"...they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come here also (Acts 17:6)".
After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the band of disciples who followed Him, set out and defied the religious institution and went against society norms, all in the effort to preach that everyone must "save themselves from this corrupt generation". That is the same message we as the body of Christ need to be yelling today. I sometimes sit and think about the current state of things, are we reading the same Bible about the same followers? This isn't some sit in church, clap your hands, sing a song, listen to a message and live a good life type of thing here, this is the call to be radical. Let us always remember the Spirit of the band of disciples who followed Christ, who we call Apostles, as well look to Church history for those who have blazed these trails before us.
The book of Acts is filled with exactly that- Acts of the Apostles. Peter on Pentecost preaching to multitudes, he is warning them and preaching with a passion, that they must realize the Truth. After a great healing, Peter once again preaches about repentance to the onlookers. These two stories alone show a pattern of consistency and passion, so much that Peter and John were brought up for trial to the religious leaders. Read how many believers were added to the Church. I say that not to point out that we need bigger walled churches, but rather to show that in some senses we have lost the passion for the lost. Only the Spirit of God can give us this radical passion, which will provoke us to get out there and be heard.
If today, there was to be a persecution of Christians in our land, would our testimonies and work shine so bright that we would be dragged away? I fear not, because most of us, unlike the Apostles are not being heard, or shaking things up. The Apostles made the world as we know it uncomfortable, unlike Christianity of today (Church-ianity) in which is the normal faith of the day. Everyone says there a Christian!!!
Polycarp, a faithful disciple of the Apostle John, was an example of a follower who during persecution was singled out and was martyred. This was a man who fought heresies in the Church and dedicated his life to the ministry. Or consider the Monks, such as Anthony or Francis. At a time when the Church was beginning to inter-mingle with the affairs of the world, these monks set themselves apart and fled to institutional church. Many of us fail to realize that this upset the "religious world" and Rome had alot of hostility toward them. Imagine that, the same Church that calls these men "Saints" actually disregarded them at the time of their service.
"Constantine adopting the Christian faith, resulted in a decline in Christian commitment. The radical believers who Diocletian killed were replaced by half-converted pagans" -Church History Textbook
Another great believer, Peter Waldo (1140-1218) led a band of believers much like the Apostles and are considered one of the first "back to the Bible movements". The Waldenses preached a return to the simple life of the Apostles, living a voluntary life of poverty and preaching. Once again, this radical move challenged the ideas of the day, so this was declared heretical and by 13th Century were pretty much scattered. Even more, lets look at the challenge of
John Wycliffe and John Hus, both who are considered Reformers of their day. They saw the problems in the Church and rather than complain, they took the initiative to make the changes. Many could question, where would the Church teachings be today if it wasn't for the courage of these two men.
Let's consider the Haystack Prayer Meeting. This is actually new to me. I have studied Church History for a couple years now, but up until I studied my Missiology course, I had never heard of this. Wow, the story of these young men who took another great radicals thoughts (William Carey- Father of Modern Missions) and considered them and prayed for them. These students had a divine moment in which they had to consider whether they were going to back or or give their all. These ordinary students birthed what we call "Foreign Missions" today. We all support that, right? Well, guess what, as widely received and welcomed as missions are today, they weren't always. The book," An Inquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen", was very controversial, yet this led to what we have today. Wow, radical!
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage (Matthew 5:13) THE MESSAGE BIBLE."
We cannot end a radical essay without the mention of people like John Wesley who led the Methodist Revival and now what we understand as Evangelical. Or William Booth who created the Salvation Army. Or how about the Azuza Street Revival. All these movements and moments were considered different at that time, but today they are what lead the Church. Have we lost the Spirit of revival?
Allow me to conclude with this honest admission. Church History classes were so boring, even reading the text, I couldn't wait to finish the reading for the night. But, so many times I would come across some of these men that I have mentioned herein, and would get excited, even to the point of "googling" more information. The men of Church History who were ostracized and criticized, persecuted and condemned, are actually men who have led the Church, the bride of Christ, to be what we are today. Have we lost the passion, the zeal, and the life that will make the mission, the Great Commission, complete?
"We have sunk into such a compromising way of dealing with the unconverted as to well nigh lost the spirit of the primitive preachers, and hence it is that sinners of every description can sit quietly as they do, year after year, in our places of worship".- Andrew Fuller
Since, I claim to be a "Jesus Freak", let us remember and prayerfully consider the "Jesus Freak Movement" of the 1960s and early 1970s. This was a mix of the hippie culture and Protestantism. Now, I am now not a hippie, but wow, God is so good, a Jesus Freak is someone who displays Christ in the way God created them. A hippie, a thug, a rock star, a quite mouse type, a goth, a anarchist, a pretty lady,
WE ARE ALL CALLED TO BE "JESUS FREAKS"!!!!
Written by Michael Miano
http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
What is going on here?
First off let me say I love my Savior Jesus Christ, I love the Truth-Word of God, and I love my fellow believers and followers of the Messiah.
But really, what is going on here?
Yesterday, I had a meeting with a good friend and a pastor at a local church. Both great men of God. Today, I have spent the early morning praying, studying, and thinking about that meeting.
In prayer, I began to think "What is going on here". We, the radical, revolutionary followers of Christ Jesus, are beginning to look and sound more like an organizational entity rather than the band of followers who followed Christ.
I was aiming for a direct quote from the pastor I spoke with but I cant remember word for word, so here is a close summary.
A Ministry needs to plug into a Church, because the Church is the foundational authority, and also to make sure the ministry or its leader doesn't go off the deep end.
Now granted, the word ministry or an entity called a ministry is not in the Word of God. Ministry is understood to be a service to the Church. But the last part is having a hard time resonating with me. I do understand accountability, but which is to God not man or mans' institution.
"Off the deep end", Well aren't we suppose to be off the deep end? I mean in Christ, in Truth of course. Who considers what off the deep end is? A pastor? The Word of God? Off the deep end can mean many things to many people. Some people may think Christian rock and hip-hop is off the deep end in the Christian world, or baggy clothing. Or even contemporary worship. So, we must discern everything by the fruit it bears, but at the same time live in the liberty which is in Christ.
I was reminded of the many stories I have read in Church History, where believers have stepped up with something radical and were persecuted for it. Most of the churches and denominations of today, have come from these radical changes. Some examples would be the Waldenses, Lutherans, Baptists, and so many more. I can guarantee that the "Church" of that day, considered these sects to be "off the deep end".
Today, the church is beginning to look like an organization, where there is permission granted to do certain things the Lord is putting into the followers hearts. Maybe off the deep end means what is considered not normal,maybe not of the this world? Well so be it.
I hate to sound stubborn and conceited about things, but I cannot be a follower of a Messiah who defeated death, who set us free from the captivity of sin, and at the same time, have limited freedom to follow the spirit of God which lives within the Church.
We the Church, are not a religion (which also means to control), we are not religious (stuck by a set rules and guidelines), we are not an organization or business,...
WE ARE THE RADICAL BAND OF FOLLOWERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO OUR MESSIAH AND HIS TRUTH, AND TOTALLY COMMITTED TO BE NOT OF THIS WORLD, AND TO "TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE-DOWN".
Let us live up to this,
Pastor Mike Miano
http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
But really, what is going on here?
Yesterday, I had a meeting with a good friend and a pastor at a local church. Both great men of God. Today, I have spent the early morning praying, studying, and thinking about that meeting.
In prayer, I began to think "What is going on here". We, the radical, revolutionary followers of Christ Jesus, are beginning to look and sound more like an organizational entity rather than the band of followers who followed Christ.
I was aiming for a direct quote from the pastor I spoke with but I cant remember word for word, so here is a close summary.
A Ministry needs to plug into a Church, because the Church is the foundational authority, and also to make sure the ministry or its leader doesn't go off the deep end.
Now granted, the word ministry or an entity called a ministry is not in the Word of God. Ministry is understood to be a service to the Church. But the last part is having a hard time resonating with me. I do understand accountability, but which is to God not man or mans' institution.
"Off the deep end", Well aren't we suppose to be off the deep end? I mean in Christ, in Truth of course. Who considers what off the deep end is? A pastor? The Word of God? Off the deep end can mean many things to many people. Some people may think Christian rock and hip-hop is off the deep end in the Christian world, or baggy clothing. Or even contemporary worship. So, we must discern everything by the fruit it bears, but at the same time live in the liberty which is in Christ.
I was reminded of the many stories I have read in Church History, where believers have stepped up with something radical and were persecuted for it. Most of the churches and denominations of today, have come from these radical changes. Some examples would be the Waldenses, Lutherans, Baptists, and so many more. I can guarantee that the "Church" of that day, considered these sects to be "off the deep end".
Today, the church is beginning to look like an organization, where there is permission granted to do certain things the Lord is putting into the followers hearts. Maybe off the deep end means what is considered not normal,maybe not of the this world? Well so be it.
I hate to sound stubborn and conceited about things, but I cannot be a follower of a Messiah who defeated death, who set us free from the captivity of sin, and at the same time, have limited freedom to follow the spirit of God which lives within the Church.
We the Church, are not a religion (which also means to control), we are not religious (stuck by a set rules and guidelines), we are not an organization or business,...
WE ARE THE RADICAL BAND OF FOLLOWERS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO OUR MESSIAH AND HIS TRUTH, AND TOTALLY COMMITTED TO BE NOT OF THIS WORLD, AND TO "TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE-DOWN".
Let us live up to this,
Pastor Mike Miano
http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
Monday, May 11, 2009
Moralistic Christianity- An in depth look at "SIN"
I would like to use this message to speak a bit about sin. Most people who know me, know my attitude concerning sin and the religious mind-set. I HATE IT!
I strongly believe that too many Christians are focused on the wrong thing. So many times do I get into legalistic discussions about what is or isnt sin, so with this blog I would like to clear aware some issues.
What is sin? Sin comes from the root meaning "to miss the mark". I would use the analogy of a dart board. If you throw a dart and miss the bulls-eye, no matter how close you get, if it is not in the little ring, you MISSED the mark! So in matters of sin, no matter how hard we try we still miss the bulls-eye of perfection, so why argue about how far or close we can get. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.
This all comes from a recent discussion with a dear friend concerning what is sin and what isnt. Let me be upfront, I HATE TALKING ABOUT SIN, and that is justified because God hates sin! Why do we focus on what we shouldnt be doing, when half the church isnt doing what they should BE DOING. Here is a couple quotes for you to ponder "I am about my Fathers business" and "seek first the Kingdom of God". SO STRAIGHT FROM JESUS CHRIST: GET FOCUSED ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING!
I am in the middle of reading an excellent book which touches on this topic. "A Renegade's Guide to God by David Foster". The book speaks about the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion is about the good and the bad, rules and regulations. Christianity is about following the resurrected, living Messiah, Jesus Christ. "Life, and life more abundantly". Two great questions he posed in the book were : Who decides what is right for who and How good is good enough for God?
Galatians 2:16 says "a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus...". So even if you want to be legalistic and make rules after rules, you still will not be justified, so why not just focus on following the Messiah and letting him prune you off sin (John 15:2).
Let me say, I absolutely love the analogy that David Foster uses. So, lets say you have an excellent driving record, no tickets, never been pulled over, or anything (obviously nothing like me). One night while driving you fall asleep at the wheel and hit a car full of teenagers, all of them die. Do you think anyone will remember or talk about your awesome driving record after that? No, and thats similar to how God views our sins. We know we dont have an excellent driving record with God, but if you did, we all know we will continue to sin until we receive our glorified self, so in Gods' eyes your righteousness doesn't amount to anything besides "filtered language - dirty rags". See, even the Word of the Lord can be quite straight forward. We must remember all sin is equal (James 2:10).
Read Matthew 5:20. That should be a clear cut to those who try to be goody-two-shoes. You can try by all your righteousness, but I will focus on following Jesus the Christ, and let Him alone redeem me.
OK, I would like to conclude this with a study I did a while ago. (yes, this is my famous sin study with the man who wanted to argue tattoos are sin, which is another FUN one.)
Ok, what is sin? I John 3:4 says "Sin is lawlessness"
So the next question would be, whats is the law? James 2:8 says "If you keep the royal law found in scripture, love thy neighbor as thyself, you do right. Or even as Romans 13:10 says "Love is the fulfillment of the law".(c.f.- I John 3:11,Galatians 5:14, 2 John 6).
God is Love- I John 4:8
The message of salvation in Christ is very simple, and in scripture we are warned against those who make it difficult. This is what the Pharisees did. (2 Corinthians 11:3). God never changed the Law but rather He brought our focus back, The leaders at the time of Christ had led so many away from God and focused on sin because the Law is for sinners (Romans 3:19-24). The Law is good IF USED PROPERLY (I Timothy 1:8-11).
The spirit of the Pharisee is still alive today. Many so-called Christians are judgmental, picking others faults, white washed catacombs, making up new laws etc..And this is not meant to bash, but make you aware. Our focus should be living out the image and idea God created in us.
BUT..
Here is more of an argument for freedom by grace.
I Corinthians 6:12 tells us that everything is permissible, might not be good for you though. (c.f.- Titus 1:14-15, All of Romans 14).
When should you limit this freedom? In love! Remember we have the law of love! Romans 14:13-23
A Spiritual man can be judged by no man (I Corinthians chapter 2)
Ok, I hope that was an in depth look at sin, for all those who dwell on that matter.
THE ENDING OF THE DISCUSSION IS THIS...
LET'S SAY, I DO THAT WHICH IS SIN, I FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, WHAT'S NEXT? CAN YOU SAY THE SAME? IF YOU DOM, THEN YOU ARE IN TRUTH, IF NOT YOU ARE A LIAR! SO THEN, DO YOU SEE HOW FUTILE IT IS TO TALK ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT IS OR ISNT SIN? LET US LEARN FROM THE WORD OF GOD, LIVE LIFE FREE AND IN LOVE, AND LET GOD PRUNE US OF OUR IMPURITIES,
AFTER ALL, ISNT THAT WHAT HE DOES?
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS, IN CHRIST,
PASTOR MIKE MIANO
I strongly believe that too many Christians are focused on the wrong thing. So many times do I get into legalistic discussions about what is or isnt sin, so with this blog I would like to clear aware some issues.
What is sin? Sin comes from the root meaning "to miss the mark". I would use the analogy of a dart board. If you throw a dart and miss the bulls-eye, no matter how close you get, if it is not in the little ring, you MISSED the mark! So in matters of sin, no matter how hard we try we still miss the bulls-eye of perfection, so why argue about how far or close we can get. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.
This all comes from a recent discussion with a dear friend concerning what is sin and what isnt. Let me be upfront, I HATE TALKING ABOUT SIN, and that is justified because God hates sin! Why do we focus on what we shouldnt be doing, when half the church isnt doing what they should BE DOING. Here is a couple quotes for you to ponder "I am about my Fathers business" and "seek first the Kingdom of God". SO STRAIGHT FROM JESUS CHRIST: GET FOCUSED ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING!
I am in the middle of reading an excellent book which touches on this topic. "A Renegade's Guide to God by David Foster". The book speaks about the difference between religion and Christianity. Religion is about the good and the bad, rules and regulations. Christianity is about following the resurrected, living Messiah, Jesus Christ. "Life, and life more abundantly". Two great questions he posed in the book were : Who decides what is right for who and How good is good enough for God?
Galatians 2:16 says "a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus...". So even if you want to be legalistic and make rules after rules, you still will not be justified, so why not just focus on following the Messiah and letting him prune you off sin (John 15:2).
Let me say, I absolutely love the analogy that David Foster uses. So, lets say you have an excellent driving record, no tickets, never been pulled over, or anything (obviously nothing like me). One night while driving you fall asleep at the wheel and hit a car full of teenagers, all of them die. Do you think anyone will remember or talk about your awesome driving record after that? No, and thats similar to how God views our sins. We know we dont have an excellent driving record with God, but if you did, we all know we will continue to sin until we receive our glorified self, so in Gods' eyes your righteousness doesn't amount to anything besides "filtered language - dirty rags". See, even the Word of the Lord can be quite straight forward. We must remember all sin is equal (James 2:10).
Read Matthew 5:20. That should be a clear cut to those who try to be goody-two-shoes. You can try by all your righteousness, but I will focus on following Jesus the Christ, and let Him alone redeem me.
OK, I would like to conclude this with a study I did a while ago. (yes, this is my famous sin study with the man who wanted to argue tattoos are sin, which is another FUN one.)
Ok, what is sin? I John 3:4 says "Sin is lawlessness"
So the next question would be, whats is the law? James 2:8 says "If you keep the royal law found in scripture, love thy neighbor as thyself, you do right. Or even as Romans 13:10 says "Love is the fulfillment of the law".(c.f.- I John 3:11,Galatians 5:14, 2 John 6).
God is Love- I John 4:8
The message of salvation in Christ is very simple, and in scripture we are warned against those who make it difficult. This is what the Pharisees did. (2 Corinthians 11:3). God never changed the Law but rather He brought our focus back, The leaders at the time of Christ had led so many away from God and focused on sin because the Law is for sinners (Romans 3:19-24). The Law is good IF USED PROPERLY (I Timothy 1:8-11).
The spirit of the Pharisee is still alive today. Many so-called Christians are judgmental, picking others faults, white washed catacombs, making up new laws etc..And this is not meant to bash, but make you aware. Our focus should be living out the image and idea God created in us.
BUT..
Here is more of an argument for freedom by grace.
I Corinthians 6:12 tells us that everything is permissible, might not be good for you though. (c.f.- Titus 1:14-15, All of Romans 14).
When should you limit this freedom? In love! Remember we have the law of love! Romans 14:13-23
A Spiritual man can be judged by no man (I Corinthians chapter 2)
Ok, I hope that was an in depth look at sin, for all those who dwell on that matter.
THE ENDING OF THE DISCUSSION IS THIS...
LET'S SAY, I DO THAT WHICH IS SIN, I FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, WHAT'S NEXT? CAN YOU SAY THE SAME? IF YOU DOM, THEN YOU ARE IN TRUTH, IF NOT YOU ARE A LIAR! SO THEN, DO YOU SEE HOW FUTILE IT IS TO TALK ON AND ON ABOUT WHAT IS OR ISNT SIN? LET US LEARN FROM THE WORD OF GOD, LIVE LIFE FREE AND IN LOVE, AND LET GOD PRUNE US OF OUR IMPURITIES,
AFTER ALL, ISNT THAT WHAT HE DOES?
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS, IN CHRIST,
PASTOR MIKE MIANO
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Update Blog - Keep it Simple
First off, let me start with "I'm Sorry". I am such a horrible blogger for those who read and look forward to my blogs. Its been close to two months on this blog since I have made a post.
Well, today's message from pastor Matt at Next Level Church hit the mark. Struck me guilty of "OVERLOAD" and now I am repenting. The past 2 months I have thought about blogging, had some good messages I wanted to share, but always had a busy excuse NY, Gabriella was sick, busy, busy, busy...
So, I will be back on my blogging. I wanted to talk a bit about the message pastor Matt delivered and some things he said and how they impacted me.
Well, here is the link to the message, if you would like to hear it yourself. It's apart of NLC's new series "Overload- disconnect to reconnect".
http://www.nextlevelchurch.com/templates/_nextlevel/details.asp?id=37624&PID=659042
Anyways, the most profound thing pastor Matt said that resonated in my heart was that "the natural human heart/ mind always wanders to make things more complicated". So True, I have seen this in my ways, my life, and the ministry. I had a conversation yesterday where I had confessed to a brother in Christ, that the Lord is re-teaching me "simplicity". It's so true that "the simple things confound the wise".
We, the Tribe of Dan Ministry, have had a minor transition. I am leading up the work in a new ministry called "Freaked-Out Fellowship", in which yours truly in the lead pastor! We are taking it back to simplicity- Creating Jesus Freaks! This had a lot to do with my latest learnings in love for the simple things in every aspect of life. Relationships, evangelism, prayer, etc..
Oh yeah, check out the Freaked-Out Fellowship webpage, we are still doing work but we look to launch in June or July.
http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
Well, I'm going to follow my own advice and keep it simple with this blog. I hope you might look into the simplicity that is in Christ today, and you learn in your own walk, following Christ daily!
God bless, in Christ,
Pastor Mike
Well, today's message from pastor Matt at Next Level Church hit the mark. Struck me guilty of "OVERLOAD" and now I am repenting. The past 2 months I have thought about blogging, had some good messages I wanted to share, but always had a busy excuse NY, Gabriella was sick, busy, busy, busy...
So, I will be back on my blogging. I wanted to talk a bit about the message pastor Matt delivered and some things he said and how they impacted me.
Well, here is the link to the message, if you would like to hear it yourself. It's apart of NLC's new series "Overload- disconnect to reconnect".
http://www.nextlevelchurch.com/templates/_nextlevel/details.asp?id=37624&PID=659042
Anyways, the most profound thing pastor Matt said that resonated in my heart was that "the natural human heart/ mind always wanders to make things more complicated". So True, I have seen this in my ways, my life, and the ministry. I had a conversation yesterday where I had confessed to a brother in Christ, that the Lord is re-teaching me "simplicity". It's so true that "the simple things confound the wise".
We, the Tribe of Dan Ministry, have had a minor transition. I am leading up the work in a new ministry called "Freaked-Out Fellowship", in which yours truly in the lead pastor! We are taking it back to simplicity- Creating Jesus Freaks! This had a lot to do with my latest learnings in love for the simple things in every aspect of life. Relationships, evangelism, prayer, etc..
Oh yeah, check out the Freaked-Out Fellowship webpage, we are still doing work but we look to launch in June or July.
http://www.freakedoutfellowship.weebly.com
Well, I'm going to follow my own advice and keep it simple with this blog. I hope you might look into the simplicity that is in Christ today, and you learn in your own walk, following Christ daily!
God bless, in Christ,
Pastor Mike
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wanted: Godly Men!
"And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach." (Isaiah 4:1)
Greetings in Christ. Ok, so this topic is quite controversial (I Love it!!). Brother Paul Curran and I have discussed the prophetic verse quoted above and come to sort of different conclusions, or maybe just ways to go about it.
Last week I was speaking to a friend, and we were discussing relationships of men and women. This friend of mine said the same thing many women I have spoken to say, and that is basically that men who are the men women need them to be are a dying breed. I am always quick to point out the difference between a man and a boy. Actually, I know remember a good sermon delivered by Paul Washer concerning being a man, (I will include the link to that sermon below).
Ok, so back on track. So this conversation led me to say, as I always "unthinkingly" say, "Yeah we are working on building up real men" (through the Ministry that is). Then I thought of Isaiah 4:1.
Now, brother Paul takes the stance that this shows that there will be few "real men" in the coming times of the end (which we are already in and we do see this as truth). I agree with that wholeheartedly. But, brother Pauls stance in on Polygamy, which basically says that this verse shows that God will want man to take care of many women, or better yet it will be needed.
I got to thinking, what if that verse is taken as a command to build up better men, somewhat of a warning. I mean, lets be serious. We can all see the lack of true men in our culture.
But women, you aren't going to get off that easy. Whats your part in all of this? I can name a few. But I would rather focus on solution.
So, me and my thinking mind, came up with a survey which I asked 4 people (2 guys/2girls) for their answers to some basic questions. The one questions that applies here is:
"Are you satisfied with the culture of man/woman? Why or why not?".
The results where very interesting.
Girl 1- No, guys don't respect women.
Guy 1- No, Women don't respect themselves.
Girl 2- No, guys lie to get their way. But there are some who are true.
Guy 2-
Do you see the pattern? So the conclusion I have drawn is this. Its twofold. If men would respect women more, it would lead to women respecting themselves more. And, if women would respect themselves more, then men would respect them more.
My disclaimer is this though. Calling Men! We are the "leaders or seed-planters" of the culture. It is our responsibility to "dress and keep the garden". So lets work together, to build up strong men of the Lord, who can help our women be the daughters of the King they are supposed to be.
I hope this was edifying.
God bless, in Christ,
Pastor Michael Miano
Paul Washer preaching on Biblical Manhood
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=730089206
Greetings in Christ. Ok, so this topic is quite controversial (I Love it!!). Brother Paul Curran and I have discussed the prophetic verse quoted above and come to sort of different conclusions, or maybe just ways to go about it.
Last week I was speaking to a friend, and we were discussing relationships of men and women. This friend of mine said the same thing many women I have spoken to say, and that is basically that men who are the men women need them to be are a dying breed. I am always quick to point out the difference between a man and a boy. Actually, I know remember a good sermon delivered by Paul Washer concerning being a man, (I will include the link to that sermon below).
Ok, so back on track. So this conversation led me to say, as I always "unthinkingly" say, "Yeah we are working on building up real men" (through the Ministry that is). Then I thought of Isaiah 4:1.
Now, brother Paul takes the stance that this shows that there will be few "real men" in the coming times of the end (which we are already in and we do see this as truth). I agree with that wholeheartedly. But, brother Pauls stance in on Polygamy, which basically says that this verse shows that God will want man to take care of many women, or better yet it will be needed.
I got to thinking, what if that verse is taken as a command to build up better men, somewhat of a warning. I mean, lets be serious. We can all see the lack of true men in our culture.
But women, you aren't going to get off that easy. Whats your part in all of this? I can name a few. But I would rather focus on solution.
So, me and my thinking mind, came up with a survey which I asked 4 people (2 guys/2girls) for their answers to some basic questions. The one questions that applies here is:
"Are you satisfied with the culture of man/woman? Why or why not?".
The results where very interesting.
Girl 1- No, guys don't respect women.
Guy 1- No, Women don't respect themselves.
Girl 2- No, guys lie to get their way. But there are some who are true.
Guy 2-
Do you see the pattern? So the conclusion I have drawn is this. Its twofold. If men would respect women more, it would lead to women respecting themselves more. And, if women would respect themselves more, then men would respect them more.
My disclaimer is this though. Calling Men! We are the "leaders or seed-planters" of the culture. It is our responsibility to "dress and keep the garden". So lets work together, to build up strong men of the Lord, who can help our women be the daughters of the King they are supposed to be.
I hope this was edifying.
God bless, in Christ,
Pastor Michael Miano
Paul Washer preaching on Biblical Manhood
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=730089206
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Certified Jesus Freak
Hey, I want to go a bit off topic today. Most of you that know me, know I claim the title of "Jesus Freak", even so far that I have it tattooed on my wrists. So a good question would be, "OK, mike whats a Jesus Freak?". or better yet, why are you so obsessed with the term.
Well, lately as usually through study and prayer, I have done alot of self observation into my passions. What makes me, me! And I have realized my ultimate passion, overall is to create "Jesus Freaks".
Yesterday, while in prayer I came up with the perfect definition to what a "Jesus Freak" is to me. A Jesus Freak is someone who is set apart for Christ ( Greek term - Hagios which means saint and set apart). "Different" (remember we are called to be peculiar people). Basically a man or woman who knows who they are as a person (standing naked), values who God created them to be, and knows Christ Jesus, and knows who they are in Christ. We are created in Gods' image, which means God had an idea and concept when he made us, and we are all unique and so different.
Analyze yourself...What goals, desires, visions, fulfillments, gifts, talents, overall personality did God make you with? Put all that together and show it to the world, influence the world by being you = Jesus Freak!
My favorite analogy to a "Jesus Freak" is David. David was a youngest sibling, a nobody in the family, ignored and tending the sheep, This was the man God wanted to make king and a man after Gods' own heart. When David went to fight Goliath, he didnt use what seemed normal armor that Saul gave him, he used his own experience an talent to defeat Goliath. So is the Christian battle today. We are at war against Satan, and as Christs' body we must use our experiences etc..to defeat Satan.
I personally feel the way to live the abundant life that Christ promised is to find Christ Jesus in your heart, then through prayer and study application apply who you are in Christ, and then express it. Through this you will find such fulfillment.
That is my passion, to help people live as Jesus Freaks. If you want more information, email me
folksudy6@yahoo.com
God bless, in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Michael Miano
Well, lately as usually through study and prayer, I have done alot of self observation into my passions. What makes me, me! And I have realized my ultimate passion, overall is to create "Jesus Freaks".
Yesterday, while in prayer I came up with the perfect definition to what a "Jesus Freak" is to me. A Jesus Freak is someone who is set apart for Christ ( Greek term - Hagios which means saint and set apart). "Different" (remember we are called to be peculiar people). Basically a man or woman who knows who they are as a person (standing naked), values who God created them to be, and knows Christ Jesus, and knows who they are in Christ. We are created in Gods' image, which means God had an idea and concept when he made us, and we are all unique and so different.
Analyze yourself...What goals, desires, visions, fulfillments, gifts, talents, overall personality did God make you with? Put all that together and show it to the world, influence the world by being you = Jesus Freak!
My favorite analogy to a "Jesus Freak" is David. David was a youngest sibling, a nobody in the family, ignored and tending the sheep, This was the man God wanted to make king and a man after Gods' own heart. When David went to fight Goliath, he didnt use what seemed normal armor that Saul gave him, he used his own experience an talent to defeat Goliath. So is the Christian battle today. We are at war against Satan, and as Christs' body we must use our experiences etc..to defeat Satan.
I personally feel the way to live the abundant life that Christ promised is to find Christ Jesus in your heart, then through prayer and study application apply who you are in Christ, and then express it. Through this you will find such fulfillment.
That is my passion, to help people live as Jesus Freaks. If you want more information, email me
folksudy6@yahoo.com
God bless, in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Michael Miano
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Denomination Discernment
Greetings in Christ, to the entire body of Christ.
Let us pray that we might be humble enough to recognize that we don't have all the answers and that there are many things when we get to the day of judgment, we will have many questions and many corrections as well. ( I know I sure do)!
Well this blog comes as a result of prayer, discussions, and study. Many a times, people bash other churches, denominations, etc.I myself have been very guilty of this as well. We all may have certain things we disagree on and yes, some are very important aspects, but must we bash? Remember we are the body of Christ, which means arms, legs, nose, eye, all different parts.
Recently I finished reading a book called "Up the Middle Church" written by Pastor Matt Keller of the Next Level Church (I personally attend here in Fort Myers, FL.). Teh book was great, thats a shout out! Anyways, he had spoken on how churches and pastors should relate to each other, is the body of Christ a business that we should only promote our church with the product, Is Jesus Christ on sale at your church?
No, we are all the body of Christ just different aspects. As the Word says, and I have spoken on many times, "Be all things to all men". I personally believe that the Lord wants to reach into every aspect of life, may it be businesses, gangs, protests, hang outs, etc. and have His way! Thats why the 12 apostles turned the world upside down!
I re-read the Final Quest series by Rick Joyner (Great Series!!) and Rick Joyner speaks about how these other denominations and churches who we may consider back slidden, out of touch, specific topic (i.e. Baptist, Pentecostal, etc). The Lord is using this for His glory, because as I may not understand the whole baptism thing, I may drive more toward the Pentecostal, and the other way around. Certain truths hold certain people, so don't bash because in sense you may b putting a stumbling block in your brothers way (Woe to those!).
To finalize this, I heard a sermon delivered by Tim Conway the other day and he made a really excellent point;
The day will come when, you will stand hand in hand, persecuted, defending, brothers in Christ, who disagree with you 90% theologically and doctrinally, but what ties you both together as brothers and sisters in the Lord is:
The Risen Christ, Jesus our Lord and Savior.
May we honor this truth.
-Pastor Mike Miano
Let us pray that we might be humble enough to recognize that we don't have all the answers and that there are many things when we get to the day of judgment, we will have many questions and many corrections as well. ( I know I sure do)!
Well this blog comes as a result of prayer, discussions, and study. Many a times, people bash other churches, denominations, etc.I myself have been very guilty of this as well. We all may have certain things we disagree on and yes, some are very important aspects, but must we bash? Remember we are the body of Christ, which means arms, legs, nose, eye, all different parts.
Recently I finished reading a book called "Up the Middle Church" written by Pastor Matt Keller of the Next Level Church (I personally attend here in Fort Myers, FL.). Teh book was great, thats a shout out! Anyways, he had spoken on how churches and pastors should relate to each other, is the body of Christ a business that we should only promote our church with the product, Is Jesus Christ on sale at your church?
No, we are all the body of Christ just different aspects. As the Word says, and I have spoken on many times, "Be all things to all men". I personally believe that the Lord wants to reach into every aspect of life, may it be businesses, gangs, protests, hang outs, etc. and have His way! Thats why the 12 apostles turned the world upside down!
I re-read the Final Quest series by Rick Joyner (Great Series!!) and Rick Joyner speaks about how these other denominations and churches who we may consider back slidden, out of touch, specific topic (i.e. Baptist, Pentecostal, etc). The Lord is using this for His glory, because as I may not understand the whole baptism thing, I may drive more toward the Pentecostal, and the other way around. Certain truths hold certain people, so don't bash because in sense you may b putting a stumbling block in your brothers way (Woe to those!).
To finalize this, I heard a sermon delivered by Tim Conway the other day and he made a really excellent point;
The day will come when, you will stand hand in hand, persecuted, defending, brothers in Christ, who disagree with you 90% theologically and doctrinally, but what ties you both together as brothers and sisters in the Lord is:
The Risen Christ, Jesus our Lord and Savior.
May we honor this truth.
-Pastor Mike Miano
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