desensitized.

America: land of the free, home of the brave.

Pfft. What a joke. I can't even sing the national anthem without feeling like a liar or changing phrases of the song to be more accurate---it sucks, really.

I mean, what great ideas: freedom, exploration, adventure, experimentation, democracy. People laid down their lives with a reckless abandon knowing that the results wouldn't come for years. And it worked; America revolutionized the world, but now? eh....

I don't see that same excitement in America today. I could be blind or just completely naive, but what I seem to see is spoiled brats, and what I seem to hear are their mouths flapping and complaining about how boring and unimportant their lives are.

The American Dream sucks. I mean it literally is the biggest pile of trash ever. It sucks because there is such good intention and emphasis on wonderful things like education, marriage and work, but an entitlement to those things is bred into this generation like never before. People seriously think that the world was created for them. No, literally---just for them. I can't tell you how many times I've heard and fallen victim to thinking things like "man, it's Friday night, and I'm at home?" or "ugh, we're having Little Ceasar's pizza?" "My iPod is broken!"

Boo. Hoo. Tear. Cry. Unsmiley face.

We're so desensitized as Americans in this industrial generation.
We drive cars---yes, that's right. You drive at least 70 mph almost every day in a hand-crafted pile of metal that runs on gasoline. You probably don't grow any of your food. And yes, that means that countries from around the world ship products to your local grocery store. It's true that satellite TV requires your receiver to go to space to gain a signal. And most cell-phones can do a thousand times more than a computer with windows 98 installed on it.

He might explain it better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

He's right. Your life is amazing. There are so many things that are completely mind blowing in every facet of life, but we often fail to see them. Don't complain your way through life hoping that something will eventually change. Opportunity knocks at your doorstep every day:

invite it in.

heart.

If there is one thing I have a hard time with, it is obedience.

It's not that I don't see value in obeying. Nor is it the fact that I may disagree with what is being presented to me. I simply despise force. The words must, should, have to, need to, will or shall become enough to send me into a rage of fury when combined with the simple word "do."

I know why. It's my heart. It's a beautiful flower surrounded by weeds that choke the life out if it. It's a fresh water spring next to a sewage plant. It's a Taco Bell surrounded by burger joints.

And my heart is new because of Christ. His Spirit grows me and plants desires that confuse my sin nature because they actually make sense.

So on one hand, I struggle with being obedient because of my sin nature, and on the other hand, I am frustrated with methods that seek behavioral change but lack heart. Does it really matter if you serve your neighbor as an advertisement that states "I'm awesome because I'll serve you"? Have you decided to quit something about... let's see here: fifty times? How's that diet working out for you? That's what I thought. Stop replacing sin for sin and look at your heart.

Do you have deep desires? For marriage. For children. For music. For business. For ministry. For purpose. For revival. For wisdom. For Jesus; I know that I do---but He gave me a purity in those desires as I began to delight in Him (Psalm 37:4).

I don't want the typical white-picket fence. I don't want two spoiled kids and a golden retriever. I don't want to retire and "enjoy my final years." I'm still going to suck at golf when I'm sixty. I literally want to work until it kills me. I want to give this life all that I've got. I want to be hell bent on heaven.

What I want, is a pure life. I want a life that has meaning. I want to sincerely love God and others with a faithful, self-sacrificial, patient, pure heart. Could I have said that five years ago?

Hell no. Do I struggle daily? You bet.

But scripture tells me where that life will flow from: my heart. Life is like a river and my heart is the path that makes it flow, (Proverbs 4:23) so I must examine it constantly.

Do you check your gas gauge and ensure that it has enough juice for you to proceed to your next destination? Yeah, maybe you're broke, or there doesn't seem to be any gas stations in sight, but you still look every time, don't you? Admit it. You are always calculating how much money you're spending and will beg for money to maintain your lifestyle.

So, are you going to look at your heart, meditate on the price that it cost Christ to purchase you and accept his grace to regenerate your heart to revitalize your heart?

Yeah. You should think about it.

"pass the gavel, please."

Ah, there is nothing more satisfying than the thunder that reigns down as justice is served. And if the earthquake that splits apart the floor as the gavel is smashed down isn't enough action for you, than you are truly a justice hater. That's right... na na na na boo boo, you justice hater.

Justice.

Hmm, that doesn't seem like a word to get very razzed up about these days. How about words like "government" or "sex?" Those tend to be hot topics.

But what exactly is justice? Does it dress up in spandex, save the world and make for mindless yet rather entertaining television? Is it when Chinese people ask for "just ice?" I know! It's when something is lawful! Maybe. But it's more than that.

Justice is about righteousness, but that's a messy topic, so let's keep it basic: in short, justice is getting what you had coming. By the way, I know that you're amazing just like me and we both have a huge inheritance coming simply because we deserve it. Right? Righttttt.

Alright, let's cut the crap. If you truly search the heart of your character, your motives, your intentions, the things that you think, say and do---you pretty much fail... epically. Basically, justice would be forced to beat your face in---Mike Tyson style (yes, even your ears are in danger).

So, why is it SO easy to play the judge?

It's sort of amazing to think that you have to get a degree to be a judge; everyone that I've ever met seems to fit the criteria for the job fairly well---especially me. I'd like to think that I read people well, but when I claim to know someone's philosophy of life by simply assuming their intentions based on the way that they act, I set myself on a pedestal and worship: I worship me.

And why is it so easy to make our own religion based upon our preferences, feelings and philosophies on principles of life? We complain about being alone yet often fail to embrace others.

We reject the unfamiliar. We despise the uncomfortable. We shun difference.

Every day I battle a desire to simply love people. But I get pissed, annoyed and flustered by something as small as an idea that is merely a contradiction to my own. I take things that aren't deservedly mine without a hint of gratitude and lust after things that are not for my heart to obtain.

It looks like the only just thing for me is... pain, suffering, death.

thank God for grace.

We could spend an eternity of bitterness and hate passing the gavel or start a revolution of life by choosing to love.

Take your pick.