I HATE religion!

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for my FREEDOM! Thanks to everyone who's served in our armed forces, we can all be thankful for that! Americans love freedom! Freedom of the press, freedom to bear arms, freedom from religion...

It's actually freedom OF religion, but I'll go along with it. I hate religion, too!

People are amazed when I, a pastor, say that, but it's true! Religion sucks!

Religion doesn't care about people: it cares about rules. Religion doesn't care about your circumstances and your tough breaks: it cares that you broke the rules. Religion says "No" and then makes you feel like a jerk for asking. Religion finds out about your flaws and broadcasts them in front of the world. Religion is sure your innocent mistake is some deeper flaw that's infected your humanity and made you UNACCEPTABLE as a person, as a whole. And then Religion makes sure you forever know you messed up, you are a mess up, and maybe you're "forgiven"...but, really, Religion never forgets.

It's terrible that Jesus is mistaken to be Religion! Jesus doesn't operate in guilt and condemnation! He doesn't hold things over our heads! He's not into physically or mentally tormenting people or ruining our day for the fun of it! He's not al-Qaeda--just another example of American freedom: freedom of speech! 

In fact, when we mess up, all we have to do is tell God we're sorry. Period. We don't have to feel guilty to pay for our mess-ups--Jesus already paid the whole debt. With His blood. His blood is a big deal!

This is so cool: do you know why Jesus' blood is symbolized by wine? Because wine (not grape juice, water, or pop if you had a youth pastor like me) symbolizes intoxication in the Holy Spirit! In 355 AD, there was a huge church council that decided it would be bad to use anything BUT wine in communion because of the parallels between wine and Jesus' blood:

• drinking natural wine makes us feel happy=Jesus' divine mercy makes people feel amazingly free & happy
• drinking natural wine lifts our sadness=our past is lifted, forgiven, and we become brand-new when we say YES to Jesus

So Jesus' blood  gives us life, removes our sin, makes us complete, helps us overcome obstacles, makes our connection with God closer than our breath, gives us eternal life, cleans out our guilt, allows one-on-one with The God Of The Universe, redeems us, brings those who were far away from God near to Him, and it brings us peace and reconciliation to God! 

Jesus turned water into wine and the church has been trying to change it back, eversense! Just sayin'

I know Jesus has this image as a pale, frail, plastic-y kind of do-gooder who's hard to relate to. But that's just the 2000 year old urban legend-garbage that's only a shadow of the truth that was painted by men who never saw Him (remember: there were no photographers back then...now we know). The real Jesus can relate to us! Jesus knows how it feels to see the bigger picture when nobody around Him had a clue. Jesus had to work in the family business for a time even though He had different dreams. Jesus' friends never really got Him. Jesus knows how it feels to be a laughingstock and beat down by His enemies. Jesus knows how it feels to be publically declared a criminal. Jesus knows how it feels to be innocent yet charged with all kinds of wrongs. He rode a donkey at the height of His fame. His friends deserted Him when He needed them most. He often disappeared to go pray--maybe because the disciples were driving Him crazy... Jesus can relate to the insanity of living on this earth! You are not alone! Jesus gets you! More than you know...

Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people — free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need,letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ --Ephesians 1:7-10

Giving Up

A few summers ago, we rented a cabin in Southern Minnesota for a family vacation.  We're Minnesotans and that's what Minnesotans do: vacation in Minnesota! Do we do that because we love lakes and trees that much...or because of the time and expense it takes to get to a real vacation spot since we're so far away from anywhere remotely tropical or glamorous? Who knows. Let's just keep it at "we're Minnesotans". 

Anyway, as we drove we were surrounded by (you guessed it) lush groves of trees and sparkling lakes and ponds.  Beautiful scenery! However, as we got closer to what GPS was leading us to, the landscape turned into dead, abandoned farmland complete with decrepit houses and an eerie absence of life: no people driving cars, no animals scurrying away and no trees or plants! This void of everything was screaming DEAD! GO BACK! SAVE YOURSELVES!

We had never been there before, but it didn't look right! We checked and rechecked GPS thinking we'd made a mistake, but our dot of a minivan was still obediently following the happy little blue trail. The Google Maps Lady wasn't yelling at us, either (she can be SO BOSSY!). We were right on track...to the Bates Motel, apparently. We're talking desolation and despair!

Just about the time the pack of timberwolves would have been cued to break into our minivan and systematically hunt us down in the frozen tundra had this been a movie (sorry, couldn't resist) we turned a corner and saw that we were overlooking a valley in which was nestled our long-awaited vacation spot! Just moments before we were sure Google Maps was on crack, but now we were mouth agape staring at our destination! Just moments before we were ready to give up and turn around, back to civilization, but now we saw our campground! Which was not just any campground but a resort including a golf course, hiking trails, basketball court, swimming pool, and a trout stream running right through it, and our cabin that turned out to be a spacious lodge, all surrounded by limestone which, dear friends, KEEPS MOSQUITOES AWAY!  Even at dusk! Even in the bushes! (If you happen to be in the bushes at dusk...for some reason...?) Kinda crazy, right?! One minute we think we're completely lost and the next minute we're overlooking a gorgeous resort that was even better than we'd imagined. It's incredible what the turn of a corner can bring! 

When you've never been there before, it's hard to tell if you're getting close to your destination. When you're trying to fix a relationship, you usually have to weather some fights before there's unity. When you're trying to get your finances on track, it's usually because your bank account is dying a slow, painful death. When you're chasing a promising career, your friends and family may feel neglected before you realize you need to realign your life's balance. When you've been publicly humiliated by your child's behavior, you have to be a little more consistent with discipline at home before the world, too, can see the greatness in that kid. But if you've never been there before, it's hard to tell if you're on track to EVER get there!  If you've never observed the difficulties that are required to reach a breakthrough, you may not realize just how close you really are to that breakthrough! 

Your scenery may look like desolation and despair, but maybe it's because you're about to turn a corner!

It may take some strength, more than you thought you had, but don't give up! You may feel like you just can't take it, but don't quit! You don't know what's just ahead! You don't know what God's up to behind the scenes! You don't know everything that's being orchestrated to arrive right on time even better than you'd planned! Maybe it's taken more blood, sweat and tears than you had anticipated, but the end results will have you staring mouth agape at the amazing success your story has turned into!  

"Most people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure" is a great reminder from Napoleon Hill.  Maybe everything around you looks dead and abandoned. Maybe you're thinking of heading back to civilization. Maybe your friends and family have labeled you crazy to even keep trying, but sometimes you just have to figure that if you've gone this far, what's another hour, day, month or year... This is when you benefit from your vice: stubbornness! Dig in! Expect the best! Refuse to listen to reason: refuse to know the meaning of the word "quit". Think of your future self--the one who's overcame this obstacle--what advice would your future you give the present you? Do that and live without regrets!

Do you see what this means — all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running — and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. 2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed — that exhilarating finish in and with God — he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. 3 When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! 

Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message

As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. 11 We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul — not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, 12 thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. Colossians 1:10-12 The Message

By Heidi Elznic :)
The Fusion

Creepy Eyes

When I was little, my grandparents had a painting in their spare bedroom that really creeped me out. It was an old fox hunter sitting in a chair, gun and walking cane in hand, anxious hunting dogs at his feet, and his eyes...his eyes were peering out at me with an eerie glare. The caption under the painting read "Wherever you are, I'll find you." And it was painted in such a way that wherever I was in that room, the old man's eyes seemed to be staring straight into my soul, glaring disapprovingly at me, waiting for me to mess up so he could come and get me! Creepy!

Before I knew Jesus, I thought He was the same way: hunting me down, glaring disapprovingly, waiting for me to mess up so He could come and get me!

Then, while I was still dealing drugs, using women, and making a mess of my life, I was introduced to God's loving eyes, the eyes of a protective, caring Father.  Eyes that watched over me and looked on me with love even before I knew who this Jesus was exactly. Psalms 121 says, "Shall I look to the mountains for help? No! My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too! He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you." 

We have a painting from a local artist that hangs on our wall at the Fusion entitled "Creation".  It's very colorful and abstract except for the large eye right in the middle of the canvas. We actively support creativity, so we proudly display this edgy, unconventional artwork. People's reaction to this painting is either sheer delight at such an unorthodox piece of art in a church or completely unnerved at this all-seeing-eye that's glaring disapprovingly, waiting for them to mess up so it could come and get them! 

Maybe you perceive God frowning on you...but maybe you perceive wrong. Because the God I know, the God who chose me while I was still covered in filth and dirt never condemned me for being filthy and dirty! In fact, He's always full of love! Even when I mess up. Even when I should know better. Even when I blow it.

Get to know the real God of the Bible. Not the one someone else told you about, that phantom who's "watching us...from a distance". No, get to know this real God who's as close as your breath and would gave everything to be even closer. 

God's eye is on you--because He loves you!

BAD is the new GOOD

Abandon the thought that only good situations produce good results! 

It just isn't true. God LOVES YOU so much that He turns the bad things in our lives into nail biting, dark horse, scream-and-shout VICTORIES!

For instance, if God ever put you in some crazy scenario where you'd have to do the unthinkable and, let's say, cut off your own arm, God would make it a win! God would give you the strength to do this horrible, unnatural act and His peace would fill your heart as you whacked away your very own limb. Then, God would create a curiosity and a wonder about your story and, kazaam!, you'd have a platform of influence that you'd never had before! Because of your story, people would draw up courage from deep within their own spirit and remind themselves, "Someone cut their own arm off...I, too, can get through this visit to the DMV". You would be on every news broadcast, in dozens of magazines, write bestselling books, make blockbuster movies, become a motivational speaker (who does NOT live in a van down by the river) and still enjoy your life, finding deep gratitude for the privilege of living each and every reclaimed day! You might even be on game shows, reality shows, maybe even guest star in a sitcom or two all because God turned your epitaph into the day you were resurrected for a new, improved life! God would make your life better without one arm than you could have ever imagined it to be with two!

Some of you are probably thinking "hey...I saw the movie, I heard about that guy on the news...of course it worked out". But Aron Ralston didn't know that. He hadn't watched 127 Hours. What is just an exaggerated expression of greed to us (I'd cut off my right arm for that car!) has been a crazy reality to him. And he not only survived his ghastly ordeal, but he THRIVED! He's labeled a hero and he says he even climbs better than he did before the accident as well as receiving all the benefits detailed above! The disaster that changed his life changed it for the better--he's got a clear perspective about what's important and even a well-paying career out of the deal!

If God ever presented you with a tough decision, the outcome would not kill you, it would set you free. We need to abandon the thought that only good situations produce good results! 

What sad circumstance is crippling your life? God's ready to regenerate your loss! He's kinda in the business of resurrection...He's sorta the creator of bringing the dead to life. You could say He invented resurrection. And if God was willing to do this for a man who made some "bad choices" about canyoneering alone that fateful day (his outcome makes "bad" look like the new "good"!) then none of us are exempt from a miraculous turn-around!

Sometimes the turn-around begins when we do the unthinkable...like cut our own arm off. Sometimes the answer looks crazy, but when you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, you have to try something that doesn't feel natural. You have to have faith! You have to believe that God has a turn-around that's gonna wreck your life--in the best way possible!

Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves...turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles...refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. 

--Hebrews 11:33-35 from THE MESSAGE