Dismantle

I thought this was written well.

Have you guys heard?

Myspace has a website with old school tv shows condensended down to 4-6 minutes down from 30-60.

The ones I’m interested are:

• Fantasy Island
• Silver Spoons
• The Facts of Life
• What’s Happening?

http://www.myspace.com/minisodenetwork

Check it out.  What are your favorites?

I’ve read some of Eugene Peterson’s books.  A great man of God who invites and challenges us to follow Jesus and live in His kingdom.  Pastor Yana invited me to join her in reading his book Eat This Book.  I thought I would put some of my notes and ideas from reading the book here.  The subtitle is a conversation in the art of spiritual reading

In Chapter 1 he shares the hebrew word hagah - which is the word our Hebrew ancestors used frequently for reading the kind of writing that deals with our souls.  “Meditate” is often used, but he says that is too tame of a word to use.  He quotes Baron Friedrich von Hugel

“Letting a very slowly dissolving lozenge melt imperceptibly in your mouth.”

I think that is a great description of my understanding of sacred reading (or Lectio Divina).  It is probably my most often used method of embedding scripture in my soul.  Lectio Divina is often translated “spiritual reading,” reading that enters our souls as food enters our stomachs, spreads through our blood, and becomes holiness and love and wisdom (p.4).

I need sacred reading in my life because there are many thoughts that are the equivalent of junk food.  This last quote gets at the importance of this kind of reading for me and for us all.

Reading is an immense gift, but only if the words are assimilated, taken into the soul — eaten, chewed, gnawed, received in an unhurried delight.

In this way we can learn to absorb the truth of God through His word so that they become life to us and all who we relate to.

Stephen Colbert is pretty funny.  The only time i get to see him is online.

What do you think about this clip?  Mostly goofy, but ….

Has anyone out there heard of Jason Upton?

I just read an interview with him in Relevant magazine.  I am so surprised how much I love his music.  Its been a while since I’ve enjoyed someone’s music this much.  I encourage you to check out his music here.

He reminds me a little of Keith Green and Aaron Neiquist (worship leader at Mars Hill in Michigan).

Read the rest of this entry »

Just wanted to share my first youtube post.

Here is a quote by Eugene Peterson.  (Actually its from another blog WinnNotes)

He believes church is the place where God’s people are trained in faithfulness and obedience. He suggested that it was a mistake to think strategically about the church. For him the Holy Spirit creates the church, not us. We should be careful not to develop strategies to beef up our own significance. Size is not what brings true significance, influence is. Regarding groups who have entered into a “conversation only” mode as a pedagogical method he was quite clear. He said that mere “conversation only” implies “no truth and no authority.” There needs to be someone who is trained to provide instruction. Story as a pedagogical method was natural and normal while propositional teaching was not useful. One of his favorite contemporary authors is Wendell Berry.

I’m drawn to these statements.  Especially about being trained in faithfulness and obedience.  I want that for my own life.  I want my faith in God to increase which would reveal itself in increased obedience.  And for those in this local body of Christ to grow in that way as well.

How have i grown in faith and in obedience?

I believe that my faith and trust that God is good and will take care of all my needs.  This trust frees me to greater obedience because i have nothing to fear because I know that my good Father will be there for me and I can trust in His Goodness, not my ability to orchestrate good things in my life.

how about you?  Lets share stories and grow in faith, hope and love.

Today 33 people died in a tragic way.  I am saddened by the loss.  May God be with the families and bless them with an obvious sense of His presence.  And may they experience the grace of His goodness.

And i just heard about a family member (cousin) of my LG had suddenly died.  24 hours after going to the ER for a headache.  May God bless this family with love and peace from above.

I think its an important question.

John 1:1-4

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.  3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men…

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Because I love the Word of God I want to honor its true essence.  Here is a quote from a theologian i came across and wanted to share it here.  What do you think?  How does it spur you on?  Read it with the above scripture in mind.

The Bible is not in and of itself the revelation of God but the divinely appointed means and channel of this revelation…The Word of God transcends the human witness, and yet it comes to us only in the servant form of the human words.

I say that the Word of God is not the ink on the paper, or the zeros and ones on this computer screen, but the living and active Spirit of God revealed in Christ Jesus.

• Does this make a difference?  How?

It was announced today that The Edge will receive an honorary
doctorate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston with next
month’s graduating class.

He was chosen based on his “achievements in music and contributions to
American and international culture.”

Read the full story here:

Scot McKnight writes about the mistakes we can make in narrating the gospel.  I think he does a fabulous job in reminding us of the many dimensions of the gospel.  (see below)

I gave two talks in Seattle, but I want to summarize what I said in my talk on Saturday. My talk was about “mistakes missional gospel folks need to avoid.”

What is the gospel? I gave a little summary of the “Lukan thread” — Mary’s Magnificat and Zechariah’s Benedictus and Jesus’ inaugural sermon (Luke 1 and Luke 4) — then I suggested a few mistakes we need to avoid:

1. Avoid beginning with the story of the Fall; begin with humans as Eikons in Genesis 1 before we get to the “cracked Eikons” of Genesis 3.

2. Avoid skipping from Genesis 3 to Romans 3: the story of covenant, Israel, and Law are inherent to the story of God.

3. Avoid thinking all problems are solved on Good Friday: we need the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to resolve the problem of the “cracked Eikon.”

4. Avoid defining sin as merely guilt for offending law; sin is rebellion against God manifested in four directions — against God, self, others, and the external world.

5. Avoid thinking convincing of guilt comes before casting the kingdom vision of Jesus.

6. Avoid rooting the gospel in a God of anger and wrath instead of rooting the gospel in the perichoretic Trinitarian God who seeks to draw us into that dance.

7. Avoid resolving the problem in one direction — with God — instead of resolving the problem in all four directions.

I particularly am drawn to the vision of the Kingdom that stirs our heart to live in such a powerful way is exciting.  And I love the idea of being drawn into the dance of the relations between Father, Son and Holy Spirit (perichoretic - dance of our Trinitarian God).  reminds me of Jesus’ prayer in John 17.

Today marks the 4 years of war in Iraq.  As someone who is consistently pro-life (abortion, capital punishment, war) I lament all deaths from this war and even before.  It pains me to see people who believe it is ok to kill another human being with support from their faith (on both sides).  As a follower of Christ, I cannot see Christ advocating killing.  Each human being is so incredibly valuable as God sees them.  And I want to see people as God does.

I lament the people who have died (Iraqis, Americans, and all other countrymen (people).

I lament the spirit that enables people to kill another.

I lament the spirit in which people who oppose the war talk in such a demeaning way about people who support the war.

I lament many other things - mainly about the way we treat people and think about others - primarily not seeing others with dignity, value and worth.

I cry out to God to bring an end to the war and killing and that we all pursue the Peace of God and see His Shalom here on earth as it is in heaven.  Lord, what is my part to play and participate in your will here on earth?

Mark 12:30-32 (New International Version)

30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[a] 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]There is no commandment greater than these.”

Quote of the day

“The period of secularization was important, but I see us living in a changed world where it is incumbent on politicians and political documents to spell out more clearly their spiritual roots. If we are honest, we often lack the strength to clearly state what our beliefs are and that makes us less credible to others with different beliefs and values.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking to members of her Christian Democratic Union, would like to see the European Union constitution include references to its Christian roots.

(I wanted to change the font on the info about the German Chancellor, but I’m not sure how.  Anyone knowledgeable about this?)

I thought Bono’s theology is pretty good.  What do you think?

This is one of my favorite U2 songs.  Not yet released.

This is from the website www.sacredspace.ie 

The Presence of God

God is with me, but more, God is within me.
Let me dwell for a moment on God’s life-giving presence
in my body, in my mind, in my heart,
as I sit here, right now.

Freedom

I ask for the grace
to let go of my own concerns
and be open to what God is asking of me,
to let myself be guided and formed by my loving Creator.

Consciousness

Help me Lord to be more conscious of your presence.
Teach me to recognise your presence in others.
Fill my heart with gratitude for the times Your love
has been shown to me through the care of others.

Matthew 7, 7-12

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Conversation

Conversation requires talking and listening.
As I talk to Jesus may I also learn to be still and listen.
I picture the gentleness in His eyes and the smile full of love as he gazes on me.
I can be totally honest with Jesus as I tell Him of my worries and my cares.
I will open up my heart to Him as I tell Him of my fears and my doubts.
I will ask Him to help me to place myself fully in His care,
to abandon myself to Him, knowing that He always wants what is best for me.

Conclusion

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

One of my favorite websites is Sacred Space.  I bought the book so i could have it without being online.  they have a few reflections before you get to the text to help you be grounded in God’s presence.  And this weeks are very helpful and I thought I would share them with  you here:

Freedom

If God were trying to tell me something, would I know?

If God were reassuring me or challenging me, would I notice?

I ask for the grace to be free of my own preoccupations and open to what God may be saying to me.

Did you know its Caffeine Awareness Month?  Me neither.  I’ve been interested in the effects of caffeine (is this tough for others to spell, or is it just me?) for a while.  I do care about my health, but don’t always live it out.  Obviously we all experience the postive effects of caffeine, as well as the negative side effects.  It is the most commonly used drug in America.  And there are dealers everywhere.

To read more and with all sorts of links go here:

http://dir.yahoo.com/thespark/7145/caffeine-nation-marches-on 

Should we reflect upon the effects of this drug on our bodies (as they are the temple of the Holy Spirit)?

I just found this from one of the many books I’m reading - Embracing Grace: A gospel for all of us - by Scot McKnight.  I find it a very powerful prayer.  May it transform us.
Litany of Penitence

Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us. We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Have mercy on us, Lord.

We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those more fortunate than ourselves,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily life and work,

We confess to you, Lord.

Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to commend the faith that is in us,

We confess to you, Lord.

Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done: for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us,

Accept our repentance, Lord.

Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;

Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.

Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,

That we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,

Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn from their wickedness and live, has given power and commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.

Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.