This definitely does not describe my personality. :) Not that I can't be excitable, but I'm not easily excitable. I think I'm somewhere in the middle of mellow and hyperactive, leaning towards the mellow side.
Mark Lowry - Hyperactivity
"It's not my fault the world's not keeping up with me!"
Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive
"And in a minute I'll blow."
Grace Roots Blog
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
God's Discipline - Loving Teaching and Correction, Not Punishment
In this week's GIGCast Mike and I look at the words "chasten" and "discipline" in Hebrews 12, and discuss how these words don't mean "punish," as the words are often wrongfully taken to mean. As legitimate children of God, He teaches us and corrects us in His love - not impatiently and not fearfully or out of anger - to help us to know His love and to trust Him and to walk as the children of God that we truly are.
It's interesting that the writer of Hebrews, leading up to this, would write so many words to help get people rooted and grounded in Jesus Himself bearing the sin of the world, being the once-for-all perfect sacrifice,that we're not under the wrath of God, that we should hold fast our hope in Him, and that we look unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... and then suddenly, according to various interpretations of this, the writer tells us God is angry and impatient with us, and beats us and punishes us???
If God's "perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us" (1 John 4:18, The Living Bible), then we must know and be encouraged that He never harms us or punishes us. He disciplines us (teaches us, corrects us) in loving ways, for our own good, not as a display of anger or wrath.
gigcast.graceroots.org
Monday, February 23, 2009
Practically Speaking – Part 3 of 3
The Apostle Paul was really great at laying the foundation of the gospel and the Christian life – God’s love and grace, the blood of Jesus, His finished work, our solid identity in Him, etc. All of this is not only the foundation, but it is woven into every aspect of life in Christ. Paul told the Corinthians that he “determined to know nothing among them except Christ and Him crucified.” Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ, and the life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God…” He was very careful to make sure his readers knew that the Christian life was about faith in God, and in the very life of Christ in them, and not about their own fleshly works that they could conjure up.
His epistles, of course, included much more than simply straight identity doctrine. In the very same epistles, Paul also included some very practical words about how it all looked when it was lived out. Grace and identity was, of course, inextricably woven into all of it. He was not giving “rules for Christian living” or any such thing, but rather was giving some very wonderful, practical words of wisdom. All of this has the potential to be taken in the wrong, legalistic way, of course. All of these things have the potential to be used in manipulative and controlling ways. But as people who love one another and have great grace towards one another, as Paul did with those he wrote to, this can all be a very wonderful part of the Christian life.
For example I don’t believe Paul was being legalistic or going beyond grace or looking to something other than grace or trying to balance anything with grace when he said, “flee sexual immorality.” That can (has the potential to) be taken as a legalistic command or rule, but in this (and other words of Paul), I think it's an exhortation that can help a Christian live as who they truly are. This also has the potential to be taken as words that we try to keep through the efforts of our flesh. May that never be!!!
I don’t live my life by looking at the Bible for principles for how to live my life. But what can happen is that at the proper times, God can speak things through people that help me, by His grace, to live like who I am. For example, God can speak to me through someone the words, “husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church” and that can be the instigator that changes my behavior… from the inside out. It can help, by God's grace, to change how I treat my wife. It’s not a rule and it’s not a law that I apply. It’s simply Christ speaking some good words through somebody else to me that helps me to outwardly be more of who I am inwardly. It’s the same with so many of the other things that Paul and the New Testament writers mentioned… and it’s by no means limited to the various exhortations in the NT.
I can think of many examples of how this has played out in my life. One example is Paul’s words, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Eph 4:26). What this has done, is it has caused me and my wife to do all our fighting during daylight hours! Just kidding! But seriously, as a husband and as a daddy who sometimes messes up and walks after the flesh, simply thinking about these words has brought me back to the reality of who I am and it’s led me to going and making amends with either my wife or my kids. It’s not a rule that I’ve followed. It’s not a law. It’s simply something that can be a good thing for the heart and mind to consider and it can really help to change a person’s attitude and actions to match who they truly are in Christ - again by the Spirit and by His grace, not by my own fleshly attempts at living it out.
As a child, when my sisters and I were squabbling and fighting, I remember my mom often saying, “don’t return evil for evil” (Rom 12:17, 1 Thess 5:15, 1 Peter 3:9). As I got older and began to truly understand what that really meant, it began to take root in me… especially because I saw it lived out by both my parents. I never heard them talking bad about others, and I know that they were hurt by others at times, and they always responded graciously, at least from what I saw.
Again, these are just a few examples of what I’m talking about. It is a “grace-full” thing to speak to one another in ways such as these. It’s not adding to grace, it’s not lowering the value of grace, it’s not balancing grace with anything. Our words to one another can stimulate one another into action. Our words to one another can work together with Christ’s life in us to bring about a change of mind and direction… to make conscious decisions or choices and that can help to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Not words of conviction, not words of guilt, not words of condemnation… but words of exhortation, admonition, encouragement.
I welcome your thoughts, whether you wholeheartedly agree with me or wholeheartedly disagree with me or anywhere in between. It’s me… JOEL! You can agree or disagree with me and I still hold you in the highest of regards!
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
His epistles, of course, included much more than simply straight identity doctrine. In the very same epistles, Paul also included some very practical words about how it all looked when it was lived out. Grace and identity was, of course, inextricably woven into all of it. He was not giving “rules for Christian living” or any such thing, but rather was giving some very wonderful, practical words of wisdom. All of this has the potential to be taken in the wrong, legalistic way, of course. All of these things have the potential to be used in manipulative and controlling ways. But as people who love one another and have great grace towards one another, as Paul did with those he wrote to, this can all be a very wonderful part of the Christian life.
For example I don’t believe Paul was being legalistic or going beyond grace or looking to something other than grace or trying to balance anything with grace when he said, “flee sexual immorality.” That can (has the potential to) be taken as a legalistic command or rule, but in this (and other words of Paul), I think it's an exhortation that can help a Christian live as who they truly are. This also has the potential to be taken as words that we try to keep through the efforts of our flesh. May that never be!!!
I don’t live my life by looking at the Bible for principles for how to live my life. But what can happen is that at the proper times, God can speak things through people that help me, by His grace, to live like who I am. For example, God can speak to me through someone the words, “husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church” and that can be the instigator that changes my behavior… from the inside out. It can help, by God's grace, to change how I treat my wife. It’s not a rule and it’s not a law that I apply. It’s simply Christ speaking some good words through somebody else to me that helps me to outwardly be more of who I am inwardly. It’s the same with so many of the other things that Paul and the New Testament writers mentioned… and it’s by no means limited to the various exhortations in the NT.
I can think of many examples of how this has played out in my life. One example is Paul’s words, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Eph 4:26). What this has done, is it has caused me and my wife to do all our fighting during daylight hours! Just kidding! But seriously, as a husband and as a daddy who sometimes messes up and walks after the flesh, simply thinking about these words has brought me back to the reality of who I am and it’s led me to going and making amends with either my wife or my kids. It’s not a rule that I’ve followed. It’s not a law. It’s simply something that can be a good thing for the heart and mind to consider and it can really help to change a person’s attitude and actions to match who they truly are in Christ - again by the Spirit and by His grace, not by my own fleshly attempts at living it out.
As a child, when my sisters and I were squabbling and fighting, I remember my mom often saying, “don’t return evil for evil” (Rom 12:17, 1 Thess 5:15, 1 Peter 3:9). As I got older and began to truly understand what that really meant, it began to take root in me… especially because I saw it lived out by both my parents. I never heard them talking bad about others, and I know that they were hurt by others at times, and they always responded graciously, at least from what I saw.
Again, these are just a few examples of what I’m talking about. It is a “grace-full” thing to speak to one another in ways such as these. It’s not adding to grace, it’s not lowering the value of grace, it’s not balancing grace with anything. Our words to one another can stimulate one another into action. Our words to one another can work together with Christ’s life in us to bring about a change of mind and direction… to make conscious decisions or choices and that can help to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Not words of conviction, not words of guilt, not words of condemnation… but words of exhortation, admonition, encouragement.
I welcome your thoughts, whether you wholeheartedly agree with me or wholeheartedly disagree with me or anywhere in between. It’s me… JOEL! You can agree or disagree with me and I still hold you in the highest of regards!
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Practically Speaking – Part 2 of 3
Exhortation and admonition are wonderful words. Exhort: "To urge by strong, often stirring argument." Admonish: "To reprove gently but earnestly; to counsel against something to be avoided; caution." Unfortunately, as with the word “discipline,” in many cases the church has made these into very legalistic words that they use to manipulate people and try to keep them under control. But those are not the reasons the Apostle Paul exhorted, admonished and encouraged the people he wrote to, as he built them up in who they were, and in what the Christian life looked like in action. And you know what, if you don’t want to use those words, that’s fine. The point is that Paul spoke practical words to people that showed them what life in Christ looked like when lived out, and it was a really good thing!
Paul made sure that the people of the church were rooted, grounded and established in grace and in their identity in Christ. Paul made sure the people knew that it wasn’t about their efforts at pleasing God. It wasn’t about them striving to be good. Paul is the one who showed us that we have died, and the life we live in the body, we live by faith, not by our own flesh-produced works! I believe he also showed us what this looks like by speaking practical words (practical: “capable of being used or put into effect”) that would aid in stirring up the inward Christ-life and getting it out.
One wonderful truth that has helped me in my Christian life is the idea that God initiates and we respond. In other words, it’s not about us going and looking for things to do, and principles to follow, but as we rest in Christ, God gives us the thoughts and ideas and He works in and through us to make it happen. I believe there are myriads of ways in which God does this, and one of the many ways is through our communication with one another. As we encourage one another, and speak words of edification and admonishment and exhortation to one another, we stir one another up. We dig into the Christ-life that is within each other and we spur one another on toward love and good deeds. It’s all God’s doing, and in these instances He does it by speaking to us through one another.
Again, I don’t believe it’s a matter of us going around trying to find principles to follow and I also don’t believe it’s a matter of a preacher coming up with a new set of generic principles to preach each week. I think it’s more a matter of, in the normal course of life, God’s children communicating with one another, and in the proper times and seasons speaking words to one another that come from our own life experiences and from biblical truth that fit the given circumstances, and that will help us to grow in grace and in the living out of who we truly already are in Christ.
I’ll give some ‘practical’ examples in the next post to show where I’m coming from.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Paul made sure that the people of the church were rooted, grounded and established in grace and in their identity in Christ. Paul made sure the people knew that it wasn’t about their efforts at pleasing God. It wasn’t about them striving to be good. Paul is the one who showed us that we have died, and the life we live in the body, we live by faith, not by our own flesh-produced works! I believe he also showed us what this looks like by speaking practical words (practical: “capable of being used or put into effect”) that would aid in stirring up the inward Christ-life and getting it out.
One wonderful truth that has helped me in my Christian life is the idea that God initiates and we respond. In other words, it’s not about us going and looking for things to do, and principles to follow, but as we rest in Christ, God gives us the thoughts and ideas and He works in and through us to make it happen. I believe there are myriads of ways in which God does this, and one of the many ways is through our communication with one another. As we encourage one another, and speak words of edification and admonishment and exhortation to one another, we stir one another up. We dig into the Christ-life that is within each other and we spur one another on toward love and good deeds. It’s all God’s doing, and in these instances He does it by speaking to us through one another.
Again, I don’t believe it’s a matter of us going around trying to find principles to follow and I also don’t believe it’s a matter of a preacher coming up with a new set of generic principles to preach each week. I think it’s more a matter of, in the normal course of life, God’s children communicating with one another, and in the proper times and seasons speaking words to one another that come from our own life experiences and from biblical truth that fit the given circumstances, and that will help us to grow in grace and in the living out of who we truly already are in Christ.
I’ll give some ‘practical’ examples in the next post to show where I’m coming from.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Practically Speaking – Part 1 of 3
All who read this blog know me to be someone who has a passion to speak words that are based on being rooted, grounded and established in the grace of God and in our identity in Him. My almost 800 posts speak to that! Although this post is a bit different from my other posts, I do believe that what I’m going to say here is rooted in the pure grace of God.
I’ve said plenty of times that I’m very opposed to the idea that the Christian life is a matter of living by rules, principles, methods, etc. Life in Christ is a matter of His life in us, working in us and through us and out of us. It’s not about us studying principles to keep us and guide us. It’s not about becoming better people, but rather it’s about living from the new creations that we already are, trusting in Christ’s life in us to animate us.
So does that mean that we never speak words to one another that spur on this animated new creation life? Does resting in Christ simply mean we sit back, basking in His love and grace, and before you know it we’re simply bearing good fruit? Does it mean that as long as we’re learning our identity in Him, and we become established in His love and grace, that everything automatically falls into place?
Of necessity, we will never live out the Christ life in its most natural way unless we’re rooted, grounded and established in His love and grace and in our identity in Him. I can never see myself not believing that! As I’ve looked back on my life and have seen myself and others growing in all of this, and growing in the outward expression of who we already are on the inside, I’ve noticed that a lot of it has come from some really great encouraging words from others, as well as some really great – and practical – Christ-and-grace-filled exhortations and admonitions from others.
The word practical simply means “capable of being used or put into effect.” In speaking these practical words to one another in our Christ-life, we can bring out the Christ in each other. Christ is living in us no matter what, of course! Sometimes “considering one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb 10:24) and “exhorting one another” (Heb 10:25) means that Christ speaks words to us through one another that aid in bringing about the change of mind, attitude, decision making process, etc, that leads to real Christ-produced fruit. None of this is to give us any better of a standing before God, or to make us closer to Him. That was all taken care of with the Blood of Jesus. No… these are all simply words that we can use with one another to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
For quite some time I was really turned off by even the mention of any of this. “Principles for Christian living” had been jammed into my head through the constant preaching and teaching of them, and I knew that I knew that I knew that this was not what the Christian life was about. Practical teaching has been very overdone and has become a very legalistic thing in the church. People have even used it to control and manipulate others. Church ‘leaders’ have sadly turned them into rules and commands, taking away from the original intent of this type of talk amongst one another.
And so in saying all of this, I want to be absolutely clear that I’m not saying that our life in Christ is a matter of striving to apply godly principles to our lives. It’s not a matter of preaching a new set of principles every week and then going out and trying to make them work.
What I am saying is that as we get more and more rooted and grounded and established in grace and in our identity in Christ, God can and does speak to us in all kinds of ways, through internal and external means, and part of that includes encouraging, exhorting and admonishing us through each other.
The Apostle Paul did a whole lot of this in his epistles. It can be a very grace-full thing to speak these things to one another. Again, it doesn’t make us “better people” and it doesn’t make us any closer to God. It simply helps to bring out the life of Christ.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
I’ve said plenty of times that I’m very opposed to the idea that the Christian life is a matter of living by rules, principles, methods, etc. Life in Christ is a matter of His life in us, working in us and through us and out of us. It’s not about us studying principles to keep us and guide us. It’s not about becoming better people, but rather it’s about living from the new creations that we already are, trusting in Christ’s life in us to animate us.
So does that mean that we never speak words to one another that spur on this animated new creation life? Does resting in Christ simply mean we sit back, basking in His love and grace, and before you know it we’re simply bearing good fruit? Does it mean that as long as we’re learning our identity in Him, and we become established in His love and grace, that everything automatically falls into place?
Of necessity, we will never live out the Christ life in its most natural way unless we’re rooted, grounded and established in His love and grace and in our identity in Him. I can never see myself not believing that! As I’ve looked back on my life and have seen myself and others growing in all of this, and growing in the outward expression of who we already are on the inside, I’ve noticed that a lot of it has come from some really great encouraging words from others, as well as some really great – and practical – Christ-and-grace-filled exhortations and admonitions from others.
The word practical simply means “capable of being used or put into effect.” In speaking these practical words to one another in our Christ-life, we can bring out the Christ in each other. Christ is living in us no matter what, of course! Sometimes “considering one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb 10:24) and “exhorting one another” (Heb 10:25) means that Christ speaks words to us through one another that aid in bringing about the change of mind, attitude, decision making process, etc, that leads to real Christ-produced fruit. None of this is to give us any better of a standing before God, or to make us closer to Him. That was all taken care of with the Blood of Jesus. No… these are all simply words that we can use with one another to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
For quite some time I was really turned off by even the mention of any of this. “Principles for Christian living” had been jammed into my head through the constant preaching and teaching of them, and I knew that I knew that I knew that this was not what the Christian life was about. Practical teaching has been very overdone and has become a very legalistic thing in the church. People have even used it to control and manipulate others. Church ‘leaders’ have sadly turned them into rules and commands, taking away from the original intent of this type of talk amongst one another.
And so in saying all of this, I want to be absolutely clear that I’m not saying that our life in Christ is a matter of striving to apply godly principles to our lives. It’s not a matter of preaching a new set of principles every week and then going out and trying to make them work.
What I am saying is that as we get more and more rooted and grounded and established in grace and in our identity in Christ, God can and does speak to us in all kinds of ways, through internal and external means, and part of that includes encouraging, exhorting and admonishing us through each other.
The Apostle Paul did a whole lot of this in his epistles. It can be a very grace-full thing to speak these things to one another. Again, it doesn’t make us “better people” and it doesn’t make us any closer to God. It simply helps to bring out the life of Christ.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Recover Your Good Heart study tonight!
The Recover Your Good Heart study is on for tonight! I've been away from my computer so I haven't been able to post an update, but we ARE on for tonight!
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
This week we'll be looking at Chapter 5, "Conforming to the hive."
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
This week we'll be looking at Chapter 5, "Conforming to the hive."
Friday, February 20, 2009
Catching up and starting over... Blog reading, that is!
Hey there all my friends in the blogosphere! Ever since I've been blogging on my own blog and reading other people's blogs, I've pretty much been consistent in posting my own blogs regularly as well as cruising around to all your blogs. I LOVE reading the things that others have to say, and I love being part of the conversations.
Just wanted to say that I had to hit the "nuke" button on my feed reader today. :( Lots of other great stuff going on in life has kept me from this joy of mine, and I had to mark 243 unread blog posts in my feed reader as "read" (past tense) without having actually read them. As some of you know, I have around 80 blogs in my reader, give or take. I've often tried to scale down but as I said I love reading all the blogs so it's hard to delete any!
Anyhoo... If I've been absent from your blog, or have failed to respond to one of your comments on mine, you now know why! Just wanted to 'splain myself. I'm now starting over, with Zero unread blogs. :)
Off to watch the season finale of Psych.
Just wanted to say that I had to hit the "nuke" button on my feed reader today. :( Lots of other great stuff going on in life has kept me from this joy of mine, and I had to mark 243 unread blog posts in my feed reader as "read" (past tense) without having actually read them. As some of you know, I have around 80 blogs in my reader, give or take. I've often tried to scale down but as I said I love reading all the blogs so it's hard to delete any!
Anyhoo... If I've been absent from your blog, or have failed to respond to one of your comments on mine, you now know why! Just wanted to 'splain myself. I'm now starting over, with Zero unread blogs. :)
Off to watch the season finale of Psych.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Putting links in a comment
The question has come up about how to put a link in a comment. Say you are posting a comment on someone's blog, and you want to include a link. For example, you want to write, "Take a look at this video." You can't do that in the comments section... OH yes you can!!!
It's really very simple. Use this as a template:
Copy and paste the full URL (web address) in between the quotes ("") and replace the word text with the actual text you want to use.
So for my example above it would look like this:
Or more specifically, it would look like this:
Any questions? Ask away!
It's really very simple. Use this as a template:
Copy and paste the full URL (web address) in between the quotes ("") and replace the word text with the actual text you want to use.
So for my example above it would look like this:
Or more specifically, it would look like this:
Any questions? Ask away!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
People of Faith - Ordinary, Average, Normal People
The people of faith who are written about in the Bible truly did some wonderful and amazing things. They did all of those things by faith - trusting in God. One thing stands out, as Kap and I discuss these people of faith this week. None of them were super people ("super saints") in and of themselves. Some of them may have done extraordinary things, but all of them were ordinary, average, normal people who simply believed God - took Him at His word - and simply acted and responded according to their trust in Him.
If we look into the lives of people such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and the others who are mentioned in the "Faith Hall of Fame" (Hebrews 11), we find that all of them were nothing special when compared with other human beings. They had their own issues in life. They sinned. They had times of doubt. They didn't have their acts together all the time! But God used them, and they were credited with having great faith - all because they simply trusted God.
And not only that, but as we begin to wrap up our current look into the book of Hebrews, we find that their great faith and the things that they did weren't even really the main point that the writer was making. He says a lot of things to say: "Let us look unto JESUS, the author and finisher (perfecter) of our faith."
gigcast.graceroots.org
Get-together in Ohio - June 2009!
I can't believe it's been over three months since I posted From internet to interstates - Ohio - Summer 2009! At the time, the summer of 2009 was so far off, but now it's just a few short months away!
What this is all about is a weekend get-together for some of us who have, up till now, known each other mainly through online interaction. We all live in various parts of the United States and around the world so we obviously can't all meet in person often, but if we plan in advance, we can at least get some of us together! I'm really, really looking forward to meeting you, if you're able to make it! This will all take place during the last weekend in June: Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2009. We have no "agenda" except to meet one another and share in Christ's life with each other!
Note: Our previously planned meeting location has changed, so please disregard all of that particular info on the link above, but we'll still be meeting near to where we originally planned. We had originally thought of meeting together inside a community called Lakeside, which is a place on the shores of Lake Erie where my family vacationed when I was a child, but there are daily fees involved just to get into this gated community, in addition to lodging fees, so we decided to go with something that will still cost money, but hopefully not as much!
Our new location is the Sandusky/Bayshore KOA campground (and/or Knights Inn - next to the campground). My family will be staying in a "2 Bedroom Park Model" home next to Ryan and Jamie and their family and Matthew in a similar model. We figure this will give us kind of a larger general meeting area. The campground also has larger and smaller cabins/homes, as well as RV and tent camping, so you've got a choice of places to stay! There are also such things as basketball, volleyball, a playground, swimming pool, game room, etc, on the campground site. Click the link at the beginning of this paragraph for rates and information for the campground and motel. You'll also find links to area attractions, such as the Cedar Point amusement park and many other things. (With all the local attractions, feel free to make this into a longer family vacation if you'd like! We've simply set aside these particular days for our get-together).
FYI, Sandusky is in northern Ohio, and is located about 65 miles east of Toledo and 65 miles west of Cleveland. Any questions... email me and I'll try to help! My contact info is on the side column of the blog.
I'm not sure yet who all is coming... but I believe we've got at least 4 or 5 states represented, as far as people who have talked about coming, and anywhere from a dozen to 20 people so far! If this sounds like something you want to do, give it some serious thought and prayer and see what Father wants to do!
What this is all about is a weekend get-together for some of us who have, up till now, known each other mainly through online interaction. We all live in various parts of the United States and around the world so we obviously can't all meet in person often, but if we plan in advance, we can at least get some of us together! I'm really, really looking forward to meeting you, if you're able to make it! This will all take place during the last weekend in June: Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2009. We have no "agenda" except to meet one another and share in Christ's life with each other!
Note: Our previously planned meeting location has changed, so please disregard all of that particular info on the link above, but we'll still be meeting near to where we originally planned. We had originally thought of meeting together inside a community called Lakeside, which is a place on the shores of Lake Erie where my family vacationed when I was a child, but there are daily fees involved just to get into this gated community, in addition to lodging fees, so we decided to go with something that will still cost money, but hopefully not as much!
Our new location is the Sandusky/Bayshore KOA campground (and/or Knights Inn - next to the campground). My family will be staying in a "2 Bedroom Park Model" home next to Ryan and Jamie and their family and Matthew in a similar model. We figure this will give us kind of a larger general meeting area. The campground also has larger and smaller cabins/homes, as well as RV and tent camping, so you've got a choice of places to stay! There are also such things as basketball, volleyball, a playground, swimming pool, game room, etc, on the campground site. Click the link at the beginning of this paragraph for rates and information for the campground and motel. You'll also find links to area attractions, such as the Cedar Point amusement park and many other things. (With all the local attractions, feel free to make this into a longer family vacation if you'd like! We've simply set aside these particular days for our get-together).
FYI, Sandusky is in northern Ohio, and is located about 65 miles east of Toledo and 65 miles west of Cleveland. Any questions... email me and I'll try to help! My contact info is on the side column of the blog.
I'm not sure yet who all is coming... but I believe we've got at least 4 or 5 states represented, as far as people who have talked about coming, and anywhere from a dozen to 20 people so far! If this sounds like something you want to do, give it some serious thought and prayer and see what Father wants to do!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Recover Your Good Heart study tonight
The Recover Your Good Heart study is on for tonight! I've been away from my computer so I haven't been able to post an update, but we ARE on for tonight!
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Nature of God video and mp3
This was sent to me by a friend and it was also posted on her Facebook profile. I listened to the mp3 this past Sunday morning while in my van at work. I think I'll be listening to this over and over again in the future. It's simply filled with wonderful reminders of the good news. The kindness of God. The faithfulness of God. The love of God. The consistency of God and yet the unpredictability of God. The ever-presence of God. So many things about the wonderful nature of God.
The mp3 can be downloaded here: The Nature of God
The mp3 can be downloaded here: The Nature of God
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Faith Itself - Not Works - Is What Pleases God
The Old Testament Bible characters listed in Hebrews 11 did some very wonderful things. But what was the root of all that they did? Were they credited for doing great things because they were such great, godly people? Or is there something deeper that is the root of what they did? Join us this week as we take a look at the foundational truth in their lives that caused them to do the things they did - the foundation of simple faith and trust in God. We look at how Abraham had been credited with faith, and how God had justified him by faith, before he had ever done a thing, and we look at a few more of the men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11, showing how it was faith itself that pleased God - not what they did. The things they did were simply the outflow or result of their foundational belief in God.
gigcast.graceroots.org
Monday, February 09, 2009
Metal Mayhem Monday
Ok, so Monday is almost over, or may even be completely over by the time you read this, but I liked the title. :) Just something off the beaten path. (Not that I never post odd videos)!
In the last day or two I've been in an email exchange with John Fincher in which we're sharing "religious" lyrics with each other (from bands such as Jethro Tull, Soundgarden, etc). I mentioned to him that I had heard the song "Whatever" from Godsmack 3 times in the past week, and I had thought about posting the video here, but wasn't too sure how far I wanted to push things. LOL. Anyway, I heard the song one more time today, so I thought, OK, let's do it! It's a song from 1998, so it's kind of 'weird' that I would hear it so many times in one week, especially when I'm only a very casual (not daily) listener to the two rock stations that I heard the song on.
I've also got a couple more songs to share as well... both are comical in their own ways, and they're songs I heard on the radio today.
Godsmack - Whatever (click link - embedding disabled) (radio version: swear words edited out)
I don't know if there is any 'religious' intent in this song, but to me it smacks of religion. There is angst in the lyrics that seems to me to come from a place in which someone has been under the pressure of religious performance. By the way, the name of the band supposedly comes from an incident in which one of the band members was making fun of someone with a cold sore. The next day he himself got a cold sore, and someone told him that that was a godsmack (God getting him back for making fun of someone else). Talk about a sad religion!
I won't post all the lyrics because they even make me blush, but the chorus goes:
I'm doing the best I ever did
I'm doing the best that I can
I'm doing the best I ever did
Now go away!
Drowning Pool - Bodies (Let the Bodies Hit the Floor) (Benny Hinn)
I heard this on the radio this week. A while back this Benny Hinn version was posted on Meeting of One and it gave me a good laugh. :-D
Steel Breeze - You Don't Want Me Anymore
Keeping with the "metal" theme (Steel Breeze)... This is a song from the 80's that I loved singing along to. Heard it on the radio today for the first time in many, many years. Something that will never be true of God: "You don't want me anymore." :)
In the last day or two I've been in an email exchange with John Fincher in which we're sharing "religious" lyrics with each other (from bands such as Jethro Tull, Soundgarden, etc). I mentioned to him that I had heard the song "Whatever" from Godsmack 3 times in the past week, and I had thought about posting the video here, but wasn't too sure how far I wanted to push things. LOL. Anyway, I heard the song one more time today, so I thought, OK, let's do it! It's a song from 1998, so it's kind of 'weird' that I would hear it so many times in one week, especially when I'm only a very casual (not daily) listener to the two rock stations that I heard the song on.
I've also got a couple more songs to share as well... both are comical in their own ways, and they're songs I heard on the radio today.
Godsmack - Whatever (click link - embedding disabled) (radio version: swear words edited out)
I don't know if there is any 'religious' intent in this song, but to me it smacks of religion. There is angst in the lyrics that seems to me to come from a place in which someone has been under the pressure of religious performance. By the way, the name of the band supposedly comes from an incident in which one of the band members was making fun of someone with a cold sore. The next day he himself got a cold sore, and someone told him that that was a godsmack (God getting him back for making fun of someone else). Talk about a sad religion!
I won't post all the lyrics because they even make me blush, but the chorus goes:
I'm doing the best I ever did
I'm doing the best that I can
I'm doing the best I ever did
Now go away!
Drowning Pool - Bodies (Let the Bodies Hit the Floor) (Benny Hinn)
I heard this on the radio this week. A while back this Benny Hinn version was posted on Meeting of One and it gave me a good laugh. :-D
Steel Breeze - You Don't Want Me Anymore
Keeping with the "metal" theme (Steel Breeze)... This is a song from the 80's that I loved singing along to. Heard it on the radio today for the first time in many, many years. Something that will never be true of God: "You don't want me anymore." :)
Saturday, February 07, 2009
No struggle
As a sinner, I didn't have to struggle and strive to maintain my standing as a sinner. I was in Adam, and even when I did "good" things, my standing in Adam was maintained.
As a saint, I now don't have to struggle and strive to maintain my standing as a saint. I am in Christ, and even when I do "bad" things, my standing in Christ is maintained!
I was born in Adam.
Alive to sin, dead to God.
My very identity was a matter of sin and death.
I've been born again in Jesus.
Dead to sin, alive to God.
My very identity is a matter of righteousness and life!
Life in Christ isn't a matter of a bad person becoming a good person. It's a matter of a dead person becoming alive!
As a saint, I now don't have to struggle and strive to maintain my standing as a saint. I am in Christ, and even when I do "bad" things, my standing in Christ is maintained!
I was born in Adam.
Alive to sin, dead to God.
My very identity was a matter of sin and death.
I've been born again in Jesus.
Dead to sin, alive to God.
My very identity is a matter of righteousness and life!
Life in Christ isn't a matter of a bad person becoming a good person. It's a matter of a dead person becoming alive!
Recover Your Good Heart study, On for Sunday!
A few weeks ago we began doing an online study of Jim Robbins' study guide for his book Recover Your Good Heart. After taking a break last week due to some football game that was going on (!), we'll pick up where we left off a couple of weeks ago. This week we'll be discussing the questions from Chapter 3. If you don't have the book or study guide, that's fine... we've been having some wonderful participation from people who have read the book and from those who haven't. You're more than welcome to join us this week and any week. If you're shy about something like this, no worries! There's no pressure - just come and hang out with us and read along with our Yahoo chat. So far we've had groups ranging from 4 to 10 people at a time.
There are several reasons I wanted to do this study. First off, the book itself contains some really great stuff regarding the new heart/spirit that God has placed in us as new creations in Christ. Also, whether or not people agree on every last detail of all of this, I believe it's a very encouraging thing to build one another up in our true identity in Christ. The study guide contains some great questions and discussion topics that help to spur this type of discussion.
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
There are several reasons I wanted to do this study. First off, the book itself contains some really great stuff regarding the new heart/spirit that God has placed in us as new creations in Christ. Also, whether or not people agree on every last detail of all of this, I believe it's a very encouraging thing to build one another up in our true identity in Christ. The study guide contains some great questions and discussion topics that help to spur this type of discussion.
The chat starts at 7pm Eastern, 4pm Pacific and goes for about an hour or a little longer. We're using Yahoo Messenger. My id is jsbreeze111. If you'd like to be a part of this study, simply add me as one of your contacts at any time (identifying yourself so I know you're legit. I'll sign on 15 to 30 minutes before the start of each study. When you log on, please 'buzz' me or send me an IM to let me know that you want to be a part of the study, and I'll invite you into the main chat.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The Secret of Prosperity - Part 4 of 4
In case you haven't noticed, "contentment" is the theme that has been woven into this little series on prosperity. Just to make it clear - I'm not saying that an abundance of material possessions is wrong or bad. But I think that the words of Jesus and Paul are great reminders to us that Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
Whether I’m rich or poor, I have Life and I have joy, peace, contentment... and that’s what life consists of. The happiness from my earthly possessions will end some day. It may be tomorrow, or it may be when I die. But my earthly possessions will go away. They’ll disappear; they’ll be burned up. But my joy comes from the Lord, and it’s eternal. Yes it’s fine to have plenty, and to be full, and to live in a mansion. But it’s also fine, and it’s not a sign of a lack of faith or a lack of the life of Christ in you if you’re hungry or if you don’t have many possessions. How much you have or don’t have is irrelevant!
I want something that's so much deeper as my source of prosperity. I don't just want temporary happiness. There's nothing wrong with temporary happiness, but if prosperity depends upon happiness that comes from earthly riches and circumstances, it's fleeting! No, I want something of more substance, that's everlasting. Whether full or hungry, with or without, naked or clothed, living in a mansion or on the streets - I want true prosperity. I want to be content no matter what my circumstances. As I said at the beginning (Part 1), I'm growing in this. Not fully arrived. But I'm growing more and more content as time goes on and my circumstances change day by day, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
The pure gospel contains the message of true prosperity. The gospel is God’s righteousness revealed; it’s the good news of eternal life, of a spirit that was born dead to God and then made alive together with Him and is sitting together with Him in the heavenly places – whether the body that that spirit inhabits has many earthly possessions or not.
Prosperity - "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition."
If I were to sum all this up, I would say that the secret to prosperity is to be content with whatever you have, and the secret to being content is daily appropriating Jesus' wise words that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, and to daily appropriate the true riches that we do have in Christ, apart from our earthly riches or circumstances!
Now... live long and prosper!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!) ;)
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
Whether I’m rich or poor, I have Life and I have joy, peace, contentment... and that’s what life consists of. The happiness from my earthly possessions will end some day. It may be tomorrow, or it may be when I die. But my earthly possessions will go away. They’ll disappear; they’ll be burned up. But my joy comes from the Lord, and it’s eternal. Yes it’s fine to have plenty, and to be full, and to live in a mansion. But it’s also fine, and it’s not a sign of a lack of faith or a lack of the life of Christ in you if you’re hungry or if you don’t have many possessions. How much you have or don’t have is irrelevant!
I want something that's so much deeper as my source of prosperity. I don't just want temporary happiness. There's nothing wrong with temporary happiness, but if prosperity depends upon happiness that comes from earthly riches and circumstances, it's fleeting! No, I want something of more substance, that's everlasting. Whether full or hungry, with or without, naked or clothed, living in a mansion or on the streets - I want true prosperity. I want to be content no matter what my circumstances. As I said at the beginning (Part 1), I'm growing in this. Not fully arrived. But I'm growing more and more content as time goes on and my circumstances change day by day, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.
The pure gospel contains the message of true prosperity. The gospel is God’s righteousness revealed; it’s the good news of eternal life, of a spirit that was born dead to God and then made alive together with Him and is sitting together with Him in the heavenly places – whether the body that that spirit inhabits has many earthly possessions or not.
Prosperity - "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition."
If I were to sum all this up, I would say that the secret to prosperity is to be content with whatever you have, and the secret to being content is daily appropriating Jesus' wise words that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, and to daily appropriate the true riches that we do have in Christ, apart from our earthly riches or circumstances!
Now... live long and prosper!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!) ;)
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
The Secret of Prosperity - Part 3 of 4
Being content with what you have doesn't mean that you can't ever have more possessions. It simply means that whether you have more or whether you have less, as far as your earthly riches are concerned, you’re content (happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered). The secret to being content, as far as I've discovered it to be, is found in the fact that life does not consist in the wonderful things we have (or don't have). And also, that life does consist in joy and peace, love and other things that are found inwardly, not outwardly - things that can remain fully in tact no matter what our circumstances. I believe true abundant life and prosperity is found inwardly, no matter what our outward circumstances.
As we look at the lives of various people in the Bible, we find people of faith who had and abundance and people of faith who had very little. As far as God's blessings of abundant life go, earthly riches are irrelevant! Some say that Abraham, "the father of our faith," was a very rich man... so shouldn't we - people of faith - have the same blessings as Abraham? Well, what about the Person by whose faith we live? - Jesus. ("I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20 KJV). Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2) had nowhere to lay His head (Matt 8:20).
Look at the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 11. None of the people listed there were acclaimed for any worldly prosperity that came as a result of their faith! They sure did some wonderful things, but worldly prosperity, or lack thereof, had nothing to do with any of what they were recognized for doing. And lets look to some more words from the writer of Hebrews. He wrote: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Heb 13:5-6).
Paul wrote similar words of advice to Timothy: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim 6:6-10).
I don't mean to imply that I think that everyone who thinks that the gospel of Christ includes worldly wealth and prosperity, believes so because they are greedy, covetous, or are falling into a snare with harmful lusts which drown them in destruction and perdition. However, that could very well be the case for some. But my main point is that earthly riches and blessings are not what the gospel of Christ is about.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
As we look at the lives of various people in the Bible, we find people of faith who had and abundance and people of faith who had very little. As far as God's blessings of abundant life go, earthly riches are irrelevant! Some say that Abraham, "the father of our faith," was a very rich man... so shouldn't we - people of faith - have the same blessings as Abraham? Well, what about the Person by whose faith we live? - Jesus. ("I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20 KJV). Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2) had nowhere to lay His head (Matt 8:20).
Look at the "great cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 11. None of the people listed there were acclaimed for any worldly prosperity that came as a result of their faith! They sure did some wonderful things, but worldly prosperity, or lack thereof, had nothing to do with any of what they were recognized for doing. And lets look to some more words from the writer of Hebrews. He wrote: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Heb 13:5-6).
Paul wrote similar words of advice to Timothy: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim 6:6-10).
I don't mean to imply that I think that everyone who thinks that the gospel of Christ includes worldly wealth and prosperity, believes so because they are greedy, covetous, or are falling into a snare with harmful lusts which drown them in destruction and perdition. However, that could very well be the case for some. But my main point is that earthly riches and blessings are not what the gospel of Christ is about.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
The Secret of Prosperity - Part 2 of 4
I believe that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are meant to have prosperity and an abundant life. By prosperity I mean "a successful, flourishing or thriving condition." Let's look briefly at some of the true universal benefits of the gospel/abundant life (given liberally to all who believe). Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control (the fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22-23). "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). This list is really only the beginning, but is all of this not enough for some?! The true blessings of the gospel are all and everything that we need, for now and for eternity!
The secret of prosperity, as I've come to know it, is being content with what we have, whether we have an abundance of earthly possessions or not. Whether we have a lot of money or not. Whether we have a new car or an old beater. Whether we live in a mansion or an old shack. This is not "small thinking." To me, this is getting to the root of true prosperity! Am I the only one who feels this way? I know I'm not! The Apostle Paul's epistles are chock full of the truth of the gospel, and not once did he say that a benefit of the gospel is worldly prosperity! In fact, this great gospel expositor made a great case for being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what we have or don't have!
After showing how he was thankful to the Lord for providing for him through the Philippians, he said, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:11-13). This doesn't sound like a man who looked at earthly riches as a benefit of Christ's gospel and of being a beloved child of God.
I truly think that the secret to true prosperity in Christ is found in all of this. It's something that Paul had learned. As an apostle, and as God's messenger to so many places and so many people with the message of the gospel of grace and peace, Paul had been through a lot of stuff! He knew what he was talking about. The man knew the gospel! He didn't go around saying, "Through the gospel and through all my experiences, I have learned that because I'm God's child He wills to bless me abundantly with all kinds of wonderful things." What he had actually learned was that no matter what his circumstances, he was perfectly blessed and he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength.
Jesus Himself revealed the 'secret' of true prosperity. The very same Jesus who said, "I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10) also said, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15) and "do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves to not break in and steal." I don't take any of this to mean that a person can't have earthly possessions, or even an abundance of possessions. But when putting all of this together, it seems to me that true prosperity and abundant life does not consist of how much we have or don't have here on earth.
The secret is found in knowing all that we do have in Christ - and it's A LOT - and in being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what our earthly circumstances.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
The secret of prosperity, as I've come to know it, is being content with what we have, whether we have an abundance of earthly possessions or not. Whether we have a lot of money or not. Whether we have a new car or an old beater. Whether we live in a mansion or an old shack. This is not "small thinking." To me, this is getting to the root of true prosperity! Am I the only one who feels this way? I know I'm not! The Apostle Paul's epistles are chock full of the truth of the gospel, and not once did he say that a benefit of the gospel is worldly prosperity! In fact, this great gospel expositor made a great case for being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what we have or don't have!
After showing how he was thankful to the Lord for providing for him through the Philippians, he said, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:11-13). This doesn't sound like a man who looked at earthly riches as a benefit of Christ's gospel and of being a beloved child of God.
I truly think that the secret to true prosperity in Christ is found in all of this. It's something that Paul had learned. As an apostle, and as God's messenger to so many places and so many people with the message of the gospel of grace and peace, Paul had been through a lot of stuff! He knew what he was talking about. The man knew the gospel! He didn't go around saying, "Through the gospel and through all my experiences, I have learned that because I'm God's child He wills to bless me abundantly with all kinds of wonderful things." What he had actually learned was that no matter what his circumstances, he was perfectly blessed and he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength.
Jesus Himself revealed the 'secret' of true prosperity. The very same Jesus who said, "I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10) also said, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15) and "do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves to not break in and steal." I don't take any of this to mean that a person can't have earthly possessions, or even an abundance of possessions. But when putting all of this together, it seems to me that true prosperity and abundant life does not consist of how much we have or don't have here on earth.
The secret is found in knowing all that we do have in Christ - and it's A LOT - and in being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what our earthly circumstances.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
The Secret of Prosperity - Part 1 of 4
Prosperity - "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition." Jesus said the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but that He came that people may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. This isn't just for some future time when we die and go to heaven. It's now. So who doesn't want this prosperous, abundant life! Everybody does!
I believe I've found the secret to prosperity, and while I've not yet fully "arrived," I've been growing in it for several years. To get to this place of growing in prosperity and the abundant life, I've gone through a gradual mindset change over a long period of time. I've learned who I am in Christ through God's grace and His gift of righteousness. I've studied the lives of others, including biblical characters and people I know, who seem to have this prosperity that I'm after.
I just heard the song "Woman" by John Lennon on the radio yesterday. In the song, John sings that he is thankful to his woman - Yoko Ono - for many things, including "for showing me the meaning of success." Lennon had great wealth and fame as a member of the Beatles. Do you think that's what Yoko had pointed out to him in order to show him the meaning of success in his life? Of course not. Perhaps through his relationship with her something shifted in his mind to show him that that's not what true prosperity ("a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition") was all about.
So what is it all about? (Especially in regards to our life in Christ). What is the abundant life and prosperity all about? Is it about earthly wealth? In other words, when Christ said He came to give us life to the full - even in this life on earth - was He talking about us getting a better car, a better paying job, a better house, and other material possessions such as those?
Like I said, I believe I've found the secret to true prosperity - but it's not really all that much of a secret! For many, I think it's simply a matter of a shifting from thinking one way to thinking another way. Isn't that really what "growing in grace" involves? In Christ, God has already given us everything we need - we are lacking in nothing - and we spend a lifetime of "growing" in understanding and appropriating the truth of what is already ours!
Since we already have all we need, I've found that the secret to prosperity in the Christian life is - are you ready for it?
Being content. Being content is a wonderful state of being. "Content" is a wonderful word. It means "satisfied." ("Satisfied" means happy, filled, gratified, fulfilled). A fuller meaning of "content" would be "satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else." God has already given us a lot! If you believe that in Christ you already have everything you need and that you need nothing more, then you are content - and I believe this is the secret of true prosperity.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
I believe I've found the secret to prosperity, and while I've not yet fully "arrived," I've been growing in it for several years. To get to this place of growing in prosperity and the abundant life, I've gone through a gradual mindset change over a long period of time. I've learned who I am in Christ through God's grace and His gift of righteousness. I've studied the lives of others, including biblical characters and people I know, who seem to have this prosperity that I'm after.
I just heard the song "Woman" by John Lennon on the radio yesterday. In the song, John sings that he is thankful to his woman - Yoko Ono - for many things, including "for showing me the meaning of success." Lennon had great wealth and fame as a member of the Beatles. Do you think that's what Yoko had pointed out to him in order to show him the meaning of success in his life? Of course not. Perhaps through his relationship with her something shifted in his mind to show him that that's not what true prosperity ("a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition") was all about.
So what is it all about? (Especially in regards to our life in Christ). What is the abundant life and prosperity all about? Is it about earthly wealth? In other words, when Christ said He came to give us life to the full - even in this life on earth - was He talking about us getting a better car, a better paying job, a better house, and other material possessions such as those?
Like I said, I believe I've found the secret to true prosperity - but it's not really all that much of a secret! For many, I think it's simply a matter of a shifting from thinking one way to thinking another way. Isn't that really what "growing in grace" involves? In Christ, God has already given us everything we need - we are lacking in nothing - and we spend a lifetime of "growing" in understanding and appropriating the truth of what is already ours!
Since we already have all we need, I've found that the secret to prosperity in the Christian life is - are you ready for it?
Being content. Being content is a wonderful state of being. "Content" is a wonderful word. It means "satisfied." ("Satisfied" means happy, filled, gratified, fulfilled). A fuller meaning of "content" would be "satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else." God has already given us a lot! If you believe that in Christ you already have everything you need and that you need nothing more, then you are content - and I believe this is the secret of true prosperity.
The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Walking By Faith is Not a Matter of Walking By Rules and Laws
Continuing our look into the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, this week Kap and I talk about how the things that the people did were all different - but the things that they did weren't the point! The things they did were the result of something else. Not a result of following rules and laws, but the result of faith - a trust in a loving God who was for them and not against them, and who was a rewarder and not a condemner.
gigcast.graceroots.org
Monday, February 02, 2009
You win some, you lose some
She's standing there, and she folds her hands together tightly and presses them against her chest. She then closes her eyes and begins to pray. Her heart is pounding. She's in a dire, desperate place, and she needs the Lord to come through.
"Lord, please help my Super Bowl team win!!!"
Ok, so I couldn't really see exactly what was going on in the minds and souls of the people that I saw in the stands last night on TV, but what else would have been going on inside of them when that's what they were doing? Not just the ladies, of course. I simply used a woman as an example because one in particular stands out to me. But I think I even saw some men crying!
Is God really for your team? Do you think your prayers move Him to give favor to a certain player or team in order to make them win a game? In other words, just because you want it to happen, is He gonna do it??? Or what if more people are praying for one team than are praying for the other team?
I'm being silly, of course. And I admit... while I don't PRAY for my team to win, certain games (mostly baseball, but sometimes football or basketball) get my adrenaline running, and I can feel pretty darn happy and excited when my team wins and pretty darn sad and disheartened when they lose.
But it's just a game. And I have no control over it! I've been a very casual sports fan (I really don't know if I even fit into that mild description) since I was a boy. I'll keep up with my favorite baseball team (St. Louis Cardinals) throughout the baseball season, checking the standings almost daily. I'll sit down and watch 1/3 to 1/2 of a game sometimes. I guess I become more of a fanatic at playoff time, mainly for baseball, but also sometimes for basketball and football. But ask me who won the big titles over the years, and I don't have a clue! Except the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 1982 and 2006! I remember those things!
But I never pray for my team to win, as if I think God favors my team more than the other. These people are ordinary average people, just like you and me. They're doing their jobs just like you and me. They're getting paid - not like you and me, but a whole LOT more! Haha! But really, they are no different than us. What do you think? Does God have special favor for a sports team??? Does He watch the season go by, and then waits till playoff time when people start praying for their guys, and then He decides who's gonna win??? Is it based upon the team that has the most Christians? Or the most high profile Christians?
The Arizona Cardinals shoulda won last night, because Kurt Warner was the most high profile Christian out there on the field!!! And the Cardinals used to be from my original home town, St. Louis!!! And Kurt's from the state where I've lived most of my life, Iowa!!! And he went to college just 4 miles down the road from my house!!! And at one time he sacked groceries at the Hy-Vee store that I sometimes go to!!! It's no fair!!!!!!
Hehehe! Anyway... no deep point here. It's just a game. You win some, you lose some!
"Lord, please help my Super Bowl team win!!!"
Ok, so I couldn't really see exactly what was going on in the minds and souls of the people that I saw in the stands last night on TV, but what else would have been going on inside of them when that's what they were doing? Not just the ladies, of course. I simply used a woman as an example because one in particular stands out to me. But I think I even saw some men crying!
Is God really for your team? Do you think your prayers move Him to give favor to a certain player or team in order to make them win a game? In other words, just because you want it to happen, is He gonna do it??? Or what if more people are praying for one team than are praying for the other team?
I'm being silly, of course. And I admit... while I don't PRAY for my team to win, certain games (mostly baseball, but sometimes football or basketball) get my adrenaline running, and I can feel pretty darn happy and excited when my team wins and pretty darn sad and disheartened when they lose.
But it's just a game. And I have no control over it! I've been a very casual sports fan (I really don't know if I even fit into that mild description) since I was a boy. I'll keep up with my favorite baseball team (St. Louis Cardinals) throughout the baseball season, checking the standings almost daily. I'll sit down and watch 1/3 to 1/2 of a game sometimes. I guess I become more of a fanatic at playoff time, mainly for baseball, but also sometimes for basketball and football. But ask me who won the big titles over the years, and I don't have a clue! Except the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 1982 and 2006! I remember those things!
But I never pray for my team to win, as if I think God favors my team more than the other. These people are ordinary average people, just like you and me. They're doing their jobs just like you and me. They're getting paid - not like you and me, but a whole LOT more! Haha! But really, they are no different than us. What do you think? Does God have special favor for a sports team??? Does He watch the season go by, and then waits till playoff time when people start praying for their guys, and then He decides who's gonna win??? Is it based upon the team that has the most Christians? Or the most high profile Christians?
The Arizona Cardinals shoulda won last night, because Kurt Warner was the most high profile Christian out there on the field!!! And the Cardinals used to be from my original home town, St. Louis!!! And Kurt's from the state where I've lived most of my life, Iowa!!! And he went to college just 4 miles down the road from my house!!! And at one time he sacked groceries at the Hy-Vee store that I sometimes go to!!! It's no fair!!!!!!
Hehehe! Anyway... no deep point here. It's just a game. You win some, you lose some!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Recover Your Good Heart - No online study today
Due to the fact that I know that there are more of you out there who love the Super Bowl more than you love Jesus... LOL... I think it would be best to not have the Recover Your Good Heart online study today. We'll pick it up again next week.
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