music is hard to come by. At least in the area of Pittsburgh that I'm in. Christian radio is very limited. We have WORD.FM 101.5, which is 98% chatter, preachers and talk shows; and we have 98.3 FM KLOVE. Which plays the same 45 contemporary Christian songs. Over and Over and Over. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of "Sidewalk Prophets", "Mercy Me" and "Casting Crowns", but I want more. Having just recently come back to the flock, I was wondering what was out there as far as Christian Rock and Metal. So I started digging. There ARE Christian Metal bands still around, but I never hear a peep about them. To be honest, the more I dug I wasn't overly impressed. Talented musicians? Yes. Are the lacking something? Most definitely. Where is the fire? Where is that feeling I would get listening to Michael Sweet belt out "To Hell With the Devil"? Stryper is still around and making music, and although I am a Die Hard fan from way back, it still feels like they're still trying to play '80's style music. Sorry boys. Where is the Christian version of Five Finger Death Punch? Or Amoranthe? Where is the fire of the Holy Spirit in Modern Music? There are some decent bands, but I honestly can't see myself buying their albums or MP3's. But I am still trying to find something that I feel is lacking in the Christian Metal scene. There is some hope in the bleak though, this one band I found called "Demon Hunter". So much potential!!! There are Power Metal bands and "Un-Doom" Metal bands that are Christian, and they're not bad. But I wanted some Whiskey Rock. Some Hard Core, and I think I found it in "Demon Hunter". Back in the '80's, my Father took me to hear this man speak. He was a local Christian celebrity in the Pittsburgh Area and Radio personality for WPIT FM. His name was Dick Hatch. I remember him being very genuine and humble. Charismatic and clever. For the life of me, I don't remember his sermon. But I do remember his joke. It was the first "Grown Up" joke I ever committed to memory. The Joke goes something like this... A blind bunny rabbit is hopping through the forest when he bumps into a snake. "I'm so sorry!", says the bunny rabbit. "You see, I am blind since birth, lost from my family, and I don't know what I am." The snake replies to the rabbit, "Wow! What a coincidence! You see, I too am blind since birth, lost from my family and I don't know what I am either." "Wow! That is a coincidence!" says the rabbit. "Hey, I have an idea!" the rabbit exclaimed. "Why don't we sniff around each other and then tell each other what we are?" The snake pauses for a moment, "That's a fantastic idea!" the snake agreed. The snake sniffs around the rabbit, stops. Thinks for a moment. "Okay! I got it! You have long ears, big feet, a bushy tail, and a wiggly nose. You're a Bunny Rabbit!" "AMAZING! I have waited my entire life to know that! Thank you!" The rabbit gratefully confesses. Now the rabbit sniffs around the snake. He stops. Scratches his head. Sniffs around two more times. "Okay." the rabbit says reluctantly. " I think I've got it. You have beady eyes, a fork tongue and slimy skin. You're a Tele-Evangelist!" As funny and messed up as the punch line is, I think I have finally figured out why I have committed that joke to memory for 30+ years. Firstly, the snake. A lot of the time, people don't realize they are a snake; until someone points it out to them. In their minds, they are oblivious. The same goes for the rabbit. Aimlessly hopping around and bumping into every darn tree in the forest until they can find the path. If they ever find it at all. It doesn't matter if you're the rabbit or the snake, we're all blind without God. God tells us who and what we are. He leads us, guides us and helps us to find our way. Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." We can always help those who are still blind find the path too. Sometimes, we can be the lamp, that God uses to help others. Remember, Jesus had this awesome trick he did,.... making the Blind Man see. It's kind of his thing. God Bless, and C.Y.H. There are times in life, that I find myself needing a good swift kick in the pants. Or, a slap in the face. Funny, how God uses the actions of others, or events in ones life to achieve this "tough love" task. Today it just happened to be the message and scripture of my Pastors sermon at church. It has been one of those weeks. Murphy's Law of "...what can go wrong, will go wrong..." was in full gear the whole time. My wife's Grandfather had a stroke, so she left for Georgia with her Mother to be with him. So that leaves me and our son home to get stuff done around the house. Chores, work and the like. Money has been tight, so we have minimal food in the house. I had to count change just to get laundry detergent and gas in the car. Meanwhile, I have been struggling with my walk with God. More recently, than in previous weeks. For my day job I write a Political Blog for another company. Needless to say, I get to see the worst that all sides have to offer when it comes to current events and political issues. This proves to be challenging, as I have been trying to change my life and let go of hatred and bias. Kind of hard to do when it comes to daily headlines. As a Veteran, I find this to be especially challenging. We like to hold on to our hate. It gives us fire when we're in Combat. We use it to destroy our enemies. It's kind of what we do. Mostly. So when Pastor started talking about "reaping what you sow..." and the seeds that we plant in our heart lead to what we harvest later on... *** SMACK TO THE FACE, DEPLOYED!!!!! *** My hands begin to shake slightly as I sat in the pew. Not out of rage but out of humility. Every word he spoke felt like the sermon was written just for me. As he read Galatians 6:7 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." I took a long hard look inward. Like staring at the mirror and being completely disgusted with what you see. For so long, I have held this hate and anger deep inside. Like a warm security blanket, I would wrap myself up in it. Staying safe surrounded by an impenetrable wall of rage. The sermon hit especially hard, because in Sunday school we have been discussing Islam. As a Veteran, I have to be honest and say that I have no love for Radical Islam. Years spent combating, hating and loathing the zealots of Mohammed have left me tired and angry. I'm tired of hate. I am tired of all the anger. I have been planting seeds of these burdens in my soul for so long, that it feels like that is all I know. In writing this, I was trying to find a passage from the Bible about letting go of hate. When I found the verses, I started shaking again, and almost began crying. *** SECOND SLAP TO THE FACE, DEPLOYED!!! *** Ephesians 4:31-32 31 Get rid of bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.. 32 Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. It is time for me to let go of the hate. I have been trying to tell God what he can and can't do in my life instead of letting him work IN my life. Sometimes it is easy for some of us to forget, that he is the "GREAT I AM." and that ALL things are possible through Christ who strengthens us. Even letting go of hate. Sometimes, you just need a slap in the face to wake up and realize it. God Bless, and C.Y.H. Driving home from dropping my wife off at work, my mind was in a thousand places. Bills, poor financial issues, sick and dying family members, no gas in the car, zero groceries in the fridge... It feels like all hope is lost. Nauseated and light headed from all the stress, I was almost ready to pull over and open the car door to throw up. That's when I looked at the odometer in my car. 77700... With K-Love radio station on in the background, I look at the numbers that are slapping me in the face. Like a Drill Sergeant, yelling at me to "...suck it up buttercup!" The numbers pierced into my thoughts. 77700.... 777, God has me. He has got my back and this is all happening for a reason. A calm washed over me, and suddenly; it didn't seem so bad. I knew, right then that God wouldn't let us fall. That he would watch over us and help us in our time of need. The odometer was God giving me a hug, and telling me that everything will work out in the end. All too often, we are like Simon Peter. Paying more attention to the waves crashing around us and the storm in the distance. Rather than keeping our eyes on Jesus, we are distracted and we start to sink into the sea. Matthew 14:29-33 "... 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith, He said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!" (Courtesy of Bible Hub- Read More) We need to remember that we have to keep our eyes on him to stay on the path. Doubt, fear; these are only natural. But Faith, faith that he will not let us sink. That is what will get us through even the worst of times. God Bless and C.Y.H. (Consider Yourself Hugged) So many times we have heard the phrase, "...Love the Sinner, and Hate the Sin..." That phrase is actually not located anywhere in the Bible. Although the principal of it is very sound. It is a fairly simple concept, that most followers of The Way find themselves struggling against. It is so very easy to judge others and find fault. I myself fight this on a constant and daily basis. Especially in light of recent events, I have heard some appalling things emanate from the mouths of Christians. Things that in no way are becoming of what a Christian should act like. What we need to remember are these few things. Jude 1:22–23 says “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” This verse to me says, that we should hate sin, but try to save the sinner. Maybe this is where the cliche' phrase "...Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin..." comes from? We need to remember, that even though we are Christians, we are still imperfect beings born into a world of sin. And that the Lord our God, still loves us. It is just as easy for us to sin, as it is for someone who is not a believer. To think that being a Christian makes you better than someone else, above them; is just plain wrong, and prideful. Pride can be a sin, let's not forget. You aren't better than others. You should be an example of compassion, and understanding. Not a poster child for Judgement and social elitism. Jesus died for ALL of us. Not just those that believe. We are all forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. Remember, "...Judge not, lest ye be Judged..." Today is my Birthday. I always dread this day, because traditionally something bad has always happened on my birthday. Deaths of friends and family, friends arrested for D.U.I., getting fired from a job. It's always something. Well today, my family and I get in the car to go to church. Driving the mile to church, I notice that car is handling like garbage. We get to church and park. Get out of the car and *BOOM* there it is. A flat tire. "Yup. It's my birthday alright." My wife and I agree to go into the church and then I would change the tire after the service. We go in to the service and new friends and old friends greet us as worship is going on. Now, a little back story. If you read the first blog from the Fisherman Soldier, you will know that I have been running from God for a long time, and have recently come back to the fold. For a few weeks now I have been struggling with this dream, a thought; that I am supposed to become a Pastor. Terrifying right? Thats a heck of a call to receive from the Lord. So back to todays service. Our Pastor gets up and begins talking about faith. Having faith and the fact that God uses Abraham to illustrate faith in the most profound ways. As the pastors words sink into my brain, I start to get this feeling. Something that I haven't felt in a while. Peace. That's when my mothers favorite bible verse pops into my head. 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." This verse has meant so many different things to me throughout my life. Sort of like a Swiss Army knife, this verse has a thousand and one uses. Even though I was running from God, I always carried this verse with me wherever I went. ANd it has gotten me through some of the roughest patches of my life. I thought it was because it was my Mothers favorite verse. I now think that it was because it was God's safety line. That one thing holding me to him so he could pull me back when I was ready. After service we had a soup luncheon and reception. We sat with our good friends Ken and Kat and their family. We talk and laugh, and then the Pastor comes up. He asks to sit and places himself in front of me. We begin to talk, and the topic of my dilemma comes up. The whole time we are speaking this bible verse is running through my head. At the same time, everything the Pastor is saying is making this verse scream louder and louder at me. "God has a plan for you Spike!" the voice in my head is saying somewhat like a Drill Sergeant. Our Pastor, whether he knew it or not, was the nudge I needed, the push from God, the swift kick in the pants to get off of the sidelines and get onto the playing field. We leave, and I start changing the tire. When two deacons from the church come over and begin to help me change the tire. They didn't have to. But they did. It was as if God was once again telling me, "I have a plan for you. I'll take care of you. I have got your back." As if I needed any further motivation to follow the calling I had received all those years ago, God does what he does best. He gives me another sign that he is there. We get to the only tire place that is open on Sunday. We check in and hand over our keys. The gentleman takes the car in and twenty minutes later proceeds to finish our paper work. I reach for my wallet and ask "what's the damage?" "Nothing." He replied. After scraping my jaw off of the floor, I ask "Are you serious?". He smiles, and states "that 'Goodyear' doesn't charge to fix a flat tire". Once again, God is screaming at me " I HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU SPIKE! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" God not only saw fit to get me through another year, but he gave me the best gift he ever could have given me. A renewal of Faith. I am off to search the web for Bible Schools now, I have a calling that I was supposed to fulfill a long time ago. There is that old expression that I have heard my entire life. "... Judge not, lest ye be judged." So why is it then, that some of the most judgmental people on the planet, are Christians? Time and time again, I am let down by my fellow followers of the Way. I am heavily tattooed. Arms, legs, chest and hands. Nothing that could be deemed 'offensive'. I am a Veteran of the U.S. Navy, and many of the tattoos I have are in accordance with old school maritime tradition. Still, the hate and judgement comes in waves. Maybe a reason I was running from God for so long was because of how other Christians made me feel. The look of scorn and disdain. Disapproval greeted me at every church I walked into. The eyes glaring in contempt for the ink that is in my skin. I even had an old Catholic lady in a grocery store tell me "I was going to burn in Hell for destroying God's temple..." "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:28 The 'Go To' Bible verse for anti-tattoo advocates of Christian persuasion. So I did some homework. The section, "cuttings in your flesh..." is in reference to a barbaric ritual that existed back then. It was a type of 'sacrifice of flesh' to appease the Gods. A ritual still practiced today by many Muslims during the Day of Ashura. Now, the 'tattoo' portion of the verse is a tricky thing. From Aramaic to Greek, Greek to German/English etc... Not all words translate completely. The closest I could find was 'marks' or 'markings' that are the closest in translation from the original Aramaic in reference to scarring the body to remember the dead. So, it is reasonable that scholars could have made an assumption that this just meant 'tattoos'. A conversation thread I found on Biblical Hermeneutics made an interesting observation. "The command is clear in this passage to not pierce one's body for the dead. The slaves were to be pierced by their master upon choosing to stay with them rather than going free; therefore, it seems clear that the command does not forbid all piercing, but only piercing for the dead. In regard to tattooing, however, the English does not connect the command not to tattoo with "for the dead in any way. I read the other post pertaining to this passage and though it is insightful, it does not pertain to my question, that being: Grammatically, is there a connection in the Hebrew between the command forbidding to tattoo and 'for the dead?'" It's just a thought. An opinion. For isn't the Bible interpreted differently by each individual person that reads it? What I like to call "Idiopathic Christianity". Meaning each Christians walk with God is different and pertains to them specifically. No one else. What I think is important, is that I AM a Christian and walking with God. I AM a good Father and Husband. I AM a good neighbor to my Brothers and Sisters. Isn't that the important thing? I used to stress about things like the entirety of this blog. Until I had the revelation of "Idiopathic Christianity". Then I was at peace. It doesn't matter what other Christians or non-Christians think. It matters what God thinks, and how I live my life walking with Him. I will Love my Wife, Protect and teach my Son, be a good neighbor to my Brothers and Sisters. I will enjoy life, Praise the Lord; Dance and give Joy unto him. The next day I will do it all over again. The Judgments of others no longer hold sway on me. While your contemplating the opinions I have put forth so far dwell on this: In Revelation 19:16 "And He has on His robe and His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." The Aramaic translation for the words written and on Jesus' robe and thigh is 'writers ink'. This Video is from one of my favorite bands, and is very much how I view my life, especially since I am back on the path. We've all said it before. "God, give me the strength..." But have you ever noticed that he doesn't? He doesn't waive his hand and *POOF* , magically you're as strong as an Ox! Or, *POOF*, you have the resolve of a dozen people and are able to get through the day. That's not at all what God does. What he does do, is give us an opportunity to be strong. To do what needs to be done on our own. Don't get me wrong, he is always with us, but like any good parent; he wants his children to be able to stand on our own. I have come to understand this hard truth in the past few years, and have wrestled with it sporadically. But once I accepted the fact that God wants me to be strong, things got easier. Now, I don't pray for God to give me strength. I pray for God to give me an opportunity to be strong. "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 I have heard this verse cited all my life, and I look at it now with new eyes. God does give us strength as Paul states in Philippians, but I think he does it by giving us the opportunity to be strong. To learn from our mistakes, to develop and grow. Not just as a human being, but also as a child of the Lord. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 Psalm 46 is another very resounding verse about God being our strength. I look at this verse like this. A parent is teaching their child to ride a bicycle. The parent holds onto the back of the bike and reassures the child that they are there. But at some point, the parent has to let go so the child can ride the bike on their own. Yes the child might fall down a few times, and God, like a good parent, is there to pick them back up. Our "refuge" like Psalm 46 says. But the parent gives the child a chance to try again. A chance to be strong and to learn from past mistakes and events. Yes, you might stumble. Yes you might fall. But he will always be there to help you back to your feet and to give you a chance to be strong. I like to end my blogs with music, so please enjoy this song from DC Talk. It always helps me to be strong. Be Blessed. (Photo Credit: Pintrest) I think it's safe to say that most people despise Mondays. Goes without saying. The weekend is over, and for most, it's "back to the grindstone". Our bodies are sluggish, our mind set is dragging and it can feel like there is not enough caffeine in the world to get the week going. Trust me, we've all been there. However look at it this way, God has seen fit to give you another day. Another week. Another chance to provide for your family, a chance to make a difference in the world. You read that correctly. You can change the world. Even the smallest act of kindness can change the course of events in someones life in a positive way. The 5 minutes it takes to help someone push their disabled car to the side of the road. Stopping to help a Senior citizen who dropped her groceries in the parking lot. Giving that extra dollar to the single mom in front of you in line at the store who is just a little short of her total. Small acts for some, but to that person, it is life changing. My sons former elementary school teacher told him once that there is no such thing as "luck". I have to disagree. I believe that "L.U.C.K." is a real thing. Love Under Christ's Kindness. Be someones "LUCK". Use this new week that God has given you. Be joyful and grateful for the opportunity. Give thanks to the Lord above for the chance to make a difference. Give praise. Dance and Rejoice in him. Yes, it's "MONDAY"; so what? Strap on your grown up pants and head in full throttle. The right motivation can help you do this, and I have always found music to be a crucial motivator. The Bible says, "Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp." - Psalm 149:3 So here is a song by Toby Mac that always gets me motivated to be someones "L.U.C.K." Be Blessed. |
AuthorSpike Bowan is the Pittsburgh, PA born Writer and Fiction Author. He is a Veteran of the US Navy, retired Paramedic, Husband, Father and Christian. BECOME A PATRON. CLICK BELOW!
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