Ashley Cleveland - Higher Ground

Proclaim the good, and not the bad

by Alan Harris

Thankful(? )Thoughts From My Journal How do you reach people for Jesus? We want to place youth in front of ministry, place, point, drop it in front of them. What do kids like? Music, social networking, popular books and movies, group acceptance, love, affirmation, escape, distraction, to speak like everyone else, to complain (just read a few Facebook walls). Hopefully they would want to get all that and know God too.

We want to provide a strong vehicle for shaking these youth. We can't change them in one weekend. We can plant a seed. We can feed them a sample. God may send others to water and tend it or we may be fertilizer or plant food for previous seed.  We're small, but determined.

The world is not leading kids this way, or adults either.  I stay as far away from secular media as I can. The glimpses I get still shock me and turn my stomach. I see our government as a fear machine. Everything today is trying to keep us safe from corruption. But often it is corruption that is putting that fear in us. I don't think terrorism is out there. I think the devil is, and he's a liar.

Every time I react to something that's not conforming to God's ways, I hear people say, “What's your problem? Its not that bad!” It's not that BAD? Well show me something that is promoting good. Lets not see how much of the crap in the world we can tolerate and be entertained by.

“Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor 10:5) I don't see today's youth casting down ANYTHING. “I'm OK, You're OK, everything is OK, especially what is in the arts, media, the movies, Barnes & Noble. Its ok if the theme is of the devil. “It's not so bad. It's a beautiful story.” Or here's one from my kids, “Let me attack  something you like to prove you do the same thing! How dare you say something I feel validated with is bad?”

“Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thes 2:11-12

Who is calling evil-evil anymore? Is anything evil? How can we say “deliver us from evil,” when we accept every damn evil thing that comes across the screen? David Wilkerson used to say about bad TV shows, “TURN IT OFF!” Will some one raise the standard back again? Well, that's what we're doing.

Lets spend our time dwelling on good. If everything today is twisted and perverted away from God's law of love, then lets go back to things in the past. Learn from the Bible. Learn from good writers and speakers. Read God's truths and lessons. What are we doing to proclaim the good News? Who are we sharing it with?

“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thes 2:15

So we will continue to proclaim the good, and not the bad.

Urging youth to hear God’s call, Pope Benedict says Christians cannot continue ‘business as usual’ :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Urging youth to hear God’s call, Pope Benedict says Christians cannot continue ‘business as usual’ :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

21 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Today my twins turned 21. Being the father of twins, everything they do happens at the same time, in two directions. Like a tennis match, on separate courts. I love all my children. My Grandfather used to say that all the time. OK, I love Charlotte. I love Sam. I love each of them differently, because they are each different. I just woke up from a nice afternoon nap, so I'm a bit dreamy.

I don't think maturity or respect is something you gain from reaching a certain age. Wine ages and tastes good because it gets to where it tastes good and matured. I don't know about numbers. I go by the taste. I've watched these two and they're still being worked on in the wine rack. In fact they need a little cheese with that whine. What have you done for me lately?

Lori and I and God put good stuff in our kids. We set the body in motion. God provides the soul and the spirit and keeps the body ticking. Sam and Charlotte have to steer the ship and make choices. What they choose has been different for each of them. I'm still observing. I will always care what they do. I want to be proud of them, for them to represent the Harris family well and God.

When babies are born you don't know how they're going to end up looking because they're funny looking. I still don't know how Sam and Charlotte will end up looking.

You can tell they are Harrises. They are tough. Bull headed. Creative. Independent. But will they follow Jesus in all things? I hope so. I'm still praying for them. Every day.

Sam and Charlotte, you've got a long way to go. We've been most of the way ourselves. We'd like to help you from what we've learned. Give us a chance.

Congratulations on staying in this world 21 years. Its been a funky ride. Not everybody gets twins. I've enjoyed it. It was cool. Where will you be in another 21 years? May I say with Jesus,

'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matt. 25:23

Love Dad (Alan Harris)

Repentance rather than structural change to beat clerical abuse - CathNews

Repentance rather than structural change to beat clerical abuse - CathNews

HOW CAN THE CHURCH REVIVE?

HOW CAN THE CHURCH REVIVE?

Stuck in the Middle

Stuck In the Middle
by Alan Harris.
(Article begins below the video and song lyrics)

It's a funny world we live in

It's funny every day

Half the world prays like the preacher

The other half don't even pray

So no one understands you

If you pray in your own way

Now I'm stuck here in the middle

Everything is in a jam

Stuck right in the middle

Doors on both sides seem to slam

No one seems to want me

Only God will take me like I am

Well my brothers criticize me

Say I'm just too strange to believe

And the others just avoid me

They say my faith is so naive

I'm too sacred for the sinners

And the saints wish I would leave

Now I'm stuck here in the middle

Everything is in a jam

Stuck right in the middle

Doors on both sides seem to slam

No one seems to want me

Only God will take me like I am

Written by Mark Heard

© 1981 Bug and Bear Music (ASCAP)

The Protestants

I am a Charismatic Catholic Convert. Most Protestants haven't a clue why I would even give the Catholics the time of day. They have all their pat answers to the “errors” of Catholicism. They're rather squeamish about even setting foot in a Catholic church. Their opinion seems based on rumor, stereotyping and passed on gossip.

Some will listen to you, but they seem closed off and unwilling to learn more or change. They find it surprising that some Catholics are spirit filled and moving in the gifts at meetings. “But what about..,..?” They don't see how God could be in it when they still see points to condemn by.

The Catholics

Those in the Catholic Church like what they do. They see nothing wrong. They don't want to remove anything. They don't want to add anything. They have heard about these Charismatics, “but that's the weirdos. They do their own thing.”
The Catholics, for the most part, don't want to do evangelism or encourage Christian training. They don't want to have a Bible Study or a prayer group. “We pray and hear the Bible at Mass.” They might pray the Rosary. If you're really hearing a call to God they'll recommend you become a priest or nun.

Stuck in the Middle

Then here's Lori and I stuck in the middle. We are happy to be Catholic. We love it. “The smells, the bells and the yells,” says Deacon Alex C. Jones. It took a lot of listening and studying to get comfortable. We love the Sacraments and see Jesus in them.

We love the core of the Catholic faith. The part that came from the Apostolic Fathers. It seems that many of the aspects of the Church that folks have a problem with, came from taking something simple and honorable and letting it mutate into something unscriptural.


For example: (and I am not a theologian)

1. The Assumption of Mary: Mary is the Mother of Jesus. OK. Mary carried Jesus in her womb and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary saw an angel who foretold Jesus' birth. Mary was in Jesus' physical presence more than any Human. Mary died and her spirit went to heaven. Then her empty body was taken to heaven, (Protestants will ask for chapter and verse here) but she didn't need it up there.
2. Immaculate Conception: The church says Mary was born without Adam's sin on her. (Proof? The Protestants cry)
3. Statues: We have a giant statue of Sam Houston outside Huntsville, TX. We don't worship it or pray to Sam Houston. He was a good man and patriot who lived and died and we honor him. By looking at the statue, people can see what he looked like and respect what he did for Texas. We don't worship Sam Houston. I suppose people who are related to him might speak out and wonder if God allows him to hear from heaven.

Same for the Blessed Mother. In my limited human brain, I don't understand how she, or any saint, hears all the people talking to them. Its hard enough to believe that God can do that and sort out all the prayers and thoughts of every soul on earth and in heaven. (remember Its a wonderful life, when all of Bedford Falls are praying for George Bailey at the same time?)
As a Catholic Convert, I honor Mary and ask her to pray for me or for whoever I'm praying for. I don't believe she hears my thoughts. I always audibly speak to her. I don't pray in the name of Mary. I really don't ask other saints to pray for me. If others do that its fine with me. I might ask people I knew when they were alive to pray for me, or one of my children in need (Like my Grandmother or Father).
I could be wrong. So much of God is beyond my comprehension.

So as a recent Catholic convert. I'm trying to make peace with both sides. Often I feel I don't belong to either.

I'm just stuck in the middle. Each time I get stuck I realize how little time I spend studying the wealth of books and media out there that could help me understand. We have to take the time to know our faith.