Mark Schilling - Faith, Family, Fitness & Fun

Where the wild things are

mark schilling — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:32:44 +0000

THE END OF THE WORLD 2011…the take away

mark schilling — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:12:26 +0000

1.People give way to much air time to idiots.
This applies to almost every arena of life. Politics, Religion, Literature etc.
2. People of faith can be so easily misled.
Some Christians can be so foolish. Christ isn’t a fool. Christianity isn’t foolish. Like Gandhi said “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” This isn’t universally true but it was most certainly true on this one. Here’s a verse that could have saved someone a million dollars…

Matthew 24:36 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Don’t get all weird, Read your Bible people.
3. We all love a good laugh
People of all colors, creeds, languages and economic backgrounds love a good laugh. I for one feel we all owe Harold Camping a big “thank you”. In a time with so much bad new he gave us a good laugh. Wasn’t what you were shooting for Harold but I wouldn’t call all of this a waste. We laughed, we cried, we gave away all earthy possessions. All in all it was a good day.(Other than the fact I threw my diet out the window expecting a glorified body TODAY… back to the gym for me Monday.)
4. Go big or go home.
On thing I will say, Harold Camping went BIG. I haven’t seen such commitment since Donald Trump went after what’s his names birth certificate. Talk about commitment, man Harold, 2000 billboards nations wide, that’s HUGE.
5. There will be an end.
An end to me and an end to the world. Not sure which will come first but its going to happen. Unfortunately I won’t have the luxury of knowing exactly when it will happen. Whether it’s May 21st 2011, ten years from now, 80 years from now, who knows, but it’s going to happen. We wish we had an exact date, to plan, prepare…. just generally be ready. BUT WE DON’T
Matthew 24:42-44 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

There will be and end. Don’t let Billy Joel shape your theology. You won’t laugh with the sinners. You’ll cry and gnash your teeth with the sinners. Live with passion. Live with purpose. Live close to the person of Jesus Christ. Live knowing that you’re not promised another day.

Truth is when the song ends and the dance is done knowing and living for Jesus is all that’s really going to have mattered. PS there aren’t good people and bad people. There are bad people and redeemed people. PERIOD.

Happy apocalypse 2011 everyone!!!!

BECAUSE OF ME…FOR ME

mark schilling — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 01:39:34 +0000

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NIV) Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

This good Friday we as a family where attending service at our church. Part of the service included a video piece depicting the crucifixion of Jesus. My normally hyper and easily distracted 3 year old son was transfixed upon what was being portrayed on the screen. He kept his eyes fixed as he rattled off questions.

-Why are they hitting Jesus?
-Why are they doing that to him?
-Why daddy why did they kill him?

These are pretty weighty scenes and even weightier questions, the answers to which are more than tough to articulate to a 3 year old. I said the first thing that came to mind.
Why are they hitting Jesus? Why are they doing that to him? Why? Because of me, for me….

It’s good to know that Christ died for the world, because he truly did. But it’s important that in the enormity and the far reaching work of the cross that we don’t miss how personal the work was. Christ died for me. For MY sin.

Today I thank God that he sent his son to die for the sins of the world but I thank God that he came and died because of me so my sins would be dealt with. I thank God for Jesus that came and died for me so that I could have right standing before God.

Because of ME… for ME…Thank you Jesus

LIVING FOR EXPECTATIONS

mark schilling — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:16:26 +0000

I was enlightened to a reality lately that deeply resonated with me. It is that we ALL are living for expectations. The word itself offers immense insight.

There are actually 2 ways to define the word expectation:
1- The act or state of expecting, the act or state of looking forward or anticipating
2- The state of being expected

We either live our lives to fulfill what is expected of us by others or we live our lives in the state of looking forward with anticipation to what lies ahead of us. Parents, teachers/professors, employers, family and friends can all place expectations upon you. Some expectations are well meaning. Some expectations are others peoples attempts to live vicariously through you. Some expectations are down right awful. Whatever they are, they are downright overwhelming when you add them all up and try to live your from underneath them.

I want to live my life in light of the first definition not the second. I want to live my life in a constant state of expecting, looking forward with anticipation to the future. I do this by knowing and reflecting upon who I know I am as defined by God. I do this by cultivating and leveraging all my time, talent and treasure to love God and people and to let God’s voice speak the loudest in my soul. Finally I do this by being fulling engaged in the present with eyes on the future and my heart anchored in eternity

I pray for you if you are being crushed by what others expect of you. I pray you would realize there is a God that believes in you and has prepared for you an abundant life that’s worth looking forward to and anticipating.

Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Let Christ in you spill over into what’s around you

mark schilling — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:07:31 +0000

2 Corinthians 4:15-18 (NLT) All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

John 16:33 (NLT)I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Paul wrote the words of 2 Corinthians 4. He called his circumstances, situations and troubles “small” the KJV says “light afflictions”. How could Paul call beatings, lashings, stoning and false imprisonment LIGHT AFFLICTIONS?! He understood what Steven, Job, Abraham, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego understood. He knew what was IN him was more important than what’s AROUND him. Every person, everyday, in every way is choosing to live to be at peace with what’s around us or with WHO lives IN us. We are choosing to either allow Christ in us to spill into the world around us or to allow the world around us to spill into us.

-What’s around us is temporary. Christ in us in eternal and victorious.

I pray that the storm your facing would subside. BUT IF IT DOESN’T I pray that you would know that in this life filled with troubles you have the hope of Glory that is in you. Not only is he in you he wants to give you peace in the storm and be a conduit of peace to others.

-Don’t let what around you still INTO you. Let what’s in you spill over into what’s AROUND YOU.

Choose to be 5 again

mark schilling — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:29:59 +0000

Yesterday my daughter went with my wife to New York city to take her brother to the airport. Before they left my 5 year old daughter came up to me and whispered “I think we’re going to get to see pointy buildings”. She had the biggest smile assaulting her face at the prospect of seeing the the beautiful skyscrapers of New York. I got to thinking about how my kids are so easily gripped with wonder and joy . My next thought was “I need to be more like a 5 year old”. Every day I have access to wonder and joy and yet I don’t pause to feel the blessing of it all. Whether its the way my 3 year old boy gives me a huge hug and says “love ya dad” or the warmth of hot soup enjoyed on a cold winter day, there’s wonder within reach. So many times we get caught up in the minutia of emails, bills and the like and miss so much. Life goes by fast and so do the chances to enjoy the everyday. Ya I know stuff can go wrong and life can be bad at times but even when you’re sick you can relish the amazing way popsicles make you feel better if not for a minute. We’re blessed by God with so much and yet we take so much of it for granted Take a minute and see what’s beautiful around you.
-being first when a new cashier opens a new check out line
-the video guy waving the late fees
-those tiny cracker they give you free to put in soup
-the joy in the face of parents as they show you there newborn for the first time

So much wonder and I don’t want to miss of minute of it. I’m going to end now so I can go outside and catch a snowflake in my mouth like my 5 year old does so well.

IT IS WELL

mark schilling — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:33:13 +0000

2 Kings 4:25-27 So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. 26″Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” 27When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”

This story is amazing. There is a lot we don’t know from reading but there is also a lot we DO know. In this story we’re introduced to a woman who’s only name is “the Shunammite woman”. We know that she recognizes the man of God Elisha as such. We know know that she is old, without children and to a certain extent content in that even when asked what she wanted she said basically “I’m ok”. We know that Elisha speaks a promise that’s fulfilled in the birthing of a son. After a few years the boy dies and this woman isn’t going to just let it go at that. She goes to the man of God a again to set right what has gone wrong. There are several lessons I walk away with from this story

-As a child of God I have promises that are mine in Christ.
2 Kings 4:15-17He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16Then he said, “At this season next year you will embrace a son ” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.” 17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

For this woman it was a son but we all have something that is yet to burst forth. Personally, I don’t want to settle until I take hold of all of that for which Christ has taken hold of me

-For time to time that that promise will be attacked and I’ll have to fight for it
2 Kings 4:18-24When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19He said to his father, “My head, my head.” And he said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then died. 21She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out. 22Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.”24Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.”
Marry didn’t understand it all when Jesus was crucified. Elizabeth didn’t understand why her son John died. Abraham didn’t understand why God would ask him to sacrifice his only son. But they trusted that God was working ON it while they where in the midst of it. Things aren’t dead until God says they’re dead and sometimes I have to fight for the promises of God.

-I MUST keep a positive profession while I pursue my promise
2 Kings 4:25So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. 26″Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” 27When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 28Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

Her son was dead but she kept hope alive while there was still hope to reach out for. Sometimes my negative words can speak death over what God says is still alive… So no matter what I go through I must declare IT IS WELL!

I can say it is well because…

-I have someone that will hear my petition and fulfill the promise
2 Kings 4:29-36 Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and lay my staff on the lad’s face.” 30The mother of the lad said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” And he arose and followed her. 31Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, “The lad has not awakened.” 32When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 33So he entered and shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD. 34And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36He called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Take up your son.”

In every storm, valley or trouble I have a God whose ear can hear my cry and whos arms are strong enough to reach in and transform the situation or comfort me in the midst of the situation. Either way I’m NEVER alone and so I can declare with all that is in me IT IS WELL!

a lowly sinner, who begs the gift of Christ

mark schilling — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:51:34 +0000

I often recall the story historians tell about the funeral of Charlemagne because it made an impression on me. As you all will recall, Charlemagne was the greatest Christian ruler of the early Middle Ages. The story goes something like this -

After his death, a tremendous funeral procession left his castle for The Cathedral at Aix. When the royal casket arrived, with a lot of pomp and circumstance, it was met by the local bishop, who barred the Cathedral doors.
The Bishop cried out, as was the custom, “Who comes?”.
The Emperor’s proud herald proclaimed “Charlemagne, Lord and King of the Holy Roman Empire,”
The Bishop replied, “Him I know not,” – “Who comes?”
The herald, a bit shaken, replied, “Charles the Great, a good and honest man of the earth.”
Again the Bishop roared – “Him I know not,” – “Who comes?”
The herald, now completely crushed, responded, “Charles, a lowly sinner, who begs the gift of Christ,”
The Bishop responded, “Enter! Receive Christ’s gift of life!”

I’m coming to realize life has trends(or at least my life). When I was young I was weak and incapable and don’t know it. When I was a teen I was strong and incapable(and didn’t know it). When I was in my 20’s I was strong and felt capable. Now that I’m in my 30’s I’m coming to realize I’m neither as strong or as capable as my ego had told me. What I do with these little moments define me. How YOU deal with moments of clarity define you as well.
All these life trends effect the way we relate to God. We only reach for grace when we need it. The fallacy is not realizing that we are ALWAYS at ALL TIME in need of God’s grace. The error is thinking that there is ever a time that we have it all together. This year my hearts cry is to stay in touch with my need for God’s grace. At the end of every day the reality remains that you and I both are but a lowly sinner who begs the Gift of Christ

MY BOOKS OF 2010

mark schilling — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:26:53 +0000

When I was young my pastor told me “Mark leaders are readers”. I’ve found that to be so true. So here are my books for 2010… some good, Some garbage. Check them out and see what you think. let me know if you’ve found any of these to be helpful or interesting to you.

-In Search of the Warrior Spirit: Teaching Awareness Disciplines to the Green Berets
-Fasting: Opening the Door to a Deeper, More Intimate, More Powerful Relationship with God
-The Grace Awakening: Believing in Grace Is One Thing. Living it Is Another.
-The Remnant
-Love is a Verb: Stories of What Happens When Love Comes Alive
-Man’s Search for Meaning
-No Other Gospel: Finding True Freedom in the Message of Galatians
-Footprints of the Fisherman
-Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road
-In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars
-Spiritual Leadership
-He Chose the Nails
-Essential Church
-Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions
-The Barbarian Way
-Holy Discontent
-Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD
-Know Doubt: The Importance of Embracing Uncertainty in Your Faith
-Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran
-The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit
-The Hole in Our Gospel: What does God expect of Us? The Answer that Changed my Life and Might Just Change the World
-No Room for Error: The Covert Operations of America’s Special Tactics Units from Iran To Afghanistan
-As a Man Thinketh
-The Science of Getting Rich
-I Was a Stranger: A Christian Theology of Hospitality
-The Imitation of Christ
-Permission Marketing : Turning Strangers Into Friends And Friends Into Customers
-The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason
-Stuff Christians Like
-Over The Top
-Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus
-Leaving Homosexuality: A Practical Guide for Men and Women Looking for a Way Out
-The Passion of Jesus Christ: Fifty Reasons Why He Came to Die
-59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot
-The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
-The Psychology of Winning
-How to Be Invisible: The Essential Guide to Protecting Your Personal Privacy, Your Assets, and Your Life
-Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life
-How to Argue & Win Every Time: At Home, At Work, In Court, Everywhere, Everyday
-Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!
-The Joy of Believing in Prayer: Deepen Your Friendship with God
-Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God
-Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear
-To the Edge: A Man, Death Valley, and the Mystery of Endurance
-Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
-Jesus Among Other Gods The Absolute Claims Of The Christian Message
-A Mind for God

HOW TO WALK AWAY FROM GOD: STEP 6

mark schilling — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:41:07 +0000

6 – After thoroughly blowing off everyone for 4-6 weeks begin to complain about how no one is “reaching out to you” and how “no one cares”.

After you’ve failed to return calls and defriend everyone on facebook start to drop some status’ and tweets that allude to the fact that no one cares. Now this is REALLY important, start to generalize and depersonalize. ALL those “PEOPLE” at church are soooo… Get the idea? Try it.

Here’s an example:

ALL those people at THAT church are ALL about my MONEY? If you really enjoy Irony that last example is super fun to use especially if your total giving to said church has been $14.50 in the last decade… Try it, it’s sooo funny.

It’s always easier to kill(literally and socially) if you you can depersonalize and dehumanize your intended victim.

Tomorrow we take on step 7: Google a random doctrine and pick a fight with your pastor about it