JonathanBenz.com

It's Good to Doubt

The following is an article written by Larry Brook. I asked him if I could share it here. He talks here on a key to serenity through letting go and believing the best. I know I am trying to practice this principle, since reading his article for the first time.

Larry ministers in Pastoral Care at Covenant Centre International in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and is one of the happiest and most optimistic people I know.

We find it very easy to give. We give people a hard time. We give advice even when there has been no request. We give up when the going gets tough. You'd think we had an unending amount of wisdom, because we are so quick to give people a piece of our mind.   Some of us might even say we have the giving anointing.

I'm not sure that is the kind of generosity the scriptures had in mind when they said, "...the Lord loves a cheerful giver." (2Cor 9:7) Seeing a need and gladly fulfilling it is most likely the type of giving the Lord would prefer. It's the same kind of giving He shares with us time after time.

I was reflecting on this the other day and had an interesting thought. There just might be another gift to add to those of finances, volunteering and loving affection. This gift could be given away many times each day. The source of this gift is limitless during our lifetime. Furthermore, this unique gift is sure to increase the more we give it away. Simply put this is the gift of giving those we come in contact with the benefit of the doubt.

Just Check Out this Table

For months I've had a refrain in my spirit that goes something like this: Who do we welcome to the table of brother and sisterhood? Who are we willing to gather together with? Who is welcome at the table of the Lord?

I have this vision of a place where people sit together and discuss their lives, a place where we welcome people wherever they are on their spiritual journey.This is a place where we may not agree on everything--family members rarely do--but a place where we eat together and discuss our deeply held beliefs in an atmosphere of deep respect and love. 

Because of that, I've been meditating on the teachings of Jesus, the example of people of faith like Gandhi and Mother Teresa, and the legacy that Martin Luther King gave us.

So I was pretty excited when a friend told me about this commercial announcing the MLK Memorial dedication. The dedication has been delayed until September or October due to Hurricane Irene. But this commercial still speaks. Just check out this table.

 

No Jumping Overboard

When I was fifteen I picked up a copy of Carl Jung's Modern Man in Search of a Soul. I was fascinated by Jung's explanation of dream analysis. I still have that same copy today and use it in one of my lectures on spirituality.

It's been said that dreams and visions are the language of the Spirit. They are certainly, if anything, portals into the subconscious that can communicate significant insight and even direction for our lives.

I had a dream last night that was a great encouragement to me. I was on a large ship, a cruise liner, and we were on a journey out at sea. I was with a diversity of people. There were religious, non-religious, single, married, old, young, gay, straight, and all different colors of skin.

Randy Roberts Potts-Oral Roberts' Grandson-on Coming Out

Interviewed last night as well on Headline News was Randy Roberts Potts, the grandson of Oral Roberts. He came out and has been alienated from his charismatic, Christian family since as they believe he is now going to hell.

His uncle, Richard Roberts' brother, was gay and committed suicide years ago. This family shines a light on what many Christians, especially Evangelicals and charismatics, are still not ready or comfortable to acknowledge--that gays and lesbians have been in their families and congregations all along.

 

 

Jay Bakker on Homosexuality, Religion, & Politics

Jay Bakker, a minister of radical grace, appeared on Joy Behar's program on Headline News last night. Don Lemon interviewed him.

He is the prophetic voice of a new generation in American Evangelicalism. His message of grace, love, and inclusivity is refreshing and needs to be heard. As I've said in other posts, everyone is welcome at the table of the Lord. Thankfully, we are seeing that happen in our lifetime.

I encourage you to watch and listen with an open heart.

  

Why I'm Not Your Judge

This was my Facebook status update earlier this evening:

 

Before I knew it my update was lighting up with comments, mostly from Christians. Oh yes, one lovely Buddhist too.

Evidently, many Christians--as well as non-Christians--are tired of judgmental words from Christian prophets who feel a need to punish America for not believing their version of the Christian faith.

I saw this firsthand in 2004 when some prophetic types told me that my home congregation was destroyed because God was judging us. So it's nothing new. I just was hoping that we were a little beyond this senseless rhetoric by now. I guess we aren't.

So I'm responding again saying it's time to choose mercy over judgment and love over fear. We as humans don't really wear judgment and fear very well. It's not a good look. It incarcerates our souls and we don't even realize it. You can keep your judgment for yourself. I'm not interested.

Now you might say, "Shouldn't we judge certain things?" I'm all for opinions and certainly have my own. But judging carries a different spirit than having an opinion that may change over time. Judging carries finality. Opinions are different because they can be ammended over time and with new information. They usually are.

I know this much: I am not the judge. In fact, I'm pretty lousy at it.

If you need to judge, go ahead and see how it works for you. But I'm not interested in hearing it or giving energy to it.

If you have a judgment from God to pronounce, then you better produce some hard, verifiable evidence that God actually said as much. Twisting Scriptures to support your subjective revelation of God's wrath on good people is not sufficient. It's not nice either.

I find that for me when I make judgments about people, nations, places, or groups, I am generally completely unaware of how blinded I am at that moment, and the Spirit has a way of getting my attention. Usually, it's receiving judgment back into my life. I think that's why it says, "Judge not, lest you being judged."

The good news is that we live in a spiritual age where mercy triumphs over judgment.  We get to choose to walk that principle out everyday.

I'm so thankful today's earthquake wasn't any worse than it was. Sounds like mercy to me.

 

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