Posts

Showing posts from January, 2010

My Atonement

Image
I'm taking a class on Old Testament theology. It can be a little dry at times and difficult to follow. I am constantly amazed though at the perfection of God's plan, not just for the redemption of man, but for fellowship with man and His desire to build a place where God and man can dwell together and be one as Jesus prayed in John 17. I think we take this plan for granted far too often and even though we know the plan, we don't take time to sit and worship and be thankful and grateful to God for who He is and what He has done for us. Today I was studying the root words for "Atone" and "Ransom" and "Propitiate". I was trying to stay awake and then the truth of what I was reading began to sink in. This is not just theology, this is not just history, this is personal. I felt the love of God filling my heart with gratitude and an overwhelming sense of unworthiness for what Jesus has done for me. I am a sinful man, not just because I was bor

Kingdom Series

Image
Seth and I have been listening to an excellent book series by Chuck Black called "The Kingdom Series" . We're half way through Kingdom's Edge. You can find the audio book downloads at  Christian Audio .  I would highly recommend listening to the Audio or reading the books together with your kids, especially for boys.  These stories are biblical allegories told from a different perspective of knights, castles, honor, and loyalty to the King.  Enjoy!

Meeting the Needs of the Crowd

Image
I've been listening to the Sermon Index featured sermon. Nothing against preachers today, but I love listening to these old guys who have the power of the Spirit in their voice. Here is an excerpt from "Beginning of the End" by Alan Redpath. He goes on from this section to break down the feeding of the 5000 in a powerful way. "How are we to meet the need of the crowd? Our reaction is to push, program, streamline, work, think of a bigger idea, get plenty of people with plenty of money to back it and then put the whole lot together, mix it up, sprinkle it with a little bit of prayer and wait for the explosion. Push, Push, Push, always doing something. What can we do? How can we reach the crowd? We have no business to expect the crowd to ever come inside our church to listen to what we believe. We have every reason however to expect the crowd to watch how we behave and they’ll never see how we behave unless we go out and mingle with them, and if you have a belie

Finishing in the Spirit

Image
Gal 3:3 " Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (NIV) I have found one of the most difficult things for myself and for others to do is finish in the Spirit. Paul asks the Galatians why they were trying to finish in their own strength what they had begun in the Spirit. Do we really ever get to a place where we tell the Holy Spirit "OK, thanks, but I can take it from here" ? Sounds funny, but we do it everyday and don't even realize it because our eyes are on our own needs and not the Lord's. We will turn to Him in desperation in the midst of overwhelming need or sickness or financial burdens, or when difficult decisions loom before us, and we find that He is there to be our Helper as promised. Then we get back on our feet and quickly forget who it is that holds us up and sustains us and keeps us and delivers us. Thats when we fall again. Most people live in a cycle of being helped up

Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet on reading scripture and seeing people as a whole

A Pleasing Sacrifice

My wife and I have given our son to the Lord. We have placed him on the alter of the Lord, and now the Lord is accepting Him as a sweet smelling sacrifice. He is coming to consume him with His holy fire and draw our son near to His own heart. My Lord and King Himself will be His father. Even now He is filling him with life and love and wisdom. My Lord is preparing him, drawing him, and teaching him to fulfill His calling - to be in Christ and serve His purposes. I must discipline myself and empty myself more. I must train more, run faster and further, and fight harder. I must center my life in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to flow unhindered through me to all my family for one day my son will run past me and press on further and further into the boundless love of Christ for the glory of God.

XA Network

Please help me support the XA Network. You can find more details and support info at www.xanetwork.org

Law or Grace

Do you still live under the law or do you live by grace? Do you live for God because you feel obligated to do so? Is the Christian life a set of rules and regulations that you willing adhere to. If so, your living under a form of the law. Living under the law is better than nothing, which would be a complete dismissal of the things of God to follow your own way. God gave the law to the people of Israel so they would know they were sinners lost without God. Too many believers today have come to the same realization, but they still live there always under the condemnation of a Holy God. Choose rather to live under God's abundant grace which brings freedom and life. Follow Christ wholeheartedly out of love and devotion, not out of a sense of obligation. Do not separate God from any part of your life. Let go of pursuing your own purpose and plan for life and take on God's will to exalt Jesus and lift Him up. There is no reason to be or do anything else.