Mick Mooney's Blog, page 6

Defining Love & God, And How They Are Connected: A Short Story

After everyone had left, Jimmy remained. He wanted to speak with his Granddad alone. He had a question for him, one he didn’t want the rest of his family to hear.

“Granddad, did you enjoy your birthday?”

“Oh yes, the big Nine-Zero. Gosh, I think I’m getting old!” he said, followed by a joyful chuckle. He was still of sound mind, and never lost his humor. More than that, he was still full of love. Ever since Jimmy could remember, it was his Granddad who always made him feel loved. Growing up in a religious home, his parents also used the world ‘love’ a lot, but he rarely felt it. But with his Granddad it was more than a word, it was a beautiful experience.

“Hey, before I head off, I had a question I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while. It’s about love.” He pulled up his seat a little closer. “It seems to me that the whole world believes in love, and believes that they do love, but the definition of love can vary completely. I wanted to ask your opinion on this, cause whatever your definition of love is, it’s the closest to the truth I’ve ever experienced, I’m sure of it.”

His Granddad smiled. “Ha! Trying to butter me up with compliments are you? Well, it worked.” He smiled again. “Jimmy, I’m an old man, and old men can sometimes babble a little too much, for a little too long, so I’ll try to keep this short.”

“Okay, hit me with it old man,” Jimmy said affectionately.

“Well, since your asking me, I think the way one goes about defining love is how they define God, and vise-visa. So if one defines God as judgmental and seeking out the flaws, sins and weaknesses of people, then that will be the definition of love for that person too. If one sees God as full of grace, and covering over the weakness of people with no judgement in his heart towards them, then that is how that person will define love too.

When we love, we do what we believe love is, but we don’t all believe love is the same thing. If one thinks judging others is love, it’s most likely because they think that is how God is. If one loves by being non-judgmental, and full of grace, that is because that’s how they believe God is. If God is love, then it seems reasonable to conclude that how we define God is how we will define love.”

“So then, how do you define God, Pops?”

His Granddad looked into his Grandchild’s eyes, and shared a story with him before he even opened his mouth to respond. “In my opinion,” he finally said, “God is the God of all grace. He doesn’t judge me, he covers over my weaknesses, he is patient, his grace is enough to see me as I am in his eyes, and not the mess I fall into quite often. He doesn’t see my faults, he sees me. You get it? He sees me. He values me. He holds no accusations against me. Yes, siree, that’s my God. Simple, I know, but believe it; and more than anything I desire for my definition of God to mirror my definition of love.”

They sat there in silence for a few moments before Jimmy saw his Granddad close his eyes, and lean back in his chair with a look of great satisfaction on his worn out face.

“Yes siree, God is love, and that love is perfect, graceful, and beautiful. Even to an old man like me that love makes me feel young. Yes, siree, that love will make me forever young, I’m sure of it. If you want to love like me, just love in a way that makes people feel young again, free again, and alive again. It doesn’t take much, in fact it takes just one thing. Don’t judge them. Don’t let judgement hold any place in your definition of love, and you’ll be loving like the way this old man does.”

Jimmy laughed. “Old? You’re forever young.”

His Granddad smiled. “That-a-boy, make me feel young again, free again, and alive again.”

What Does It Mean To Abide In Jesus?

As Jesus sat with his disciples eating, what would be his last meal with them before his crucifixion, he began to speak about the importance for the disciples to ‘remain in him‘, repeating himself several times, and explaining that it was through, and only through, remaining in him that they would bear the fruit of the Spirit in their life.

But what does it mean to abide in Jesus?



“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” John 15:9

After talking about remaining his him several times, Jesus extends his sentence to give it a fuller, and clearer meaning. He says: “Now remain in my love”

Jesus first explained to his disciples how much his heavenly Father loved him, testifying how he accepted and embraced this love reality, and then went on to explain that this is what enabled him to love them.

From a big, eternal perspective, Jesus fills the whole universe; everything was created through him. He is undoubtedly powerful in his supreme and eternal reality; however, while Jesus walked the earth he had stripped himself of all that glory, humbling himself to come to earth in the image of man. In the body of man. In the limitations and weaknesses of man.

He was limited to the same weaknesses and challenges we all have in these jars of clay, yet he loved us all so genuinely and passionately, and he loved all the way to the cross. But, living with the same limitations we also are burdened with in these earthen vessels, the question is: How did he do it? How did he love us so much?

The answer is that he did it by abiding in the love of his Father. Jesus demonstrated the divine power found in a life that rests in the truth of God’s love for them, and he encourages all of us that we can experience the same. Not by striving in our own strength, but through abiding in his love.

Resting in the truth of God’s unconditional love for you is the power of God to outwork his love through you into the world around you. This is what it means to remain in Jesus. He loves us just as the Father loved him while he walked the earth. We can walk with the same assurance we are perfectly loved and accepted as he did as he walked the earth. It is by remaining in the reality of Christ’s love for you, that allows God to freely let the fruit of the Spirit flourish in your life.

Everyone, in their mind, embraces the idea of being a loving person, but it is the out working of that belief in a way that bears fruit this is often the challenge. Jesus reveals both the problem and the solution to us. The problem is that we simply can’t love out of our own limited source of love. The solution is God has given us an unlimited source of love as a home to live in. In Christ. In Christ’s love. To truly love in a way that bears the fruit of heaven we need to remain in the abounding love of Christ, and allow that source of love to overflow through us into the lives around us.

Abide in Jesus’ love. Enjoy it. Rejoice in it. Jesus actually told us it is through resting in his love and embracing this glorious reality that your joy will be complete. You are completely, unconditionally, and gloriously loved by your Lord and Savior – what can make us more joyful than resting in that great reality? And so, abide in him; enjoy his love for you, and allow him the joy of loving others through you, to the glory of God.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11

The Major Prize Winner Is… Drum Roll Please…

Hi everyone, I’d like to announce the major prize winner from my book release promotion. The prize was an original painting my Mathias Meinel called ‘Sunrise.’

I’m a really big fan of Mathias’ work, and he just so happens to also enjoy my writing and so he was gracious enough to donate one of his paintings to celebrate the release of my novel God’s Grammar.

OK, so enough babbling, let’s get down to it. The Winner is….

Francois Daelemans

Congratulations Francois, and thanks to everyone who also bought a copy of God’s grammar and entered the draw.

Also, from today till Christmas eve God’s Grammar is on a super sale, only $6.95 in paperback. If you haven’t got a copy yet, you can get one here.

How Do You Define Love?

I write a lot about love. When I write poetry, it’s normally about love. That’s not so unusual, I mean, love is a popular topic. Almost everyone, regardless of personal beliefs (or non-beliefs) talks about, looks for and appreciates love; but rarely do we take the time to define it for ourselves.

What is love to you? How would you define it?

Personally, I don’t think it is really possible to define, at least in a dry, dictionary and final authoritative definition. It’s too big, and I find myself constantly coming up with new ways my heart defines love; but I do believe it is a worthwhile challenge to find your own words within your heart and give it a try.

Recently, I made this short video to express one of my definitions of love. What do you think? Would you add anything to it, or perhaps subtract something from it? If you were to express your definition of love to someone, (not by quoting scripture, but by taking your own words and feelings and putting them into a sentence), how would you do it?

Was Adam’s Work More Powerful Than Jesus’ Work?: A Short Story

“Something I find strange about my faith in Jesus,” Jenny said, “is how often I ‘feel’ this overhanging pressure to conform to the traditional theology within the Christian community to believe that Adam is more powerful than Jesus.”

“What theology is that?” Sue, her fellow Bible College friend asked.

“Well, I can only speak on my limited experience, and how it feels to me, but it seems that in general we, as Christians, think of Adam and his work with a much higher regard than we do with the work of Jesus. Adam’s work was so powerful it had a knock on effect on everyone in mankind, but with Jesus there are a number of hoops one has to jump through to get the benefits of his work.”

“Free-will Jenny. It all boils down to having free-will to choose Jesus.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that a thousand times, but it’s not consistent, that’s my concern.”

“How is it not consistent?”

“Well, when it comes to Adam, we seem to have no problem with God ‘imparting’ sin upon everyone in humanity, even though no one asked for it, even thought they didn’t freely believe in order to become sinners, they got it because of the work of Adam, without exception. In this case, it is perfectly fine that God didn’t give anyone the free-will to choose. Perfectly fine, and yet the idea God doesn’t give people free-will to be saved is considered a horrible, ungodly, disgusting thought. But, why? Why do we find the lack of free-will in regards to Adam’s work acceptable and perfectly reasonable, and yet with Jesus, we find the thought repulsive?”

After a moment of awkward silence, it became apparent Sue wasn’t going to attempt any kind of response, so Jenny continued, “Why do we believe Adam’s work was more powerful than Jesus’ work? If Adam can cause all men to be fallen, why can’t Jesus’ work reverse that and cause all men to be saved? Wasn’t that the whole point the Apostle Paul was making when he made the comparison between Adam, the first man, and Jesus, the better second man?”

Sue pulled out her Bible. “Show me the verse you’re talking about.” Jenny flicked over to Romans, searched a little until she found the passage she was referring to:

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. Romans 5:18

Sue read the passage several times in silence. Each time she tried to find a good counter point to make. After her fourth reading, she closed her Bible, and said, “I don’t know how to say, except I know that I know that I know everyone won’t be saved.”

“But Sue, that’s what I mean by traditional theology. You say you know that you know that you know . . . but what if what you’ve been taught since childhood is wrong? It feels right because you’ve heard it a thousand times, but what if the gospel if far bigger, and more inclusive than we’ve been traditionally taught? That’s what I’ve been thinking about lately.”

“And so what conclusion have you reached?”

“No conclusion, but one cosmic sized possibility and a few more questions worth asking.”

“What’s that?”

“What if God, working through Christ, finished the work of salvation on everyone’s behalf? What if, like in the case with Adam, it was the work of Jesus that caused the knock on effect for everyone in mankind? How would that change our view on God, on ourselves, and on others around us? How would it change the way we share God’s good news for the world?”

Sue’s face reddened. She didn’t want to discuss this topic any more, it made her feel uncomfortable. Looking for a quick answer to get herself out of the conversation, she said, “I’ll stick with traditional theology on this one, Jenny.”

“Why?” Jenny asked immediately.

“Because . . . I don’t want to end up believing heresy, that’s why.”

Jenny leaned over and offered one final thought to her friend. As the class what about to start, she whispered, “And what the traditional theology you’re believing in is the heresy?”

Short story by Mick Mooney. Note from Mick: My new novel ‘God’s Grammar’ is out now in paperback.

You can check it out on amazon.com here.

Was Adam’s Work Was More Powerful Than Jesus’ Work?: A Short Story

“Something I find strange about my faith in Jesus,” Jenny said, “is how often I ‘feel’ this overhanging pressure to conform to the traditional theology within the Christian community to believe that Adam is more powerful than Jesus.”

“What theology is that?” Sue, her fellow Bible College friend asked.

“Well, I can only speak on my limited experience, and how it feels to me, but it seems that in general we, as Christians, think of Adam and his work with a much higher regard than we do with the work of Jesus. Adam’s work was so powerful it had a knock on effect on everyone in mankind, but with Jesus there are a number of hoops one has to jump through to get the benefits of his work.”

“Free-will Jenny. It all boils down to having free-will to choose Jesus.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that a thousand times, but it’s not consistent, that’s my concern.”

“How is it not consistent?”

“Well, when it comes to Adam, we seem to have no problem with God ‘imparting’ sin upon everyone in humanity, even though no one asked for it, even thought they didn’t freely believe in order to become sinners, they got it because of the work of Adam, without exception. In this case, it is perfectly fine that God didn’t give anyone the free-will to choose. Perfectly fine, and yet the idea God doesn’t give people free-will to be saved is considered a horrible, ungodly, disgusting thought. But, why? Why do we find the lack of free-will in regards to Adam’s work acceptable and perfectly reasonable, and yet with Jesus, we find the thought repulsive?”

After a moment of awkward silence, it became apparent Sue wasn’t going to attempt any kind of response, so Jenny continued, “Why do we believe Adam’s work was more powerful than Jesus’ work? If Adam can cause all men to be fallen, why can’t Jesus’ work reverse that and cause all men to be saved? Wasn’t that the whole point the Apostle Paul was making when he made the comparison between Adam, the first man, and Jesus, the better second man?”

Sue pulled out her Bible. “Show me the verse you’re talking about.” Jenny flicked over to Romans, searched a little until she found the passage she was referring to:

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. Romans 5:18

Sue read the passage several times in silence. Each time she tried to find a good counter point to make. After her fourth reading, she closed her Bible, and said, “I don’t know how to say, except I know that I know that I know everyone won’t be saved.”

“But Sue, that’s what I mean by traditional theology. You say you know that you know that you know . . . but what if what you’ve been taught since childhood is wrong? It feels right because you’ve heard it a thousand times, but what if the gospel if far bigger, and more inclusive than we’ve been traditionally taught? That’s what I’ve been thinking about lately.”

“And so what conclusion have you reached?”

“No conclusion, but one cosmic sized possibility and a few more questions worth asking.”

“What’s that?”

“What if God, working through Christ, finished the work of salvation on everyone’s behalf? What if, like in the case with Adam, it was the work of Jesus that caused the knock on effect for everyone in mankind? How would that change our view on God, on ourselves, and on others around us? How would it change the way we share God’s good news for the world?”

Sue’s face reddened. She didn’t want to discuss this topic any more, it made him feel uncomfortable. Looking for a quick answer to get himself out of the conversation, she said, “I’ll stick with traditional theology on this one, Jenny.”

“Why?” Jenny asked immediately.

“Because . . . I don’t want to end up believing heresy, that’s why.”

Jenny leaned over and offered one final thought to her friend. As the class what about to start, she whispered, “And what the traditional theology you’re believing in is the heresy?”

Short story by Mick Mooney. Note from Mick: My new novel ‘God’s Grammar’ is out now in paperback.

You can check it out on amazon.com here.

Genuine Friendships And Pre-Programmed Church Events

Genuine Friendships And Pre-Programmed Church Events: A short story

“I’m not all that interested in proving that my Christian faith works,” Ted said. “I know your father is doing all he can to prove his model of church life works, but it’s not for me. To be honest, I don’t think any way of church life works. You know, if we’re honest,” he smiled at his nephew, “it’s been a mess for 2,000 years.”

“Well,” Frank said, “not if you ask my dad. He’s got a pretty smooth operation going. Every service glitters, every musical note perfect, plenty of smiles when you enter and leave. Don’t you think it’s working for him?”

“No, I don’t,” Ted quickly replied.

“Why not? Frank asked.

“Because, what you’re describing is an event. What I’m talking about is church life. I’m not talking about making a program work, I’m talking about making relationships with one another work. That’s what church is, it’s relationship.” He gave his nephew a wink and took another sip of his drink. He continued, “Sure, you can run a program, a religious service where everyone comes as a spectator, but there’s no interaction there, no one-on-one heart interaction, you know what I mean?”

Frank nodded. That was exactly the reason he no longer attended is father’s church. After growing up there, being the pastor’s kid, and being part of all the programs he had one day realized he rarely, if ever, connected with people there in an honest way. It was always the same conversations, the same phrases, the same rehearsed smile and nod. His uncle was nothing like his father, and Frank wanted to know why. More than that, he wanted to know how to live his Christian faith, he wanted more authenticity, but all he had ever known was the pre-programmed way he had grown up with.

“Tell me, uncle Ted, how do you see your faith different to my dad?”

Ted thought about it for a moment. “I guess I see my Christian faith revolving around question marks, but your father’s faith revolves around exclamation points.”

Frank laughed. “And that means?”

“It means that I believe genuine friendships grow and flourish in the question marks of life, not in the exclamation points. The Christian life as I see it is not about conquest, it is about relationship. Conquorers have all the answers, they demand and they pursue. Your dad, the great visionary, is like that, you know? The man has all the answers, and no time to listen to questions. But friendship doesn’t work like that, and that’s what our faith is all about when you boil it down. Friendships develop around listening to each others questions, fears and concerns without judgement, and without responding with stock-standard answers.”

Frank pondered what his uncle was telling him. “So what happens, then? You know, when I stop dictating answers, and instead learn to listen, to love, and to grow within the questions of those around me. What will be different in my relationships?” Frank asked.

Ted laughed. He stood up, and lifted Frank up also. He pulled his nephew close to him, throwing his arm over his shoulders. As they gazed out at the sun setting, he said: “You’ll develop much healthier friendships, that’s what. You’ll start to have friendships that do more than fill the seat next to you for an hour or two, they’ll fill your heart for a lifetime.

Short story by Mick Mooney. Note from Mick: My new novel ‘God’s Grammar’ is out in paperback this week.

You can check it out on amazon.com here.

God’s Grammar: A Novel … Out Now In Paperback!

Today my debut novel ‘God’s Grammar’ has been released in paperback. It’s a imaginative tale that expresses the radical love that God has for us. It is also a story that highlights the difference between the way the world communicates and the way God communicates, and so the story revolves around God teaching Sam grammar. It is through learning about the world’s grammar, he journeys towards a greater understanding of God’s Grammar.

I’ve written a few non-fiction books over the years (and plan on writing more) and while I enjoy being able to unpack the Scriptures and help readers see the grace and love of God, I do believe that fiction has the ability to touch the human heart in a way that a non-fiction book can’t.

Often it is through fiction the greatest of spiritual truths can be presented and embraced by a reader. My goal was to write a book that was honest and discussed a lot of the difficult questions in life (and our faith walk) and through it all to reveal just how HUGE the love of God is for all of us.

I hope you’ll grab a copy and read it. I poured my heart into the story, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. You can get a copy on amazon.com here

Who Else But Jesus?

There is something beautiful about Jesus that none of us can fully put into words. Something about his nature, his ways, that captivate us. He was nothing like any rabbi, pastor, preacher or prophet that came before him, or after him. He was unique; a one of a kind. Who else but Jesus could love like he did? Who else could love so consistently? Who else could publicly embrace all the people the religious condemned; who else could love knowing the religious would kill him for it?

Who else could stand before a half naked woman surrounded by the most honored scholars and teachers of the Bible, all with stones in their hands, and defend her case?

Not only defend her case, but succeed in justifying her. Who else could touch the untouchable, accept the unacceptable, love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and befriend the outcast?

Who else could be completely convinced of his oneness with the Almighty, and yet create 600 liters of the best wine humanity had ever known of for a bunch of people, so drunk at a wedding that they had already drunk the bar dry, to the disgust of the religious? Who else could care so little for his reputation amongst the religious? Who else but Jesus?

Who else could embrace the worst of sinners with such genuineness?

Who else could stand in the courts of the temple and expose the hypocrisy of those yoking such heavy religious loads upon the people, while not lifting a finger to help them? Who else but Jesus could walk into God’s temple and be so distraught with the corruption and hypocrisy that he took it upon himself to turn the place upside down? Who else could overturn tables; who else could chase those peddling God’s word for profit out of the temple area?

Who else could stand up against all the injustice the religious leaders selfishly lorded over people, and yet, all along, being prepared to die for them?

Who else can love the lost with such an embrace, and love those who counted themselves as his enemies with the cross? Who has such a love like Jesus? Who can compare to his courage, his honesty, and his selflessness? Who else but Jesus?

Who else could declare: “I am the light of the world” and have us believe it?

Who is his equal? Even Pharaoh’s magicians could copy miracles; but tell me, who could love like Jesus? Who has ever loved like Jesus? Does he have an equal? Who else but Jesus could love enough to be the savior of the world?

What a heavenly blessing it truly is to be made one with Jesus; to be given the gift to participate in his love. To know his love on a personal level. To be embraced by his love. To know him; to know the One and only. To be made one with the Love of God. What a blessing to know Jesus continues to live and love in us. What a gift God gives us; that we can partake in the interaction of his love in this world.

Life has many wonderful moments, but none so wonderful as when we feel the love of Jesus in us reaching out to others around us. Oh, to love! To let Jesus love through us – what a grace to be given! For to feel the love of Jesus living and active within us, to be part of his love in motion, is to experience heaven on earth.

God Is Love

Imagine a love without limits. Imagine, if you can, an unending love. A love without boundaries. A love that stretches the landscape of eternity. Imagine this, and you will fall into the understanding of God. God is love.