So some of you may know that in addition to getting my law degree from the University of Kentucky, I also obtained my MBA. Now I loved taking business classes in general, but I hated the accounting classes. Those were my worst. About the only thing that I remember from them is the LIFO and FIFO accounting methods. Also known as the Last-In, First-Out and First-In, First-Out. I can't tell you what that means anymore but recently I have discovered a new system for the way I live my life.
I have a friend who has told me during several conversations over the past few months that he does not listen to secular music. He also chooses not to watch movies that are rated R. I could never understand why he thought that was such a problem. I have always watched rated R movies and listened to secular music and I never thought that it was a problem for me. That is until recently.
Over the past few months I have noticed that what I call my "thought life" has not been the greatest. I was quick to anger at times and had I been in a different work environment, probably would have said a few choice words at times. I have also noticed that my thoughts have not been exactly of the purest caliber lately as well. I was really struggling with this over the past month and I spent quite a bit of time praying and talking to God about it.
I decided that I needed to change my thought process. I needed a better "filter". I decided to start listening to Christian rock as opposed to secular rock and to stop watching the rated R movies. I also started reading my Bible more and listening to podcasts from people like Andy Stanley at North Point in Atlanta, Erwin McManus at Mosaic in LA, Craig Droeschel at LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma City and even John McArthur with Grace to You.
I thought that this was going pretty well for me until I listened to a podcast from Andy Stanley. He was talking about how people get so caught up in their "filters". When they accidentally say a bad word, or think an impure thought, they say that they had a breakdown in their "filter". I know I felt that way. The problem he said was not with the filter, but with the heart. I thought he was crazy. I didn't have a heart problem, I just had a problem with my "thought life." He referred to Matthew 15:18 where Jesus tells the disciples that "the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean". I was floored when I went back to read that myself. But I was thrilled that God had revealed that to me.
So now I know that I have a heart problem. I realized that my "filter" was my own effort to change myself. I know that I cannot change myself without His help. So I have decided to continue to listen to Christian music and Christian podcasts. I continue to read the Bible and pray for God's help with this issue. I have decided to avoid the music that I once listened to on a regular basis that was full of bad language and the movies that I once watched that also contained bad language or images of sexually explicit conduct. This weekend it occurred to me. God is helping me to develop a new heart through His new plan for my life. I have dubbed it GIGO: God-In, God-Out.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
What's in a Name?
So after much debate and thought, I have decided to post a blog. For some time now I have felt the desire to journal my walk in my faith, but unfortunately, I am not so good at that. I decided that the best way for me to journal my thoughts would be to share those thoughts with others: both believers and non-believers alike. My goal is to encourage open and healthy discussion of issues and to share my thoughts, beliefs and doubts with others in the hope that it may help to lead someone to a relationship with Christ. I am not a minister. I have no formal Christian education. But I do have a sincere love of God and I feel that I am called to share that love with others. My life motto is Love, Live and Lead. More on that some other day.
So what is in a name? For this blog, there is quite a bit. The first part "Souled Out" is, of course, a play on the phrase "Sold Out". Over the past few months I have been struggling with letting go of certain things that are "of this world" and I have recently decided that in order to truly follow the example of Christ, I must deny myself, as Christ told the disciples in Luke 9:23. In other words, I have decided to sell out my life completely for Christ. I am "souled out".
As for the rest of the name I believe that it is time that the modern day church look at its methodology and teaching and return to the true meaning of the Gospel. We need a modern day church reformation. In reading the Bible, I don't see any guarantees that my life will be happy or that I will be blessed financially with the overflow of God's blessings. The church today has lost sight of what is required of us to follow Christ. In Luke 9:23 Christ further tells his disciples that not only do we have to deny ourselves but we have to "take up (our) cross daily". Think about the true meaning of that. On a daily basis we must be willing and committed to doing anything and everything necessary to follow Christ. In Luke 9:24 Christ goes on to tell the disciples that "whoever loses his life for me will save it." This is completely counter to what most evangelical churches are teaching today. There must be a "death of self" in order to gain life in Christ.
Finally, I am tired of being called a "Christian." I am not ashamed of Christ, but I am ashamed of what the term "Christian" has come to mean to most in the modern world. I look back at the atrocities that have been committed in the name of being a "Christian" and I am saddened and dismayed. I can see today why many of the unchurched equate the word "Christian" with Hypocrite. In Mark 10:45, Jesus tells James and John that "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." I have decided that rather than be called a "Christian" and take on all of the negative connotations that come with that label, I prefer to be called a "Servant" so that not only will people know my life's purpose, but also so that I can be reminded daily of Who and what is most important.
So what is in a name? For this blog, there is quite a bit. The first part "Souled Out" is, of course, a play on the phrase "Sold Out". Over the past few months I have been struggling with letting go of certain things that are "of this world" and I have recently decided that in order to truly follow the example of Christ, I must deny myself, as Christ told the disciples in Luke 9:23. In other words, I have decided to sell out my life completely for Christ. I am "souled out".
As for the rest of the name I believe that it is time that the modern day church look at its methodology and teaching and return to the true meaning of the Gospel. We need a modern day church reformation. In reading the Bible, I don't see any guarantees that my life will be happy or that I will be blessed financially with the overflow of God's blessings. The church today has lost sight of what is required of us to follow Christ. In Luke 9:23 Christ further tells his disciples that not only do we have to deny ourselves but we have to "take up (our) cross daily". Think about the true meaning of that. On a daily basis we must be willing and committed to doing anything and everything necessary to follow Christ. In Luke 9:24 Christ goes on to tell the disciples that "whoever loses his life for me will save it." This is completely counter to what most evangelical churches are teaching today. There must be a "death of self" in order to gain life in Christ.
Finally, I am tired of being called a "Christian." I am not ashamed of Christ, but I am ashamed of what the term "Christian" has come to mean to most in the modern world. I look back at the atrocities that have been committed in the name of being a "Christian" and I am saddened and dismayed. I can see today why many of the unchurched equate the word "Christian" with Hypocrite. In Mark 10:45, Jesus tells James and John that "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." I have decided that rather than be called a "Christian" and take on all of the negative connotations that come with that label, I prefer to be called a "Servant" so that not only will people know my life's purpose, but also so that I can be reminded daily of Who and what is most important.
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