Britney

There is a new song out by the Christian singer, Bebo Norman, titled 'Britney'. It's a song about Britney Spears and when I first heard the song it blew me away. The words are very moving and basically its an apology to her for how she has been treated by those around her. As I listened to the song I actually started feeling sorry for her, and in my spirit I was broken for her. You see, like many Christians I find it easy to quickly judge those in the limelight that are going through pain, thinking that they deserve what they get for the lifestyle they live. But after hearing that song I felt convicted, realizing that Jesus would be the first to wrap His arms around her in the midst of her pain and love on her. I think Christians, myself included, act too quickly to judge others without looking at them through the eyes of Christ. Whenever Christ did say a harsh word to someone it usually always was directed to the religious crowd who were quick to judge anyone that did not fit in their circle of fellow believers. You never find Jesus doing anything to the lost other than loving them and admonishing them to put their faith in Him. The other night I was watching a video of a street minister preaching on the streets of Ybor city outside of Tampa. That particular area is known as a party place, a large number of bars are there, including a gay bar, and some strip bars. There was also a well known minister captured on the video who was sitting on his Harley watching as this young street preacher was preaching against homosexuals and sinners. The minister on the bike was laughing as some of the passerbys would mock the young minister and some shouted things at him. As I thought on this I made the comment to my wife that Christ would never do that. He wouldn't stand on a street corner and yell at people passing by, He would go embrace them and love on them. It's possible to love the sinner and hate the sin. Thats what our great God does, He loves homosexuals, lesbians, drunks, druggies, you name it, loving the sinner yet hating the sin. There is a difference in preaching against sin, warning the sinner of coming judgement and about the just demands of a Holy God, and yelling at sinners and preaching to them as if you were happy they were going to hell. As my Pastor likes to say, "you can preach like you're trying to keep people out of hell or you can preach like your happy they are going to hell." I think that is what moved me so much about the Britney song, it speaks the truth very vididly concerning what this world does to others, the world influenced by Satan loves to destroy peoples lives, its time Christians stand up and offer them something better, something that won't leave them hurting and empty, its time we show the love of Christ. To see the video by Bebo Norman follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Q_wVfGAfA

Climate change is coming.

Do you feel it? When the weather changes we can feel it in the air, when summer changes into fall we feel it and we see it in things around us, the trees change color, in some parts snow begins to fall. We walk outside in the morning and we can see our breath. When we change from winter into spring we feel the newness in the air and see the effects of life being renewed about us. There is something stirring in the spiritual realm, do you feel it? The climate is changing. We are moving from one season into another one. The number eight in the Hebrew means open gates, new beginnings, this is 2008 and God has been doing some new things in the church, leading His people through gates of opportunity and spiritual gains. The number nine in Hebrew means completeness and fullness, literally a 'harvest of fullness'. I believe what we are doing now for Him will translate into a harvest of fullness in the coming season. During this time of new beginnings He is changing your spiritual climate, things that mattered to you but weren't high on His priority list is being replaced with His heart. Do you feel it? The climate is changing and when you move from this season of your life into the next, into fullness, like winter changing into spring, a new passion, a new desire for the Spiritual, a desire for His heart will replace the things from the winter months. Don't dread the winter season, though its the time that things appear to die and have no value, its a necessary process in God's order of things, though it may appear dead, the trees actually have life flowing through them. Your life may reflect death on the outside, your dreams may appear over, but the climate is about to change, fullness of harvest is coming, spring will come and life will bubble over. Do you feel the climate changing? The greatest days of the church are just about upon us, we are living in exciting times, times that the Bible has spoken about. The climate is changing!