Monday, May 24, 2010

Talk Tuesday - Culture or Christ?

If you don’t know, I am from a small island in the Caribbean called Trinidad. My post this week is from the spiritual experience I had while living in Trinidad. I spent half my life there and half my life in Canada. I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior after a few years of finishing university in Canada. After becoming a Christian I looked back at how culture infiltrated the church in Trinidad.
When I was young I was really religious, but I was also really ‘Trini’. I loved Carnival, calypso and everything Trinidadian. My whole identity was wrapped up in the culture of Trinidad. Imagine a typical Trini would party, drink and gyrate on multiple people for two days straight (during our Carnival festival) and then go to church for ashes the next day. When I look back on how we used to behave I am so ashamed, but that was our culture. The cultural norms of the country was seeping into the church. To show you how strong culture is, when I first became a Christian I heard a preacher preach on how bad Toronto’s Carnival was, and I found myself becoming offended. I was so wrapped up in my culture that I did not see the sin the whole event represented. To make matters worse, when I went back to Trinidad, around the time of Carnival, I read a church bulletin where the priest said it is ok to go and 'free up yourself.'

How do we address sin when half the choir was out partying and drinking the night before? Do we say it is part of our culture? How do we keep our culture and still have our Christ? I believe Christ comes first and if our culture does not line up with the word of God then we have to say no. What has your experience been in your country? Is it Christ or Culture?

"...don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." James 4:4


God Bless,
Andrew


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Movie Monday - Jesus Rap



Thanks other Natasha for this video.  Remember if you see a good video email us or post it in your comment

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Talk Tuesday-Culture's Wide Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

Culture plays an important part in shaping our perception of reality-it is the lens through which we view the world. It helps form our sense of morality and determines what is acceptable by society's standard. Media is the medium by which cultural norms are shaped and spread. Today there are many cultural 'norms' that are contrary to God's word. What we once knew as sin, we now applaud as courage. Those who declare God's Biblical truths are ridiculed as the 'shamefully small minded'. Yet in fact what popular culture refers to as 'liberation' is actually spiritual 'bondage'. The Prophet Isaiah warns us,

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Isaiah 5:20-21

Jesus cautions us to enter through the Narrow Gate, to walk on the Narrow Road and to keep our eyes focused on the Kingdom of God. This is contrary to popular culture. You may suffer ridicule and alienation but keep Jesus, the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, always before you. Remember, He prayed for us:

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." John 17:14-15

As we journey, may we encourage you to keep your eyes on Christ, submitting your heart to Him and praying for His will to be done in your lives. Pray for your loved ones, both near and far. If you are eating food that is unhealthy, it will destroy your body. If you are watching, listening to or spending your time on things that are contrary to God's teaching, it will negatively impact you spiritually. Let us enter through the narrow gate and walk the narrow road together in Christ. Remember:

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it only leads to death." Proverbs 16:25

Do you feel overwhelmed by the cultural perception of today's society? How has popular culture affected your walk with the Lord? Click on the comments link below to share with us. And may God bless you abundantly!


Saturday, May 15, 2010

Movie Monday - Muslim finds God

Part 1




Part 2



If you like looking at videos like this email me the link to any good videos that you come across on the net.

Thanks
Andrew and Tash

Prayer Wall - May



Let us pray for you.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Talk Tuesday - WOW!!! One week later..

Natasha's journey....

Well, if I can start with one word, it would definitely be, 'Wow'. Fasting from media (internet, t.v., radio, CDs) was truly an eye opening experience for me! I did not realize how huge a part I allowed entertainment to play in my life until this moment. If I spent a few hours a day indulging in surfing the internet, looking at t.v., looking at facebook and listening to music, then how much time was I devoting to the spiritual disciplines? How much time was I setting aside daily to pray, listen, read the Bible, worship God and seek His face? My answer...not enough. During our mini-retreat I began to hear from the Lord:

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near" Isaiah 55:6

"Those who know your name will trust in You, for You, LORD have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10

"If you seek Him, He will be found by you..." 1 Chronicles 28:9

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

GOD wants our hearts to seek Him wholeheartedly for everything aspect of our lives. He is GOD, He is our Creator, He is the Potter and He knows the purpose the clay was created for. Isn't life most fulfilling when we walk in His will instead of stumbling around in our own? I am humbled by such grace, mercy, love and long-suffering. GOD's love came down to me through His Son Jesus Christ. One other interesting thing; throughout the entire week, I felt His JOY.

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Andrew's Journey...


My media fast was a reminder that I was spending too much time on the internet. When I realized that I was spending more time reading tech stuff and surfing the web than reading my bible, I decided to make some changes. When I was first saved I used to read my bible for hours. I am trying to get back to that.

One thing I noticed was how much you can actually hear when you are silent. You feel closer to God when there is less noise in the picture. I found myself praying and worshiping on my way to and from work. It was amazing.

What really spoke to me, close to the end of the fast, was something that I heard from my Pastor. He said, “what have you done this week that has made an impact on eternity.” I thought of all the time I wasted on media that could have been spent either seeking, praying or working for God.

Life is short. Wouldn't you want to make an impact on eternity everyday of your life?



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If you participated in the media fast or have any thoughts you would like to share with us, please click on the comments link to post.

God bless you all, Andrew & Natasha.