Matt Brammer

In Jemila Kwon’s blog she touches on the our connection with the Earth.

There is a difference between “connecting” with the Earth and enjoying God’s creation.

This is some sort of weird pantheistic concept.

Don’t be confused with enjoying nature and being one with it.  One is giving praise to our Father, one is ignoring Him completely.

Peace and Grace.

I hate to quote Perry Noble again, but… this is something that needs to be addressed.

It bothers me how often churches will allow sub par ministry to exist and at the same time have the guts to claim they are “Spirit led.”

What is he talking about?  I agree, sub-par ministry should be dealt with accordingly.  But what Perry describes as “sub-par” is incorrect. 

Perry states:

We believe the church should be doing ministry WAY BETTER than the world does entertainment.

• Our singers should be better!
• Our artists should be better!
• Our speakers should be better!
• Our childrens and youth ministry should be better than MTV or Disney!

WHY?  BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD LEADING US, WORKING IN US…AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE NO EXCUSE AS TO WHY WE DON’T GIVE HIM OUR BEST!

I completely agree, we should give our best to God, and Malachi chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of giving your first and best.

However, this has nothing to do with outward appearances.  True worship comes from a humble and broken heart, not from having the best pitch and tone.  We should still keep in mind those things, our best should be put into practice and learning songs, etc… but not our main focus.

Yes we present our best to God, but God doesn’t accept our praise if we praise Him with just pleasing sounds and have no love in our hearts for Him, we are nothing more than an annoying cymbal.

Grace and Peace.

In Perry Noble’s blog he mentions that one of the things that guides his church, NewSpring, is that his staff and he are excited about Sundays.

First off, that’s awesome.  Anytime a gathering of believers occurs we should be excited.  However, a current theme of performance perfection and promoting his service is filling his blogs.  So when it comes down to only being excited about Sundays we are left with this hopeless feeling of God only showing up one day a week.  As a pastor, one is supposed to teach the flock how to go OUT and minister.  With the statement that “…I’m living in anticipation of NEXT Sunday!”  I’d have to ask, “Where is your hope in a movement for Christ outside of a building?”  

Don’t misunderstand me, I believe that Perry loves Jesus and so does his church.  But promoting Sundays as primary way for the gospel to be presented, is wrong.  The church is not a ministry, the Church ministers.

Grace and Peace.

August Burns Red has a new song and is recording a new album.

In Carlos Whittaker’s recent blog he asked an important question. When was the last time you heard from God.

I have been wondering if what I’ve been hearing is the Spirit telling me to speak it. This, plus Matthew 10:26-27 confirmed it for me. God is good.

Peace and Grace.

PC or Mac? It’s the question of our generation.

As a college student I encounter numerous computers each day. I own a PC and am occasionally picked on for it. The Mac fad has been on the minds of every musician, photographer, writer, poet, indie or any wannabes of the previous list.

Donald Miller proses a question:

In a culture where we are made to feel socially inferior if we don’t use certain brands or products (Apple), what does a true counter-culture look like?

I’m not sure either, but one thing I know is that I haven’t witnessed a counter-culture in my generation. So this is somewhat hopeful, I see Christ’s Bride changing for the better. I see Christians moving towards radical faith and biblical truth. Maybe true Christians will be the radical counter-culture that won’t be there to overthrow anything, but rather overwhelm America in love.

Read the article, it’s entertaining.

Grace and Peace.

In Daniel Florien’s blog, he comments on a nurse asking to pray for the patient.

Nurse: “Would you like me to say a prayer for you?”
Me: “Feel free. Now I’d like to ask you a question… why did you go through all the necessary medical training if you believe that prayer can heal people?”

Scripture records miracles, so much larger than healing a person. Why aren’t we seeing tremendous things? For one, most of American Christians forget the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. If we ask, and genuinely seek it, by faith it will absolutely happen (and don’t forget it must be in tune with the Spirit). I myself and many others forget the power and peace of the Spirit. Until the revelation of that power and peace is revealed, these miracles will not occur.

Grace and Peace,

Matt.

Kingdom Hearts is releasing a new game.

I am extremely excited. If you’ve never played the series, I highly recommend it.

I was just told about this movie.

From the beginning of the documentry kids are force to speak in tongues. Paul  addressed speaking in tongues and when it is proper or not. Parents of these students are telling their children that global warming does not exist. As the movie progresses the kids seem more like a cult, not a family of believers. In the introduction of the camp, the leader condemns Harry Potter…seriously? This “christian” camp scares kids into salvation. There is no genuine brokenness for their sin, no love. God is love, they have missed the picture. Not to mention idol worship of past president Bush. The emphasis seems to be on works and what they do, salvation is by faith. I see no joy. This is seriously the saddest thing I’ve ever seen.  Never send your children here or suppourt this ministry.  I am really going to be in prayer over these persons.

The average believer knows that the Church in America has its’ issues. Scary statistics
show that the Church as a whole has fostered some heretical views, but the most obscure is that Jesus sinned.
Jesus actually did not, sin.
A state of urgency is in the Church, now more than ever, we need to take action.