The Purpose

## The Balance

One of the biggest difficulties for me since I’ve been in full-time ministry is trying to balance technology, entertainment, and God within the context of church. I am not one that wants to toss out technology nor entertainment, but I do think there is a danger if that becomes our target. This isn’t just about church or services or Bible studies, but in our daily lives as well. There are things we try to balance while keeping God as the center, but He easily gets lost in our world. Our mind just happens to drift because we do live in a difficult world. Jesus knows that the center of the church and a Christian’s life is prayer. Prayer changes us. It may not always change the circumstance, but can affect our perspective. We, in America at least, love entertainment and technology, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t like watching something on the television that doesn’t entertain me. Technology has created all sorts of advancements in many fields. And both of those things have helped us see God draw people to Himself. The culture during Jesus’ day, especially the Jewish people, were steeped in tradition. We all have some sort of traditions we love and value, but the Pharisee’s and many others began to get their life out of balance. God was in there somewhere, but traditions became the center piece. Then tradition bore new rules. New rules brought more power. Power brought pride and greed. Greed was becoming the focus of sacrifices.

## Snap

I remember visiting a chiropractor for the first time. I was a skeptic and rolled my eyes inwardly when he told me all about the

science of how things work. As we talked, it sounded too good to be true about what all can be done with a few adjustments. Once we went through everything and my x-rays were taken, it was time to get on the adjustment table. Now, I love cracking my own body (neck, back, knuckles), but it only gave me a temporary relief of pain and discomfort – specifically my back and neck. His hand moved around my neck and began pressing on a bone that hurt. I relaxed and then came the push. I felt alive, as Johnny 5 from the movie Short Circuit would say. I was walking on clouds. He looked at me and asked, “How did that feel? Did you feel it move?” I nodded my head, and said, “It was amazing.” We both laughed. (He was the Spanish Pastor at my church.) Our lives, like our bodies, need a good balance for them to work properly. It’s why we need certain nutrients in our bodies.

## Lost In Translation

Somehow over time things get lost in translation due to the balancing of everything. Over time, things or people can lose their sense of purpose or get it cluttered with a bunch of other things. The people and the Pharisees appeared to have lost the reason for the House of God. They led the people astray, but the people went along with it and thus everything became the norm. The unbalanced became the usual, and they just got use to “that’s how life is.” I believe the people prayed, but it wasn't the main focus. The praying became secondary or buried underneath everything else going on at the temple. Jesus reminds them the focus is for it to be a place where you communicate with God, but they have made it a home for robbers.

## Self-Check

My first Pastor pushed prayer. Whenever he had the opportunity, he would do his best to emphasize the importance of a regular and consistent prayer life. It would keep your mind focused on God, no matter what you would face. My second Pastor’s first push upon him taking the church was to set aside 7 days to focus on prayer. We ended up getting these bracelets

that reminded us these two simple words: Pray First. No matter what, we need to make sure we pray first. Prayer is giving (our communication with God); Robbing is taking. Has the time that you once set aside for prayer now become a time to check your email? Keep God in the focus and continue to allow Him to work in you.

## Unusual People & Unusual Places