welcome to the story.

::sarcasm implied:: theres nothing like a prayer that asks God to meet the needs of the church. God! meet the needs of the church? how about a prayer that says God, will you meet the needs of the poor and oppressed? God will you meet the needs of the widows and single mothers? or how about God meet the financial needs of my family? don't you understand what we think are "needs" would be lavish desires and wants in third world countries? why don't we downgrade our lifestyles and our churches sound equipment and video screens before we start asking God to meet the needs of our church? God meet the needs of those who have nothing. meet the needs of the poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden. those who have nothing. mark 6:8-9 He sent them off with these instructions: Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple. God sends out his messengers and reminds them how relational the gospel is. it doesn't need a big platform with all the "bells and whistles". its a grassroots movement. with no speical appeal for funds. luke 16:14 When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. a money-obsessed bunch who had the audacity to dismiss Jesus because he was hopelessly out of touch. oh how hard it is to see clearly with planks in our eyes. God meet the needs of our church and our family. how self centered can we be to pray and ask for that when our needs our not really needs. our $40,000 suvs and $300,000 homes. our multi-million dollar churches. one on every corner by the way. those aren't needs. 80% of sub-Saharan Africa living off $2 a day is a need. we're so self-centered. i'm so self-centered. screw my superficial needs. help me. help us. we're in a struggle. our way versus your way. help us see clearer. open our eyes to the reality of it all. give us grace to forgive, patience to wait on change, and hope to believe in something better than what is offered. i'm convinced now more than ever there has to be a better way of doing Christianity. a better way of doing money. a better way of "doing" God. a better way of doing politics. a better way of doing this whole thing. i'm getting small glimpses and every now and then those little peaks into the future kingdom of God take shape and form and give me something to move towards. a better way is here. a higher way is here. its not us versus them. me versus him. her versus her. i just refuse to be satisfied with what is before me. i refuse to swallow the bitter pill anymore. and i refuse to give up. i am moving further up and in one more time. this is my watershed moment #3. and now is the time for change.