Thursday, June 25, 2009

The spiritual side of the Word of Mouth Media Relationship Ladder - Rung #2 Spiritual NOISE


You've seen it. The guy standing on the corner with a sandwich board stating that the end of the world is coming and to repent.

Spiritual NOISE is a little bit like that. Not to say that the Holy Spirit can't work on someone's heart and for the sandwich board to be the clincher to get someone to change their destructive behavior.

Rung #2, NOISE is just a slight step above Spiritual SPAM. It has a lot of the same characteristics.

  • Talking instead of listening
  • Quoting scriptures using archaic language (can you say Thee and Thou) versus a more relevant translation
  • Overly spiritual terms that turn people off (similar to the second point), such as "repent" versus more common terminology such as "change their destructive behavior"
Talking about someone you love, who has positively impacted your life should be natural conversation, not noise. If I want to talk about my best friend Chris, if you don't appear the least bit interested in hearing about what I love about her, and 10 minutes later I'm still talking about her, I've been really disrespectful of you and have devolved to "noise".

Think before you share. By all means share boldly and in response to nudging or an out and out push by Papa God, but remember to breathe once in a while and to listen for a response.

Getting a response is the next rung on the ladder. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The spiritual side of the Word of Mouth Media Relationship Ladder - Rung #1 Spiritual SPAM


This week I started a series of posts about the Word of Mouth Media relationship ladder on my various blogs (www.wordofmouthmedia.blogspot.com being one).

It occurred to me that while I'm talking about social media and how it is used and misused, that there is also a spiritual side of this discussion.

You see it all the time. The people who use the moniker "Christian" or even "Born Again". Now, make no mistake, I am a believer that uses those terms as well, but at the same time, I realize the alienating nature of some of the language that believers use to communicate.

We want everyone to know about God's love and His power and the transformational power of accepting the supreme sacrifice that He made when He sent His Son to earth to stand in the gap for us, when we couldn't stand up for our own behavior.

But all too often, we SPAM those that we are trying to reach by not taking to them in their terms and by taking the time to establish relationship.

The most stark example of SPAM in the physical world would be going up to a homeless person, handing them a tract or a book about God's love and leaving them hungry, thirsty, cold [or hot as the case may be here in Florida]. Online, spiritual SPAM can be as simple as talking in ultra-spiritual terms or quoting scripture from a version of the Bible that speaks in terms that are not in common use, without having any dialogue with them to find out where they are and what they are thinking.

None of us want to be spiritual spammers.

What we really want is to introduce everyone that we know to the One that made gave us a clean heart, the one that we want to "press into". That terminology is used to describe not only relationship, but intimacy. In the spiritual version of the Word of Mouth Media relationship ladder, the top rung isn't reputation, it is intimacy. Enjoy this unchoreographed dance to Isa Couvertier's Pressing into You that demonstrates the spontaneous expression of that intimacy.

Stay tuned.

Monday, June 22, 2009

I know the end of the story!

Did you ever pick up a book only to find that you have read it before. When you know the end of the story, it changes your perception of what you are reading (aka seeing).

Revelations 12:9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him.

Have you been feeling beaten down? Do the circumstances around you seem like everyone is against you?

At the end of our story, the accuser loses the privilege of access. This is a prelude to his total and utter destruction by the Lion of Judah.

I need to stand up to his lies and accusations and use Revelations 12:9 as my sword in the day to day battles.

Papa God, thank you for not listening to his accusations and for standing up for your children.

Thank you that we will all have the opportunity to bow down to the Lion of Judah.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

The Lion of Judah


Revelations 5:5 Stop weeping. Behold the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.

NOTE: To read more about the background of (and to order) the beautiful picture that I've included here, click on the link on the photo.

Photo Copyright 2000-2008 by Pam Smart-all rights reserved

John knew that the book must be opened and that the seven seals must be broken. It seemed hopeless that no one could be found that was worthy for the task. Even God himself did not step up to open it.

Worthiness came from the ultimate sacrifice of the lamb. Only He was worthy.

He is the overcomer. We have no real choice but to serve Him and give Him glory by living the example He showed us in His life and His sacrifice. He lived LOVE and that is what we are called to emulate in all that we do.

Lion of Judah, give me strength to serve you faithfully and fearlessly to share your love with others. Let them see you when they look at me.

Enjoy this video from Jason Upton about the Lion of Judah.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Revelation of the Son of Man

Rev 1:14-16 His head and hair were white like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze when it has been caused to glow in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars and out of his mouth came a sharp two edged sword and his face was like the sun shining in its strength.

This picture of the Son of Man (God made flesh, but then glorified) is of his purity, power, strength, clarity, authority and glory.

He is indeed the first and the last and we must listen and hear what he says to the churches.

Lord return me to my first love, help me to persevere and endure and to live in your ways. Let me stay "hot".

Enjoy this video from a Korean dance troupe.



Holy, holy, holy. You are worthy to receive glory honor and power.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

It's not a point system

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselfs. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

Imagine a world where God created a point system by which we each had to earn "goodness". One point for saying nice things, lose two points for being mean. We would constantly be striving and those who got more points than others would likely flaunt it, or as the author of Ephesians says, "boast".

When we receive a gift, we don't try to take credit for that gift. If someone complements us, we say, "Thanks! So and so gave this to me.".

Thank God that He set things up so that we couldn't earn his favor or his grace or even that we could muster up faith without it being a gift from him (1 Cor 12:9).

Thank you Lord for setting things up in such a way that we can only attribute our redemption to you and that we can truly find rest because we can't earn that amazing gift of grace.