Crooked paths made straight

Magic is not tricks

2009-05-07T07:27:00.001-07:00

"Magic is not tricks. Tricks in themselves are not more than puzzles. A trick becomes a mystery, a thing of enjoyment to the beholder, only in proportion to the degree of dramatic interest with which it is endowed by its exhibitor." - Fred Keating, “Magic As Theatre” Tarbell 6

Instant Life

2009-04-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

I’ll tell you what the problem with the magical power you’re using here.
It didn’t require any discipline to attain it.
You read what others had done and you took the next step.
You didn’t earn the knowledge for yourselves
so you didn’t take any responsibility for it.
You stood on the shoulders of geniuses
to accomplish something as fast as you could
and before you even knew what you had
you patented it and packaged it
and slapped it on the Internet
and now you’re selling it.
paraphrase
Jeff Goldblum
Jurrasic Park

Read Richard Osterlind's post on this

Pervasiveness

2009-03-31T04:24:00.001-07:00

“The Christian life is a process of renewing every dimension of our lives — spiritual, psychological, corporate, social — by living out the ramifications of the gospel. The gospel is to be applied to every area of thinking, feeling, relating and behaving.”
- Timothy Keller

What should I do now...

2009-02-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

“The first care of every Christian ought to be, to lay aside all reliance on works, and strengthen his faith alone more and more, and by it grow in

Image via Wikipedia

the knowledge, not of works, but of Christ Jesus, who has suffered and risen again for him.”

- Martin Luther

Thought for the Day

2009-02-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

FEAR is a force in the place where you stand, action moves you out of the influence of fear and into the space of opportunity and control"

Truth in a fun format

2009-02-12T04:12:00.000-08:00

The Elephant..

2009-02-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Because he can...

Falling meteor

2009-02-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

being in the right place at the right time can be cool:

Evangelism would be better off if....

2009-02-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

I do not agree with all this post, but I loved his first point:

Evangelicalism would be much better if it would admit that the Reformation and all subsequent divisions divided the one true church of Christ. None of those divisions created a new church or recreated the one, true church. All of Christianity today is the broken parts of what should be whole and entire.
More...

Anger

2009-02-07T08:03:00.000-08:00

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured"
Image by Denis Collette...!!! via Flickr

-Mark Twain

Thanks to Mike for the great quote

The velocity of caring

2009-02-06T04:44:00.000-08:00

Dan Ward has some great news, he is struggling to give people money. Kiva.ORG - the reach across the globe, and let someone burst free site, is struggling to find high quality entrepreneurs...

Cool more people who want to help-out, than qualified business to invest in; read the article.

Do you be-living what you believe in?

2009-02-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

I have said this and preached this, as many of you are painfully aware. When you look in the biblical Greek there is sound enough reason to say that what you believe is what you live.

I just came across an amazing fact attributed to Wycliffe Bible translators (pretty good pedigree).

FACT: in 20 of the worlds most primitive languages the work for believe is do!

At the most basic level belief IS action!

So the question really is :Do you be-living what you believe in?

The more I help, the more it is my fault

2009-02-05T09:34:00.001-08:00

A general truism in life is that:
We judge ourselves by our intentions, but others by their actions/results.

In other words we are easier on ourselves than on others.I can across this quote by Brian Madden while reading up on Citrix Desktops:

Hey Keith: This is one of the strange things about desktop virtualization. You have desktops, which people never felt had to be reliable, running on servers, which people think should always be reliable. Which type of thinking wins out?

As I thought aboult it I saw that when you desktop craps out. It is in the main YOUR desktop, you accept that you are part of the equation, reboot it (because it is Microsoft), and move on. When it is a service, served by a server (you get the picture) it is THEIR fault. When we deliver VDI solutions on of the predicates of service delivery is that we can not be more reliable that the weakest component (I will leave you to think is that the Desktop or the User).

Just a thought on expectation management, and service delivery perspectives, and maybe even life.

The Prodigal God

2009-02-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

“Jesus’s teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our chur

Cover via Amazon

ches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church. That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.” - Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God
(My thanks to http://firstimportance.org/ for the quote)

I add the image, although I have NOT read the book.

The Christian agnostic

2009-02-04T11:56:00.001-08:00

As a Christian are you an agnostic? That seems like a strange question, but let me ask you:
Do you believe the Jesus is the incarnate son of God
Do you believe that he died for you sins and rose again after three days
Do you believe that when you accepted him a saviour he came to exist with in you?
Do you believe that his Holy Spirit is at work within you?
do you be-living what you believe in?

Do you truely believe that the Son of heaven is within you NOW! What can't Jesus do? What Can't he do through you? What is stopping you living as though he lives in you?

Do you Be-living or are you agnostic about the pwoer of heaven within?

Just a thought.

P.S. If you are stuck on how to relise the gap between your head knowledge and the heart that drives your life Dr. Shirley Fay has some insightful posts over the last few days.....

Another cool cloud comic

2009-02-04T04:54:00.000-08:00

The Kiva kiss of kindness

2009-02-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, a small amount of seed money is all it takes to break the cycle of poverty....

Give us a few quid, mate, help an ol' soldier out! comes the cry. A few dollars or a few pounds may alleviate misery for a moment, but a $25 micro-loan strategically placed can break a family out of the generational bondage of poverty.

If you are new to the concept and power of micro-loans, then read this starter article.

I honestly think Heiffer+Kiva is an amazingly powerful vehicle.

Can freedom be simpler or cheaper than this.

2009-02-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

OK, look around the house, grab all the old pens you can find then look at this simple website.
http://www.pensforkids.com/index.htm

So simple and so powerful, what is not to like....

My first conference on 2008 I hope

2009-02-02T21:47:00.000-08:00

Extra Christianity

2009-02-02T16:21:00.001-08:00

The message of the gospel is that you are saved by grace through Christ’s work and nothing else at all. As soon as you add anything to it, you have lost it entirely.

- Timothy Keller

The problem often lies when I try to let my Christianity affect my 'real' life. the challenge is to realise that my Christianity is my real life. I have a great friend who posted a great blog today, that spoke to this issue for me. Her great use of the word allow, grabbed me.

being more than a good citizen...

2009-02-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

Because of an ever-more-global economy, Clinton said, a problem in one nImage via Wikipediaation is almost sure to affect others. That makes it crucial for individuals to act, he said.
Taking action can be simple, he said, citing Kiva -- an online service that allows people to loan sums of money as small as $25 to Third World entrepreneurs to help them lift themselves from poverty.

Read More...

How to be a better Christan

2009-02-01T03:37:00.001-08:00

How can you take your Christianity to the next level? Who are the 7 or 3 or even 1 simple thing you can change?

The problem is, it is the wrong question C. John Mille wrote:

“You don’t have anything to prove to us or the world. The work is finished at Calvary, and that work has unlimited meaning and value. Keep your focus there.”

Maybe a question might be:
How is your relationship with the one who did all the work on Calvary?

Inspiration..enjoy

2009-01-31T06:34:00.000-08:00

I read about a coach who gave the best coaching lesson in his life after his girls lost 100-0. Impressive!

Now we see another coach who transforms peoples lives. Enjoy...

The sanctity of life meet unfortunate ignorance

2009-01-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

This is an amazingly enlightening Blog from a Kiva Fellow. It is not just the systemic ignorence of the leadership, it is the fact that teenagers breed there own mythology:

If you have sex with a condom, the condom will dislodge and swim through your body. The condom will come out of your mouth while you sleep.
If you have sex with a condom, your body will react to the condom’s oils and your stomach will swell as if you are pregnant.
If you have sex with a condom, you will acquire HIV. (Because supposedly companies inject condoms with the virus as a means of population control.)
If you have sex with a condom, the female will feel intense pain.

Food is at the very foundation of community development

2009-01-28T18:24:00.001-08:00

This is a great article just a fun read of someone who is using growing, to grow people and communities....

great video on cloud computing

2009-01-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

If you want to reach further than $25...

2009-01-27T17:15:00.001-08:00

This morning, twenty-eight Kiva Fellow Trainees arrived at the Kiva office. ThImage by Opo Terser via Flickrey will be trained throughout the week to prepare for placement with one of our Kiva Field Partners

Why I chose a wikki....

2009-01-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

I hope you are enjoying my GrowBox Wiki

Here is why I chose a Wiki, and why I chose WetPaint (As well as the fact it is free:

Stupid Vegan's = Idiot's meet world proverty

2009-01-26T16:28:00.000-08:00

This father is noticing that his children are not Malnurished. Just check oImage via Wikipediaut the picture, don't be lazy, check it out.
Now I see this: Vegan BullS**t.

How can someone, and look at the celibrity links on the right, and the text below come up with such a crass campaign, as to stand against Heifer International? Sure intensive farming, Veal, Battery hens, I am for people spotlighting these causes, but a cause that feeds the 3rd world, and propagates that freedom, standing against that is such a heap of crud!

React emotionally now and donate to Heifer International ;-) Try this link: The Lama's Ass(etts) where you do not even need to buy a whole Lama..

Seriously, for $20 you can free a family from bondage make a contribution that has generational blessings.

Thanks for letting me vent.

T

Another great Common Craft video

2009-01-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

Acceptance, response, acknowledgement, and most of all welcome

2009-01-25T00:28:00.000-08:00

Image by Chris Gin via FlickrC.S. Lewis writes, and I paraphrase "That there is a sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some chasm that yawns between us and reality, is part of our inconsolable secret. .... our deep desire for a good report with God, acceptance by God, response, acknowledgment, and welcome into the heart of things. The door on which we have been knocking all our lives will open at last".

In dysfunctional relationships people often point to external causes, for their struggles, our problem is that sin nature has caused our relationship with God to become dysfunctional. The beauty of this though is that when we realise the fact that our relationship is dysfunctional, we do not need to do anything.

What we need to do is STOP doing. Be still allow Jesus to work in the situation, to free us from the entaglements of viewing life with a stunted time line, and enclosed universe.

We have the need for right relationship, but like someone who tries to hard, we keep getting it wrong. We forget HIS yoke is easy his burden is light. We struggle for acceptance, response, acknowledgement, and most of all welcome. All the while forgetting that they are foundational in our relationship with Christ through his work on the cross.

As in the saddest of cases we no dot realise what we already posess.

They are acting out of character

2009-01-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

Life in the Spirit has its specific eschatological quality because it is the shared life of the resurrected Christ, in union with him. The Image by drp via Flickrradical edge of Paul’s outlook stresses that at the core of their being (”the inner man” or the “heart”), Christians will never be more resurrected than they already are!

- Richard B. Gaffin, Jr.

If this is true, and it is. That means that when a regenerated Christian acts in a manner that is incogruent with the Character of the Living Christ. They themselves are acting out of character. They are better than their action, because they have Christ within them.

Check this out, it is 2:30 of fun, but it makes the point:

Touch people across the world - DIRECTLY

2009-01-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to make a global impact, in an intimate and personal manner:

A Fistful Of Dollars: The Story of a Kiva.org Loan from Kieran Ball on Vimeo.

Large scale Agile

2009-01-21T18:52:00.000-08:00

Salesforce.com Agile Transformation - Agile 2007 Conference

View more presentations or upload your own. (tags: agile salesforce)

When you did not get what you want...

2009-01-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

The United States is an amazingly stable democracy. For most Americans, the peaceful transition of power seems like a normal, comImage by Getty Images via DaylifeImage by Getty Images via Daylifemon, and expected thing. Yet, over the course of human history, such peaceful transitions of power are the exception rather than the rule." (The simple Dollar)

Sometimes when we are focused on what we want we foret that what we already have is a blessing.

Even if Obama is the antithesis of what you want in the country; he is a man who forge his own path. He may be talented, he may be intelligent, but he is not anointed, beyond the blessings each of us have. God has placed us in a country where we can cut our own path, and we can be responsible for our own successes or lack of it. When you fail in the this country, no one can stop you trying again.

This is a good country, with great opportunity, and today we witness something really awesome.

God is good.

...greater authority than God

2009-01-20T05:01:00.000-08:00

“Adam desired a greater authority than God had given, and inherited shame and doom. He would be God’s rival and thereby set himself against God, siding with the enemy. Jesus desired to serve His Father, and inherited a dominion beyond the dreams of Adam or of Satan: a dominion that does not rival God’s Kingdom, but that is one with His Kingdom.”
- Edmund Clowney, The Unfolding Mystery (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1988), 32.

Amazing that God gives us the opportunity to serve, and we want MORE... It will be interesting what Obama want's once he has the highest office in the Land. Has he come to serve or be served?

Great summary of the creative process

2009-01-19T07:35:00.000-08:00

Thinking Visually

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: storytelling presentation)

Requirement Writing for Product Management

2009-01-18T11:00:00.001-08:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Requirement Writing for Product Management

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: development design)

technology, shinking the world targeting the hope.

2009-01-15T04:41:00.000-08:00

Saw this great article on Kiva. When people likr Intel & Cisco start focusing energy into micro-loans you know there is something there! the problems of asymetricl wealth in a rapidly shrinking world, is that if we do not breen hope and prosperity, someone else will breed dispair and terrorism.

What I love about micro-giving, micro loans, is that they are small enough that we can all get involved....

Walking the talk

2009-01-14T19:51:00.000-08:00

One of the things about giving and being part of a global movement, is your small contributions become bigger and more significant.

Some people want to go further and and be more hands on. I have an aggregation site about the miracles of GrowBoxes. I would love it if you checked it out, and gave me feedback, or even join the group and grow the site.

Check out: http://earthboxes.wetpaint.com/

I think that these boxes are a great tool for self-empowerment, and growing relationships, and just plain having fun!!

I hope you enjoy the site.

Great video on compound interest

2009-01-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

A little Latte lovin'

2009-01-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

Well,
I am a Grande Latte - Extra Hot, Extra Shot, Light foam, and whole milk. Siobhan is a Vente Latte extra hot, and when she needs a boost Extra shot. That is pretty much $8 a go.

Now if we hung out at Heifer International once a week instead of Starbucks, that would be at least $32 a month. hmmm.... One and a Half Lama Butts or:

A Buffalo Butt
1/4 of a sheep or pig
A couple of Rabbits (that's enough to start..)
Some geese
Some ducks
1/2 a flock of hope
A beehive with all the trimmings

Wow I am amazed at the buying power of saying No to Starbucks once a week.

Thank you Grandad

2009-01-03T13:31:00.001-08:00

Click to Play

Thanks for Rockband etc. From the boys

Why the Lama's Ass(ets)

2009-01-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

Well I have been impressed with Heifer international for quite some time, but these two video's pushed me over the edge, to take the plunge, and start to get serious.

The first was by the Vlog Brothers - That is where the Lama's Ass came together. I know people that would love to give, but even $30 a month is a serious sacrifice. So if you can't give a whole Lama, just buy his butt! Love it, Love It , LOVE IT!

Together
Everyone
Achieves
More!

The second was these young ladies. Their video is funny, but it is boring and repetitive, and I watched the lot. It was GREAT.

Siobhan & I are energized, and we are looking forward to building, sustainable giving, followed by sustainable living, and then sustainable investing!! We want to share with our friends, and hope that some of you will join us on this exciting journey

A Dollar or a Duck?

2008-12-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

OK, Imagine you're dirt poor, no stop for a second and imagine that you are actually dirt poor. Someone offers you a $10 or a duck, which would you take?

In poverty cultures from America to Asia, from the US to Uganda poverty cultures have something in common - they are relationship based. Poor people know that when you have nothing, the most important thing is who you know. You scratch their back and they scratch yours. When you are up, you lend them a buck or two, and when your down, someone lends you a buck. It is the way it works.

Now you a a parent, of staving kids and someone offers you two ways out - a dollar or a duck. The problem is in most of the world, cash is so rare that if you have any, with in a few days or a weeks at most, the network of needs would have borrowed a few pennies here and there, and soon you are tapped out. But they can't borrow half a duck!

This is the one of the powerful secrets of enablement that Heifer International have tapped into. If you give a person the the means to grow out of poverty, but not just money. It can be a phenomenally powerful tool.

Focused Faith

2008-12-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Click Here to Donate

XenDesktop Protolcol flows

2008-10-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Citrix Xen Desktop Architecture Deep Dive Part III

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: citrix xendesktop)

Great graphics

2008-10-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Countdown to a smile....

2008-10-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

For customers at the cross

2008-08-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Why do we take this way?

Just take the next step...

2008-08-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

The common unity of commnunity

2008-08-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

I read this on community building:

It took years to build the community and months for that community to dissipate when the content dried up. In those years we learnt a lot. Fundamentally, we learnt a community is about the relationships with the people.

E-mail does not make community, facetime and caring does. As Rick Warren says "You can pretend to care, but you can not pretend to be there".

3 Things that build community:

Names, Names, Names. People are Names and they are characters who need to be known as individuals, and respected for their place on this planet. In ancient times knowing someones name meant spending time with them, now it's a tag. When people say I know your name, if they have not laughed, cried and bled with you they are full of Bull!
Significance - Praise the best in people (which you can't do if you do not know them!), understand they want to be better than they are, call out the best show them their best, and they will reach beyond it. It they know you know them...
Light touch, its about trusting people, even when what you see isn't very good.

Here is a thought:

A great post for this blog

2008-08-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held…to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut. I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that you may know that I, the Lord who call you by your name, am the God of Israel” (Isaiah 45:1-3).

When we walk where all seems dark, he walks with us and teaches us things we would not know unless we had walked through this valley of death to dreams, hopes, desires (Psalm 139; Hebrews 13:8).
[Found at Tall Subjects]

Thy Kingdom come...

2008-08-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

If you watch this, you can't just watch this once!(Try it is full screen mode!)

Obedience is not enough

2008-08-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Reading First Chronicles we see where David is handing over the plans for the temple to Solomon and he says "Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged."

To say I will Obey, can be to ignore the struggle of obedience to the living God, we need courage and we need Strength so through them "The LORD may give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God." As David told Solomon.

God's response to our thoughtful obedience is shown by the psalmist:

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Internet Conversations

2008-08-05T21:01:00.001-07:00

This is a diagram of the many ways to converse on the internet....
Don't forget face2face and prayer....

Sanctified not satisfied

2008-08-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

We often look at the Christians at Corinth as a bunch of screw ups. Yes they were carnal, yes they struggled to have a good image of Christ before them, youe they did church in the flesh. However this is how Paul sees them:

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

He called them to a higher calling, but he knew who did the saving!

But Nathan said.....

2008-08-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Nathan replied to David, "Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you."

This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth. ^....
" 'I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you: When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.' "

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

Nathan was wrong - Good heart, but missing God's heart
No one rebukes Nathan (Nor stones him!)
Nathan listens to God, and reveals God's will not coloured by his ego
David listens to Nathan

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God...."

David does not sulk at the loss if his plan, he rejoices in the execution of God's.

Toilet paper

2008-08-03T20:39:00.001-07:00

A prayer for the lost...

2008-08-02T17:09:00.001-07:00

“God, help us never forget that we’re all Lost."

Are you a Gemini or a Virgo?

2008-07-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Do you know you birth sign, do you know your birth stone? When was the last time you checked you Horoscope?

Talking of horoscopes, do you know there is quite some statistical evidence that there is power in them? Did you know that there is quite a collection of qualitative evidence that some mediums have authentic spiritually power?

In the old testament there are no 'false prophets'. The old Testament understands the power of Spiritual forces, as does the New (Gal chapter 6). The question is not are these things like New Age spiritual practices powerful, but are they right. In 1st Chronicles chapter 10 it says "Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse". Saul EVEN consulted a medium....

Persistent prayer honors the Lord your God because it says any right solution to a situation is found ONLY in him.

Where is Jesus

2008-07-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

I can across this Paragraph at JSS and it really resonated:

One of the things I’ve kept from my time as a Calvinist is my very strong dislike for the public invitation at the end of most Baptist worship services. My dislike of the invitation and the almost constant abuses that accompany it goes deep and won’t ever leave me. read more....

I enjoyed his article, but in my opinion he did not address the unwitting emotional manipulation that quite often goes with alter calls - the insistent pleading for NOW! One of the fallacies of an alter call is that this might be THE opportunity, leave it now and your done. What happens if the the guy dies on Tuesday with no alter call? If his salvation is that important to the preacher, they should be offering at least one alter call a day, but that is probably to inconvenient.....

A call to action is not in itself wrong, but as emotional pleading, and repetative cajoling it totally ignores the power of God's word preached, and of His Holy Spirit.

Jus a thought...

2008-07-29T18:54:00.001-07:00

Checking out a new service called ping.fm

2008-07-29T18:37:00.001-07:00

Ping.fm if you are exploring social networks check it out...

A character unchanged by circumstance

2008-07-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hallowed be thy name, Psalm 89:30-37 is a great illustration of God's faithfulness, regardless of what we do. He has promised, and our actions will never change his character. In fact the end of chapter 11 in Romans, the Doxlogy says "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" and it is the Doxlogy that leads to the start of Romans 12: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." The understanding of God's Character, land that understanding is necessarily rooted in the fact we do not understand him, but rather we stand under him; this leads to a new context for our cortex. We This and feel different, and then Paul calls us be BE different.

Antidote to the Health, Wealth & prosperity Gospel

2008-07-28T17:50:00.000-07:00

Embedded Video

Is there more to say....

Good vibrations

2008-07-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

In 1st Chronicles Chapter 4, it talks about the expansion of a Clan and it describes their new home: "They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet". Now that resonates with me! However they still had to posses the land first - by battle.

A thought on Romans chapter 11. Paul is talking about the Jews and the Gentiles when he writes : "As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, ²⁹for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable". This also appears to be a great attitude to have with Brother's and Sisters in the faith that we struggle with - They may not love us, but YHWH loves them, irrevocably.

It's not about me, it is about God. However today I ask the Lord to show me the lands that must be taken, the lands that are rich, good pasture, spacious, peaceful and quiet my prayer is "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."

They search the scriptures thinking they will find life...

2008-07-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

Brian Jones has a great post, on the problem with constipated Christians. We run with ideas, and philosophies, but do we live them, in the context of the brokenness of our world. Do we vomit, sermons and book at people, or do we allow transformation in our lives, to speak authority into others.

I love bible study, I love Greek & Hebrew. I love commentaries and great books by Peterson, Willard, Foster, McArthur and many others. However it is all hay and stubble, without the love of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel is for real people, because it is the real power to change. Thank you Brian for keeping it real.

Today's Sermon

2008-07-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Pastor Dan was preaching from Acts Chapter 11. He raised two great points, in fact he raised a number of them, but the two that caught me hardest were:
The church is a living, self correcting, organism. I loved the idea of self-correcting, it is powerful in the sense that God will help it survive, and the Holy Spirit will help in thrive! (I know, I know, God is the Holy Spirit as well as Jesus - That is what gives me security).
The second point is that here is where we change our name and stop being a Jewish sect, and become Christians. I struggle with the term Christian because it is so devalued, I like Brian Jones' comments on being called Christians. Like my NT seminary prof said, when people asked him if he was a born-again Christian - he would say no 'I am a 'come to me as little children' Christian".

Just Sunday thoughts after church...

From Brokenness to Blessing

2008-07-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Over at The Council Chamber Siobhan writes " I came across the Valley of Achor years ago but only recently did I connect it with the sin of Achan where he and his entire clan were stoned to death. Here we see a place where sin was judged becomes a resting place and a door of hope". I was meditating on the transition of the Sin of Aachen to then blessings of Israel, and the move from brokenness to blessing is a transition in relationship.

The relationship of Master is there - non negotiable.

God want's, in fact he woos Isreal, to take a look at the futility of her life, her adulterous desires, her chasing the bling of the Baals instead of the blessings of YHWH. YHWH wants her re-purpose her relationship to found it on - Righteousness, Justice and Faithfulness. He wants to change the Master servant relationship to a Husband Wife relationship.

He wants us to accept that he wants the best for us, to wait on his provision. If we will wait on him he will turn our valley's of Sin in to doorway of hope.

Simple Powerful

2008-07-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

Shack attack

2008-07-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

I have just read the Shack, and I loved it. It is a great novel, and allows a release of Relationship over Religion, just loved the book. However it does have pit falls with it's theology, it is a novel, not a study in theology, it gives access to the questions, and gets some of the answers wrong. However it is in the context of a good novel.

If you want a respectful, well thought out review Try this review

Who is wise... say something God wants to hear

2008-07-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

Return to the LORD your God.
Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you and return to the LORD.
Say to him:
"Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
that we may offer the fruit of our lips.

One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
....
Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
The ways of the LORD are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.

What to do when God is not there

2008-07-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

What do we do when we are wanting to see God in our lives, when we are expecting him to move but a void of nothing surrounds us, when life appears as a pit? Hosea Chapter 12 says:
"But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always".

Maintain Love & Justice.

A desktop Calendar

2008-07-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

A fun Calendar.. get one

A call to integrity

2008-07-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

You only have I chosen
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your sins."
Do two walk together
unless they have agreed to do so?

What do we condone in our lives that does not reflect the Holy Character of a God who died for us.?You can hear God's pain when he says: "They do not know how to do right," declares the LORD, "who hoard plunder and loot in their fortresses." His pain over people who put Mammon as their master.

When God brings holiness, he roots out our idols, and the fruit of idolatry. ¹⁴ "On the day I punish Israel for her sins,
I will destroy the altars of Bethel;
the horns of the altar will be cut off
and fall to the ground.

¹⁵ I will tear down the winter house
along with the summer house;
the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed
and the mansions will be demolished,"
declares the LORD.

So what they shall we do?

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith!

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, you and your household.

I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.....
Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

A monk hits a home run

2008-07-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Read, Enjoy, be blessed

God is Jesus

WWJD?

2008-07-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

A conversation about church

2008-07-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

The New testament church is always an organism, never an organization. It did not grow through Alter calls, but through altered lives. Peter did not call them to say the 'sinners' prayer, instead they asked, what do I need to do to become part of Jesus. The people had a thirst to join something living, powerful and transformational. We need to get back to the organism and away for the organization.

Communities are grown, not built , and the New Testament shows they needed leaders who are feeders, people who fed themselves and others. The vitality of a community of the cross is stored and shown in it's personal narratives, these are its DNA. The community of the cross is far more than a club, because being part of a community of faith has deep value to the individual. Belonging is the fabric of peoples lives instead of the fruit of their fun. The hardest part in growing an authentic community is building a sharing culture, where people realise that Jesus is habitually doing significant work in each one of our lives. The acts of sharing and serving are the life blood of a community of the cross, and everyone has a vital role to play. People will often exhibit different levels of engagement at different times:

(1) Bystander: The bystander appears to only take. Maybe where they are now in their lives they do not have enough time, or feel that they have no valuable knowledge to contribute. Maybe they do not feel welcome or do not understand the community culture.

(2) Someone who gives Feedback: these people add to the community, the danger is that people who are not seeking spiritual transformation may use open sharing, or such community opportunities as a forum for malice or grievances. But even this challenge allows everyone to respond in a Christ like manner, and to model appropriate response to difficult situations. When people do give feedback some people will just correct or complain and some people will add richly, but all are necessary whether they are people who feel safe and jump in, or need some encouragement.

(3) Some people join the community: Here people want what the community has and are willing to pay the price of engagement to become part of something significant, these people want to taste and see what is good. They may join formally, or informally. Where people put their attention, time and money is an indication of where their heart is. Some people may have a light level of engagement in terms of attending social gatherings, joining low impact service areas such as prayer chains, and news points. Some people will join existing ministries,some may be willing to shape ministries and others start them from scratch.

In this context of community there needs to be community leadership, read maybe pastors/shepherds, these leaders need to control and define the environment, but never the people. The environment should be a dynamic place, a place of spiritual power where people have the opportunity for spiritual grow. We need to guard it and guide it, it needs to be a safe place to try. A place where you can not fail. Pastor should model what they teach, and not teach something they do not do. All you need is love of each other, pastors should 'control' the environment NEVER the people. If people watch and do not participate, let them. We should ask the significant questions that start significant journeys. We should be a people who praise God and each other, all the time. When we share, we are forces to care, one can not fake Christlike care over the long haul. To build a cultural identity we need to all communicate in all directions, and we need to use genuine, honest communication.

Members of a community of faith are disciples building a community of the cross, with the Holy Spirit as the glue. They develop collective resources, and responses including stories, experiences and practical biblical ways of addressing recurring problems – in short they develop a shared values and responses. The spiritual values added (by communities of faith ) is not based on (prescribed) design - but is based on what emerges from co-operation and collaboration.

A community of faith should have an apocalyptic perspective. Expect anything to happen immediately, but move as though we have eternity to accomplish any kingdom goal. We should expect a huge gap between our abilities and our accomplishments, and this Gap should be the evidence of the power of God.

Our yardstick is simple lives transformed by the good news of the Cross of Calvary, and the Christ of the living God glorified!

As it is written

2008-07-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you". When we layout the Law, but we do not live out the law; when we preach persuasive words, but do not walk in the power of the Spirit; when we are baptised believers who live like trampled salt then:-

God's name is blasphemed among the people around us because of us

Tender Touches

2008-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Looking a Facebook, and I saw that one of my friends Jonny Rush have posted this news item:

Tony Snow, Former White House Press Secretary and FOX News Anchor, Dies at 53, Tony Snow, the former White House press secretary and conservative pundit who bedeviled the press corps and charmed millions as a FOX News television and radio host, has died after a long bout with cancer. He was 53.

What was impactful was Jonny's personal comment on the story:

I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Snow in an airport when I was 16 years old. We talked as we were walking to baggage claim. I enjoyed the conversation, but what I remember most is the fact that after he had collected his bags, he waited with me until mine came out before he left.

Small actions of Respect and Kindness impact the people we meet and the people they become.

Salvation is not always straight forward

2008-07-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

Over at the church blog I posted this entry about salvation. In there I made the comment that we should not judge God's salvation by the situation. how then do we judge his salvation, when we have to live in the situation? I think by reflecting on the quality of our blessings. Not the blessings we receive, but the ones we give. Paul rebukes us with "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" We are to apt to call down son's of thunder judgment of people not realizing God loves us so much, he can't do what we want because if he did, HIS righteousness and justice would compel him to take us out!

So the only recourse is to act like God, to be a blessing machine, to seek Glory & Honour through having those that hurt us, or offend those we love so that we not only inherit eternal life, but also that we repay evil with blessings because that is what we are called to.

Salvation is not always straight forward

2008-07-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Imagine you are the hero. You offer to die for those around you, throw me into the sea you say - then YOU will be saved. So they throw you into the sea, and you start to sink, waves crash over your head and you final prayer as you sink is:

I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'

How will the Lord save you? The ship has gone, and the storms of life are swallowing you.... Well you know the story, Jonah gets swallowed by a large fish. At the end of his life he realised that "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs". Do not cling to anything but the cross of Christ. God's salvation may look like a frying pan - fire situation, but greater is he who is within you than anything else!!

Do not judge the salvation of the Lord by the situation, as Jonah said when Ninevah repented "I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity". Even people who were enemies of the living God are people God wants to bless, so as people reshaped in the image of the risen Christ we should do likewise because we are called to "live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing".

No Shame but Gain.

2008-07-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Are we ashamed of the Gospel of Grace? Our shame, robs us of it's gain - a chance to live by faith. Romans 1:16,17 - I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith.

The blessings of a life of faith are reflected in the start of psalm 84

¹ How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!

² My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

³ Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

⁴ Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools. ^[b]

⁷ They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Renewed Covenant

2008-07-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

2 Kings 13:25 "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses".

Josiah shows that the Lord will accept a renewed covenant. Josiah shows us a model for that:

Re-commit
Purification
Increasingly living God's way NOT our way
The Celebration

However this story still shows that while we may be blessed by the Lord in that, we will not stop his justice. We can recommited to the God, but we may not man handle him!

The good luck of the Lord

2008-07-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Some times we plan like crazy, do the best we can, but we have not control over the final out come " In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps". Other times we just leave it up to lady luck "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD".

The comforting thing is that the Lord is still in control, he is sovereign.

10 commandments for today

2008-07-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

(1) Just one God
(2) Put nothin' before God
(3) Watch yer mouth
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
(5) Honor yer Ma & Pa
(6) No killin'
(7) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal
(8) Don't take what ain't yers
(9) No tellin' tales or gossipin'
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff
(Thanks to Pastor Ralph Hall for pointing me to this modern translation)

100% effective healing prayer!

2008-07-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a scriptural example of how to have a 100% effective healing prayer ministry:
Acts 28:8 - His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him.

Paul asked God his will, then did it NOT the other way around.

FACT: God does not want everyone well now or it would be so.
FACT: God uses trials and disability for his glory
FACT: We should be working where God is

IDEA: Ask God, listen then move....

Root to fruit not the other way round..

2008-07-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

2 Kings 19:29 This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah: "This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year what springs from that. But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

³⁰ Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above.

Before your lives bear fruit we need to take root. The roots grow and blossom in the heart of the earth, spreading and feeding the body - then we bear fruit. Do not rush to flashy displays of 'fruit' instead let God take root in your heart. During this time he will provide.

True Grace & Forgiveness

2008-07-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

After 12 years of being hounded Jo Bennet-Ramsey's family are finally vindicated. Since coming to this country I have always felt shame for America in the way they treated this family. This is a great man of faith modeling faith:

I second that E-Motion

2008-07-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

People often struggle when things are driven by e-motion. But emotions are reflections of the fuel that is driving us. Are you: in despair, elated, excited, passionate, desperate, fearful, doubtful these are the fuels of our daily life. Interestingly enough most of the word emotion is the word motion! What will help us going forward - E-Motion.

From a Christian world viewpoint the 'E' is evangelism. Evangelism is bringing the Name of Christ of people. By that I mean introducing people to the character of Christ. We need to contribute in the name of Christ. In fact most life gurus will agree that we make a life by what we give, not what we get. So introducing people to the Character of Christ should be a powerful E-motion!

The problem is that when we do this on our own we can often run out of juice, our primary e-motion juie runs dry. However when we do it in community, we bless one another, we celebrate one another, we console one another and we learn what a Tri-Une Jesus already knows
Life is not about ME it's about We.

Dreaming in the image of God...

2008-07-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

Pastor Dan said "...but building a house of worship in our own souls now that has real value. "
Peter the Apostle said "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ".

Dreaming

2008-07-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we got to do some dreaming together at the church. We talked from Acts 2 and Ephesians 4 and shared our heart's desire for the Lord's work. If I was asked if the meeting was a success I'm not sure how I would answer.

I believe without question that it helped cement who we were as a body. It settled why we minister. It settled our desire to serve Christ as he chooses and not our own egos. It laid out a foundation of openness and honesty in our body of believers.

However, I didn't come up with a "PLAN". If a plan had been arrived at it would have been "MY" plan. That means I would have thought it out, determined its long-term validity, seen to its organization, and parceled out pieces to the body to take on. That didn't happen - did we fail?

No, I think not. Building a physical church is an exciting and challenging thing but building a house of worship in our own souls now that has real value. Yesterday we started that process. The other will come in God's time but this was the foundational step. Now ........................

The Sinner's Salvation

2008-07-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

Christ will heal all, Jesus is the way, come to Jesus and he will solve all your problems! The busker cry of the quick solution preacher in the market place of religion.

All biblical truths, but packaged for NOW! Solutions Inc. The problem is when we come to Christ we still have our problems. We are told to work out our spiritual heath with fear and trembling, coming before God in amazement, presenting ourselves for his healing touch A touch that heals in his time, that reshapes, and remolds, does not snap and break.

When we come to Christ our problems are still with us, the good news is that so is Jesus! Our problems do not go away, and neither does he!

Subsistence and starvation

2008-07-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

Back when YHWH gave the gift of the Sabbath to his people, they were a subsistence people. "Give us to day our daily bread" (just to tangle my testaments) would have been a prayer prayed right. Each day was a struggle for their daily bread, so to give up their 'right' to work, and trust God was a true act of faith.

Now skipping a day's work is part of our culture, we expect at least a day a week off, probably two, with two or more weeks vacation, and many holidays to break up the year. Time off is not a blessing but a right in our lives.

Now we need to ask: are we willing to offer a day, a day that is the fruit of our prosperity, back to YHWH. If we do not work, we do not starve, but if we do not rest in him, we wither on the vine. Can we rest in him, who want the best for us?

When Should I Be A Christian?

2008-07-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

1. One of the greatest challenges for me is to know the right time to do things

A. When should I:

1) Talk to people about issues in their lives

2) Praise someone

3) Buy that certain something

4) Walk away from a task I can’t get victory in

5) Discipline a child

6) Preach that special sermon

B. Some reasons this may be so hard are:

1) I am afraid to create waves

2) I am embarrassed

3) I am worried about money

4) I hate to give up

5) I don’t like being the bad guy

6) I have to trust God

2. I am not unusual in my not knowing when to do some things, but, I know the best time to be a Christian

2Cor 6:2 (NKJV) For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.

2Cor 6:2 (TEV) Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you." Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!

3. God couldn’t be any clearer about the when of salvation. When is now!

4. But let’s not leave this here with no explanation of why

A. Each day that we put off turning our lives over to Jesus Christ makes that choice harder to achieve

B. We become experts at how to avoid the feelings that accompany God’s leading

C. We continue to live in a way that makes us think that we have done too much evil to be forgiven

D. We seek and find “other hopes” for salvation trying to avoid separation from God

E. Simply, we rationalize our sinful state until we become “good enough” to make it into heaven

F. The problem is, this never works. God does not accept our plans

5. God has told us that now is the accepted time for salvation for a reason

A. We never know the outcome of our day

1) This last week I was asked to pray for a man who had disappeared while on a fishing trip

2) His van was seen leaving the site but he did not return home

3) 5 men were questioned, 1 a convicted murderer, and their stories did not jive

4) There was real fear the man had been murdered and his van stolen

5) If this had been true, without warning, his life could have come to an end

6) He would not have had time to seek forgiveness from God

7) If he had not been ready, the only option for God would have been judgment

2Cor 5:10 (NKJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

B. We will one day all see Jesus is for real

1) Paul tells us that we need to be ready because we have an appointment with God

2) He tells us that our actions here on earth will determine Jesus’ actions at the judgment

3) He does not leave any room for whether or not we will see Jesus

4) He does not leave room for almost being good enough

Reve 20:11 (TEV) Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sits on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence and were seen no more. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing before the throne. Books were opened, and then another book was opened, the book of the living. The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up its dead. Death and the world of the dead also gave up the dead they held. And all were judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and the world of the dead were thrown into the lake of fire. (This lake of fire is the second death.) 15 Those who did not have their name written in the book of the living were thrown into the lake of fire.

C. The qualifying condition for heaven is having your name written in God’s book of life

1) This judgment is equal because no one will make it into heaven if their name is not written in the book

2) God’s method for getting your name in the book is the same for everyone

3) Everyone who doesn’t accept God’s simple plan misses

D. He wants us to go to Heaven and live with Him in eternity

1) God is not a God who created us with the sole desire to cause us pain and suffering

2) He created us with a desire to know Him and to serve Him

3) He gave us the mental and spiritual tools to accomplish the task

4) He understood our personal limitations so He sent us help to overcome them through His Son and His Spirit

5) He even provided the plan that makes this possible and written directions to achieve it

E. God’s written directions to enter eternal life

1) Roma 10:9 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

2) John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

3) God’s plan of salvation is based on acceptance of His Son as our Saviour

4) This acceptance is more than mental assent, it is heart changing reality

5) The Scripture clarifies this when it states that it is not merely believing, but believing that causes change in your life

6) When a person accepts the gift of salvation they are giving up the choice of sin

7) They are saying by their actions that they choose good instead

8) It is very much a new beginning, a new birth

6. When is the right time to become a Christian?

A. At the very first moment you understand that without Christ there is no hope of eternal life

B. At the moment you understand that life lived outside of Christ is a giant game of chance

C. At the moment you know that if you were to die and face God and He asked you why He should let you into His heaven – you don’t have a real good reason.

7. After hearing the gospel explained, people often say, "You mean there's nothing I can do to deserve it? That's too easy." It seems natural for people to object to the idea that God's unmerited favor can be given so freely to unworthy sinners. Many find it difficult to trust a God who offers salvation as a free gift.

Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan told of a coal miner who came to him and said, "I would give anything to believe that God would forgive my sins, but I cannot believe that He will forgive them if I just ask Him. It is too cheap." Morgan said, "My dear friend, have you been working today?" "Yes, I was down in the mine." "How did you get out of the pit? Did you pay?" "Of course not. I just got into to cage and was pulled to the top." "Were you not afraid to entrust yourself to that cage? Was it not too cheap?" Morgan asked. "Oh no," said the miner, "it was cheap for me, but it cost the company a lot of money to sink the shaft." Suddenly the truth struck him. What had not cost him anything -- salvation -- had not come cheap to God. This miner had never thought of the great price God paid to send His Son so He could rescue fallen humanity. Now he realized that all anyone had to do was to "get into the cage" by faith.

Doing

2008-07-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

Act 2:43 GNB Many miracles and wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyone was filled with awe.

I like this verse because it says something that many people overlook. There were a total of 14 Apostles. One was a bad seed. The only writings attributed to him are extra biblical and faddish. His name was Judas Iscariot. One Apostle came from the last known time of drawing lots in the Scriptures and there is controversy as to whether he should have ever been set aside by Peter and the others as the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon them. That leaves 12 men, set aside by Jesus Christ in 2 different ways and all of them had the same calling. Mat 28:18-20 GNB Jesus drew near and said to them, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (19) Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (20) and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."

You may ask why I bring this up. How many can name the other 10 Apostles? You say that I haven't named the first 2. That is true but Peter and Paul are almost synonymous with the New Testament. 10 other men, set aside by God for great work, were still out there doing their ministry and we aren't even told what is was. Now, you might remember one more of the 10 if start having doubts - let's see - oh yes - Doubting Thomas!

I wonder what those 10 guys were doing while Peter and Paul were getting all the notoriety? Judging from the fact that the church is alive in 2008, I would suspect they went quietly about doing what Jesus told them to. They sure had a lot to be confident about after all. They were told by God incarnate that they were going to be watched out for by no one less than Himself. How cool is that? They had a clear message - go, win, baptize, teach about and for Jesus. It is real hard to mess things up with simple instructions isn't it?

Today it is much harder to fulfill this message. It is much harder to catch a person going 75 in an enclosed cockpit than it is on the back of a donkey going maybe 3 miles per hour during a sprint stretch. It is a grasp for modern day Americans to slow down long enough for fellowship and I think some of it has to do with an enormous lack of trust in a world gone mad. Mostly its harder for the simple reasons. A pitiful but true example from my life involves one of my kids. This little guy tells me he absolutely can't do something and he is emphatic about it (he starts crying and screaming to prove his position). I won't take "no" for an answer and he does exactly what he just said he couldn't do. The truth is that he had always been able to do what he was told but had not always been willing. Many of us today are in the same boat. Please - no mirrors allowed in this article to highlight me!

I can tell you that these last months, as the church has been changing, have been some hard ones for me. At times I feel like I am on the rack being stretched well beyond where I was ever intended to be. But you know what? I stretch anyway. Certainly not willingly at times! I know I am one of the 10 Apostles in the sense that what I do is not noticed. I'm okay with that. But just because I am in the back doesn't give me an excuse for not working. I know that too. S-t-r-e-t-c-h.

You know what the awe that Acts 2:43 talks about did for the church? It made people believe that there was something real different about this way that they spoke of - that maybe this one called Jesus was someone special after all. Then they listened to the rest of the story and we know how that turned out.

Child Prostitution - What is the problem

2008-07-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Sin ALWAYS has a consequence.

Nuff Said

Can Anyone Really Know God?

2008-07-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

Dr. Shirley Fay over at Short thoughts on tall subjects writes:
It seems impossible that anyone can truly know God. He has said that his ways are higher than ours and his thoughts far beyond our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). If we cannot understand his way of doing things or understand the way he thinks, how can we get to know him?
The secret to knowing him lies within the name of the Son of God. Before he took on the form of man he was called the Word (John 1:1-3; 14) indicating that he bares the message of God to his people. Jesus told Philip that to know him was to know the Father (John 14:8-11). What we see the Son do, we know the Father is doing. What we hear the Son speak, we know the Father is speaking.
Isaiah told us that what God speaks will come to pass (Isaiah 55:10-11). Peter tells us that God has given us all we need to live a godly life and has granted to us a portion of his divine nature so that we are able to live the life he has designed for us (2 Peter 1:1-4). Hebrews tells us that living according to the instruction of God will result in peace in our spirits (Hebrews 12:11).
Jesus chooses to whom he will reveal the Father (John 11:27) and that he does this by teaching us what the Father has said and by giving us the ability to live in obedience. The fact that you want to know God tells you that he has chosen to reveal God to you. If he had not, you would have no desire to please God (Romans 3:17-18; John 6:37).
Therefore you can rest assured he has invited you to an intimate relationship with him.

We get so use to saying that Jesus is God, that we forget that God IS Jesus. In fact that is a tag line over a Jesus Shaped Spirituality (JSS). God is Jesus, means that what Jesus does is what God does. This means that the way he came to serve not be served, the way he came to seek broken people out, the way he could stand by and with sinners, call the hypocrisies of the religious leaders is the way God IS! No guessing, if we want to now what would do, look at what Jesus did. Then Jesus make the amazing invitation:
Go and do what I have done!

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Holding on in the challenging times

2008-07-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to sit on the outside of a situation and look inside and wonder at how you are living it. That is what I am doing right now as I wait on the Lord for a hundred different answers knowing that each and every one of them is massively important and life changing. Things will get much harder or easier, lives will be touched or not, jobs will be had or not and every bit of it depends of God and not me. How well am I doing at waiting I wonder? How do we hold on in times of struggle and stress? How do you?