"It's not about the cross..." What? WHAT?

I was gonna write something funny about my MRI experience today, but when I got home, flipped on the TV in time to hear Oprah say that the purpose of Jesus is not the cross. She used to believe His purpose was to die on the cross for her sins, but now she knows (cuz she's Awake - notice the capital A)she realizes he was here to show us how to live in Presence. To be in Aware.

Again, she's having "religious" people get up and speak about how Tolle's A NEW EARTH doesn't conflict with "religion". Spiritual expert Elizabeth Lesser defines spirituality as the longing for something more. She claims religion grew up around this longing seeking fulfillment.

Again, while they are trying to use the name of Jesus in a nice way, they are stripping Him of His identity, His purpose. Jesus is God. Jesus is God. Jesus is God.

You can't embrace His teachings without accepting Him in full context. He didn't just come to die on the cross, true. He came to DEFEAT death. He came to leave behind an empty cross, come back to life after paying the ultimate price for our sin.

It's so easy to call Jesus a teacher, a prophet or even a wise guru if you don't believe in absolute truth or the authority of scripture. It makes me sad that the big O and Tolle are taking extra steps to convince or confuse followers of Christ.

Know your Bible. Sure, Tolle has some true ideas, some common sense psychological theories, but don't be fooled into releasing your belief in the deity of Christ. It's a slow subtle (and boring) process through the book. I'm still reading. Slowly. Not because there's so much to chew on, but because the writing is so bad, so ambiguous and dull, I struggle to remain engaged.

One more thing before I fall off my soapbox and hurt my other knee... (the MRI was on my left knee)...

Tolle doesn't believe in death - he beleives your energy lives on b/c there's no place for it to go. Form goes away and remember, form isn't real. Again, on what authority does he base this theory? If there is no death, then Jesus couldn't redeem us from our sins.

A NEW EARTH, on a deep level, goes against everything we as Christ Followers believe.

Trust and...

Anyone remember that old hymn, "Trust and Obey" junior church leaders made you sing to beat the concept into your head?

"When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way. While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey-

"Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jeeeessssuuuuuuuussssss, but to trust and obey."

Cheesy melody aside, the words are pretty powerful. I never really thought much about the meaning. I sat in my pew, trying to flip my eyelids inside out, while wishing the pianist would pick up the tempo and finish the song (it was played so badly).

Obedience doesn't come easy for me. The more someone insists I DO something a CERTAIN way, the itch to do the exact opposite becomes unbearable!

God is seeking my obedience. What I think He's asking me to do is something I really don't want to do. Actually, there are several things He wants me to do.

But...

...they're too hard...

...take too much time...

...use too much gas...

...bring back old hurts...

...trigger panic attacks...

...require me to make a fool of myself and look even stupider than I do now...

...require resources me and my family DON'T have...

....may cause my wonderful hubby to drive a bus up his left nostril...

Why the heck do I want to obey God when it means more hardship? When it calls for what I don't think I have?

Luke 12:22-34 smacked me in the head last week, and hasn't left me alone. I can't get it out of my head. You know, it's that passage about us being worth more than the birds (unless you're a member of PETA and you think humans need to become extinct), and that the flowers of the fields who do nothing but sit in dirt and look pretty, make the best-dressed celebrities in the world look shabby...

Jesus makes the point that we aren't supposed to worry. Um, excuse me! Jesus, have you seen my life???

Verse 32 (I think - I have The Message and it doesn't break out every verse number) says, "Steep yoursef in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself."

Pretty much says if I'm obedient and surrender every molecule of my life to Jesus Christ, He'll take care of everything else. Dang, that's hard!

I'm sitting here wrestling with Him. I don't want to step out of my comfort zone. I have a new reading chair that's comfy! I don't want to drive almost an hour on a weekly basis to be part of a writer's group (it's not the ladies, it's the distance). I REALLY don't want to audition for worship team.

I know I'm supposed to join the writer's group. I'm still not clear about WT. God has to drop Mt. Everest on my head to get me to put myself through that hell again.

Argh.

Being a Christian sucks.

On this planet.

By obeying God, I'm building up treasure in Heaven. Treasure that can't be stolen, or eaten by bugs.