Be Lifted High - Bethel Church

Giving God a Chance

When I was in elementary school, one of my favorite things was to go eat lunch in this particular park that had a  winding stream with several waterfalls that flowed into a large fountain. Soon I began making boats out Styrofoam. I used everything from to-go boxes and cups, to plates and bowls; all held together by flexible straws and duct tape. Looks were everything, it didn't matter how the boat got down the streams and waterfalls, as long as it looked good doing it. Often times the most exotic designs failed to make it past the first waterfall. They quickly became stuck on rocks or ripped apart by the water. Our culture has wired us to try and stand out and be separated from the back. If we sparkle enough to catch people's eye, then we will be great. Or will we?

"...God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." - James 4:6

Christ and Quakers

"The historic Christian doctrine of the divinity of Christ does not simply mean that Jesus is like God. It is far more radical than that. It means that God is like Jesus."  

-- Elton Trueblood

I came across this quote in a book by Brian McLaren entitled "A New Kind of Christianity." The man who said it, Elton Trueblood was actually a Quaker theologian who lived from 1900-1994. It's interesting as a Christian to read profoundly meaningful quotes from someone who doesn't grasp Christianity the way I do. It's always a reminder that truth can be found in some of the most unusual religions, and that Christ can be found outside of Christianity.

Psalms

     If I'm ever frustrated, upset, or just have had a bad day, I find comfort in the book of Psalms. I don't think it's the most glamorous book of the bible by any stretch of the imagination,

 but it resonates within my soul.

Often, I get caught in: "God is in control and everything is according to his plan, so I just need to put my head down and keep on keeping on."

God is in control. But he wants to hear us.

Psalms is full of poems about the faithfulness of God and his immense power.

It's also full of laments, the feeling of being let down by God.

David cries out:

"Will the Lord spurn forever,
   and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
   Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"
Psalm 77:7-9

There's something holy about being honest with God. It's repeated throughout scripture.

From Jeremiah's laments (Lamentations) and Habakkuk's cries in the Old Testament, to the famous words of Jesus "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Even Jesus felt abandoned by God at his weakest moment.

My faith becomes tangible when I become raw and honest with Christ. Real.

Our faith becomes a sacred dance, to the rhythm of life.

Music

 “Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul”

-Plato

It's Here

Love Wins

My Forever

This album embodies springtime:

He is We - My Forever

It's incredible. Especially "All About Us".