Beauty Is in the Eye (Part Two)...

Photo of the tattoo I mentioned in my precious post. My apologies for the poor quality.

So I think Im realizing that "context" is my current soapbox to preach from...

In my last post I discussed my views on the controversial topic of tattoos and appearances. I wanted to give a little merit to my opinion by giving some examples of the context that shows that the old laws I had mentioned were, in fact, cultural...

When we study scripture we have to remember to study the surrounding context of the verses that we read, so that we can understand what topic is being addressed. I proved how important context is in one of my previous posts titled, "Contradictions in the Bible." Sometimes this context is obvious, and sometimes we have to search history to find it.

So just to be clear, I understand that Christ taught us that none of the law would pass away and He didn't come to change it or abolish it, but rather to fulfill it.

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." (Matthew 5:17 NLT)

So how can ANY of the old laws be cultural? Shouldn't we continue to keep them all? YES -- Yes we should, but in our culture they translate differently... Now, don't think I'm trying to take the scripture in a liberal fashion either, we can easily take this statement too far as well, but read on and you'll see what I'm saying.

Let's take a look at some of these verses and their historical context.

"You must obey all my decrees. Do not mate two different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread." (Leviticus 19:19 NLT)

Like I stated in the last post we're all "breaking this law" everyday! Grab the tag on the back of your shirt and read it. I can guarantee it says something to the likes of "50% Cotton 50% Polyester." Upon studying, I've come to find that this law was partly literal, yet mostly metaphorical. The decree for not sewing multiple crops on one field and not wearing combined linens was set as a literal AND metaphorical reminder not to intermingle sinful lifestyles into what God had called them to do. It was part of their culture. Today we honor this command by living righteously and keeping the filth of sin out of our lives. We honor what is Holy and cast off what is not.

"Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards." (Leviticus 19:27 NLT)

How many Christian men are guilty of this, today? How many of us have broken this decree? The truth is that if you aren't shaping your head to honor the celestial gods, you haven't actually broken this decree. See, the Gentile (those who were not Jewish) people in this era were rounding their hair as a sign of devotion and honor to celestial gods, so the God of Abraham commanded that the Israelites take no part in that practice. Today we honor this decree by making God our ONLY priority and putting no other gods before Him.

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:28 NLT emphasis mine)

This one is actually easier to see the context, especially because I emphasized it. In the days this scripture was written, the Gentiles would cut themselves and tattoo graven images as a ritual to mourn the dead. To my understanding, this was actually never a decree against the art of tattooing itself, but rather against the ritual of marking yourself with graven images for the dead. Today the Christian community honors this command by not marking ourselves with any image that constitutes idolatry or any other graven image. Those who mark themselves with symbology that relates to God or Christ have not broken this ancient decree, because they have not marked themselves for any ritual with any graven image for the dead.

These are just a few examples and I'm sure there are several more, but this post is already lengthy enough, so, I hope this sheds light on a subject that has left many people hurt by judgment that was misplaced at best. I love you all and God bless!

Beauty Is in the Eye...

We've all heard the age-old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." The only question I have is, does that phrase hold any relevance in our Christian walk?

Too often we judge those working in the church based on an outward appearance and what WE feel falls into the guidelines of "beauty." We get worked up if a pastor dresses too formal, too casual, too trendy, too old fashioned, too this, too that, and the list rolls on and we don't hear a word he has to say.

Of course this statement applies in Christianity.

Look at this picture.. Tell me what you see. If you told me that you saw a man with massive holes in his ears, covered in tattoos screaming into a microphone I'd have to agree with you. But would you agree with me if I told you that this photo is of one of the most powerful ministers of our time? Watch this video and try to tell me otherwise...

See, we have to understand that music and appearances both fall into categories of beauty that are subject to personal opinion. Just because we don't care for someone's style doesn't mean it is not beautiful to them. And don't worry, I know what you're thinking. "What about scripture saying not to give the appearance of evil and not to mark or mar your body?" As far as the appearance of evil, we can yet again refer to the title of this post. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I'm sure the appearance of evil is subject to interpretation as well. A biker gang that has only experienced hatred from the church may feel that a pastor approaching them in a three piece suit is giving the appearance of evil, while they may actually hear out the Word of God if spoken to them by a fellow biker. "But the Bible clearly states that tattoos are sinful!"

???

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:28 NLT emphasis mine)

My only problem with this is when we look at some of the surrounding verses we are told not to wear fabric made of more than one material and not to cut our hair or trim our beards.

"You must obey all my decrees. Do not mate two different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two different kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven from two different kinds of thread. Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards." (Leviticus 19:19, 27 NLT emphasis mine)

So my honest thoughts on this subject is that anyone who isn't Amish has already sinned as much as I did when I got the word "discipline" tattooed on my left wrist. God has made a diverse people, we must understand that our appearances don't define how Godly we are, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Now understand, I'm not trying to dismiss the rules either. But when you look at the ancient scriptures I believe many of these rules, especially that dealt with appearance, were cultural. The rules that affect morality are never and will never be in question, but I feel we need to stop using single verses of scripture without context to support the excommunication of ministers and Christians who look different than we'd like them to.

*Photo and YouTube contents are not my property and I do not intend to infringe on copyright laws or claim these works as my own.

Spiritual Myopia: an Article Written by my Father.

While Christmas time should be one of the happiest and joyful times of the year, it can also be one of the most stressful. Finding the right present, being able to afford what you want to buy, fighting the holiday crowds, and rushing to visit family and friends can all cause each of us to forget what this holiday is really about. Other factors, such as painful memories, joblessness, or illnesses are also things that can take away the joy that each of us should feel as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and cause us to lose our focus. Having a blurred vision of God however is not something that only happens during the holiday season. In fact I believe many Christians today suffer from a condition that I call, “Spiritual Myopia.”
In the 18th chapter of 1 Kings, the bible tells about how the prophet Elijah had told King Ahab that it would not rain in Israel. For over three years Israel did not see any rain because the country was not doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Worship of false gods was rampant everywhere. Elijah had a confrontation with 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel and after the fire of the Lord consumed his sacrifice and all the false prophets were killed, Elijah told King Ahab to get ready for there was the sound of a mighty rain. He then began to pray and told his servant to go look for rain. Seven times his servant went to look and on the seventh time he came back and told Elijah all he saw was one small cloud the size of a man’s hand. Elijah however sent word to Ahab and told him to hitch up his chariot and ride, because the rain was coming. So what did Elijah see that his servant could not? What was the servant’s problem?
The servant was suffering from “Spiritual Myopia.” The American Heritage Dictionary says that myopia is a visual defect in which distant objects appear blurred because their images are focused in front of the retina rather than on it. This can be called nearsightedness. It is also a term which refers to someone who is shortsighted in their thinking or planning. So “Spiritual Myopia” then refers to someone who has a blurred image of God or of what God can accomplish.
Let me give you another example. In the 13th chapter of Numbers Moses sent twelve spies into the Promised Land. All twelve saw the same thing. When they returned ten of the spies reported that they had seen giants in the land that were bigger and more powerful then they were. Two of the spies however had a totally different view of what they had seen. Chapter 14:5-9 states, “Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh were among those who had torn their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly: “The Land we passed trough and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Wow! How could Joshua and Caleb see things so differently than the other ten? It is because they were not blinded by what they saw, but looked beyond the problem to the solution. They knew if God was pleased with them, He would give them the land. Their eye sight was not blurred and the vision that God gave each of them was perfectly clear.
I remember watching the movie “Jaws.” There was a scene in which Roy Schneider, Richard Dreyfuss and the captain of the fishing boat were out to sea looking for, at this point, an unseen shark. Roy is standing at the edge of the boat and as he looked into the water this huge Great White shark rises up out of the water and Roy is face to face with a problem he was not totally expecting and prepared for. His response at this point is classic. He states, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat!”
This is the same thing we each need to do when faced with adversity. We need to look past our problems to the solution. It is not that our problems are too big. The problem is that our vision of God is not big enough. Jesus told us in John16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We have to have faith. Hebrews 11:1 states, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Remember: Nebuchadnezzer saw a fiery furnace, but the three Hebrew boys saw a sauna they would share with Jesus. Goliath saw a little shepherd boy with a slingshot, but David saw someone who he knew was not any more of a threat than the lion and the bear he had already defeated. The children of Israel saw a sea trapping them for the approaching army of Pharoah, while Moses saw an escape path through the water. Some saw a young girl with her baby in a manger under a bright shining star, while God saw a need to send His son to save the world.
So as we celebrate Christmas this year let us focus on what the true meaning is instead of how big our problems are. Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is no vision the people perish…” How big is your vision...

How big is your God?

Article written by Michael Conrad. Edited for publish in Faith Like Feathers by Kevin Conrad.

Justified by Faith?

It's been a while and if you got here through our Facebook page, you've already read our apology. Now, this topic is one that needs to be covered and is of high importance.

Throughout scripture there seems to be several verses that imply the fact that we can receive salvation by merely believing, or having faith in God. This ideology has brought forth newly popularized claims about heaven, hell, and even life on earth. The claim gaining the most popularity amongst my generation is the claim of Universal Reconciliation, or in simpler terms, the theory that EVERYONE will get into heaven.

Is this true?

Universalists claim that in scripture there are over six-hundred verses that support their claim. Let's take a look at a few, starting with justification by faith.

First, what is justification by faith? To be justified with something or someone means to be made right with said object. So if you kill someone out of self defense you are legally justified by the fact that they were trying to harm you. Justification by faith simply means we are made right with God by believing in Jesus' death and resurrection being the only means of our salvation. The Apostle Paul speaks of this justification in many of his writings, but especially in Romans.

If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God's way. For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. (Romans 4:2-5 NLT)

So we shouldn't work for, toward, or on our salvation? We just have to believe? Hmmm...

Now, notice how James speaks of the same man that the Apostle Paul spoke of in the above verses and even quotes the same ancient scriptures.

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. (James 2:19-24 NLT)

I do believe that we are justified by our faith and doing good works can't earn us grace, but I also believe that we cannot be justified by something that is dead.

Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. (James 2:26 NLT)

Now these verses may seem like a contradiction upon a quick read until we see that the Apostle Paul wrote several verses that also state we need to live out what we profess. Remember.. Context.

Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law (ten commandments, laws of Moses, God's rules)? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. (Romans 3:31 NLT with my notations added)

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? (Romans 6:1, 2 NLT)

I think the easiest way to sum this up is to say that we cannot earn grace, but we can choose to deny it.

Always remember to look at the context of a quoted scripture before believing the theory it is tied to. We'll take a further look into universalism in later posts.

For now I'll leave you with a quote from a good friend and of mine and a fellow GoFM leader...

"He said your faith has made you well, go and sin no more. How much more clear could He have been? First your faith (in Christ) will make you well. Repentance is a part of that, we can't 'just believe' and think everything is ok. Because, then He said go and sin no more. That is were we need to continue to try and live right and repent. If I get saved and right away go back to my own ways I have not done what He asked." -Joe Lanza

The Movement...

First off, let me correct myself over my last post. The Movement takes place in Vienna, not Ravenna...

Second, what a Movement it is. I've never entered such a welcoming and loving atmosphere in my entire life. At a service I planned to attend only to observe a friends baptism, I did so much more. I felt led and called by the words of Movement Leader, Doug Garasic, so much that I publicly proclaimed my own rededication and was re-baptized on the spot! The Lord has MIGHTY plans for Doug and all of his people out at the Movement. I'll post pictures up when I have them. To find out more about the Movement, go to the website depicted in the above photo or checkout their Facebook page here.

SOMA First Friday. Tailgate Party Edition.

Sorry for this post being later than promised, but my phone died last night when I was writing so I had to re-write it this morning.

Anyone who wasn't able to make it out to Austintown last night missed out on corn-hole, minute to win it style games, and overall good clean fellowship and worship. Next time everyone ages 18-30 needs to be there! For info on SOMA and times/locations of services click here.

One of the reasons this group exists is that we've noticed a debacle in the church regarding young adults. No church in the area seems to have an adequate program for young adults for two completely different reasons. Either the church has so many young adults that the entire church is actually organized and ran by the young adults themselves, OR the church doesn't have enough young adults attending to even put together any type of group for them to fit into. Our goal is to address this issue by making a multi-church, cross-denominational group of young adults who grow in unity with each-other and then return to serve in their own home churches...

So, this group is all about the unified Body and I think the truest example of the unity this group is setting up is our worship team. Every member of this team attends a different church, yet we all recognize that we have one common goal... loving God with all out hearts, souls, minds, and strength and loving others as ourself, declaring His Word and living it every day, and glorifying Him with our offering of worship through music.

This team is made up of Dan McConnell, Youth Pastor at Rock Of Grace Church in Kinsman, playing guitar and singing for SOMA, Sarah Yoder, Worship Leader at Seeking God's Glory Intl. Ministries, singing and playing keys for SOMA, Andrew Weaver, bassist for the worship team and young adult leader at Highway Tabernacle in Austintown, playing bass for SOMA, and myself, the drummer and a vocalist for the worship team and young adult leader at Niles Christian Assembly, playing drums for SOMA.

I know I already said this, but seriously, ages 18-30, be sure to come out and see what this group has going on! It's amazing.

In other news, tonight I go out to Ravenna to experience a new Christian fellowship group called "the Movement" where I get to see one of my close friends, Neil Neuberger, get baptized! Hallelujah!

I'll post about that either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Up and running again!

9/10/11 12:19pm 9lbs 12oz
Elijah Michael Conrad was born.

This "little" guy is the reason we've been so relaxed in our posting.

In other news, I've taken on some more responsibility within the Body by becoming active in a new young adult ministry that you can check out here.

We're having a gathering tonight, so I'll post later and tell how it went!

Newsflash: New Blogs Added to the Gift of Flight Network.

I'm pretty sure you all have known about the three current GoFM blogs we have had running...

This blog, Faith Like Feathers (previously known as "the runway"),
truthfully speaking..,
And His Death Will Purge

But now the GoFM Network is expanding our blog base and adding two new blogs...

Out of the Ashes,
And Life like this is sweet

Now, I know it seems like all we're doing is blogging... And right now this is kind of true. But we also have a Facebook page that is about to start up more of it's full-functioning purposes with message boards and more!

Another piece of news, once I am able to get my computer all rigged up, I will be resuming a podcast that I started years ago called, the Highroad. I can't give you guys a date on it's return, but I'm hoping it will be soon.

Stay posted for more news and go check out all of the GoFM Network's blogs for devotionals, insight, and enlightenment!

God bless!

A New Chapter...

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death”

-Albert Einstein

This quote from one of the most brilliant minds in history should ring most true for those of us following Christ. This rings all the more true after we have been born again. I'm writing this entry today because many of us are reaching a new destination in our lives. This destination, however, is not one of an ending, but rather a beginning. A new chapter.

This ministry has become a great start to what I feel God has called me into and I've already begun to see it's fruit growing. It is one great part of my own new chapter. I recently have been able to move out of the home I grew up in and take my family to a home of their own. Another new chapter. But not all new chapters are written with success and glory as their theme. What may be a glorious chapter in one's book may be written in another's as tragedy. One person may be moving on to a higher paying job out of state, a great victory in their eyes, while their loved ones are left where they are in a bitter chapter of loss. I say all of this because almost everyone I know is scattering right now. And while it is God's will I know I will find myself rejoicing in their victory and crying over memories and loss. This IS God's will though. It is a theme seen countless times in the Holy Bible; epistles written to the church by the Apostles who went various ways to serve the body in ways that required they depart from friends, family, and all other loved ones. The Apostle Paul even writes of times of his tears while leaving those he was close to, primarily Timothy. Not all chapters are sweet. Some are bitter, some sweet, and some bittersweet. But I don't write this to be a discouragement, rather that it may encourage you to push forward and pursue your destiny. C.S. Lewis describes something he calls the Law of Undulation in his book titled "The Screwtape Letters."

"Humans are amphibians-half spirit and half animal (The Enemy’s determination to produce such a revolting hybrid was one of the things that determined Our Father to withdraw his support from Him.)…This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation-the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks."

Now this quote is from one devil to another devil so understand that Lewis was writing from the perspective of a demon named Screwtape, thus the "enemy" refers to God and "our father" to Satan.

The importance of this quote is the necessity of change. We go through trials and emerge from them. They make us who we are.

In one of my previous posts, titled The Need for Sorrow, I discussed this topic. I reviewed that we need what Lewis calls trough periods to appreciate the peaks. To be honest, I've been called a heretic for believing this. I have my doubts that my accusers had ever read the book of Job, an obvious proof of God's usage of trials to mold His child.

As I continue, I write this for those of you starting a new chapter. I pray that whether it is bringing sorrow or joy, you remain comforted that YOU control where this chapter takes you and how the next begins. I myself am starting a new chapter as well. Even this blog, a big part of this ministry so far, will be seeing some changes. Starting with it's name... I have never been satisfied with "the runway" as a title for this blog. Though it's significance was that of an aircraft runway, where planes take off, I feel it can be confused too easily with a modeling runway so as of now I will be changing the name to "Faith Like Feathers" which is the shortened version of Gift of Flight Ministries tagline, "faith is the feather to your flight." I also have made changes to the layout and have some plans to make each post more enjoyable for those with vision impairment; this.. I will explain at a later date.

In all of this I pray that each of you reading will take heed to this message. You write your story, make it one worth reading. Fill it with love and joy. Endure.

I love you all. God bless!

Pruning.

Pictured Below: the Chevy Cruze and a photo of my team who installs the decklid (otherwise know as the "trunk lid"), hood hinges, fender and headlight brackets. My apologies for the photo quality.

Over the past few weeks my pastor has been going over some great teachings on pruning, which you can look up and listen to here. They have really inspired the way I view my trials.

So as I sit here, starting this post on my lunch break, I realize the date. It is 8/9/11 and the one year anniversary of my hire at General Motors, Lordstown. There is only one problem, I haven't gained any seniority, benefits, or any other "rights" that most of my co-workers have. This is because even after a year of employment, I am still considered a temporary employee... Come September my status as a temp will expire and one of three things will happen. I'll get hired full time and receive the same benefits that all the other full time employees enjoy. I'll get an extension and continue my service as a temp for another period of time. Or, I'll be laid off.

Now, I could look at this scenario one of two ways, the first being how most of my fellow temps are seeing it. I could complain that they have used us to make themselves richer while we remain in stress that we aren't actually hired in. I could get all fired up and curse out the union and tell them they haven't done a thing to help us. These would both be valid complaints...

Or...
I could acknowledge my blessings.

I choose to rejoice because I have been blessed with a job for a year, while others struggle on little or no income, trying to feed their families. I rejoice because this past year, my job has blessed me with wages that double the minimum wage in Ohio. I will rejoice because even if God's will is NOT for me to be hired in, He will provide. General Motors is my employer... Jehovah Jirah is my provider! Whatever takes place, I will rejoice. His plans are to prosper me, even if to test me first. If this is God's way of pruning me, I pray that it will succeed in it's purpose...

That I may bear much fruit.

The Need for Sorrow...

Why do bad things happen to good people? If God really is a good God, how can He let that happen? Is this really the "good news?"

Chances are, sometime in your life you have been asked these questions or maybe you have even asked them yourself. The truth is, there isn't any easy answer. At very least there isn't an answer we want to hear. I wish that I could tell you that after accepting Christ, life will be all flowers and rainbows, but I can't. I would be lying.


"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT)


Christ Himself told us that strife and hardship would be part of our days, even while following Him, but He assures us He has overcome the world and it won't be this way forever. The Apostle Paul also says something similar.


"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28 NLT)


Everything? Really? Rape, adultery, murder, drunk drivers, physical ailment, divorce, and so on, and so forth... for the GOOD?


First off we have to realize we can't BLAME God for these things. Without free will, love cannot exist. Being that God gave us free will He cannot control our actions without revoking it and forcing us to love Him. This free will of ours also leads to free will of others... You make a decision to go to the store at late hours and a person in the same area makes a decision to rob you at gunpoint. You are not at fault, but neither is God.


I could write down countless examples of the truth in the Apostle Paul's statement, but this post would be longer than some books. I could tell you the story of a woman who's family grew a new addition out of a rape. The child was loved by the father like his own. I could tell you the story of how a double murder brought two families closer to each-other AND to God. I could tell you the story of how the tragic death of a sixteen year-old girl inspired the life changing events of another, but I'll let her tell you here. The problem is, all of this would be tragically missing the simplicity of it all...


Try to go one week without eating...

How grateful are you for food when you finally eat again?


See, when you go without you learn to be more appreciative of what you have. Nothing can be fully appreciated without first enduring it's opposite.


When I first moved in to my new home, there were several repairs that needed to take place. The most substantial of these was our gas. The pipes weren't up to safety standards and the gas company shut us off. You never know what you have until it's gone. For roughly two weeks we went without ability to use our stove or even take warm showers. We dreaded being the slightest bit dirty because it meant we had to freeze to get clean. Just this past week we got the necessary repairs done and got the gas back on. Believe me, I've never been more thankful for hot water. The first shower felt like a glimpse of heaven. But without that trial I would have never really appreciated what I have.


In this same sense we realize that if Adam and Eve had never sinned, we would have never been able to experience God's grace. Also, without Saul the Pharisee, there is no testimony for Paul the Apostle. If we weren't doomed to endure suffering in this age, we wouldn't appreciate triumph and glory in the age to come. Why do bad things happen to good people?


Because true, uncompromised, and fully appreciated joy can't exist without first experiencing sorrow.


That's the best answer I have found.

Contradictions in the Bible...

If you are a devout Christian, the above title may seem undoubtedly offensive, but please don't take offense to this article until you've read it entirely.

"In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16)

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. (Matthew 7:1)

"It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. (1 Corinthians 5:12)

"God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? (James 4:12)

*all verses in the New Living Translation

These are a few texts directly from the Holy Bible. I posted them for their obvious "contradictions." First, I want to be very clear on why I chose to review this topic. These very verses that I quoted above made me question my own faith at one time and I don't want to see others stumble when I can shed a light on such a controversial topic.

So above we see Jesus telling people to do good deeds publicly and then telling them NOT to do good deeds publicly. We then see Jesus saying if we judge we will be judged, but the Apostle Paul states to judge those sinning in the church, and then James says that only God can judge.

Sooooo.... What is it? Do we hide our deeds, or show them? Do we judge, not judge, or judge a little, or judge sometimes, or judge on weekends and holidays? What is it? Do the writers of the Holy, Written Word of God not agree with each-other or even themselves?

The answer to all of these questions can be found in one simple word... context.

Let's start with the first example. Jesus plainly states to do good works publicly. Why, then, does he state in the next quoted verse in His SAME sermon, not to do good works publicly? The answer is in the wording. He doesn't. What Christ is speaking against is NOT the outward doing of good works, but rather the seeking of praise from men as stated by the context of His words, "to be admired by others." In this we find that these verses have no contradiction.

But judgement..? That was a blatant contradiction right? ... wrong.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
"For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? "Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
(Matthew 7:1-3, 5)

Jesus is calling out hypocrisy, not judgement. He calls us to examine ourselves so we CAN deal with the speck in our friend's eye.

Paul the Apostle's quote is very clear and now we see it doesn't contradict the teaching of Christ. Don't judge the world, but judge those who claim Christianity and don't live up to it's guidelines. Remove the speck. But does this contradict James?

"Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?
(James 4:11, 12)

Read that again... carefully. Don't speak evil against eachother. What is another word for speaking evil of someone? Slander? Gossip? Defamation? False Judgement? See what we need to keep in mind is that words like judge, judgment, conviction, and speaking evil all have multiple meanings and synonyms that can be associated with them. Upon first glance these all seemed to be as blatant of contradictions as any, but through use of context we see that Jesus is addressing hypocrisy, Paul was addressing handling sin within the church, and James was telling us not to slander eachother.

So can you find contradiction in the following statement? Don't be a hypocrite, don't claim Christianity while living in sin, and don't slander your neighbor.

I'd say no. There are no contradictions in the Bible itself...



.. just in the way many read it.

Happy Sunday!

Today (as always), Pastor John's message at NCA was awesome! He gave a great word on the parable of the vine and the branches, explaining why bad things happen to good people. I would suggest listening to it once it is posted on their website.

Today was bittersweet, though, because my worship leader Sam Yacoub and his wife Laura are moving on in God's will for their lives. Sadly, today was the last time I had the honor of playing drums for Sam as a worship leader. Buddy, if you're reading this it's been a great honor to serve with you and God has His hand and anointing on your life! Listen to His call and stay faithful and humble. I'm proud to have you as a spiritual brother. But since you're leaving me, I am forced to post up this AWESOME picture to remember you by...

In other, less embarrassing news, I will once again be studying the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, for thirty days. I may fast and pray during this time so if you keep me on your prayer list ask Him to grant me vision. There is a big reason why I'm doing a thirty day study, but I don't think the timing is right to share it at the moment, so for now I'll leave it a cliffhanger.

Have a blessed Sunday evening everyone!

The Call of the Phoenix...

Ok, so I promise--not everything I post is going to be about birds, but this was a powerful thought that came to me...

Although a phoenix is a mythological creature, it has a beautiful symbolism within it's legend that perfectly summarizes the salvation we receive through Christ. First off, the definition of the phoenix from Merriam-Webster's Dictionary--

phoe·nix \ˈfē-niks\
noun
: a legendary bird which according to one account lived 500 years, burned itself to ashes on a pyre, and rose alive from the ashes to live another period; also : a person or thing likened to the phoenix

So we see here a legend of a bird that burns itself up until nothing is left but ashes, only to be born again. Those last two words... Something seems oddly familiar about them. Isn't that exactly what Christ called us to be? Born... Again? But, the phoenix is a myth. We can't possibly experience new birth, can we?!

Yes we can! BUT--before that can take place we have to realize the one conditional factor. Before we experience new birth we have to experience death. Now, understand that I'm speaking quite literally but not in a physical sense. We must suffer a spiritual death in order to experience the rebirthing Christ commanded we do in order to follow Him. Everything about Christ's crucifixion taught us what we needed to do inside of our own spirit. This concept is also clearly illustrated by the legendary bird. We must suffer the fire before rising out of the ashes.

But why do we need the fire? Look at a refinery. When someone is refining metals such as, for instance, gold, they put it to the fire and melt it down. All of the impurities rise to the surface and are skimmed off, making the gold worth more to it's owner.

Another great example is shone by pottery. I remember back when I was in high school, I had taken every art class my school had to offer. I loved art and, to this day, still do. I was particularly fond of the ceramics class. I payed close attention to how the teacher instructed and he gave us some very strict warnings. "Do not let any impurity get in the clay or when it is fired in the kiln it will burst." We had to be sure to get all of the air pockets, debris, and other impurities out of the clay before molding it. I put great effort into this, but other students didn't. The kiln was fired up with our pieces inside and after about fifteen minutes we all heard a loud POP! The students who hadn't purified their pieces were left with nothing to show for their sloppy work. Their vessels were rendered useless. See, the other important thing we had learned is that once the clay is even partly fired it cannot be repaired. When the unfired pieces break you can wet them and rejoin them, but after the flames, no bad piece can be rejoined together. The vessel is useless.

While living in the old life, no matter how hard we try to break our habits, they can still be rejoined to our life. We need the fire to destroy all of the impure vessels in our lives so we rid ourselves of all that is useless to God. This is not an easy process. The phoenix does not merely burst for the sake of burning, but rather out of necessity. At it's worst of pain, the pressure of fear, the rage of abuse--it lets go of the life it has to gain a new one. Philippians 4:13 does NOT say "I can do all things easily through Christ who strengthens me." and John 16:33 promises strife and hardship. But we also hold the assurance in the end--it is worth it.

So if you are having trouble with abuse, depression, self confidence, placing your faith, valuing your life, loving others, loving yourself, understanding God, or even feeling anything at all...

Search yourself, find the impurities, prepare to suffer the refining fires and remove all the worthless, useless vessels from your life. Burn it all. Die. Rise up. Be born again.

The call of the phoenix is yours...

Why the World Needs Gift of Flight Ministires...

So far I have shared with you my old vision, my new vision, and a parable to help sum up the purpose of it all. I also believe I've already began to scratch the surface of why the world needs GoFM, but before we dig deeper, I'd like to make an important point about the old vision. I don't believe that the old vision of Gift of Flight Productions was a misplaced or incorrect vision. I believe God gave it to me with a purpose, and that purpose was to reveal it to one of you. I believe that while one of you are reading this, God may be speaking to you about GoFP. If He is tugging at your heart and you feel you have the time to take on that vision, contact me on our facebook.

So why do I feel the world needs Gift of Flight Ministries?

First off, I've seen a great need in the world for restitution with the church. There have been a great number of people who have been abused, mistreated, neglected, rejected, cursed, ostracized, humiliated and worse--all by the institutional church. Because of the failures of these churches to convey God's love to people, many have been left with a sour taste in their mouth every time they see a steeple. We can reach them again. Though they may never want to go to "church" for the rest of their lives, they can be fed and fellowship with other believers through this ministry. The goal, obviously, is to soften their hearts enough that the organized church no longer has that foul stench to them, but if all else fails feeding sheep is more than enough for us. Sadly, everyone has seen the picket signs and heard the condemning words and it's up to us to assure the masses--we are not that church. We don't follow a God who hates sinners, we follow a God who loves them enough to send His Son to take their place, be their example, and SAVE them. The world needs restitution. The world needs a fresh starting point. The world needs Gift of Flight.

On a second note, I've noticed and already posted the fact that we're all busy. We have jobs, we work first shift, second shift, third shift, split shifts, twelve hour shifts, doubles, triples, quintuples and then don't forget the kids have soccer, you need to get your oil changed, and when are you going to cut the grass, do the dishes, and shower? In all of this I do my best to make time for church, but some people work Saturdays, Sundays, and all other days we have church services. So what if these hectically paced humans had an option to join into the discussions on, say, facebook? What if they could watch a few motivational YouTube videos and study on them throughout the day? What if they had a podcast that acted as a sermon that they could load into their iPod, Zune, or various other MP3 player and then listen to it while at work? The world needs a ministry that could provide this. The world needs a readily accessable gospel. The world needs Gift of Flight.

My last point begins with the following statement--The CHURCH needs Gift of Flight. Too often we see churches fighting to claim better ministries, build a bigger church, a better church, claim more comfortable pews, better music, a more exciting pastor than what their neighbor church down the road has. This is not furthering the Kingdom. This is also why Gift of Flight Ministries is not typically affiliated with any particular church. Sure the GoFM leadership team and I attend and promote Niles Christian Assemby but this ministry is not exclusive to, nor part of that church. We created a facebook page to give an option, for those who will use it, to post messages in a message board about outreaches, new ministries, worship ideas, and ANYTHING regarding their church setup, in efforts to share ideas rather than hoard them. We're not here to support a divided church. The church needs direction. The church needs unity. The CHURCH needs Gift of Flight.

Parable of the Two Birds...

I was thinking to myself on the drive to work one night about the meaning of Gift of Flight Ministries and the meaning of it's name. Over the course of this vision, it has meant several things to me. At first it was a vision of a free recording studio for Christian artists who couldn't afford to pay a studio and get God's message out there. This ministry was called Gift of Flight Productions. I came to learn
that it would be bigger than that. The second wave was a total reboot. I threw away the idea of a studio due to lack of space, time, and funding and replaced it with an evangelism ministry at NCA (Niles Christian Assembly). A ministry where people who normally would never set foot in a building with a steeple could learn about the free gift of salvation through fun and non-threatening events with no message other than the example we, the believers, would give them... No--we're closer and that may be a part of it, but it's still bigger. Then I came to see a movement online where the body of Christ was meeting through social networks, hearing sermons and spiritual dialogue through podcasts, and building relationships online. It was another way that those who had been burned by the institutional church could be fed and continue to keep the command of not forsaking the fellowship of believers. This also helped the bedridden and sick who couldn't leave there homes. I was intrigued to say the least. The only trouble I had was that this movement also claimed that because God is love, sin doesn't separate us from Him. After all how can you reject salvation and grace when it is a free gift?

So what does this have to do with Gift of Flight Ministries? What revelation was given to me through this? Why did God give me a fascination with birds and flight?

Reason 1: truth and correction for what I like to call "the Christian Hippie Movement."

I saw a vision in my spirit of two young birds in a nest. Neither of them had ever flown or even attempted to leave the nest before. They knew naturally and had been taught by their mother that there is more than just this nest. They had also been taught that they both had a free gift, the gift of flight. They didn't do anything to earn this free gift, they were destined to have it before they even hatched. Then the mother bird did as birds in the wild do. She told the two it was time and pushed them out. As they fell toward the earth below one of the young birds started to flap his wings with a passion, giving it his best effort to take flight. His brother looked at him laughing and said, "What are you doing? Flight is a free gift, you don't have to work for it. Quit flapping like a fool!" At no more than a moments notice their conversation was over. The bird who was struggling to fly began to hover at the ground. He saw his brother, lifeless, laying on the floor of the forest. Proof that even though flight was a free gift, they could still fall from it. The bird who survived accepted his free gift and USED it! The one who was arrogant and ignorant to the truth didn't truly accept his gift because he didn't use it or apply it to his life...

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone WHO BELIEVES IN HIM will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NLT) emphasis mine.

Reason 2: encouragement and strength for believers.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NLT)

At the beginning of the vision I wasn't sure what type of bird I was seeing, but as it continued it became more relevant and apparent to me. The surviving bird flew into the sky with great joy, tossing in the wind, diving toward the earth, jetting back towards the clouds! He was young, free, and full of joy--but then the tests came. With one great storm I saw a time lapse of his life and saw what he would become. When the storms came he hit them head on, not backing down, trusting in his gift. He sailed into hurricane strong winds and suffered trial after trial learning that just because he was able to fly didn't mean life would be joyful 100% of the time. I saw him disappear into the clouds. Time seemed to pause as I wondered what would become of him. My vision then shifted towards the sky where I saw him emerge from the storm to fly above it as a majestic eagle. He trusted in his gift and it carried him through and above the storm until it had passed.

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

I hope this blesses you as it blessed me.

the new vision...

The Internet, eh? I, while having a busy, hectic lifestyle, still was able to use the world wide web! Then I got to thinking about ALL the times I had invited people to church events only to hear them say, "I really am interested, but I don't have the time for church."

My usual mental response to this was one of judgement. "So you're telling me you don't have time for God, but you have time for facebook, twitter, blogs, emails, radio and more?" even now that argument still holds water, but I feel the judgmental attitude behind it did my evangelism more harm than good. So rather than trying to argue this fact I felt God calling me to shift my thinking.

How could I respond to someone saying they had no time for church without inflecting condemnation? Why not appeal to them instead? A website, a facebook, some blogs and podcasts, all the things they could do on their own time! Why... Not... USE THEM?

"I'm sorry Kevin, I don't have time to come to church." Well then read what Jennie Conrad learned in church Sunday by reading truthfully speaking.. "I'm too sick to get out of the house today, I can't go to church." Then study what Joe Lanza is studying on His Death will Purge.

Now, I'm not one to believe you have to go to an institutional church in order to receive salvation, but Christ did command us not to forsake the fellowship of fellow believers. As iron sharpens iron, men sharpen men and we need a setting for accountability that the institutional church provides. However Christ never said HOW we had to fellowship. So why not use the world wide web to support the world wide church?

But do we have the time? I'd be willing to guess that half of you are probably reading this on a smartphone right now. Truth is, I wrote this on my iPhone. We all have the time and a ministry such as GoFM, limits our excuses and leaves us no reason NOT to study the teachings of Christ. Remember that uncompromising job I was telling you guys about last post? I wrote over half of this while I was on my lunch break.

We ALL have the time.

the old vision...

So, years of waiting, procrastinating, and flat out laziness to get to where I am today. First I have to say, I'm sorry. I have started so many things I've never finished. But now--This. After studying the book of James, I learned something interesting...

"Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:17 NLT)

So James wrote in his letters that procrastination is a SIN? Wow--Indeed it is! So once again let me apologize for my lack of initiative. Now let me reassure you, it won't be like that this time! But this post is not about how it will be this time, it's about the first vision, Gift of Flight Productions.

I had a vision of a way to help Christian musicians get their voice out there and start sharing their voice and vision. It was a ministry, non-profit, where I would build a recording studio and rent time out for free to artists who met the criteria. Being a Christian musician myself I understand how hard it is to make a name for yourself and how much debt one can accrue trying to record even just an EP. So, I would give them the free gift of recording and promotion in effort to help them take off. I'd give them the "gift of flight." It was a good vision, yes, but God wanted more out of it and through confirmation after confirmation showed me that this was not what He had in mind for me. I don't have the time or equipment or space necessary to run a ministry like that. Maybe someday it will be a part of the GoFM list of ministries but as for now, it's going to the back burner...

Then I got to thinking (which is dangerous, I know) and I prayed to God, "God, I know You have given me a vision and purpose for ministry and I know you've even given me a name for it. God, what am I supposed to do with Gift of Flight? What CAN I do with Gift of Flight?" Then He gave it to me. He said to me, "You have an uncompromising work schedule, a family who requires your leadership and full attention, and when the day is done you still seem to have time for the internet..."

Aha!

What? I Forgot I Had This Thing!

But now that I've stumbled back over it I'm going to put it to good use! As you can see in my previous posts I, as a person, may have been funny (may being the key word) but I was also quite immature and was a MAJOR procrastinator. I chose to leave the old posts up because they were a part of who I was, and I want you all to see how Christ can truly transform a person and restore them to their full purpose... and, to be honest, I also think they're kinda funny.

It has been literally years in the making and the Gift of Flight concept has an entirely new direction and also a new name. What was once going to be called Gift of Flight Productions is now much more than I had theorized and has been renamed, Gift of Flight Ministries. Although I had procrastinated it's birth for years-- now, though I'm not advocating or excusing my own lack of ambition, I see the reason I did. The vision was great but it needed more and God wanted more out of it. Over the next week I will post up one blog per day to explain the old vision, the new vision, and why the world needs GoFM.

Starting with my next post!