Next Level Spiritual Gangstas

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

Today’s Reading: Daniel 3-4; 1 John 5

Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego were spiritual gangstas.

Period.

I remember hearing this story as a kid and the focus was on how they were thrown into the furnace and made it out alive because they were saved by God and their faith. But now that I’m an adult you know what the coldest part of this story is to me?

Stephen Colbert's Mom: A Spiritual Gangsta

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4




Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 11-13; James 1

 My buddy Merc80 sent me this clip of Stephen Colbert when he was on The View. Check out what he says around the two minute mark and later. It’s amazing to hear real life examples of folks living out messages from scripture.

Gangsta of Love

I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. - 2 Corinthians 10:2-4

Today’s Reading: Proverbs 27-29; 2 Corinthians 10

If it’s not already abundantly clear, Paul was a spiritual gangsta.

Does anyone else hear the swagger in his voice when you read those words? Maybe it’s just me but good gracious. Paul wasn’t playing games with nobody.

But you know what this makes me think of? It makes me think of the idea of turning the other cheek.

It is one of those ideas that sounds totally and completely crazy on the surface but it is what Jesus instructed folks to do. We saw this strategy at work in the civil rights movement as folks braved police dogs, lynch mobs, sit ins and fire hoses without fighting back. They allowed their love to be the weapon used to defeat hate.

And when it comes down to it that is the foundation of the weapons that Paul is talking about. When we have love in our hearts combined with the faith necessary to fuel our actions then the terms of our battles change. We make all conventional weapons of this world obsolete. Their power melts in the face of love.

And through this love it is possible to fight battles and wage wars that build rather than just destroy. Through violence we can never accomplish peace. All we can do is destroy and then dominate what we have taken over.

But with love we may break down walls and destroy strongholds. This isn’t done with bombs or bullets. It is done through forgiveness, sacrifice and grace.

I wonder what the world would be like if all of the disgruntled and frustrated folks decided to fight their situations with love. How would the world change? What would the new rules of engagement be? I believe this world would be one of boundless possibilities. New horizons would be cut out of old, desolate landscapes of unforgiveness. And the rays of new hope would shine brightly to warm the mornings of tomorrow.

I’m foolish enough to believe that these kinds of things are possible. I believe in the power of each individual to change the world around them. If each of us decide to stop living in fear, and start living in love, then we can’t help but to start a cleansing fire that will overtake the world. The old trees of fear that choke the futures of so many of us will make way for new seedlings of hope for our future.

Today is a new day. Plant a seed and watch it grow. 

A Spiritual Gangsta

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Today’s Reading: Psalms 60-62; Romans 5

I was at my Dad’s church recently and he was preaching on faith. Now I’ve heard him speak on faith countless times but he always finds a way of dropping a new nugget of knowledge in there that I hadn’t heard before.

This time he was talking about some examples from his life where his faith has grown. Oftentimes it is in the overcoming of trials and tribulations that our faith grows because these times are opportunities for us to see the miracles that God works in our lives. So as he finished up several stories he said something that slapped me in the face. It was something like this:

“So now when something bad happens or I experience a set back I laugh because I know that I will be blessed.”

Huh?

It was as if he almost looks forward to the trials in his life. I kinda understood what he was saying but I couldn’t identify with it AT ALL. It didn’t make an ounce of sense to me but somehow if felt right. When I observed the contrast of these two feelings (on the one hand thinking he was totally bonkers, and on the other thinking that he was right) I realized that he’s just at another level that I haven’t reached yet.

Then I read the passage above.

He was speaking from a place of faith that I aspire to, but is totally foreign to me. How much more miraculous is life when we can see through the trials and find the blessings within them?

I think that I am getting better with this. I’ve experienced some trials recently and illogically felt a sense of peace about them. Perhaps when I see how God gets me through them I will reach that higher level of spiritual gangsta.

Stay tuned… we shall see.