Love Coffee

“When was the last time any American, African, Asian ever said Jesus is all-satisfying because you drove a BMW?” – John Piper

I love this clip of this sermon and believe it certainly illustrates truth, truth of the current state of much of Americans feel good gospel.  Much of what we hear from our pulpits are a candy coated version of the Gospel.  Much of my time over the last 5 years, well over half of it was based on what many will call the “health and wealth” message.  I have also spent much time studying the far end of the spectrum.  I believe I am closer than ever and find great satisfaction in a common, middle ground between the two. 

I believe that if a person takes a “vow of poverty” as I have heard it, and use it to reach some higher state of piety because of it, you are no different than the person who feels a foreign car is the greatest witness of Gods blessing and work in your life. Both are the far extreme and both are based on material objects. 

To have nice things is NOT materialism….materialism is an attempt to use tangible objects to replace spiritual blessings, in my opinion.  So with that thought, used with wrong motives…..a beat up old Buick can be just as deceiving to one as a shiny new BMW.  Make sense ?

I don’t believe John Piper was trying to portray this thought in his sermon, I just think it is vital for people to find a middle ground, not that we should accept false doctrine, but that we base our theology on sound doctrine and not on extremes.  It really is all based on what your heart is set on….material objects or Jesus Christ. 

So April 6th will be here before we know it and I am really excited.  Know why ? Because Erin and I will be going to the Third Day concert at Cedarville University in Ohio.  Third Day is a band that has for sure grown on me, since for the most part, I really didn’t have much of a taste for Christian music until I would say the last 3-4 years.  I now find that anytime we are in the car, especially on a long trip, a few of their cds are a must.

If for some reason you haven’t ever heard them, go over to their site and have a listen.  We are trying to round up a group to go…hopefully we will gather up enough people to rent a van and make a road trip of it! 

 I just wanted to post a story from December 07 that I found interesting.  You can read the article here.