Aaron Reddin onLife, Liberty, and Pursuit of Jesusness

Since some people are going to straight freak out over this one without even listening to (or reading) the lyrics, let me just put on my Captain Obvious cape for a moment.

The song is not claiming that there is no Jesus Christ. The song is written to remind someone (everyone?) that they are not Jesus Christ.  It is also not that old of a song.  So to call it “throwback” may not be totally accurate.  Oh well. 

Want to see into the minds of my generation and understand why they are so jaded by church and Christianity? Here’s your chance. No, you will not fully understand from this song. But it’s definitely worth a listen.

Most people believe that the song was written to Shaun Morgan’s then ex-girlfriend, Amy Lee. The two had a lyrical fist-fight for some time after their breakup.

First of all, reviewing a Bible is a totally awkward thing to do. How can anyone in their right mind critique God’s Word? Exactly.

If this wasn’t a “study” Bible or “commentary”, I wouldn’t have even thought about it. Clearly I did not read every word in this book. It would have taken forever.

Also, I am not a father. I know nothing about being a father. The closest I have been to being a father, is that Lane and I have two dogs. So….

Robert Wolgemuth adds a lot of paternal insight throughout that is backed by Biblical principle. Nuggets. He adds paternal nuggets. No jokes!!

This Bible is in the New Century Version which, to be honest, I am not all that familiar with. It seems to be a very readable translation. I use the NLT, and this seems very comparable as far as readability is concerned.

It’s in a hardback, with a nicely designed exterior.

To me, this Bible seems like a nice novelty gift for Father’s Day. I don’t know that many people will buy it for themselves, but I expect many will receive it as a gift.

(This review was written in exchange for a copy of the reviewed book, through Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program)

Who the heck would ever take a roadtrip by themselves?  Not me.  No way.  No how. 

Whether it’s business (mandatory) or personal (recreational), there are dozens of reasons that road-trips are just not meant to be a solo performance!

This is probably the only recovery principle that is universally accepted.  Don’t go it alone!!

Though Paul was nowhere near addressing “recovery” in Romans 1:11-12, he clearly shows the importance of face-to-face interaction with other believers and like-minded individuals. 

“For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.  When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

He longs for it.  As do we all. 

Many times people assume that because I write about aspects of “Christian recovery” that I believe need to be reevaluated, that I think that there is no need for any kind of recovery efforts.  This is simply not true. 

You need support.  You encouragement.  You need entertainment.  You need a shoulder sometimes.  You need some seriously real friends, because sometimes you are gonna need someone to get in your face and put you in check.  I know I do.  I have to have that daily!

Road trips are a group effort.  Only weirdos and serial killers drive around alone!  :)

The road to recovery is a lonely and desolate place sometimes.  Don’t think for a minute that you will survive out there on your own.  God made you, and He made it clear that you were not created for isolation.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…..

There was this thing that people did called Sunday School.  It was a magical land of puppets and felt boards where little kiddies would all gather to learn about “God”. 

Some body’s mom who was 43 times the age of the kiddies would come in to teach the kiddies how to be good little Christian boys and girls.  The lucky kiddies all met in the same room.  The not so lucky kiddies had to separate.  Boys in one room, girls in another!! 

Oh, screw this!  I’m not a fiction writer! 

If you ever had the privilege to go to Sunday School then you probably remember learning very early about the Roman Road to Salvation.  I know, I know.  Not all Sunday School was that bad.  And if you still do Sunday School, please do it well because you are like the Native Americans of Christianity. 

So the Roman Road to Salvation, just in case you are un-Sunday Schooled, was a breakdown of Bible verses that lead you down the path to salvation.  It’s Bible verses pulled and regrouped to form a path, mostly out of Romans.  Duh.  Hence the name. 

Unarguably outdated in today’s “modern” Church, the Roman Road has been all but forgotten by most. 

The sad part is that Romans is brilliant.  OK, the Bible is brilliant, but Romans speaks so clearly to addictions, strongholds, and even what real “Christian” recovery should look like. 

It speaks of power.  The power of God.  The power of sin.  The power we have been given.  The power that lives within us. 

It speaks of life.  How to live it.  How to control it.  Where to obtain it. 

It speaks of freedom.  Freedom from the law.  Freedom from bondage.  Freedom from sin.  Freedom found only in Jesus. 

Romans basically lays out a perfect “road” if you will to recovery.  I mean real recovery.  True recovery.  The kind of recovery that doesn’t take the remainder of your life.  The kind of recovery that you’re only going to get from Jesus, and the only kind that Jesus ever really offered. 

Over the next few days, weeks, years, crap I don’t know……

I want to blog some quick thoughts that come from Romans.  Simple.  Concise.  True. 

I hope you will subscribe, or come back to read and COMMENT to contribute to these discussions.

Target.  You know….the store?  Surely you’ve heard the latest ranting about their political and financial goings-on. 

If not, you will.  I need not preface this video with an explanation as the video does it well enough. 

THIS, my friends, is the real beauty of America.  Regardless of your political stances or opinions…..you must admit that the ability to do THIS, is one reason we all stay here…..

Thanks to these two, I would like to announce that I am quitting Christianity, American-ity, Southern…whatever, and I will no longer divulge my gun ownership status. 

Anne gave me the guts.  Basil gave me the desire.  Anne told me it was ok, when Basil made me cry. 

I’ve wanted to return to Nashville, TN someday.  However, if this dude goes any farther than a 3 inch rope, it just won’t happen……I don’t even know if I will call myself American ever again.

All of the “professional” bloggers will tell you that you much find and accept your niche’.  Theirs, obviously, is just simply blogging.  Fine. 

They blog.  They blog about blogging.  They talk about blogging and to some extent they have full creative freedom when it comes to shaping the future of the culture of their blogging niche’. 

Their niche’ is sustainable as many of us who are not “professional” bloggers and whose blogs don’t generate enough revenue for us to quit our jobs will eat up their “wisdom” in hopes of building and bettering our non-professional blogs. 

You see many bloggers who have “made it” taking the time to write posts that will help the wannabe blogger.  I love that about the blogging community.  Most of those popular bloggers do not display an elitist attitude about their success. 

What does this look like in the other blogging niche’ communities though?  Are bloggers who have made it in other particular niche’s sharing their success with others who have a message they hope to spread?  Are they teaching others how to attract up-and-coming bloggers to that niche’? 

If you blog about something other than blogging, who is your go-to person to see how you can grow your niche’ and personal blog?  Or do you simply rely on the “professional bloggers”? 

Jesus makes me laugh all through the scriptures.  He makes me laugh because He sets people up and breaks out a left-hook, not because He set out to be a comedian. 

One of His favorite set-ups is finding out what a person really believes about Him, and how much they actually believe Him.  Not just in Him.

You’ve likely read/heard it:  “Who do you say that I am?”

That’s a BIG question coming from the likes of Jesus.  It’s big because Jesus was very clear, all the time, about who He was claiming to be.  He clearly declared that He was in fact God. 

He wanted to know if His people were buying into it or not.  I think He wants to know if we buy into it or not. 

But do we?  Do we really? 

There are a lot of people out there who will say that they “believe in God”, or “believe in Jesus” or what have you.  The trouble comes when we start talking about believing what He has said.  How can we claim to believe in Him, if we negate what He has said?  There is no way to  justify claiming to believe that Jesus is God, but discredit His very words!  That makes no stinkin’ sense!

The more I write, speak, teach about the correlation between Jesus and addictions, the more people will outright argue with things that Jesus Himself clearly stated.  How can this be?  How can we be “Christians” or “Christ followers” if we are going to argue His very words?!?! 

If we don’t buy what He has clearly said regarding our freedom and the fact that HE HAS GIVEN US power over sin and strongholds, then just who do we really say that He is?? 

It wasn’t enough to just follow Jesus around then, it’s not enough now.  We either believe what He has clearly communicated to us, or we don’t.   

This is one of the many reasons that I can’t stand to hear the claim that undocumented immigrants are a “drain” on our society….

These are actual businesses here in Little Rock.  I have no words…..maybe you do….they did…

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a die-hard Frank Sinatra fan. I know, you may not have seen that coming if you don’t know me personally.

Anyway, this is one song that reaches to the pits of everything that I am and makes my heart smile about life and living.

The greatest line ever, “What is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught”…..

I don’t have all the answers. I know, you’re shocked, right?

But as Christians we are supposed to be following the only one who does have them all. Why, then, do we allow our minds, hearts, people, churches, and doctrine to be infiltrated with things that are absolutely contradictory to what He says?

You probably know where I’m going. It’s just…..where I go….

Sometimes I just have to clarify some of it though and that’s what I’m wanting to do here. You see, I fight a battle. I’ve pretty much come to realize that no matter the cost, my life is about this battle. It’s the battle for absolute freedom from addictions.

Why a battle? Well, because the Church is accepting secular ideals about addictions that contradict Jesus. Christians are selling the notion that addictions never fully go away. And other Christians are buying it. More critical is the fact that most new Christians who are battling addiction are buying it by the truckload.

I’ve posted many posts on here that show the conflict between secular recovery ideals and the very teachings of Jesus. The two simply do not mesh. This post isn’t so detailed in showing the conflict. It’s just a post that says, “Hey! We need to re-examine this thing called recovery that we’re doing in our churches”.  It scares me how much the Church and “trustworthy” well known pastors are taking this stuff in and dishing it out like candy corn at a church hayride on Halloween.

For one who is battling addictions, the point of beginning a recovery journey is probably the most critical of that journey and if people are not getting a solid foundation of Jesus and His teachings on these matters then we may as well just invite them over for some crack and vodka.  

Screw “cool”.  Screw PC.  Screw addictions.  If it takes being labeled a super hyper-charismatic radical freakshow to put people with addictions before the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, then that’s what it’s going to take.  I won’t give up. 

He set me free, and I’ll not shut up. 

One of the greatest Christian cliche’s that I’ve ever heard is this:

“Jesus got up and got out, so that you can get up and get out”.

It’s time we remember that.

This is probably the kind of blog post that has been written 11,672 times, in as many different ways. Oh well.

I’ve found myself, as I do about once a month, realizing that I am completely insufficient. I’m a lame dude, lame employee, lame friend, and I’m a lame husband. I totally suck at life.

Said it before, say it again…..the ONLY good thing in me is Jesus.

But half the time, I’m just stupid enough to think that I’m smart enough to take these things on without Him. Every time I’m stupid enough to think that I’m smart enough, I start the whole stupid cycle all over again!

Doesn’t seem to matter how “far” we get, or how good we think we’re doing. We all have to continually stop and acknowledge that He is the only thing good in us. He is the only thing good in me, I can assure you! You can quickly see it in my life when I start thinking I’m smarter than He is…..

What a foolish and arrogant man I am, to think that I can truly succeed at anything without Him.

That’s all.

Anyone else continually live in this cycle, no matter how many times you think you’ve learned your lesson?