Uncomplicated Spirituality

God cares about the people and not the structure. When church has become “inflexible ritual” because it cannot be moved; then what He cares is a heart that can be transformed. We are stuck if we belong to a faith community not willing to change. We should be “living organisms” changing constantly, in the wisdom of Tenderness, always praying, “Lord change this heart of stone into a heart of flesh so I can become a flexible heart” Matthew 12:6-8 says, “There is far more at stake here than religion. If you had any idea what this Scripture meant—’I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual’—you wouldn’t be nitpicking like this. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath; he’s in charge.”

Let our prayer always be, “Lord make me flexible”

I have experienced a “honeymoon love” with Paula. It just seems that after almost 11 years we finally got it; an unselfish love. I used to give advices to newly weds and my number one was, “always forgive”. Well after all these years that is good to remember but the one I will say that has helped us the most in the last couple of years is, “no expectations” I stopped having expectations on Paula and Paula stopped on me. We decided to expect the most of God and that’s it! We waited diving into intimacy with Him; and suddenly when least expected, God awakened us! I read this morning Matthew 10:38-39, “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me” I think the result of No expectations but Christ is what people called wholeness. I love Paula and I am thankful that God helped me to not quit or cave in, that in the middle of dark times, He gave me strength to believe what others seem impossible, to expect nothing in me or on her, but everything on Abba. 1 June 2006, 11 years of marriage and 8 serving together. “what a ride, Lord, what a ride”

I am amazed how Abba speaks through His word, I just posted in the blog and while reading my “life Journal” these are the words I received from Him (all the verses are from The Message),

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” (Matt 5:3)

“When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot.

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.

Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all his goodness.”
(Psalm 34:6,8 & 9)

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Matt 5:4

Isn’t He amazing!!!

I email a person I met at CCC (Christian Community Church) about how I felt when I talked to him, this is part of it, “Just imagine that you have a banquet in your house and there is a big table full of all different and delicious food, of course you are enjoying it because you have prepared for it for many days. Outside of your house and by the window there is a hungry boy watching everything, he is not only hungry, he is starving. You go outside and ask him what he wants. “-boy, I know you are hungry, so tell me how can I help you”. The boy is so hungry that he really doesn’t know what he wants, he doesn’t have specifics, he doesn’t know if he prefers a hotdog or a hamburger, or a taco. The only think he knows is that he is hungry and wherever you have to give him he will take it, even if is a menu with the options of the food inside. This is the first time you see this boy, you have never seen him before and you realized he is truely hungry. You kneel and say to him, “-boy, here is my phone number call me if you need me” Then you go back inside of your house to continue with your celebration.” Have you ever felt leadership starvation? You desire more but you don’t even know what is exactly what you need. Jesus found himself extremely hunger after the 40 days he spend fasting and He was able to answer to the devil, “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.” As physical and spiritual hunger, leadership starvation comes when suddenly you found yourself in the middle of the dessert with no sources of water. I ended the e-mail saying, “I am hungry for leadership and guiadance, I am hungry for a real networking and a connecting church, I am hungry for help on the how’s, I am hungry for broken, open, real and vulnerable leaders not afraid to show tears, anger, frustration and brotherhood. I am hungry on how to be specific, I am hungry of working with creative and young people. Hungry to develop relationships with people that don’t think that they have it all together and they are willing to learn even from hungry boys.” I am Hungry of people worrying more about the Kingdom’s business instead of their own church’s business. Extreme hunger.

I am sorry, I haven’t been able to blog lately..I am still at Chhicago and still enjoy it very much. We have received so much information that I think our brains are fried, but most of all, we have seen how the vision and desires of our heart are doable. Getting to know people from CCC (Community Christian Church) has been a great and extremely challenging. Tonight we went to eat Chicago style pizza….yumi, yumi!!! We really like the city, the elevated train and the Mexican neighborhood….it is like been in Mexico, excellent food and you can find everything. I think tomorrow we will try to go to a Mexican supermarket and buy everything we don’t have in Tennessee…….buenas noches!!!