Silencing the Lambs

This week has been a week of off-screen drama. Have you ever had a drama script playing out in your mind, where you made right all the evils of the world? It is set in a place where you say all the things you wished you had said, or did all the things you wished you had done. You get to be the hero and no one takes advantage of you.

Today, my internalized cinematic world was silenced by a roar. A bigger than life, floor rattling ROAR. The kind that stops traffic and dialogue and even Santa from finishing his December 25th flyover. Picture the face of a majestic lion with full mane, bared teeth, and glowing piercing eyes. He stands on the crest of a hill and slowly glances back at you and ROARS.

That is what silences the lambs. That is the voice of a great kingly beast that reminds us that we are the weak. All of us are weak and He will be sovereign and set all things in order. None of us need rant and rave for truth and justice. God is on the throne and He knows how to get our attention and do His job.

We have all heard about the foolishness of sheep. Suffice it to say they have a lot in common with goats.
Probably a little more picky about their diet, but prone to random acts of lunacy. They need a shepherd to protect them from just about everything.

As one of God’s lambs, my greatest danger is probably myself. I can really get off on my own agenda and get myself into some senseless drama. So, today when I heard the ROAR. It was the sound of reason saying, “Your voice is just a whisper, let me speak for you."

I think that is a much better plan. Remember the majesty of the King and trust in His voice. He is not sleeping or hibernating. He reigns and He ROARS.

Quotes to Jolt

This is the beginning of a series of random quotes from the book The Miracle Tour.
The purpose is to assault our minds with truth and wake us from complacency or simply a long spiritual nap. My challenge is that you hit me back with something equally truth bearing. Bring it on. I dare you.

Jesus was a rule breaking, shamelessly grace-filled libertarian.

Get the Message Out There

Long before the day of radio broadcasts, podcasts, and videos, Jesus was a great storyteller, We all know how the movie industry has portrayed Christ in a long white robe, hair glowing in the sun, happy shining people seated and listening intently. I am not so sure that was the actual scene, due to the size of the crowd and a distinct lack of microphones. Instead, I think he utilized the platform of a large rock and there was a lot of row to row murmuring going on. Don't you wonder if the disciples were placed around for crowd control, or maybe to answer questions in individual groups? Talk about social networking. I can't help but think the hillside hang was pretty great though due to the fact it was Christ's main platform for communications. It was intensely popular and Jesus had to resort to the unexpected like teaching from a boat, pushed back from the crowd.

What we have on the record about his teaching style is a typically visual story told to reveal the heart and mind of God. Jesus used common lifestyle stories with an eternal twist. Not all of them were bedtime stories. Some were very challenging, but woven into a familiar narrative.

So today, we have a no hillside hangouts. We have rallies, concerts, and even chatrooms where we can communicate the good word. Our culture still likes a great story. No matter what tough times comes along with our economy, movie theaters stay full for a great flick. We who believe in the unfathomable God of the Universe, have a rich resource for ideas and concepts to tell our stories. Get edgy and post something on Facebook that says you are a Jesus person. Be bold in your faith and pass it along. Write a song, an essay, paint a painting, create a dance, just do it. Today, think about what you can do to tell the story. It is about telling your story, God's story through your life. It's a lot easier than sitting in the grass, swatting at gnats, and straining your voice to be heard. Each of us have our own hillside. Stand up and be heard.
ICorinthians 14:26
So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. ...