Foolishness of Christ (#Anomaly)

The older I've become, the more frustrated and misunderstood I'm beginning to feel.  Maybe it's because I was encompassed by the ignorance bliss of my childhood youth to recognize that I don't fit it.  In fact, I've never really fit it.  Despite my best efforts to assimilate through life, I've never really fit it.

Over the past few weeks, I've had various conversations about dating, money, life choices, and convictions (mostly in that order) and the more I listen, the more frustrated I'm finding myself becoming.  It's like the concepts that are embedded in my head come from this out of world experience that just seems foreign to many people I speak to.  It's as if I'm trying to explain a whole nother language to them...

My most recent studies have taken me through the minor prophet Joel, 1 Kings, and most important for the purpose of this blog, 1 Corinthians.  In 1 Corinthians, Paul is approached with a lot of division within the church at Corinth.  Sects (err denominations) are being formed between Paulites and Apollosites (followers of Paul's teachings and followers of Apollos' teachings).  Now I can go and talk about this divisions for a while, but lets save that for another blog.

What has continuously hit me however, is twice in the opening 3 chapters, Paul talks about wisdom.  The wisdom of the world versus the wisdom that the Holy Spirit gives us.

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. - 1 Corith. 1:21

Ok. This is weird.  The concepts that go on in my head about the before-mentioned topics clash with the general concepts of the world.  And it bothers me.  I'll show a few examples here:

Dating
It's important for me to always be committed to my [imaginary] girlfriend.  Commitment, honesty, loyalty and the values I [now] cherish the most.  I'm a romantic at heart that wants to spoil my [imaginary] girlfriend by holding the doors open for her, dropping her off near the door when the weather is bad, waiting until she enters the house at night before driving away.  Ya know, what I thought were the basics.  They (whoever they are) say that chivalry is dead, well as long as I'm alive, chivalry will not be dead. Real talk.

Money
Money is not very important to me.  Yes, it's nice having a steady job, kinda sorta living paycheck to paycheck because of the pimp know as Sallie Mae, and just being comfortable.  However, one of the fears I have, and this is an honest fear ya'll, is having too much money.  I'm afraid that I'll become consumed by it.  That it runs the risk of becoming my idol.  It's seems to me that everyone wants a little more money, and if/when they get that little more money, they want a little MORE money and so forth and so on.  Listen, not everyone has the money "Sin Giant" but many of us are capable of it.

Convictions
I always thought that people knew what convictions were.  I guess is ASSumed incorrectly.  Probably the easiest way to describe it is one's conscious.  I often tell people that the reason I stopped cussing is because I started to feel bad about it.  My conscious, aka the Holy Spirit, began to convict me because that's not how a man of God should be using his words (See James 3:1-12)  When I tell people this, I get one of two reactions: A.) Oh that's really cool or B.) *Looks at me like I'm crazy*.  Yep, story of my life.

I am not, I repeat, I AM not claiming that my words or thoughts are the way the "perfect" man or Christian should live.  I'm also not judging you if you have different mindsets different than mine.  These are just my convictions (see what I just did there) and my observations on how I'm just a #Anomaly.

Don't lose faith my brothers and sisters if you just aren't understood (whether it's in the physical, emotional or spiritual sense).  We are all created to be different parts of God's body.  We have different thoughts, different skills, different appearances, and different brain sizes (with mine being the largest.....just KIDDING).  Do what you feel is right.  I believe that we are all born with a conscious (there are scientific exceptions to that rule I guess) that hint us in the right direction.  It's all about listening to it.  One of the sure fire ways to check to see if what you're doing is the "right" thing is to ask the rhetorical question, "Am I blessing others with this decision or am I only doing it for myself."  And please please please be honest to yourself.

With much blessings,
MJA#Anomaly

The Challenge of Being Still

On my iTunes account I have a specific playlist of which I affectionately called: Spirit Worship.  This playlist is the array of songs I elect to go to when I'm down in the dumps (because we already know about the Sacrifice of Worship) but also, I use it when I in the need to be still.

I know that it has been a while since I've blogged (as a matter of fact this is probably the longest I've gone without blogging...yikes!), but the lack of blogging is because I'm at this phase, this crossroad in my life where I am desperately trying to discover myself.  Now I know the overarching principle that I am a child of the Most High God, but who is the blogger/man Michael Adams is a struggle for me sometimes especially in this busy busy American Life.

As a result, a focus of mine has been this phase of Being Still.  There is an ever popular and overused phrase in the Bible that says in Psalm 46:10: "be still, and know that I am God."  Yes, that's a great theoretical concept, but do we actually follow that concept?

I am under the firm belief that we learn more about ourselves, about God, about our environment when we are consciously practicing the art of Being Still.  Being Still is you telling the world, telling your mind that you've had enough of the multitasking; that you are going to focus on one thing and one thing only.  This is a practice that our ancestors were much more proficient at it than we, but it's not a lost cause.

My aforementioned Spirit Playlist consists of 30 songs which is composed of different genres: Gospel, Contemporary Christian, Christian Hip Hop, & yes, even Christian Rock.  At fact value these songs seemingly have very little in common, but for me, they all have that ability to give me goosebumps no matter how many times I listen to them.

With that being said, I'm going to open you up to two of my songs.  One will be Gospel and the other will be Contemporary.  Here's a free peak into my head, don't take this too lightly!

There is one thing I ask however.  That right now, you become still.  That at this time you will Be Still. You can listen to one song, both songs, or even choose your own song (I won't be offended).  But when you do, stop what you are doing, and listen/watch the videos.  I would even suggest putting your best pair of headphones in and embracing the moment.

After the moment, if you are inclined, comment below on how you feel, what your experience is.  If it's a private feeling write it down & talk it over with a loved one and/or God.  Don't take this challenge lightly.  You'd be surprised what you hear when you are intentionally still.

The Gospel song I chose is: My Life, My Love, My All by Kirk Franklin.  This songs literally plays with my emotions every time!  You'll see what I mean.

The Contemporary song I chose is: Still by Hillsong United.  Once the peak of this song hits, I am GONE!

--MJA

Racism is still alive..unfortunately

The recent College Football events have led me to ponder the topic of racism in today's life.  Let me start off by saying that I am indeed an African-American man whose decedents were brought over from Africa.  I personally have had direct acts of racism acted towards me, so racism doesn't have a deep effect on me.  I would be remissed to note that since I've been to college, most of my close friends are now white, so I have absolutely nothing against white people forrr the record.

Let's be clear here, I am not one of those crazy people that overuses the name of racism such as some of the politicians whom I disagree with.  I have been called a "nigger" before.  It wasn't a bad intent.  The guy who called me it just thought it was cool   So I calmly told him the origin of that word and he apologized for it and it was all good. But, I'll get back to that in a little bit.

If you don't know the issue, here it is in a nutshell, now former Colorado State Football coach, Jon Embree was fired yesterday after 2 years for bad performance.  Now firings in College Football (FBS) are nothing new, but it was Embree's comments after he was fired that started the discussion.  He exclaimed that if his skin color was different (white), he would probably still have the job.  This comment at first glance just felt like another man playing the "black card." But after hearing his argument dissected, there's evidence to support that claim.  The idea that his predecessor, whom happened to be white and happened to last his full contract term (5 years), was just as unsuccessful as Embree and received 3 more years was enlightening.

Couple that with the statistic that I stole from Stephen A Smith that notes: in the past 33 year, there have been 41 African American head coaches in FBS that left a team (voluntarily or involuntarily) and only 1 of them has been rehired.  Now let me pause right there, because I don't have any statistics on their white counterparts, however let me point out 2 issues.  Firstly, the fact that only 41 African American coaches were there in 33 years is alarming bad.  Secondly, that's a little more than 2.5% of black coaches given a second chance.

Maybe Embree has some merit?  Let's get beyond all the "official" mumbo-jumbo though.

We have a problem.  I do not believe that racism is really alive in the public (maybe a little, but nothing compared to before), but I do believe that it still exists deep in the soul.  When it all comes down to it, we all have racist/stereotypic  tendencies.  But, racism at it's core is a deep, ugly, nasty and rigid thing.  Let's be clear, I'm not just talking about Black vs. White (and visa-versa).  I'm talking about Black vs. Latino, White vs. Latino, Easterners vs. Whites vs. Blacks vs. Latinos...I can go on and on (all of them visa-versa).  What I'm trying to say is that at it's core, it's a heart issue.

There are people that are going to blabber about how there were Christians that justified slavery using the bible in the 18th and 19th centuries, which is fine.  And to that I say that I have a history degree from Messiah College when all I did was study stuff like that so I've heard it and I can refute it by saying one word: Different.  In the past there were different values and understandings so you have to look at it with different lenses.  You can't look down on an ideology in the past just because it seems invalid to you.  At the heart of it, it may be unjust, but you have to understand why they felt that way. Unfortunately, that's beyond the scope of this blog.

Like I said before, it's a heart issue.  It's not something I think we can tangibly change in 5, 10,or 15 years with strict legislation because when you try to force people to do something, there's resentment.  But something needs to be done.  Here's what I'm going to do, and I know I'm gonna sound like a Christan (Heaven forbid), but I'm going to pray.  I'm going to pray for the nation.  I'm going to pray my butt off!

When it comes down to it, the Bible tells us a story.  It tells us a narrative of huge issues between Jews and Gentiles...aka Jews versus everyone else.  For thousands of years, they hated each other.  They fought wars, rumored wars, killed, torture, and sometimes married to the detriment of themselves.  A lot of it stemmed because the Jews thought they were better than everyone else.  And if I had to be honest, they were, because they were God's chosen people.  BUT (and that's a big but) when Jesus came and died on the cross, he eliminated the "I'm better than you barrier."  He took on the sins of the entire world.  Thus, those that believe in him are now the "Jew" or the chosen one.

Wait!  It can be taken a step further!  Paul, in his letter to the Galatians tells us that we are all one in Christ! "There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ." (Galatians 3:28)  That's the beauty of it.  All one in Christ.

Lets be clear. Something needs to be done in FBS. Maybe they need to establish a Roony Rule such as in the NFL where at least one minority has to be interviewed during a coaching process.  That was a good way at giving minorities exposure to other teams because while they might not be hired, at least other organizations might know who they are and say "hmmm...I never thought about Jon Embree, lets take a look."We are all family.  We are all humans.  MLK said that we are human first.  We need to recognize and be proud of that!

I love all my black, white, Latino, Asian, male, female, lesbian, gay, short, tall, big-boneded, thin, light-skinned, and dark skin peeps.  Just keep the love comin!

Who Am I?

Today in church my spirit was revived, it was lifted because after over a month layoff I got to direct.  Granted it was only one song, it was however one of my favorite songs: He Reigns (Our God Is an Awesome God).  And lemme just say, I LET EM UZE ME!  And at that point I was at my spiritual heightness.  I was floating on my Spiriutal cloud-9 of sorts.

Then the sermon came.  And it was an atypcial sermon were Pastor Woody did an exercise.  He taught the church the Spiritual Disciple of the Lectio Devina.  This is just a fancy way to teach us to how read the scripture.  How to read the scriptutre prayerfully.  This discipline has 4 steps:

1. Read the scripture slowly and prayerfully a couple times through.
2. Mediatie on it, focus on what God is trying to tell you about the scripture.  Realize where it hurts, brings you joy, etc.
3.  Talk to God about it.  Tell Him specifically what was on your heart.
4. Be still. And just listen to what God has spoken to you.

So, the pastor read a familiar passage taken from Luke 18:9-14 which is the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  It reads:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable.

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 
'God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildowers, adulteres-or even like this tax collector. 
I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

But the tax collector stood at a distance.  He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 
'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

I tell you that his man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.  
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those how humble themselves will be exalted."

And after the Pastor took us through those steps, he gave the congregation a chance to say what God was speaking to them.  A couple of people spoke and talked about God's love and another person talked about Humility.  And these are all great great things.

What hit me personally however, was the fact that for far too much in my life, I've been the Pharisee.  The Holy Spirit had convicted my soul.  Troubled my Spirit.  Made me feel soo...dirty.  And it was right at that moment where I realized that I needed to confess.  I needed to apologize, and I needed to repent.

People tend to come to me to talk about various things. And one thing I pride myself about is that I don't judge them.  I try my hardest not to judge them.  And I get the feeling that they sincerely believe that, and its true.  I'm not a judger.  However, there are those times when I pray where I thank the Lord for not putting me in certain positions.  Certain situations.  And it is in those moments where I unconsciously start to feel like I'm better than them.  I start to gather the "Holier than Thou mentality."  The scary part is that I don't even realize it.  And to that I say: Who am I?

Who am I?  Who am I to say that your sin is worse than mine?  Who am I to thank God for not doing A,B,C when I'm sitting there doing X, Y, & Z.  In God's eyes, no sin is worst than the other.  Because when it all comes down to it, sin kills.  For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is everlasting.  I thank God (literally) that Jesus came down to be my penal substitute.  He took the blame that I should've.  I should be on my way to Hell in a hand-basket!  Like seriously....WHO THE HECK AM I?

So, I just need to repent for my wrong thoughts.  For my Holier Than Thou Mentality.  I pray for everyone that has done ABC but I also need prayer for my sins XYZ.  And you know the weird thing, some people may feel like XYZ is worst than ABC.  So really...WHO AM I?

I am a sinner.  But Jesus saved me.  I am lost.  But, Jesus found me.  I am a screw-up.  But, Jesus redeemed me.  "Amazing Love, how can it be, that you my king would die for me!"

If you are out there and you can relate.  I challenge you to be still.  To talk to God.  To ask the great Forgiverer for forgiveness.  To ask Him to change your hearts.  Because we all have skeletons in our closets.  I wil not cast the first stone! (John 8:2-11)

It Has Changed My Life!

Narcissism.  That one word has been the ruler of my life, unbeknownst to me.  Yes, I loved to help people, but only if it helped me in someway.  Whether it would keep them out of my head...it was all about me, me, me.

Then I came to Messiah College and became a history major (who would've ever thunk?) where I can honestly say that mine life has changed and my eyes have been opened.

History, if the one secular study that is unselfish.  It forces the reader, the 'interacter', the historian to get out of his or her shoes and enter into someone (whom is usually dead) else's'.  It is an amazing practice that everyone, but especially Christian need to focus on.  It's not about me.  It's about you.  It's about them.  Being a history major has taught me to empathize with people. To challenge myself to put away judgements and ill misconceptions.  To just look at the person and to love them.  All we need is love right? I mean that's all people are looking for, to meet someone that won't judge them, but to care for and about them.

Besides, Jesus' greatest commandment was a two part ordeal.  Part A: Love God.  Part B: Love people.  You can't love God and not love people since in the beginning God created us in his (or is you believe God is a female, her) image.

Reading a document that was written well before my time is an exciting ordeal!  I can to read someone else's thoughts! A psych major's dream!  INterpret their words, bring past events to life!  But all that has to be preceded by understanding what they went through, their context.

I want to thank the Lord for placing me at Messiah College.  But most importantly, putting me in the midst of wonderful and caring professors in the History Department.  There are no words that I can say that will express the deep gratitude I have for you.  To them, I pray that they continue to inspire students.  Coming into my freshman year, if you would've told me that I would've been transformed in mind, body (yes body) and soul by the HISTORY department, I would've called you a liar!

To everyone that is/was a history major.  I hope you have/will have similar stories to mine.  I hope that you are able to gather the great virtues that this discipline gives: empathy, caring, understanding, compassion, listening, and most importantly: love.

To everyone else...What are you waiting for!  Sign up and get yo history degree!  Just kidding (kinda).  I hope you find the joy in whatever you do.  The Kingdom has a place for every single one of you and your abilities.  Don't let them go to waste.  If God can use a terrorist like Paul, a murderer like Moses, and a adulter like David, he sure can use me and you!

Just as the body, though one, has many parts, but all it's parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ~ Romans 12:12