When We Seek Our Own Protection (#923)

“It is very difficult for the good in people to put in place a system that can tamp down the ugly in humanity.” This observation strikes to the heart of Wayne's journey. Having spent twenty years of "ministry" trying to find that structure, he has spent the last thirty years commending that task to Jesus and learning to love others as freely as he's been loved. That begins a conversation with Kyle that leads them back to the Charismatic Revival Fury they covered last week. What can go wrong when we seek a human-designed structure to protect us and the kingdom? It has led many well-meaning brothers and sisters astray. Does the life of Jesus lead us to dominate the systems of this word, or does it draw us to lay our life down in the same way Jesus did for the good of others?

Podcast Notes:

 

11 Comments

  1. Wow, thanks for reading what you received from “Mike”, I wish he were near Abilene TX, I’d like to be part of a more local community, and connect with people who think like he appears to, like you and Kyle do.

    Wayne & Kyle, I have an ever-growing reading list, and it’s always tempting to include books like Jon Ward’s “Testimony”, that point out how dark “Christianity” still is, more than 500 years after the reformation. As well as hundreds of pounds of books that point out political & governmental corruption in the US alone. But alas, at 65 I just don’t have enough time to explore the depth of ALL that DARKNESS. So I’d rather go the other direction. That’s why I’m connected to this community.

    Best thing I’ve heard recently; “We will stay crippled in the Darkness, if we can not feel compassion for the heart that is the darkest.”

  2. I still so enjoy your podcast!
    It reminded me of a poem I once read.
    Unspoken Words
    Actions speak louder than words
    A picture says a thousand
    Not one word spoken
    Stories with unlimited imagination Memories connected by experience
    Not one word defined
    History repeats itself
    Nothing new under the sun
    Not one word discovered
    Thank you!

  3. I had two thoughts while listening.
    The first: I’m a child of the Wind. Yeah, my husband wrote a novelette about a Cree soldier/medicine-man named Yotiniwasis, Windchild But everyone born of the Spirit is a son/daughter of the Spirit.
    The second: “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” [https://hymnary.org/text/let_the_beauty_of_jesus_be_seen_orsborn?extended=true}

  4. Hi, Kyle it’s horribile that you have no problem to violently take a life when you don’t need to.
    You compare yourself with the wolfs, that’s your justification, that you’re more gentle than a wolf? You don’t know if that poor creature would have live or died, the only sure thing it’ s that you took it’s life. Way to care for God’s creation!
    Can’t you buy meat for your family?

    • Doina, I know some people struggle with hunting to provide sustenance for a family to be deeply concerning, which is why I refer to it in the podcast. However, all meat that we eat, even what we buy from the stores, involves the killing of animals, many of them living in far less humane environments than those that roam the wild. I’m sorry this offends your heart the way it does, but from the beginning of time, humans have made use of animals for food. It is not inappropriate for Kyle and others to do so as a way to care for the creation. In many localities, if herds are not culled through hunting, they overwhelm the resources of an area, and many more suffer starvation and disease. This isn’t so easy an issue as it seems at first look.

  5. It hurts me rather than offend.
    I’m shocked to hear a hunting story. in this podcast, I don’t feel safe listening anymore. I stay away from places where I might hear things I can’t take.
    That’s just me, but I think that only because other bad things happens to animals, doesn’t makes this one right. It’s not ideal how we deal with animals, we don”t care enough to try to find better solutions to problems.
    And for me it’s a difference to eat meat from the store then to hunt. If I would have to kill an animal to eat meat I would not eat meat anymore.
    Except if would be the only way to stay alive. If one must hunt to survive I’m ok with that.
    Again, it’s just me, but I still think it’s bad what he did . I see this as a weakness . What he does it’s his business and this is your podcast, you can endorse what you want. Your explications don’t make me hurt less or change the way I think. I loose sleep over this, it’s that disturbing for me.
    Agree to disagree.
    Thank you for answering..

    • I’m sorry this makes the podcast feel unsafe for you, but of course, it’s fine not to listen if it adds more weight to your journey than it does to lighten the load. I can’t think of very many times we’ve talked about this on the podcast, but I realize there’s a bit more these days because Kyle is an outdoorsman, and he gets to be himself, too. I hope you can just forward your way past things like that and still glean what might encourage you from the podcast, but it certainly is not worth having you lose sleep over it. Thanks for your honesty and your good heart.

  6. I appreciate this discussion. I have for many years now been reduced to a small group of family and friends who I know share my perspective on all that is going on in the world, and I count you in that number. I try to not focus on the craziness, and trust myself to the God I know who is in control and loves me. Thanks for helping me stay focused on that.

  7. Of course I’ll continue to listen to the podcast, I won’t threw it away because of one thing that hurt me. In all this years since I’ve listened that’s the first time that happened.
    I’ll forward from now on the parts that I can’t take (I was already thinking that before you suggested it).
    I’m offended by your suggestion not to listen anymore, I hear “Who cares if you listen? I’m not here to spare your feelings”. I”ll continue to listen because it helps me.
    When I said I don’t feel safe I mean there is now some fear for me, like when I’ve got stung by a jellyfish: was unfortunate and painful, but didn’t keep me for good away from the see the joy it’s greater than risk of pain. It. happened 25 years ago, it was a very poisonous type, took 6 weeks of slowly getting better until it faded completely, that big red pulsating painful spot. To this day I’m cautious toward the see and there is a fear that it might happened again. Before that fear was not at all in my mind, just joy and excitement.
    I love dogs more deep the I can love people and I have a heart for all animals. The words of Kyle stung and were unexpected: you don’t expect to hear of hunting in this podcast. Now I know better, I’ll forward.
    Thank you for the podcast, I really appreciate it.

    • We seem to really be miscommunicating here, Doina. Nothing in my email was intended to convey that I don’t care if you listen. We value all who participate in The God Journey. I just didn’t want our friendship to make you feel obligated if you no longer felt safe here. I’m glad you’ll continue to listen and skip the parts that, unfortunately, bring you pain. We are not trying to offend anyone here. Not at all. But we’re also not trying to steer clear of controversial topics that may be difficult for some. Nothing about hunting is a hill to die on for me. I doubt we will talk about it much in the future, knowing it is a difficult subject and not germane to the podcast anyway. I hope that’s more clear.

  8. It was a big misunderstanding. It did not cross my mind that you think of me as a friend, I thought I’m nobody to you, that’s why I’ve interpreted the way I did your suggestion not to listen anymore. I didn’t recognized the friendship.
    That is more clear, thank you.

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