“…for many years I simply refused to listen to the Christian answers to this question, because I kept on feeling that, ‘whatever you say and however clever your arguments are, isn’t it much simpler and easier to say that the world was not made by any intelligent power? Aren’t all your arguments simply a complicated attempt to avoid the obvious?’”

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction against it? A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal: a fish would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too — for the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my private fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist — in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless — I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality — namely my idea of justice — was full of sense. Consequently, atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.”

C.S. Lewis

Poles

Once there was a father who brought his daughter to the parking lot of a nearby water park, empty because it was closed for the season. They were there to teach her how to ride a bike.

The father thought, "there is so much asphalt here, she is going to be a bike champion!"

The daughter pointed to a single object in the parking lot, "what is that?"

"That is a pole," the father replied.

"Am I going to hit it?"

"No you won't."

"I'm going to hit it..."

The father positioned his daughter and the bike upright, and let go. The girl bee-lined toward the pole.

BUMP

The father rushed over to his daughter, who had already started tearing up with a pouted lip.

"I told you I was going to hit the pole!"

"You only hit the pole because focused on it."

(Adapted from Dr. Charles Lowery)
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The moral of the story is there are many poles in our life, things that are necessary and take away from our relationships with God and with other people, that we focus on. Here is an example that I've encountered recently that surprised me.

Division over Christian Music:

This week marks the first week I've heard anyone call songs by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Kristian Stanfill "secret guilty pleasures" (source - JS Park). I didn't even know that there could be "fake" Christian songs and "real" Christian songs (source - Michael Gungor). Who determines what songs are supposed to bring glory to God and what songs do not? What is wrong with songs that sound similar to pop culture songs? Historically many Christian hymns were based off the tunes of that time period, some literally the same tune but different lyrics.When did superior art and creativity directly correlate with how efficient it brings people to God or how sincere/honest the song is? Can a song even bring someone to God in the first place? I like what Jon Foreman says about this topic:

"You see, Jesus didn’t die for any of my tunes. So there is no hierarchy of life or songs or occupation only obedience. We have a call to take up our cross and follow. We can be sure that these roads will be different for all of us. Just as you have one body and every part has a different function, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each of us belongs to all the others. Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling (source)."

When the Musicians and singers are anointed, the river of the Holy Spirit flows through the melody and the harmony, using the music to refresh and flood His people. Each note and each word are like fresh water in the middle of a desert. On the other hand, when the music does not have the touch of God, despite its beauty and careful arrangement, it feels hollow, empty, and dead. Only the Spirit of God can impart life. - Pablo Perez

A youth knelt down to pray and said, “God, I can sing so well I wish to sing for you. I can dance so well, I wish to dance for you. I can play music so well, I wish to play for you. I can think so well, I wish to invent for you. There are so much I can do for you. Please use all my giftings for your purpose and glory. I want to give you my best. God answered, “My child, thank you for willingly offering all your gifts to me. But those are not your best. Your best is your LIFE. Will you surrender your LIFE to me. When I have your LIFE, I have everything. I am interested in who you are not what you have. "What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God." - Eleanor Powell

From how I see it, all music belongs to God, and music should be used to give Him praise (as stated in the Bible). Music, especially "Christian music," should be sung with God in mind and for God, not for ourselves. As I have said before, it is what our heart's desire is when we sing that determines whether the song is truly "Christian" or not; that we singing or listening it for God's sake instead of ourselves.

"Too many equate being emotionally moved by music as being moved by the Spirit, but these are not the same. Real worship happens when your spirit responds to God, not some musical tone. In fact, some sentimental, introspective songs hinder worship because they take the spotlight off God and focus on our feelings." - Rick Warren 

A reminder on the purpose of worship, not for the self-satisfying good feeling, or to appreciate a well played/put-together set, but to center our hearts and worship God. - Andy Kim

Anyways, here is a "cheesy" song by that "mainstream" guy Matt Redman that speaks about the VERY reason why we have Christian songs in the first place (his story here http://worshipleader.com/songstory/).

"The Heart Of Worship"

When the music fades
and all has slipped away
and I simply come.
Longing just to be
something that's of worth
that will bless Your heart.

I'll bring You more than a song,
for a song in itself
is not what You have required.
You search much deeper within,
through the way things appear,
Your looking into my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
and its all about You, its all about You, Jesus.
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
when its all about You, its all about You, Jesus.

King of endless worth,
no one could express
how much you deserve.
Though I'm weak and poor,
all I have is Yours,
every single breath!

I'll bring You more than a song,
for a song in itself
is not what You have required.
You search much deeper within,
through the way things appear,
Your looking into my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
and its all about You, its all about You, Jesus.
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
when its all about You, its all about You, Jesus.

It is not about the how well the music was arranged or delivered, its not about the how touching the lyrics are, its not even about the testimony behind the creation of the song. It is all about Jesus.

Through these quotes and remarks, I just wanted to point out that we as brothers and sisters in Christ should not let such a reason divide us. Focus on God's glory and don't sweat how God uses other people or callings.

http://jspark3000.tumblr.com/post/69174377028/remember-you-are-a-work-in-progress-looking

Remember, you are:
- A work in progress, looking towards the work finished, Jesus.
- Under construction, in a process, two steps forward, one step back.
- On a journey of faith, because faith is not a light-switch.
- A messy, gritty, raw, real, complicated creation called a human being, and no one should ever shame you for being human.  Jesus was one of us, too.
- Not defined by your mood, situation, or circumstance.
- Not defined by the “amount” of your faith, but rather by the perfect author of your faith who receives even your weakest stumbles towards Him.  It’s not about your grip, but rather the strength of the branch that holds you.
- So loved that God preempted your failures with the gift of His Son Jesus, who died to pay your price of Hell and who also died exactly for those times you would feel far from Him.
- Always allowed to approach the throne room of God with all your anxieties and fears and requests, no matter how petty, because God can handle your venting and clenching of teeth and He will not bite your head off.  It’s also His very grace and acceptance that begin to restore the broken pieces back together.
- A Christian, a profoundly broken person who has met Jesus the Messiah, who radically transforms you by being who he is: the Savior, Redeemer, King, Brother, Friend.
— J.S. Park

This is not a...law which we can escape...what is outside the system of self-giving is...simply and solely Hell...that fierce imprisonment in the self...self-giving is absolute reality - CS Lewis

Jesus has dealt with rejection. If Jesus has faced more rejection, abandonment, and pain than you ever could on your behalf, then you can face head-on the rejection of your past and the problems you are going through relationally right now with your head held high! When He is for you who can be against you? - Pastor Kyle Turner

Skeptical Christian

I like this post. This is the closest I guess to "reblogging" or "tumblr-ing" I get.

"Prayer is an acknowledgement that God is in control over that person"- Darrin Patrick

Sometimes I walk down the street and wonder to myself whether I am passing by people who could become significant in my life. Could I be passing my future wife just like that? What if he could be a lifelong friend? I say to myself, "missed opportunities." But then I step back for a moment and realize that the people I did meet are there in my life because God put them there. The people I will meet will also be in God's control. So why do I worry? It is an act of mistrust. Believe in Him for He is all we need.