Clearly an issue

There are many different issues the church faces. Issues that divide the church, whether it's sexuality, alcohol, praise, or any other number of things. However, there is one issue that I believe that stands above the rest. I'll get to that in a bit but first let me tell you some more about me.It wasn't until my Sophomore year at Kent State University that my faith finally started to become real. Well that's where it started but the real transformation wasn't until the summer between Sophomore and Junior year. I was attending a campus church at  Kent State and had the opportunity to go to Virginia Beach for a summer to work and, more importantly, learn more about God and my relationship with Him. That will definitely be the summer that changed my life forever. There was many things I learned that summer, but most importantly, was that I wasn't worse that other Christians, nor was I any better. This step came to me as I sat in a coffee shop across a table from one of my favorite mentors, Chad Frank. For the first time in my life, I poured out my life, and my sins, to a friend and brother in Christ. As we talked, I finally realized that I was never meant to carry this burden alone. I had read James 5:16 before but never took it to heart. Turns out that God didn't include that in the Bible just for anyhow. When He told us to confess our sins to each other, it was for excellent reason. The need for transparency in a church is huge.This is what I see missing in many churches and many relationships today. This need for transparency is huge for the church to be able to thrive as God intended it to. One of the biggest reason I think transparency is important is that we are helping each other to carry our burdens. The church in Acts shared everything, food, money, ect... and I"m pretty sure they shared their struggles too. When we talk to others about the things in our life we are struggling with, we open up communication with people who, not only can see it from a different perspective, but allows God to speak into your life verbally through someone else. This alone is a huge reason that transparency is necessary in the Body of Christ. When I was going through school and attending H2O (my college church), sharing my burdens meant I was real with someone, they knew me, and they challenged me, daily, in my relationship with Christ. I had to, however, intentionally seek those relationships with the men at church that I attended. It was on me to be open and honest. I was on me to be transparent enough for them to see through me. The second reason, and maybe as big of a reason transparency is important, is what it does to our mindset of others. One HUGE things that happened to me as a result of intentional transparency with others is the lack of condemnation that came from that. As I built those relationships  within the church, I didn't receive condemnation from the people. I received love and support. I also realized that there were things in their lives that they were struggling with. Turns out, everyone has something they are struggling with or struggle with at times. No on in the church is perfect. When we are willing to share our lives, we lose our ability to judge others. When I talked to my friend Bob about my struggle with pornography, he could relate because he struggles with telling dirty jokes to his friends at work. We then have an opportunity to minister into each other's lives. This is what the church is about. Not a place to come to, act as if we have it all together, raise our hands in praise, take notes on a sermon, and return home. It has got to be a place we share life, where we cultivate relationships that minister to each other. To often churches are a place where we go to put on our mask of "righteousness" (if you look it is not part of the armor of God) and pretend everything is ok. News Flash - The Church is not free from sin - We have got to stop acting like it is. Take off the mask and start to live as the church of Acts did, in communion with each other in life. My challenge to you is to start the step of transparency. I'm not asking you to stand in front of the church and talk about your struggles like an amazing friend of mine did. (Unless God is calling you to that). I'm not even asking you to tell your small group. Maybe you need to start with one close friend. Be open and honest with them. Allow the to see threw you and what's going on in your life. Allow them to know your struggles and open your life to them. You will be amazed what God has in store for you.As always, email or comment with questions, comments, or concerns. Either on this page or at optimisticprime15@gmail.com. If you have anything you would like prayer for, please let me know. I"d be more than willing to pray with you and for you. I urge you to find that person you can talk to. If you are more willing with a perfect stranger, talk to me for now. I love you already and there is nothing you can do about it. With God's love,Optimistic Prime. Dear God,Thank you for the ability to write these words and for your grace in my life. Thank you for the people you have put in my life that allow me to be transparent and to help carry burdens and that minister into my life. Thank you for putting words on my heart and I pray you move in the lives of those who read these words and that you bless their relationship. Optimistic Prime

The wrong rock to hold to

Well it's been a while, but life has been busy. Unfortunately, that shouldn't be an excuse for not making time for things that I feel God has put on my heart. Which sort of has to do with my most recent conviction.

About a week ago, my brother spoke at church about addiction. This led me to seek more deeply the thought of addiction and idols in my own life. So here goes.

Typically we think of idols as things we worship. Money, sex, power, etc... However, the more I have thought about it, the more I realize that idols are simply anything that take the place of God in our lives. The idols in our lives are simply the things in our lives in which God is not the forefront of our thoughts and priority. The times when these are most evident are times during which we are stressed, frustrated, hurt, or emotionally charged.  The things we turn to at these times apart from God are the things in our lives we hold as idols. For me it was, and is,  numerous things. I have held or do hold relationships, food, and sexual sins. I have turned to those, any others, for comfort during the times when things got "hard". For others, it may be alcohol, tv, sports or any other numerous things. The things we turn to instead of God in times of trouble are things that are idols. The things that make us feel better and comfort us. Now, this isn't to say that when we are sad we shouldn't eat some ice cream sometimes or enjoy comfort food. They shouldn't, however, take the place of God in our lives. Here is the perspective God has been working to show my in my life. When I turn to other things apart from Him to fill voids or cover emotions, I am trying to find a way apart from God to solve these issues. I am not relying on Him to fill all my needs, like we are called to do. I am attempting to find my own way, and my own path apart from Him. The problem with these idols is that every time I would turn to them, or do turn to them, I end with the same feeling. Disappointment, pain, self loathing, guilt, or other  feelings of failure. Which makes me want to dive into more of the same idol. 

Even worse that the feelings that follow these idols, is the feeling of dependency in which we can find on in those idols. One issue I had from a young age through adulthood is the issue of pornography. While God has given me freedom throughout various times in my life, I have struggled on and off with it from a young age. When I first began to notice it as a sin and idol in my life is when I would go months with no relapse, only to fall back into a pattern of sin. All of those times were inevitably entered into during a time of stress, uncertainty, or fear. I I would have only consciously decided to seek God during these times, how much better off would I be? But then you may not be reading these words. Regardless, I am thankful for God's grace in my life and for His life apart from my sin. The greatest thing about God, is that He loves me and there is nothing I can do about it. 

All that to say, that perhaps it's healthy for us to look at our own lives. Take time to be introspective. Ask God to show you what idols you have bee turning to, seeking comfort. Do you turn to alcohol to numb the feelings? Do you sit down in front of the TV to escape reality? Do you run through your pain to escape? Do you seek comfort in food or a relationship with the opposite sex? Where do you need to learn to seek God first and foremost? 

As you look at your own idols, please know one thing. If you take this seriously and begin to look into yourself and seek God, know that Satan will test you. The closer we get to God, the hard Satan will fight to keep us away. Chance are, you'll also fail, but know God love you. He is mad about you. There is NOTHING you can do to earn His love nor His salvation, and there is nothing you can do to stop Him from loving you. We must know our Identity in Christ. For more on that, I believe I have a blog somewhere in the past. 

Ok, that's it for today but there is another blog shorty to follow. I feel as if this has been some muddled thoughts, but my prayer is that someone out there needed to hear this and seeks God. If you need someone to talk to, have a prayer request, or just have thoughts or ideas, my email is optimisticprime15@gmail.com and feel free to comment here. I love you all already. Please feel free to share this on facebook, twitter, google+, or other social media. Talk to you again soon.

Optimistic Prime!!