Category: Different Thoughts

Posted in Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts, Uncategorized

consuming.

Posted on by Wick

Once there was a murderer who was the best in his trade.  He was so twistedly good at what he did, and enjoyed bringing death more than any could understand.  Not only did he exist to bring death, he enjoyed playing with his victims…convincing them they were safe while he employed his trade.  Also, he wasn’t content to simply kill.  His true pleasure came in consuming the flesh of his victims.  Sometimes all at once, but often bit by bit, over a long period of time, until there was nothing left but the bones laying on the floor in a room more silent than a winter chill.

But there was a problem.  People had heard of what he had done in the past.  They knew his face.

They didn’t trust him, and ran whenever they saw him approaching.

So he became creative.  He found 7 others who were just as twisted as he, and sometimes even helped twist those who were open to being befriended.  Friends who would move with his movements, and speak with his words.  Who would find out what he wanted to accomplish, and set out on his behalf.  Not many people knew their identities, and many who did found so much pleasure in their company, they quieted any desire to sound the alarm.

But one day, killing through his accomplices ceased to quench his desire to bring death.  His hunger for consuming the living grew to a point where he was unable to suppress it any longer.  But surely he would be unable to approach anyone, right?  After all, they still knew his face.   They still knew his name.  They avoided him at all costs.  They prayed for protection from him.  But being full of pride, he was not easily discouraged.  He decided to reach for the stars, offering himself as a guest in their homes.  He moved on quickly, not expecting any response.

But the responses came.

“COME!!”  “Come on over!!”  “We’ll come pick you up!!”  He smiled, and even laughed deep inside himself.  These were the people so aware of him???  These were the same people he’d been cast out from among over and over again….and didn’t know if he’d ever again taste.  He looked at himself in the mirror one more time….adjusted his collar…and smiled as he set out on a familiar path…

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A silly story, yes?  Fiction….horribly written and imagined….right?  Except for the fact that there’s so much truth in it.  We and our families/homes are being consumed by things like anger, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.  When we recognize these in our homes and lives….we should confront them in the name of Jesus.  Allow our lives to be transformed, made new, and freed from their presence.

Instead, often the opposite happens.

Certainly, we usually leave these things at home while we head to church for a couple hours each week.  But I was reminded 7617-Conjuring2.jpg.220w.tnrecently by the box office success of a film like “The Conjuring”, not to mention shows like “Ghost Hunters”, or any of several other shows these days.  We enjoy poking sticks into the cages of the realms of spiritual evil we believe Christ came to declare Lordship over and our freedom from.  It shouldn’t be surprising when we get bit.  (Eph 4:27)

Standing in life-giving contrast, we re-member Jesus.  Not threatening to consume, but rather offering His own flesh and blood, and saying “Take, and eat…”  Asking if we’re hungry, and offering a banquet.

“Why would you go watch ________?”  Ask the question, and you’ll most likely get the answer, “because it’s scary/freaky!” said with a smile.  I can understand when the movie is about aliens, or even someone who’s pretty messed up.  These are things we are able to safely close our doors and lock them against, or realize they aren’t real (or aren’t coming to our planet because they’re allergic to water).

But to be entertained by the feeling you get when we watch a movie about demonic forces because you believe those forces exist?  To play a game that opens a door to a spiritual realm Jesus has died to keep us freed from?  If you didn’t realize that was not a good thing…..this is my polite way of saying….it’s not a good thing.  It’s true….inviting a cannibalistic serial killer into your home/mind/heart may not result in you being killed and eaten.  But I’m guessing most of us still wouldn’t unlock the door in that scenario.

And no, not because I think you’ll be possessed, or have sharp objects flying around your room or see demonic hands clapping out of cabinets.  Those are obvious ways for evil to be discovered/dealt with.  But rather, I believe the forces I’m talking about here would much rather be manifested in quiet, undetected slowly-building ways of broken relationships, bad decisions, and loneliness.

Instead, may this week find you feasting on Christ…(and go see Despicable Me 2 if you really need a flick)

Posted in Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts

it is for freedom…

Posted on by Wick

There’s an incredibly powerful movie that came out recently called “Megamind”. It’s a redemptive story where someone who was originally born leaning toward sin and self eventually realizes the error of his ways, and is transformed into a champion of righteousness. (Okay, so that might be an over-spiritualization…but it can definitely be used in youth ministry.)

At one point in the movie, the evil villain Megamind is distraught over not having any “good” to balance out his evil. He had defeated the Super-hero, and everything he does now feels pointless. So he devises a plan to create a new super-hero using the DNA of the previous hero. He accidentally gives super-powers to a hapless young man with no desire to use the powers for good. Megamind quickly moves from benevolent giver of powers – to unleashing his desire and need to control the forces he’s unleashed.freedombutterfly

Some of us have the same opinion of God. We picture God looking down from above, seeing a world he created as broken and filled with sin. He needs someone to clean up the mess that’s been made, and so he offers to transform humanity, with the understanding we have a calling to play a cosmic-janitorial role.

But that’s not what we read in scripture:

Galatians 5:1 declares “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.”

There’s a popular worship song that uses this phrase, and I’ll be honest – I’ve usually thought it was a bit redundant. I figured maybe the writer of the scripture was simply emphasizing the importance of freedom by repeating the word. But in our world of manipulation by those in power – the verse hits us as a breath of fresh air. God has not acted benevolently on our behalf in order to build an army of soldiers who sing his battle hymns and march to his omnipotent drumming. God has acted on our behalf because He loves us, because we were enslaved and held captive by sin, and because He wanted us to experience true freedom.

Sure, it’s a freedom that when we actually experience it, will infinitely compel us into so many directions of response. But the words of God in Galatians 5:1 remind us – it’s not for any return performance, act of gratitude, or powerful response on his behalf that he originally moved for us. It was out of a love for us that was so strong, he could not sit and watch us remain captive. We are set free. Why? In order to live as those who have been set free!

Are we communicating His motives to a world still in bondage? Are we giving our children that message when we teach them about the God who loves us? How could we refine our message just a little bit this week, as God sets us free to live holy lives? To begin, you may want to take a moment and discover where you might still be submitting to the chains of sin…

Posted in Different Learning, Different Thoughts

free.

Posted on by Wick

Last week, we gathered a group of mostly senior highers together from all over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois.  The goal was to take 36 young people through a few days of learning about our history as the Free Methodist Church, hear what God is currently doing through us, and look forward to how they fit uniquely into the future directions of our movement.  It.  Went.  Awesome.

Seriously, better than we could’ve planned. (we’re not great planners, admittedly)

One of the “Group Times” involved students taking important dates from our timeline, and important aspects of what defined us as we began the FM Church – and finding unique ways to remember them.  Here are a few our group came up with:

1. BT Roberts was an MVP, or “Most Valuable Preacher”.  Michael Jordan was also an MVP, and his number was 23.  BT Roberts was born in 1823.  Boom.

2. Heinz 57 Sauce is red, like a stop sign.  It was in 1857 that BT Roberts was told by his church to STOP some of the stir he was causing toward certain freedoms he believed were vital to the life of a Christ-follower.  Just one year later, in 1858, his ordination and credentials were removed.

3. So, since his church had “86’d” his role as a minister, he began a new movement by inviting like-hearted followers of Christ.   He began “Peeking” into a NEW movement (denomination) in 1886 in Pekin, NEW York.

4. From the very beginning, this movement embraced 5 essential freedoms along with the ordination of women:

S- Slaves should be freed!

P- Pews should be free! (Many churches in those days had begun “renting/selling” pews, with more expensive seats toward the front.   So an unofficial “caste” system had developed within the churches, leaving many people without a place for worship.)

E – Freedom of Expression in worship.

W – Freedom from the trappings of the World/Wealth.  (Freedom from Sin)

S – Freedom from “secret societies”. (Much drama was being caused in the church by members uniting in a secret society, and then approaching the church with a desire and ability to control what was happening within.  BT Roberts himself was falsely accused of this.)

Yup, that’s right….just about every one of the 7 small groups of teenagers came up independently with the acronym “S-P-E-W-S” to remember the 5 freedoms we embraced from the very beginning.  There was a beautiful moment on one of our last evenings out on the town, where our teens were approached by a stranger who asked what group we were.   They told him “Free Methodist Youth”, and he was confused.  He’d heard of Methodism, but not the “Free” kind.  They proceeded to explain to him, using the very elements listed above.   The teens thought perhaps we’d planted him in the crowd to test them!  It was great confirmation of wickrobertsthe importance of what we’d been doing all week!

Later on, we discussed the 9 points of emphasis our church is currently embracing here in the US.  Many of the teens were freakin’ out, because they’d talked earlier in the week about what they really want changed in our church, and this was almost an exact list of what they’d come up with!  Just another reminder for us not to simply give nods to our young people, but to listen to what God might be speaking through them.

Oh yes….and BT Roberts was often sporting a neck-beard.  I happened to have an NHL play-off beard that needed shaving.  It was perfect timing to illustrate what a neck-beard would look like in person…..