Just a thought to spur discussion... I shared this Crowder song with the senior adult class I've been teaching (by the way they loved it). Oh and for the record the lessons have been various lessons on grace :) !
Only You
Words by David Crowder, Mike Dodson, Jason Solley and Mike Hogan
Music by David Crowder
Take my heart, I lay it down
At the feet of You who’s crowned
And take my life, I’m letting go
I lift it up, to you who’s throned
And I will worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I will bow down before You
Only You, Lord
Take my fret, take my fear
All I have I’m Leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
Be all my delights, be my everything
And it’s just You and me here now
Only You and me here now
Monday, December 19, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
A Happy Thanksgiving to all!
__________________________________
PRAISE TO GOD - - - - -
by Max Lucado
You are a great God.
Your character is holy.
Your truth is absolute.
Your strength is unending.
Your discipline is fair.
You are a great God.
The mountain of your knowledge has no peak.
The ocean of your love has no shore.
The fabric of your fidelity has no tear.
The rock of your word has no crack.
You are a great God.
Your patience surprises us.
Your beauty stuns us.
Your love stirs us.
You are a great God.
Your provisions are abundant for our needs.
Your light is adequate for our path.
Your grace is sufficient for our sins.
You are a great God.
We even declare with reluctant words,
your plan is perfect.
You are never early, never late.
Never tardy, never quick.
You sent your Son in the fullness of time
and will return at the consummation of time.
Your plan is perfect.
Bewildering, Puzzling, Troubling.
But perfect….
__________________________________
From Let the Journey Begin
Copyright 1999, Max Lucado
http://www.maxlucado.com/shop/detail2.php?pid=B139GB
PRAISE TO GOD - - - - -
by Max Lucado
You are a great God.
Your character is holy.
Your truth is absolute.
Your strength is unending.
Your discipline is fair.
You are a great God.
The mountain of your knowledge has no peak.
The ocean of your love has no shore.
The fabric of your fidelity has no tear.
The rock of your word has no crack.
You are a great God.
Your patience surprises us.
Your beauty stuns us.
Your love stirs us.
You are a great God.
Your provisions are abundant for our needs.
Your light is adequate for our path.
Your grace is sufficient for our sins.
You are a great God.
We even declare with reluctant words,
your plan is perfect.
You are never early, never late.
Never tardy, never quick.
You sent your Son in the fullness of time
and will return at the consummation of time.
Your plan is perfect.
Bewildering, Puzzling, Troubling.
But perfect….
__________________________________
From Let the Journey Begin
Copyright 1999, Max Lucado
http://www.maxlucado.com/shop/detail2.php?pid=B139GB
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Settled In
Dani and I have settled in (as much as possible) here in California and we continue to wait on the Lord. It has been good to see the Lord work in little ways…
Dani is enjoying a mom’s group. I’m teaching in a senior adult Sunday School class. Callie had her second tooth come in. I found a great coffee shop (nicely named “field of beans).
While we do not have a job yet, these little things remind me of the second part of Psalm 46.10. God says, “don’t worry your little head I will be exalted everywhere, in every way over the whole earth” (Dustin paraphrase).
Of course we know the first part of the verse very well, “Be still, and know that I am God” (not a paraphrase). This begs an interesting question for our discussion/dialogue: do we ever really “settle in” if we are to always be waiting on the Lord?
Dani is enjoying a mom’s group. I’m teaching in a senior adult Sunday School class. Callie had her second tooth come in. I found a great coffee shop (nicely named “field of beans).
While we do not have a job yet, these little things remind me of the second part of Psalm 46.10. God says, “don’t worry your little head I will be exalted everywhere, in every way over the whole earth” (Dustin paraphrase).
Of course we know the first part of the verse very well, “Be still, and know that I am God” (not a paraphrase). This begs an interesting question for our discussion/dialogue: do we ever really “settle in” if we are to always be waiting on the Lord?
Monday, August 29, 2005
This one is for you Dustin... :-)
From a newspaper article in the Sun-Sentinel
If you want to visit Steve Mullins at his "office," go to the Borders bookstore in Plantation any weekday afternoon. Hang a right into the coffee bar and look for a stocky blond guy with a Macintosh G4 on one of the two grayish-teal leather couches in the corner, the most comfortable seats in the house.
Mullins, 36, is worship pastor at Sawgrass Fellowship, a Baptist congregation that meets in Sunrise. He rotates among three wireless, or Wi-Fi, hotspots, using them as his virtual office, where he can check e-mails and exchange MP3 music files with church band members.
The T-Mobile account, which costs him $30 per month, works in at least 67 Starbucks outlets, 10 Borders and 22 FedEx Kinko's in South Florida. Mullins, who doesn't have a physical office, says the cost is worth it: He gets a stimulating environment, comfy couch, and "the coffee is always on."
If you want to visit Steve Mullins at his "office," go to the Borders bookstore in Plantation any weekday afternoon. Hang a right into the coffee bar and look for a stocky blond guy with a Macintosh G4 on one of the two grayish-teal leather couches in the corner, the most comfortable seats in the house.
Mullins, 36, is worship pastor at Sawgrass Fellowship, a Baptist congregation that meets in Sunrise. He rotates among three wireless, or Wi-Fi, hotspots, using them as his virtual office, where he can check e-mails and exchange MP3 music files with church band members.
The T-Mobile account, which costs him $30 per month, works in at least 67 Starbucks outlets, 10 Borders and 22 FedEx Kinko's in South Florida. Mullins, who doesn't have a physical office, says the cost is worth it: He gets a stimulating environment, comfy couch, and "the coffee is always on."
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Communion Thoughts From Bonhoeffer's Quote
Matt (and everyone else),
I was thinking about this line of thought in the context of communion. As a Baptist, and I’m starting to think I’m a bad Baptist, a remembrance view of the Lord’s Table is SO important. And while I still hold to that view, John 6 has some bizarre things to say that expand my little box of communion understanding.
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6.54-57 TNIV—emphasis, obviously mine).
What a deep incarnational thought! Just as Jesus only did the will of the Father, so my life is only in Jesus; and that somehow communion represents that beyond my little remembrance view. There is a special added spirituality to the act, and as you say Matt, it might be in the fact that the people with whom I feast at the Lord’s Table are the body of Christ.
“Christ fulfills every authentically religious impulse in us”. Beautifully said! If Jesus does this, and accomplishes it in His body, not just a collection of individuals but a community in united under Him, then as the apostle Paul put it in Ephesians 4.8,9 we are to “live as children of light for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteous and truth”. This becomes our strong and passionate desire…more Jesus in “fulfillment of every good thing”!
I was thinking about this line of thought in the context of communion. As a Baptist, and I’m starting to think I’m a bad Baptist, a remembrance view of the Lord’s Table is SO important. And while I still hold to that view, John 6 has some bizarre things to say that expand my little box of communion understanding.
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me” (John 6.54-57 TNIV—emphasis, obviously mine).
What a deep incarnational thought! Just as Jesus only did the will of the Father, so my life is only in Jesus; and that somehow communion represents that beyond my little remembrance view. There is a special added spirituality to the act, and as you say Matt, it might be in the fact that the people with whom I feast at the Lord’s Table are the body of Christ.
“Christ fulfills every authentically religious impulse in us”. Beautifully said! If Jesus does this, and accomplishes it in His body, not just a collection of individuals but a community in united under Him, then as the apostle Paul put it in Ephesians 4.8,9 we are to “live as children of light for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteous and truth”. This becomes our strong and passionate desire…more Jesus in “fulfillment of every good thing”!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
The Church as figure of Jesus
The following excerpt is taken from the writings of the evangelical theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer read during the ecumenical celebration in Saint Paul outside the walls. This is posted on the vatican's web site: http://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/documents/ju_mag_01022000_p-13_en.html
“In Christ there was re-created the form of man before God. It was not an outcome of the place or the time, of the climate or the race, of the individual or the society, or of religion or of taste, but quite simply of the life of mankind as such, that mankind at this point recognized its image and its hope. What befell Christ had befallen mankind. It is a mystery, for which there is no explanation, that only a part of mankind recognise the form of their Redeemer. The longing of the Incarnate to take form in all men is as yet still unsatisfied. He bore the form of man as a whole, and yet He can take form only in a small band. These are his Church. “Formation” consequently means in the first place Jesus' taking form in his Church. What takes form here is the form of Jesus Christ himself. The New Testament states the case profoundly and clearly when it calls the Church the Body of Christ. The body is the form. So the Church is not a religious community of worshippers of Christ but is Christ himself who has taken form among men. The Church can be called the Body of Christ because in Christ's Body man is really taken up by him, and so too, therefore, are all mankind. The Church, then, bears the form which is in truth the proper form of all humanity. The image in which she is formed is the image of man. What takes place in her takes place as an example and substitute for all men. But it is impossible to state clearly enough that the Church, too, is not an independent form by herself, side by side with the form of Christ, and that she, too, can therefore never lay claim to an independent character, title, authority or dignity on her own account and apart from him. The Church is nothing but a section of humanity in which Christ has really taken form. What we have here is utterly and completely the form of Jesus Christ and not some other form side by side with him. The Church is man in Christ, incarnate, sentenced and awakened to new life. In the first instance therefore, she has essentially nothing whatever to do with the so-called religious functions of man, but with the whole man in his existence in the world with all its implications. What matters in the Church is not religion but the form of Christ, and its taking form amidst a band of men. If we allow ourselves to lose sight of this, even for an instant, we inevitably relapse into that programme-planning for the ethical or religious shaping of the world, which was where we set out from.”
“In Christ there was re-created the form of man before God. It was not an outcome of the place or the time, of the climate or the race, of the individual or the society, or of religion or of taste, but quite simply of the life of mankind as such, that mankind at this point recognized its image and its hope. What befell Christ had befallen mankind. It is a mystery, for which there is no explanation, that only a part of mankind recognise the form of their Redeemer. The longing of the Incarnate to take form in all men is as yet still unsatisfied. He bore the form of man as a whole, and yet He can take form only in a small band. These are his Church. “Formation” consequently means in the first place Jesus' taking form in his Church. What takes form here is the form of Jesus Christ himself. The New Testament states the case profoundly and clearly when it calls the Church the Body of Christ. The body is the form. So the Church is not a religious community of worshippers of Christ but is Christ himself who has taken form among men. The Church can be called the Body of Christ because in Christ's Body man is really taken up by him, and so too, therefore, are all mankind. The Church, then, bears the form which is in truth the proper form of all humanity. The image in which she is formed is the image of man. What takes place in her takes place as an example and substitute for all men. But it is impossible to state clearly enough that the Church, too, is not an independent form by herself, side by side with the form of Christ, and that she, too, can therefore never lay claim to an independent character, title, authority or dignity on her own account and apart from him. The Church is nothing but a section of humanity in which Christ has really taken form. What we have here is utterly and completely the form of Jesus Christ and not some other form side by side with him. The Church is man in Christ, incarnate, sentenced and awakened to new life. In the first instance therefore, she has essentially nothing whatever to do with the so-called religious functions of man, but with the whole man in his existence in the world with all its implications. What matters in the Church is not religion but the form of Christ, and its taking form amidst a band of men. If we allow ourselves to lose sight of this, even for an instant, we inevitably relapse into that programme-planning for the ethical or religious shaping of the world, which was where we set out from.”
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Liminality: Be As Small As Jesus Wants Us To Be!
Greetings from Texas as we are here in north Dallas suburbia visiting family. (Oh by the way the road trip went well. Callie did great! We just took our time, stopping when we needed too enjoying the road.)
My thought for you this morning is the nature of the Church here in the lone star state: large. Every building is huge and seems like an attempt to over top the mega-church down the street (or toll way or farm road—nothing in the way of mid-sized roads).
Now I know there are smaller churches and, from talking to my brother-in-law, people here who “get” grace and being missional. My observation; however, is that the culture down here does not lend itself to liminality. Liminality is the process of being push to the periphery through isolation and re-assessing one’s identity. This process is done by a tribal boy who leaves his mothers hut and, depending on the culture, goes out on a quest to kill some wild game or smoke some dope and see his spirit guide—when he comes back to the tribe he is a man.
We as people go through liminality, as groups we can go through liminality (sound familiar Edge friends) but liminality can also be experienced in large groups as culture changes i.e., the evangelical church as society in the States becomes more post-modern. Historically speaking, before the enlightenment the Church held the center of society controlling politics, morality and individuals. During the enlightenment project reason was the center of society informing politics and the like—and the Church began the process of being marginalized. Now with our changing post-modern sensibilities the idea of a center has been replaced with a “do as you wish” mentality and for the Church the process of liminality has begun. Will the Church strive to re-claim a non-existing center—as is it appears to be here in Texas—building bigger buildings with slicker programming and performance based excellence (I have read you can call this a broadcast church) or will the people of God be comfortable being relegated to the periphery?
It is not to say that broadcast church cannot be missional and understand grace, but it is mighty hard in a corporate culture to not be about the institution. Now is this just the end of the Bible belt so this observation means nothing for other regions? Possibly, but at the very least it is good to re-evaluate motives of the people of Jesus gathered: do we depend on being valued by the world, which I think leads to human-driven effort; or do we depend on being directed by Jesus, which is to say that we live in grace being missional?
Granted we might fall somewhere in the middle of these poles, but I pray we fall into the arms of Jesus no matter what cultural paradigm we use. As we experience isolation and the re-assessing one’s identity, as life is often cruel enough to throw us, I pray that as an expression of the deep seeded belief in Jesus’ sovereignty we will put our trust in Him and not live by our own plans and in our own strength and not be about building bigger buildings but humbly be OK with being as small as He wants us to be.
Blessings,
Dustin
My thought for you this morning is the nature of the Church here in the lone star state: large. Every building is huge and seems like an attempt to over top the mega-church down the street (or toll way or farm road—nothing in the way of mid-sized roads).
Now I know there are smaller churches and, from talking to my brother-in-law, people here who “get” grace and being missional. My observation; however, is that the culture down here does not lend itself to liminality. Liminality is the process of being push to the periphery through isolation and re-assessing one’s identity. This process is done by a tribal boy who leaves his mothers hut and, depending on the culture, goes out on a quest to kill some wild game or smoke some dope and see his spirit guide—when he comes back to the tribe he is a man.
We as people go through liminality, as groups we can go through liminality (sound familiar Edge friends) but liminality can also be experienced in large groups as culture changes i.e., the evangelical church as society in the States becomes more post-modern. Historically speaking, before the enlightenment the Church held the center of society controlling politics, morality and individuals. During the enlightenment project reason was the center of society informing politics and the like—and the Church began the process of being marginalized. Now with our changing post-modern sensibilities the idea of a center has been replaced with a “do as you wish” mentality and for the Church the process of liminality has begun. Will the Church strive to re-claim a non-existing center—as is it appears to be here in Texas—building bigger buildings with slicker programming and performance based excellence (I have read you can call this a broadcast church) or will the people of God be comfortable being relegated to the periphery?
It is not to say that broadcast church cannot be missional and understand grace, but it is mighty hard in a corporate culture to not be about the institution. Now is this just the end of the Bible belt so this observation means nothing for other regions? Possibly, but at the very least it is good to re-evaluate motives of the people of Jesus gathered: do we depend on being valued by the world, which I think leads to human-driven effort; or do we depend on being directed by Jesus, which is to say that we live in grace being missional?
Granted we might fall somewhere in the middle of these poles, but I pray we fall into the arms of Jesus no matter what cultural paradigm we use. As we experience isolation and the re-assessing one’s identity, as life is often cruel enough to throw us, I pray that as an expression of the deep seeded belief in Jesus’ sovereignty we will put our trust in Him and not live by our own plans and in our own strength and not be about building bigger buildings but humbly be OK with being as small as He wants us to be.
Blessings,
Dustin
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Looking To Jesus
A response to Paul’s posting in the last thread.
Paul, I understand your point about loving each other and God revealing Himself to us in His time. But I do not see the connection you are trying to make with that line of thought and belief. For Example, I do not get what you are trying to say when you say: “Wow, I have read all of the postings up to this point, but have yet to feel true belief in any one posting. You all mention the belief in Christ, but manage to miss the entire BELIEF....hmmm.”
While I would word your the prayer emphasis not as God give me strength and peace and comfort but as us praying for the Father to be our strength: He is sovereign; and for Jesus to be our peace: He is the Prince of Peace; and for the Spirit to guide us: as He will in all truth. This is not a semantics game but a true shift in my focus as I pray. It is good to look at the nature of our prayers.
Faith is God’s gift to us, it is not a matter of our power that we chose where to place it. For Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. In my own words, I think this clarification supports your reasoning that we are to keep our eyes on Jesus—that is faith, that is belief. For as the apostle Paul says in Acts 17.26-28 to the people in Athens: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”
Paul, I understand your point about loving each other and God revealing Himself to us in His time. But I do not see the connection you are trying to make with that line of thought and belief. For Example, I do not get what you are trying to say when you say: “Wow, I have read all of the postings up to this point, but have yet to feel true belief in any one posting. You all mention the belief in Christ, but manage to miss the entire BELIEF....hmmm.”
While I would word your the prayer emphasis not as God give me strength and peace and comfort but as us praying for the Father to be our strength: He is sovereign; and for Jesus to be our peace: He is the Prince of Peace; and for the Spirit to guide us: as He will in all truth. This is not a semantics game but a true shift in my focus as I pray. It is good to look at the nature of our prayers.
Faith is God’s gift to us, it is not a matter of our power that we chose where to place it. For Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. In my own words, I think this clarification supports your reasoning that we are to keep our eyes on Jesus—that is faith, that is belief. For as the apostle Paul says in Acts 17.26-28 to the people in Athens: “From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Paradigms
Okay, I only have a few minutes to do this before I have to leave for work, but I wanted to throw this out there so that my fellow bloggers could "have at". I just have a couple of thoughts from the incredible sermon Sunday night.
I was thinking about the paradigms of culture. I think a lot of times, culture creates a structured outline that Christianity then fills as it is expressed through culture. That begs the question of should culture influence the expression of Christianity, or should Christ influence the expression of culture, and what does that looks like? I tend to think of it as a "both and", but then what does that look like?
I don't know about you all, but the Western/modern expression of Christianity is what kept me from becoming a Christian for so many years! I saw it lived out both in my home and in my church, and it disgusted me. It seemed shallow to me, and empty. It wasn't until I got a glimpse of an Eastern/"minority" (my own terminology) expression of Christianity that the Lord became an option in my life. The Post-modern expression still amazes me, in one of those "can't quite wrap my brain around it" kind of ways. I guess I still embrace the Eastern expression the most in my daily living.
So, question for thought before I fly out of here. There are good things and truths in every cultural expression of Christianity. Considering the Christian Response collumn in the handout, how do we live out Christianity in the midst of a cultural collage? Referring to my above question, what does it look like to allow culture to structure the expression of Christianity, and what does it look like to do that in the midst of Christ restructuring culture? Thougths to chew on.
Blessing, Courtney
I was thinking about the paradigms of culture. I think a lot of times, culture creates a structured outline that Christianity then fills as it is expressed through culture. That begs the question of should culture influence the expression of Christianity, or should Christ influence the expression of culture, and what does that looks like? I tend to think of it as a "both and", but then what does that look like?
I don't know about you all, but the Western/modern expression of Christianity is what kept me from becoming a Christian for so many years! I saw it lived out both in my home and in my church, and it disgusted me. It seemed shallow to me, and empty. It wasn't until I got a glimpse of an Eastern/"minority" (my own terminology) expression of Christianity that the Lord became an option in my life. The Post-modern expression still amazes me, in one of those "can't quite wrap my brain around it" kind of ways. I guess I still embrace the Eastern expression the most in my daily living.
So, question for thought before I fly out of here. There are good things and truths in every cultural expression of Christianity. Considering the Christian Response collumn in the handout, how do we live out Christianity in the midst of a cultural collage? Referring to my above question, what does it look like to allow culture to structure the expression of Christianity, and what does it look like to do that in the midst of Christ restructuring culture? Thougths to chew on.
Blessing, Courtney
Monday, May 16, 2005
What is Church
So Hammer,since you mentioned this I will take a stab it,
What is Church, I think church could be better defined for me, has a community of believers coming together to worship God, through songs, teaching, fellowship and encouragement. All done focusing and pointing each other to Jesus for both praises and problems. It should be a place that when a believer is hurting or struggling others would come along side and support and encourage, not that in ourselves we have the answer but can point to the one that does (Jesus). Also a place to rejoice with each other over Gods faithfulness. It seems that it also requires that we are available to each other outside of the meetings. It seems to me the only requirements for a church service would be a place to meet and a group of believers, I'm not sure if a full time shepherding pastor would be a requirement, definitely a desired benefit, but I also see a need for tentmaking shepherds.
Some thoughts,
Ed
What is Church, I think church could be better defined for me, has a community of believers coming together to worship God, through songs, teaching, fellowship and encouragement. All done focusing and pointing each other to Jesus for both praises and problems. It should be a place that when a believer is hurting or struggling others would come along side and support and encourage, not that in ourselves we have the answer but can point to the one that does (Jesus). Also a place to rejoice with each other over Gods faithfulness. It seems that it also requires that we are available to each other outside of the meetings. It seems to me the only requirements for a church service would be a place to meet and a group of believers, I'm not sure if a full time shepherding pastor would be a requirement, definitely a desired benefit, but I also see a need for tentmaking shepherds.
Some thoughts,
Ed
Monday, May 09, 2005
My prayer for the Edge
My prayer for the Edge is that the seeds God has planted, through Dustin, will continue to grow and bear fruit. I do not understand why there is such opposition to the message of Gods grace among the christian community especially with so many hurting believers? May be that is why God may be seperating us, so that we may go out and share Gods grace with believers who desire this relationship ? It is hard tho to sit and listen to sermons that put all the burden on the believer.
My thoughts,
Ed
My thoughts,
Ed
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Prayer for the Edge
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwing, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard them begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
Let the love of the brethren continue.
(Hebrews 12:14-13:1)
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwing, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard them begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling." But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
Let the love of the brethren continue.
(Hebrews 12:14-13:1)
Monday, April 18, 2005
Sunday Evening
A discouraging night, The Edge is a unique community of believers were Grace and relationship with Jesus are the emphasis,in Ephesians 6 we are told that our battle is not against flesh and blood. So we will look to the Lord Jesus Christ to be the initiator, in whatever He has for us and of course good things will come of this, because God loves us, I am not convinced this was Gods will, but I am confident that it has not blind sighted Him. So let us look to the one who is able to do all thing exceedingly well and desires this relationship way more then we do.
Ed
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Pope John Paul II: Exemplar of Missionality
Even though Pope John Paul passed away this morning, the discussion of his legacy began days ago. The Pope’s story of faith is one of the convergence of politics and spirituality: that Jesus is to leave no part of our lives untouched. Coming from Poland, he grew up face to face with communism, and strongly opposed the oppression and despair projected upon Eastern Europe. Yet he also spoke disparagingly against the abuses of capitalism and American materialism.
In these stances, the Pope pointed people to Jesus, taking seriously his role as world shepherd. This past Ash Wednesday the Pope said, “Looking at Christ and following Him with patient trust, we succeed in understanding that every human form of pain contains in itself a divine promise of salvation and joy.” I cannot help but acknowledge the strong parallel between this quote and what the author of the book of Hebrews said, “Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Pope John Paul the II lived his life as an example of missionality. May it be said of us, at our passing that we “walked as Jesus walked”, as was said of the Pope in today’s Rocky Mountain News. In the face injustice may we keep our eyes on Jesus, remembering our citizenship is in Heaven and not in the political or economics systems that we feel most comfortable. As Pope John Paul II manifested, that is a legacy worth building upon: Jesus!
In these stances, the Pope pointed people to Jesus, taking seriously his role as world shepherd. This past Ash Wednesday the Pope said, “Looking at Christ and following Him with patient trust, we succeed in understanding that every human form of pain contains in itself a divine promise of salvation and joy.” I cannot help but acknowledge the strong parallel between this quote and what the author of the book of Hebrews said, “Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Pope John Paul the II lived his life as an example of missionality. May it be said of us, at our passing that we “walked as Jesus walked”, as was said of the Pope in today’s Rocky Mountain News. In the face injustice may we keep our eyes on Jesus, remembering our citizenship is in Heaven and not in the political or economics systems that we feel most comfortable. As Pope John Paul II manifested, that is a legacy worth building upon: Jesus!
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Random Mussing For Today
Our server is down today: no e-mail, no network, no internet… So I’m at Starbucks surfing the net, reading, doing sermon prep and being missional.
The baristas gave me a bag of toys left over from their Christmas drive because they knew I would have kids to hand them out to. And it occurs to me, being missional works. When you simply live to point all people to Jesus; people catch on, even the pre-followersofJesus.
The baristas gave me a bag of toys left over from their Christmas drive because they knew I would have kids to hand them out to. And it occurs to me, being missional works. When you simply live to point all people to Jesus; people catch on, even the pre-followersofJesus.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
The Grace Synthesis
Thesis: we were born with a passion for sin (Romans 7:5,6) but Jesus replaces that passion for sin with a passion for Himself (Ephesians 4:17-24).
Antithesis: We manage that passion and turn it into rules, laws and regulations (Philippians 3:1-16); consequently, that does not work.
Synthesis: As we cooperate with Jesus’ leading in our lives we ‘do so’ in grace (Galatians 2:20,21).
In this grace synthesis we have freedom because the Father is responsible for producing fruit (John 15). In this grace synthesis we have purpose because as we are sent into the world to lift up Jesus He draws all people unto Himself (John 17). In this grace synthesis we have comfort because we live in the Holy Spirit not our planning (John 14:16,17, 26,27).
How’s that for concrete!
Antithesis: We manage that passion and turn it into rules, laws and regulations (Philippians 3:1-16); consequently, that does not work.
Synthesis: As we cooperate with Jesus’ leading in our lives we ‘do so’ in grace (Galatians 2:20,21).
In this grace synthesis we have freedom because the Father is responsible for producing fruit (John 15). In this grace synthesis we have purpose because as we are sent into the world to lift up Jesus He draws all people unto Himself (John 17). In this grace synthesis we have comfort because we live in the Holy Spirit not our planning (John 14:16,17, 26,27).
How’s that for concrete!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Sanctified By Grace
Tonight we continued our study of what it means to be sanctified by grace. Our working definition of sanctification is “the process of Jesus making us more like Himself”. With this focus we are emphasizing the process, or journey of faith is all about Jesus.
The intersection of discipleship and sanctification is to live missionaly. We all know what it means to be a missionary: noun—to go to another culture and proclaim Jesus. To be missional is to: verb—be sent ones in our culture, proclaiming Jesus.
Question, how do we unpack this pursuit into daily living, into bite size pieces if you will?
The intersection of discipleship and sanctification is to live missionaly. We all know what it means to be a missionary: noun—to go to another culture and proclaim Jesus. To be missional is to: verb—be sent ones in our culture, proclaiming Jesus.
Question, how do we unpack this pursuit into daily living, into bite size pieces if you will?
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of repentance and reflection. Typically, liturgical churches “celebrate” the day by having ash put on their forward in the sign of the cross. What a strong marker of identification!
This can serve as an awesome reminder that we are but dust and that is what we will return to. In this ceremony the ashes used are typically made from the burning remains of the previous years palms from Palm Sunday. The following is a decent website, in a question and answer format, for more info: http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ash_wed.htm
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, the season before Easter. Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. In counting the days of Lent, Sunday’s are skipped. Accordingly, Lent begins today and ends on the Saturday before Easter, March 26.
Traditionally, Lent started as a time of dedication for those wishing to get baptized on Easter. These new disciples would focus on Christ’s teachings and doctrines of the church. Because these disciples would become members of the church, at baptism, the whole congregation took the season of Lent to affirm their beliefs and actions.
This can serve as an awesome reminder that we are but dust and that is what we will return to. In this ceremony the ashes used are typically made from the burning remains of the previous years palms from Palm Sunday. The following is a decent website, in a question and answer format, for more info: http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ash_wed.htm
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, the season before Easter. Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. In counting the days of Lent, Sunday’s are skipped. Accordingly, Lent begins today and ends on the Saturday before Easter, March 26.
Traditionally, Lent started as a time of dedication for those wishing to get baptized on Easter. These new disciples would focus on Christ’s teachings and doctrines of the church. Because these disciples would become members of the church, at baptism, the whole congregation took the season of Lent to affirm their beliefs and actions.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Psalm 1
As we have continued in our series on Psalm 1 we have focused on what it means to be blessed. Our working definition of “blessed” is living God toward us. That means resting in the fact that all that God is He will be toward us. An application of this concept was seeing the parallelism between rest for the Israelites entering into the land parallels our rest in salvation and we have just barely scratched the surface.
Regarding the movement of sin in verse 1 we saw how one can walk toward sin, stand among it and then sit in the midst of the wicked.
The antithesis of this is too delight and mediate on God’s revelation of Himself; mainly, Jesus as the Word. To this point of staying focused on Jesus PostPaganBaby had a great line of thought, which I do not want to get lost in our last series of posts “Excursion Into Hebrews”.
PostPaganBaby said...
OK, Psalm 1, "Happy the man..." What is striking about this psalm is that Jesus fulfills it. He does not walk in the ways of the wicked and yet he keeps company with the wicked (namely you and me).
This is at times an overwhelming paradox. There are moments in my life when I don't consider myself "Christian" because of what I do or fail to do -- things that I once that were mandated by the Gospel but were in fact merely mandated by the dominant (i.e., pagan) culture.
Then I reflect on the ways in which Christ has permeated my life. I know of his presence through my wife, friends, and the "falling away" of certain evils that once threatened to destroy me.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger says somewhere in "Introduction to Christianity" that our faith is not about ETHICS but about ONTOLOGY. That is, faith in Christ is not centered on simply (?) keeping the 10 commandments but allowing the grace of Christ to permeate all quarters of our lives.
So at times I feel I am "no better" with Christ than without him, but then I recall that it his presence that would allow me to think such a crazy thought (were I living without him, I would KNOW the disaster that ensues).
Sorry if I got a little Buddhistic on this, my first post to your blog, Dustin! Peace!
I don’t think that these comments are within the realm of a Buddhist reality; for if they were they would deny passion for the blain nothingness of nirvana. Instead, by being real about our human condition, they affirm that Jesus came to replace our passion for sin with a passion for Him! At this realization we follow Jesus’ way for our life not out of legalism to earn His favor, but by His grace.
Regarding the movement of sin in verse 1 we saw how one can walk toward sin, stand among it and then sit in the midst of the wicked.
The antithesis of this is too delight and mediate on God’s revelation of Himself; mainly, Jesus as the Word. To this point of staying focused on Jesus PostPaganBaby had a great line of thought, which I do not want to get lost in our last series of posts “Excursion Into Hebrews”.
PostPaganBaby said...
OK, Psalm 1, "Happy the man..." What is striking about this psalm is that Jesus fulfills it. He does not walk in the ways of the wicked and yet he keeps company with the wicked (namely you and me).
This is at times an overwhelming paradox. There are moments in my life when I don't consider myself "Christian" because of what I do or fail to do -- things that I once that were mandated by the Gospel but were in fact merely mandated by the dominant (i.e., pagan) culture.
Then I reflect on the ways in which Christ has permeated my life. I know of his presence through my wife, friends, and the "falling away" of certain evils that once threatened to destroy me.
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger says somewhere in "Introduction to Christianity" that our faith is not about ETHICS but about ONTOLOGY. That is, faith in Christ is not centered on simply (?) keeping the 10 commandments but allowing the grace of Christ to permeate all quarters of our lives.
So at times I feel I am "no better" with Christ than without him, but then I recall that it his presence that would allow me to think such a crazy thought (were I living without him, I would KNOW the disaster that ensues).
Sorry if I got a little Buddhistic on this, my first post to your blog, Dustin! Peace!
I don’t think that these comments are within the realm of a Buddhist reality; for if they were they would deny passion for the blain nothingness of nirvana. Instead, by being real about our human condition, they affirm that Jesus came to replace our passion for sin with a passion for Him! At this realization we follow Jesus’ way for our life not out of legalism to earn His favor, but by His grace.
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