5.Coffee: If you’ve ever tasted some high quality bean, then you know what I’m talking about. Checkout “Coffee has a long history in Christianity, and has become an indispensable drink in churches across America” and from History of Coffee:

Coffee was first discovered in Eastern Africa in an area we know today as Ethiopia. A popular legend refers to a goat herder by the name of Kaldi, who observed his goats acting unusually frisky after eating berries from a bush. Curious about this phenomenon, Kaldi tried eating the berries himself. He found that these berries gave him a renewed energy. The news of this energy laden fruit quickly spread throughout the region. Monks hearing about this amazing fruit, dried the berries so that they could be transported to distant monasteries. They reconstituted these berries in water, ate the fruit, and drank the liquid to provide stimulation for a more awakened time for prayer. Coffee berries were transported from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula, and were first cultivated in what today is the country of Yemen. From there, coffee traveled to Turkey where coffee beans were roasted for the first time over open fires. The roasted beans were crushed, and then boiled in water, creating a crude version of the beverage we enjoy today. Coffee first arrived on the European continent by means of Venetian trade merchants. Once in Europe this new beverage fell under harsh criticism from the Catholic Church. Many felt the pope should ban coffee, calling it the drink of the devil. To their surprise, the pope, already a coffee drinker, blessed coffee declaring it a truly Christian beverage.

4. Talents: We are amazing creatures with varying strengths, weaknesses, brainpowers, and abilities. In the movie Chariots of Fire, the main character Eric Liddell says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” I really dig that. I think God smiles when we appreciate our abilities and flex them. Obviously, my strengths don’t lie in website creation…ahem, but I know some people that are fairly well-versed in PHP & HTML that throw me a bone every now and again. I accept the fact that there are people that can do certain things better than I can, and that’s OK. Upon his deathbed, Leonardo Da Vinci was to have said, “I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”

3. Humor: Of all the creatures on the planet, humans are the only ones capable of laughter. I like to think that if man was made in God’s image, then God’s probably cracking up at half the stuff we do. Every time Pat Robertson says something stupid (Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuela’s president, Robertson blamed Sharon stroke on policy of “dividing God’s land”, Pat Robertson Struck Dumb by God), Benny Hinn “Be Healed” smacks somebody to the ground, or any time people go about killing in God’s name (like The Crusades or a Holy War), I bet God

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slaps his forehead. God is also considered by most biblical scholars to be the great physician. Several studies (see humor therapy and More Psychologists are Finding that Discrete Uses of Humor Promote Healing in Their Patients) have shown the healing properties of laughter. And wouldn’t the great physician use powerful medicine?

Joke #1

Jesus and Satan were having an argument as to who was the better programmer, so they agreed to hold a contest with God as judge. They typed furiously for several hours, lines of code streaming on the screen. Seconds before the end of the competition, a bolt of lightning struck, taking out the electricity. The power was restored, and God announced that the contest was over. He asked Satan to show what he had done. Satan was visibly upset and cried, “I have nothing. I lost it all when the power went out.” “Very well, then,” God said, “Let’s see if Jesus did any better.” Jesus entered a command and the screen came to life in vivid display, the voice of an angelic choir poured forth from the speakers. Satan was astonished. “But? I lost everything, yet Jesus’ program was intact. How did he do it?” God chucked, “Jesus saves!”

Joke #2

Bill Gates dies in a car accident. He finds himself in front of God, who says…
“Well, Bill, I’m really confused on this call; I’m not sure whether to send you to Heaven or Hell. Your contribution to society by putting a computer in almost every home is just enormous. Yet you created that ghastly operating system. I’m going to do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to let you decide where you want to go. I’ll let you visit both places briefly, to see if the experience will help you to decide.”
“Okay, then,” said Bill, “let’s try Hell first.”
So Bill went to Hell. It was a beautiful, clean, sandy beach with clear waters and beautiful women running around, the sun was shining, and the temperature was perfect.
“This is great,” he told God. “If this is hell, I really want to see Heaven.”
“Fine,” said God, and off they went. Heaven was high in the clouds with angels drifting about, playing harps and singing. It was nice, but not as enticing as Hell. Bill thought for a quick minute, and rendered this decision.
“Hmmmmm….I think I’d prefer Hell!” He told God.
“Fine,”retorted God, “as you desire.”
So Bill Gates went to Hell. Two weeks later, God decided to check on the late billionaire to see how he was doing. When he got there, he found Bill, shackled to a wall, screaming amongst hot flames in dark caves, being tortured by demons.
“How’s everything going?” he asked Bill.
“This is awful.” Bill responded, “This is nothing like the Hell I visited two weeks ago. What happened to that other place, with the beaches and beautiful women playing in the water?”
“Oh,” God said, “that was Hell XP. This is Hell Vista.”

2. Lenny Kravitz: I’m just gonna be bold here and say 90% of Christian music is crap. Over the ages, there has been a general acceptance by Christians of all “sacred” music because it was about God. I know, it sounds sacrilege to even say it, but think about it… 7-11 choruses (same seven words sung eleven times), immature song writing, bad singing, and poor performances. I’m not saying God doesn’t appreciate them all. I’m just saying that we accept mediocrity because of the subject matter. And I’ll be the first to confess that writing religious music is hard. Trying to give God a big shout out without using faith, grace, mercy, blood, soul, spirit, the cross, died, reborn, wisdom, arisen, etc. is tough. Writing songs that don’t blatantly use these terms will be highly frowned on in church (especially by the non-clapping elders). And then where are you gonna perform? Gonna get loud and rock out in church? Not in most services. Gonna browbeat a bar’s patrons with Jesus? You won’t be playing there again. And the church will not be happy knowing that your band played in a naughty place, where alcohol is served and loose women dance about, the night before (despite the fact that Jesus almost always hung out with less desirables). There have been a few exceptions (The Doobie Brothers, STRYPER -rock, DC TALK, Jars of Clay, MercyMe, Switchfoot, and several newer crossover types). And M.C. Hammer did get a little shout in with, “oh my Lord. Thank you for blessing me with a mind to rhyme and two hyped feet.” on U Can’t Touch This. But Lenny Kravitz is the top selling Christian (non church-sanctioned) artist of all time. The following are some of Lenny’s song lyrics…

I Build This Garden For Us: I build a temple of love, Walk with the Father, Glory glory for the day He came. In this garden, They’ll be no war, No racial prejudice, You’ll be my brother, Of any color, You’ll just be okay with us, We’ll live each day in peace, In hope that we will one day reach, The rest of the world, When they are ready to be teached. The kingdom will come, Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in heaven
God is Love:God is love. Through all your trials and tribulations. God is love. He’ll get you through all situations. God is love. And if you are ready, He always is ready for you. God is love. He’ll get you through your pain and sorrow. God is love. He’s coming back maybe tomorrow. God is love. And if you are ready He’s gonna be ready for you. And though much time has passed, His words and promises always last. And I am here to say that He loves each one of us in every way. God is love. He makes the rain that makes the flowers. God is love and so amazing are His powers. God is love. And if you are ready He’s gonna be ready for you. God loves everyone. That’s why He gave His son and you should feel His pain. Yet He gave us everything.
Let Love Rule: Love is gentle as a rose, And love can conquer any war, It’s time to take a stand, Brothers and sisters join hands. We got to let love rule, Let love rule, Love transcends all space and time, And love can make a little child smile.
God Save us All: God Save Us All, God Save Us All, God Save Us All. If we really try, maybe we can make it. We need a teacher. We must learn to see the light. Let’s get together. This world needs us to do right. There’s too much poverty, sickness. There’s pain and strife. Why aren’t we trying to improve this thing called life? What are we gonna do about it?
Rosemary: Rosemary your day will come. He loved you so He gave His only son. Keep the faith in your soul. Stay down on your knees. Hold onto the beads at your heart. Nowhere to turn but the inward light because life is for believing. That your heart can turn to gold. All you need is Christ to receive it. There’s eternal life for every soul.
Empty Hands: He rode in town on a white horse with nothing in his hands. He came to gather his people and take them to their promised land. When he came he knew there would be bloodshed, but still no violence made his plans. He came to fight in a battle with no guns or money. But with his empty hands, With his empty hands. They said hey boy what you lookin’ at as they eyed his dreaded mane. He said my father has sent me. I’ve come back to reclaim The children whose hearts were so whole and pure. Now it’s you who’ll die in pain. So they lynched the man Who fooled the word And all the children gathered In his empty hands.
Are you gonna go my way?: I was born long ago. I am the chosen I’m the one. I have come to save the day and I won’t leave until I’m done. So that’s why you’ve got to try. You got to breath and have some fun. Though I’m not paid I play this game. And I won’t stop until I’m done. But what I really want to know is…Are you gonna go my way? And I got to got to know.
Believe: The Son of God is in your face offering us eternal grace. If you want it you’ve got to believe cause being free is a state of mind. We’ll one day leave this all behind. Just put your faith in God and one day you’ll see it.
Baptized: I don’t want to look around, And be turned to stone, All my darkest days awoken, I’m looking for a new way, Can’t make it on my own, Lead me to a place wide open. I need a love that takes me higher, So high I’m never coming down. I don’t want to know emptiness, Take me down to the water, Wanna be baptized in your love. Far away from the loneliness, Take my heart and wash away the fear, Let me be baptized in your love. Everybody’s going down, They end up all alone, Far too many words unspoken, I know I gotta be there, I’m ready to be shown, The path of righteousness unbroken. I would be a fool to let you go, With you I’m reborn, I’m no longer torn. I refuse to lose my heart and soul, I have to be strong. Baptized, baptized, Wanna be baptized in your love.
The Resurrection: If you could feel what I could feel, well then you’d know His love is real. If you could hear what I could hear, well then you’d know the King is near. The resurrection is here to stay and He’s coming back again to reclaim all His souls and set us free. Look what He’s done to me. Now I am living in another space and time. He walked on the righteous path to keep us from Satan’s wrath. We are not alone and we’re going home.

Lenny just told me and about 10.5 million other folks about Jesus without stepping behind a pulpit.

1. Choice: As humans, we are empowered/enslaved (depending upon your take of things) by free will. You can choose which religion to follow. You can choose which religion to denounce. You can make up your own religion. You can even choose to not believe in God, that’s how it works. It’s that simple. And it’s that powerful. You decide.

Please seek out the difference in religion and spirituality. And I don’t mean Oprah’s version of spirituality.

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