tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68653515125015739892024-03-14T03:24:04.005-07:00Coffee and ConversationsBuilding dependence on the finished work of Christ, while learning to love others for free.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-41503214638243815212013-03-07T12:13:00.001-08:002013-03-07T12:13:55.923-08:00Life, Rest, and The GospelGreetings Family and Friends,<br />
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I have been thinking quit a bit lately about life, rest, and the gospel. My thoughts stem from a recent surge in the culture of religiosity that there are more than one gospel. As a christian, I believe in only one gospel and one God. I am not a defender of religion or a sect of religious people or groups. I study the Bible because I believe in its words contain the answer to life and rest. I do not defend the Bible because the Bible does not need to be defended. I do not defend it because it defends itself. Spurgeon states, "The Bible is like a lion, you don't defend a lion, you let it loose and it defends itself." Today's writing is not about defending anything, it is about describing to you the freedom I found in my wretched life, at the end of my control, to rely on another for the answer to life, rest, and the gospel.<br />
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<u><b>LIFE</b></u><br />
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Externally, I never imagined that relying on another would play a big role in my life. I do not like the fact that I have to loose control of anything. Loosing control is like biting into soggy bread after it has settled, it literally makes my skin crawl. In trying to identify what life is about, I found that I was a huge failure at living life. A few examples derive from what my control looks like, such as: The day I removed the brakes from my bike, that ended with my skin removed from most of my right leg, arm, and face, a definite situation I tried to control. Also, the day I decided I was going to be a legalist again, that lasted about 30 minutes, in which time I berated a christian bookstore owner for being the reason I hated other Christians, I think I heard God laugh at me that day. Then there was the day I lost control, I could not escape my depravity. Throughout life I hid, ran, and spoke against my depravity; however, realizing I could not escape it left me helpless. I realized that there was no christian who could save me, no buddhist who could help me find my way, no muslim could make me find peace. I was in dire straits, dead spiritually. All the times I tried to give way to a program or self cleansing action, none could I correct in my control. Life truly met me in my helpless uncontrollable state, I was unable to save myself. Like Paul said in Romans 7...wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death?... thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord... I gave up control to gain life which led to the greatest discovery I have made...<br />
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<u><b>Rest</b></u><br />
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Internally, I did not understand the concept of rest until it was applied spiritually. Physically, I can rest with the best. I consider myself well educated in the art of lazy. Physical rest is not as important as spiritual rest. Spiritually, I was screaming on the inside for help because all spirituality I had experienced until the age of 22 was an external act to be seen, to be loved, and to be accepted. It is a scary place to live in when you know that you are fake. Externally, you would have never known that I was fake because I played the game really well. I had no rest on the inside. I tried to control rest by telling myself that I was o.k., all the while knowing that I was not. Resting spiritually is giving up the idea that I have anything to do with saving myself. That because of the finished work of the cross, I can rest just as Christ has rested from that work. Once I realized that I was a wretch, dead, and had no control, I rested. Total and complete dependency of another. a good example of this is Team Hoyt, the father son duo who participates in iron man triathlon's: The son has no ability to swim, bike, or run; the son has no ability to put on his clothes, feed himself, or bathe himself; complete nothingness unless his dad swims for him, bikes for him, and runs for him. The son knows he cannot complete these task, yet in every aspect of the race, he is smiling and taking it all in. Completely dependent, completely resting in the fathers ability to finish. Bazinga! As my good Epps would say! That is it. Christ said in Matthew 11, come all who are weary and heavy laden...so you can find rest for your souls. Once you realize your depravity, your nothingness, it is easier to rest in God's finished work of the cross in Christ Jesus, and it is through rest that the gospel is made clear...<br />
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<u><b>The Gospel</b></u><br />
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My words are finite when it comes to writing about God, there is no way I will ever begin to explain the depths of God, and again I am o.k. with not trying. God is not in need of my defense, God is the Lion who is good, yet wild. I have seen lions fight and it is incredibly violent, the rage and energy exhibited in a lion fight. I equate God to a lion because again, it is my finite words that cannot match His infinitude. The gospel is God or it can be said that God is the gospel. The gospel seeks, draws, and chooses its prey. We used the verse in the Baptist world for years John 3:16 as a choice for the person. But look at the verses content again, <i>for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life.</i> The key is believe, whoever believes. Believing has a prerequisite of being sought out and drawn in. Just like the angel appearing and wrestling Jacob, we are set apart and ambushed by God. The good news is that God before he spoke the world into existence knew that you would believe. Believing is the prerequisite to life and rest, and it is in life and rest where the Gospel, the good news that is God becomes the very part of your breathe and his life and rest are lived in you through a relationship in Christ Jesus. <br />
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These three I will never try to defend, because they are of God and I am dependent upon him for all three.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-1322447420808964822012-06-20T14:51:00.000-07:002012-06-20T16:43:36.803-07:00Only<br />
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The question today is not, do you have
a servant heart, kind heart, forgiving heart, worshipful heart or a
loving heart etc. etc. etc. The question is, do you have His heart.
Don't get me wrong, His heart can be manifest in some or all of the
ways named above. So let me answer the question for you. Yes, if you
are His child then you have His heart. The problem we have is that we
desire and pursue many of the hearts that I named rather than
trusting the heart we have. If we quit pursuing our own kindness,
servant-hood, being a worshiper or being a loving person and simply
rest in His heart that we already posses, then it will be sufficient
for all those things when we need them. It will not be a matter of
hunting them down or making them happen, they just will be. Only His
heart can serve unselfishly. Only His has kindness that can heal.
Only His can truly forgive. Only His can offer up worship worthy of
the Father and only His can Agape love others. Next time the thought
comes to mind “only if I was” or “only if I had” stop and
replace it with, “Only His”. We are here to seek only His heart
and not the fake ones we want for our own.</div>
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Love the way this verse reads. “that the power of Christ may <u><i><b>rest</b></i></u> upon me.” <br />
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2Co 12:9 And He said to me, "<span style="color: red;">My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.</span>" Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. <br />
<br />jayteehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05846907389467060730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-24813044846108919792012-06-14T07:36:00.002-07:002012-06-14T07:36:42.089-07:00In Colorado: Cottonwood Lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyKIDnez9tw1NiKiv3hdjSZFqRY_S3NoRjkOlIbEDPxMNIyo_HlxhQvYob9uQ8kAwXruQTtysRiXTcHmoIfxayg-aLXk1YKZAWVCJKu3yQJBHRKnBtzR3P7CmhN5-cDs0EYFNhKu6aeJW/s1600/IMG_0373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyKIDnez9tw1NiKiv3hdjSZFqRY_S3NoRjkOlIbEDPxMNIyo_HlxhQvYob9uQ8kAwXruQTtysRiXTcHmoIfxayg-aLXk1YKZAWVCJKu3yQJBHRKnBtzR3P7CmhN5-cDs0EYFNhKu6aeJW/s200/IMG_0373.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
<b>Coffee and Conversations</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5caIWGSoNe2B1xtUmIZ4dCq_U-MLiWPAucgDJ7aqJwH1xnrhYxJwZJX_sjtdQRs4PTZwOnN6ZiWbC0aQRFrVdIEKtBJPiygwxiVVvYiTYk6m3j4YMcQDQMPEDYFpDE9RyUp98yeyMS2ya/s1600/IMG_0374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5caIWGSoNe2B1xtUmIZ4dCq_U-MLiWPAucgDJ7aqJwH1xnrhYxJwZJX_sjtdQRs4PTZwOnN6ZiWbC0aQRFrVdIEKtBJPiygwxiVVvYiTYk6m3j4YMcQDQMPEDYFpDE9RyUp98yeyMS2ya/s200/IMG_0374.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This picture does do justice to the amount of Cottonwood in the city of Buena Vista, CO. This is at the famous K's Restaurant as seen on T.V.'s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. K's is famous for their old fashioned burgers, Shakes, and Fries and oh I forgot to mention the cottonwood. <br />
It literally looked like it was snowing as the cotton wood slowly fell to the earth. The third bite into my burger, I ate a piece of cottonwood and suffered as a result. The term dive does not do this place justice, there is a park just on the back side of the building were everyone ate their meal. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHFC9_A_RHKQBSM3FGyU90Y0Qa3-tYaq0ke9c5LwdJ6ZdrihNWTnQGagxOtb1pS_deUAlQAcjZ5sKRGQ4vcpmzy0Etm4AvXLifp2EPlYO8bRVA8Idhb2dmagQAYK3R8oiFevjbscGqNs3/s1600/IMG_0369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHFC9_A_RHKQBSM3FGyU90Y0Qa3-tYaq0ke9c5LwdJ6ZdrihNWTnQGagxOtb1pS_deUAlQAcjZ5sKRGQ4vcpmzy0Etm4AvXLifp2EPlYO8bRVA8Idhb2dmagQAYK3R8oiFevjbscGqNs3/s320/IMG_0369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I tried to take a picture of the cottonwood floating in the air from above, so as you can see there is no solid proof. I did not take a picture of the phlegm I was yacking up last night as a result and by the way, YOUR WELCOME!<br />
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So, I am not a fan of cottonwood, I am allergic to it. One of the main stops on our trip yesterday was going to be at Cottonwood Lake, you can just imagine that I was not terribly excited about the prospects of visiting anything with cottonwood involved until we saw this to your right. We are at 10,000+ ft, and it is in the middle of the mountains and it appears out of the middle of nowhere. One of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Yesterday, I wrote about being noisy on the inside, that my soul was in quite a fit; however, today was much different. Today, I saw the glory of God pass by me, it was a cool 71 degrees and the wind was mild. The mountains surrounding this lake were the epitome of peace. Shalom was the word that came to mind, a simple principal of a gift of God, not just a greeting, put a gift of the Spirit. You can see why this was one of my Dad's favorite places to visit. My sister, April, says that Dad last year just sat in his truck and stared at this view all day long.<br />
I am not a fan of Cottonwood, but I am a huge fan of Cottonwood Lake, one of the main reasons why Cottonwood Lake is my favorite spot is because NO COTTONWOOD WAS FLYING AROUND! And it was a place my Dad love to visit. God showed up and again reminded me of His peace and His grace. I have been extremely quiet the last few days while being out. I believe it is because I want to hear the voice of God, See the face of God, and enjoy His presence while on vacation in the midst of the noise of my family, children, and activities.<br />
The Shalom of God be on you today!<br />
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<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-41503122510177453172012-06-13T08:18:00.003-07:002012-06-13T08:21:23.611-07:00In Colorado: Sitting in the River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings Friends and Family: I thought this picture was appropriate for our current circumstances. This week we are on vacation in Howard, CO, right off the Arkansas River in the valley between two separate swaths of mountains. As I said in my previous post, my father died on March 1st. He found this place last year and visited twice between the months of June and August. <br />
As far as vacations go, this place was his favorite. Dad loved the mountains and He loved his family. His intention was to be here with us this summer, he wanted one last trip with his family to Colorado. We grew up coming to Colorado, but rarely did we appreciate the grandeur of the state until we were able to grow older and see the significance of the glory of God in His creation. Last Fall, Dad booked a home for us to stay in, which leads us to our current circumstances. We are here in Colorado without Dad physically, but in our hearts he is ever present. <br />
I really feel like this trip as been well worth the time to just come to the house and have a family retreat. <br />
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Coffee and Conversations:<br />
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The coffee mug is the mug I've been drinking from for the past few days. I love coffee and I love conversations. I am not a fan of drama. If you know me, you know that is true. I live with 5 women, and each of them are the most significant women in my life. I have a son, he is a gift from God, and constant reminder of the legacy my father left on this earth. Tripp is his name, really named after my father, Lee Roy Goodson III.<br />
I've been waiting for God to just speak to me on this trip, but it has been a quiet few days. I used to think that God was upset at me during days of silence; however, I have grown up to know that it is simply not true. So in my questioning of the presence of God in this trip, I realized yesterday that I am the one that was noisy. I walked to down to the river's edge yesterday afternoon after a somewhat disappointing day, because selfishly it did not work out the way I expected. My expectations are usually blown out of the water anyway! Nonetheless, I needed to get away. I sat down on the rivers edge and shut up. I shut up not on the outside but on the inside, my soul was noisy, fighting the calming call of the spirit. So I shut up. God proceeded to tell me to get into the river. The Arkansas river this year is down. I walked into the river with my crocs and my cloths and just sat down in the river. The significance of that moment was huge, the grandeur of listening to the voice of God speak over me caused me to be quiet and rest. Why was this such a huge moment? It was a huge moment because I simply did what God told me to do. He told me to get into the river, so I did. It is the most relaxed I have been yet on this trip in the midst of the noise in my soul. <br />
I was just as calmed and satisfied in my soul at this point as I would have been in the most crowded worship experience ever. I worshiped God. He spoke over me the joy of Zephaniah 3:14-17, He gave me in that moment the most important thing, Himself. A Hearer became a doer, and the joy of the Lord was present. In that moment my niece and oldest daughter came walking down the steps, my nephew walked out of the cattails and rocks in the river, my nephew by marriage and brother in law had been fishing and saw a calmed, satisfied, enriched, and wealthy soul. The Gospel was made known and I did not speak a word. I acted on the voice of God which spoke from the beginning and sat in the river.<br />
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-40747381129019580522012-03-19T14:52:00.000-07:002012-03-19T14:54:37.909-07:00The New Normal<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Normally, I'm writing article about the culture of the Christian, the body, or just life in general. I am going to take a different direction today and settle in to write a quick little ditty about something that has changed. I am not talking in the aspect of change concerning God, God doesn't change, if He did than He would not be much of a God. However, there is a change in my daily life a "new normal" that I am adjusting too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The past few weeks have been both heart </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">wrenching and the most peaceful I have had in my life up to this point. I have experienced heart wrenching moments in the past, but none that have affected my life as the loss of my Father, Lee Roy Goodson, Jr. In the past, I left my heart on a plate for a young lady and she sliced and diced it put it back on the plate and my heart healed. I once had a friend of mine in high school who made me look like a fool in front of my peers, my heart ached, but it healed. I have lost friends to death, I have lost </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">acquaintances</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to death, in both situations my heart ached, but it healed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> On March 1, 2012 my heart hit an irreparable state. Do not get me wrong, my heart is not severed to the point that I cannot recover it, but it will never be the same. Physically I am o.k., my heart is still beating; however the emotional heart is run a muck. I often think about the process of my condition and thank God that He walked with me through this whole process. I am adjusting to my new normal, normally I looked forward to seeing my Dad on the weekends and hanging out with him, asking advice and working on some project that he had going. For example, the other night, I am walking through the kitchen and my wife tells me that our rug underneath the sink is wet. J.T. is there and he opens up the cabinet and we find a leak on our fresh water sink system that my dad installed. I "normally" would call him and ask his advice and "normally" he would just show up and fixed it. That will never happen again. The new normal is difficult. The new normal has left a void. Oh I can fill you all with the crap that I will be ok and I will be alright, but that is crap. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I can also fill you with what I call the God crap as well, that I am suffering through a valley of doubt, and that I am wondering if God is real... but that is all crap. The one thing I have held onto through this whole thing is that God is real. I can tell you what I "know", not what I "think." I know that God supplanted within me a peace through the mess that I cannot explain to you. No void, No doubt, but peace. This is not a heart wrenching faith problem, but it is a knowing. If I can say one thing about experiencing God, is that He is "Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control." That is what I know, that is what is truth, that is grace, That is God. My new normal is not physically different as my heart goes, but the new normal is different in that I miss my dad, I miss seeing him, I miss our conversations, I miss his sense of humor, but asked if I could change this new normal "I would say no!" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I would say no because although pop is not physically here and I'm adjusting to this new normal, God is right. "He is in the Heavens and He does all that He pleases (Psalms 115:3)." That is my new normal, that is my o.k., and that is my I am alright. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-54032908728472606282012-01-30T22:25:00.000-08:002012-01-30T22:44:02.355-08:00Comfort Food<div style="text-align: left;" class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix"><p style="font-family: arial;">I think most of us have heard the term “comfort food” you know the food we eat not because we need it but just because it makes us feel good. We don't really care what the food does for us internally, we just want that good feeling. Sometimes I think we look at scripture the same way. We read a verse and get this warm fuzzy feeling then go our way with out really thinking about what that scripture can do for us internally. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy feeling good as much as the next person. Nothing wrong with feeling good but many times we walk away with the temporary good feeling and never see the eternal depths of what the scripture says. The funny thing is that a lot of the time those depths are not hidden in some profound theological mystery but the words are right there as plain as day. This happened to me today. A friend posted a verse on Facebook, I stopped to read it and there it was that good feeling. Okay, feeling good, time to move on to the next thing on Facebook. Not sure what stopped me, maybe it was this verse that I had read many times before in a different version that I usually read. Could be my over active mind that likes to analyze everything. Most likely God saying slow down and listen for a minute. It was interesting that I didn't stop and meditate on the verse for a long period of time. I didn't beg God to open my eyes to see what it said. I simply stopped for a couple of minutes maybe three and I looked at what the words right there in front of me said. Here's the verse in the NIV.:</p><p style="font-family: arial;">For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;">My first thought as I was about to walk on with this good feeling was, did I hear what these words say? Not what is the deeper meaning here but what do the words right here say.</p><p style="font-family: arial;">These are the things that I took a few minutes to consider.</p><ol><li>Am I convinced? Not much profound or deep about that, just a simple question.</li><li>Nothing in death and nothing in life. Pretty much includes everything.</li><li>Neither angels nor demons. No holy and good spiritual being or evil ones.</li><li>Neither the present nor the future. My present and my future, already taken care of. Nothing that is happening and nothing that will happen.</li><li>Neither height nor depth. Nothing that can be measured.</li><li>Nor anything else in all creation. And if all the rest didn't cover it then it says nothing in creation which is everything besides God.</li><li>Will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. What was that? Did it just say that after all these things that it named, which covered everything in the spiritual and physical worlds. None of them can separate us from the love of God. And God is love so it's saying that from the moment I was in Christ nothing could separate me from God because He can not be separate from His love.</li></ol><p style="font-family: arial;">I don't know about you but those thoughts give me much more than a good feeling. If I'm “convinced” then they bring peace on the inside deep in my soul. Even if I'm not “convinced” they still bring great hope in the midst of my doubt because my believing or doubting does not change the truth of the scripture. These verses do not cease to be true if I don't believe them.</p><p style="font-family: arial;">It doesn't take a great mind or a “dizzying intellect” to see what these words say, only a few minutes and a listening ear.</p><p><span style="font-family:arial;">Johnny</span><br /></p></div>jayteehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05846907389467060730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-65709052494641402082012-01-13T13:42:00.001-08:002012-01-13T15:06:18.911-08:00Magic Johnson, Tim Tebow, and Legalism<b>Greetings friends, </b><br />
<br />
Today, my heart is turned to an interesting topic in our religious world realm. That much of what we call grace is really just another form of legalism. Grace boasters boast in how graceful they are, Legalist boast in what they can do for God. Both are just legalism. Today as you read Magic Johnson, Tim Tebow, and Legalism think about the rise and fall of Legalism in our society and how it affects even the most graceful people on earth. The point is this, that grace does not mean much unless there is life driving it.<br />
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<b>Magic Johnson</b><br />
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In the 80's I love watching Magic Johnson play basketball. I have never seen a presence on the basketball court like him. He was not the fastest, most talented, and athletic player in the NBA that distinction went to the likes of Michael Jordan and Isaiah Thomas. Why does Magic Johnson stand out amongst these players in the 80's? I believe he stands out amongst this crowd due to one thing, AIDS. During the 1980's AIDS became a prevalent as one of the worst diseases man has ever known. I remember what I was doing the moment I heard about Magic Johnson having AIDS. I was a young budding P.A. Announcer calling the 8th grade football game as a Senior in High School. My buddy walks in and says, "I just heard on the radio that Magic has AIDS." I remember turning to him and saying, "What? Magic? AIDS?" My first thought was, "Magic is a Homosexual?" No, he just could not say no to women. It affected me, that news ruined my evening, why? My hope that Magic was perfect was diminished by a lifestyle that he lived as a professional NBA player on the road. During those days, I lived a Christian lifestyle (or should I say, "what i thought was a christian lifestyle.") in the eyes of most, I was a good kid. I still had hope and belief that I could be better, that the gospel was going to be spread through me because I was going to go out and make a difference. I believed I was going to do God's work and make Him better (I actually believed that!). <br />
Magic Johnson, what is he doing today? Magic has been the most successful AIDS survivor in history up to this point. Magic today is in a group bidding for the right to own the Dodgers, Magic is featured on ESPN and other Sports network as a NBA Analyst. Society has forgiven Magic Johnson for being an adulterer. How graceful of a society to forgive Magic for screwing his neighbors wife. How wonderful is it that Magic has been let off the hook? I hated Magic Johnson, why? How could he be so stupid for screwing it up so badly? Magic was married with kids. For a young teenager, that impacted me. "I'll never be like that!" Boasting that I would never be a sinner like that. Little did I know that I was no different than Magic Johnson, no I have not slept with over 900 women, but my porn addiction was no different. The following years after graduating High School and working on being a better Christian i.e., trying to perfect what God has already perfected through Christ. The following system of belief existed in me, that it was my job to meet God half way, that I had to quit sinning, and that I had to read, pray, and evangelize to be accepted by God.<br />
Magic Johnson after making his AIDS announcement was forced to retire due to the fact that he might somehow transfer his AIDS to someone else if cut. Magic then begin his tour of apologies hoping that society would somehow receive him back. Eventually Magic would return but not without caution from other players, you see, Magic had to earn his way back in. It was a legalist view of stepping back onto the hardwood. The realization that Christians faced in those days was having to earn their way to heaven, sure, Christ death on the cross was for us but it was not the final cure. I still have friends today who believe that we have to rid ourselves of sin. Magic could not rid himself of AIDS, by the way America, he still has AIDS. What has changed? <br />
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<b>Tim Tebow</b><br />
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America is in love with Tim Tebow today. Why is America and ESPN so enamored with Tim? Tim is a winner. Tim has a comercial for an energy drink company where he tells the viewing audience that the critics said he would never win in high school, that he would never win in college, and that he would never be drafted in the first round. Tim's response to that in the comercial is, "Thanks." Tim a few years back creates a comercial for the superbowl that talks about how his mother made a decision to raise little Timmy against the doctors advice. His mother chose life and look at him now. Tim Tebow as a result has become a polarizing figure. Tim in a Christian view point is the poster boy for being a role model, a christian, and living out faith. Tim in a world view point is dangerous because he does not support abortion, he is a virgin, and has given his life over to a deity. <br />
Tim is starting to be mimicked by other young athletes and conservatives have taken Tim and boasted how good God is and his grace for sparing Tim. Tim has become a god to young men who suite up on friday nights and saturday afternoons, a reason for young men to boast in their faith, and a reason for people to boast in Grace. Tim is often questioned about this high responsibility in the eyes of America. He understands his role and knows that he is on everyone's radar.<br />
The first time I heard about Tim Tebow was while I was leading worship for a baptist church in the Everglade community of Weston, FL. A gator quarterback and a over all good kid. I followed him because my wife's former boss is a huge gator fan and loved Tim Tebow. During this time in my life, I was learning that the grace of God can also be abused as a means of legalism. A book by Jerry Bridges named "The Discipline of Grace" was used as a means of talking about the grace of God. Yes grace was free, but not without discipline. We had to be discipline graceful Christians, thus, creating a mutated version of the legalist I already thought I had overcome. God met me in those years while Tim Tebow was in college and reminded me that even grace pharisees exist. <br />
Did Tim Tebow ask for all of this attention? Does Tim Tebow understand God's grace? What is the difference between Tim Tebow and Magic Johnson? What is the difference between legalism and grace? I tend to lean towards Tim not asking for all of this attention, but others would say if you are on the stage that he is on and he boast in his faith then he deserves this attention. I believe that Tim at this point is knocking the ball out of the park when it comes to him being himself. I believe that what you see is what you get. His former coach, spoke of Tebow on an ESPN interview about Tim being authentic and morally good. His former coach said, "What you see is what you get with Tim, He is a good looking guy, has many offers from girls, yet when it comes down to his lifestyle and what he believes, he is the genuine article." Personally, whether or not Tim Tebow is the genuine article is not important, it is what he believes about himself when he goes to bed at night. The re is no difference between Tim Tebow and Magic Johnson, both are Heroes in eyes of America and Tim has flaws just like Magic, and both are winners. Tim's flaws are not on the evening news besides his inability to be a great pocket quarterback. Grace boasters will use Tim Tebow as a means for us to be just like him. I got news for you grace boasters in america, Tim Tebow is a terrible god, I am a terrible god, and you are a terrible god. <br />
<br />
Legalism<br />
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Legalism is an excessive view of law or formulas. Legalism is created from legalist, these are people who make the law excessive and their relationship with God a bunch of formulas. Tim Tebow may be a legalist, Magic Johnson may be a legalist, I may be a legalist, and you may be a legalist. I have friends who have in recent times taken grace and have poured it into the pot of legalism and have disciplined themselves for the glory of God. These friends are giving up their homes, jobs, and lives to fulfill the Un-American dream of spreading the gospel all over the world. Can a legalist spread the gospel all over the world? The answer to this question is one hundred percent yes. Will a legalist feel better about themselves after spreading the gospel? Yes. Will a legalist still have problems after spreading the gospel all over the world? Yes. In the same tone, can a grace boaster spread the gospel all over the world? Yes. Will a grace boaster feel better about themselves after spreading the gospel all over the world? Yes. Will a grace boaster still have problems after spreading the gospel all over the world? Yes. What's the difference? Both are legalist. Both feel better about self. Both still carry the flesh. What then keeps us from being grace boasters and Legalist? not being just hearers of the word, but doers of the word. The difference between hearers and doers: Magic Johnson is a hearer. Magic heard about AIDS but did nothing to stop himself from contracting it, thinking I can do it and not get in trouble. Tim Tebow is a doer of the Word. Tim Tebow knows that he could have any girl on the face of planet earth and achieve the great accomplishment of sleeping with 900 women, the difference is that he has heard the devastating truths of HIV AIDS and is walking the path saying I cannot do it, I have to rely on someone else. Can a person who lives out of life spread the gospel? Yes. Will a person who spreads the gospel out of life want the attention? No. Will a person who spreads the gospel out of life still have problems afterwards? Yes. Living out of life is not based on hearing alone, it is based around doing what you hear God calling you too. It doesn't matter where you go to spread the gospel, it matters if you spread the gospel out of life. You may boast about spreading the gospel in a foreign country for 6 weeks, but unless there is life behind what you are doing, then it is no different than being a legalist or a grace boaster spreading the gospel.<br />
Magic Johnson, Tim Tebow, and Legalism all point to the something, how you choose to live is not my business. I can only hope in one thing, Christ crucified, the finished work of the cross, and I cannot meet that standard alone I have to live out of his life. Magic is a victim of hearing and not doing, Tebow is a victim of hearing and doing (which is why he defies the odds, it is living out of life saying I can't do this.), and I just want to live out of life as I'm sure you do, as I'm sure Magic does, and as I'm sure Tim does. How you view life will answer that question.<br />
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- JasonJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-88542230283594256362011-12-15T07:35:00.000-08:002011-12-15T07:35:11.608-08:00Christmas<div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 18.0px; text-align: center; text-indent: -18.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 12.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Allow this verse to resonate within you, allow it to pour out its blessings from within you and may you see all the wonderful light it is shedding within you.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> This verse has moved me beyond tears, it resides in my very soul and is what I think about when we celebrate Christmas. We always point out a few things about Christmas such as the birth of Jesus, the Christmas tree, the manger, gifts, and family. None of which are celebrated at the correct time of year, if we understand that the conception of Jesus was given by the Spirit during this time of year then we know that the festival of tents is probably the more accurate birth-time for Jesus. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The physical representation is always looked at when seeking the meaning of Christmas. I want to turn to a different avenue that I believe is correct and is spiritual. The statement from above is from Isaiah 9:6, let's take it a phrase at a time. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 12.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For unto us a child is born, </span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> We think of Christ born in a manger and that is exactly what has happened. you are the manger, the lowly place, the rotten side stable where this new birth has taken place. Within you a child is conceived not of sinful flesh, but of an eternal spirit. A new light has dawned within your soul and is now a very part of you. You are the lowly manger in which this child is born, Jesus the Christ, in you.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To us a son is given: </span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Christmas is a time of giving gifts, and this gift is from the father and deep within you is the Christmas tree or the tree of life. On its branches are gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control which are fruits or gifts of the spirit. There is deep within a gift of the son who is sufficient to our weaknesses. Sufficient means adequate, nothing more nothing less, exactly what we need, and all knowing for eternal life. A son is given, a gift of grace, and undeserved favor. do you understand the sufficient gift that exist in you is enough to meet your needs. This gift is what your kings and tyrants that exist within you will bow down to and they will pay homage to this great gift of a king. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and the government shall be upon his shoulder:</span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The government of what (a question asked by Walter C. Lanyon)? is so appropriate and this is where the tears shed for me. Governments give a lair of control over you. This has nothing to do with Washington, D.C., or state in which you reside, but one thing, your life. The Government of your life is to be upon his shoulders. This child born in you as a gift is bearing your life on his shoulders. Life is found, but where? upon his shoulders, the onus of you trying to figure out this spiritual journey is on his shoulders, his life is found in you and your life is bound by him in union. This is why we shouldn't worry one moment further about our spiritual growth because it is your Father in heaven who gives good gifts and reveals himself to us and grows us at the right time.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. </span></b></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In the book of Philippians chapter 2 we see the verse that talks about every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God's promise to Abraham's seed was that he would make his name great. This child born in us the lowly manger is called wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, and the prince of peace all existing in you. What's true of Christ is true of you!</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> As I reflect on this verse and all the time I've wasted on the physical, this breeds in me the joyful peace of the season knowing that I am in Christ and he has made in me the union life of the everlasting.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas to you and yours, </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Book Antiqua'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Jason</span></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-27615982392262726052011-12-05T09:31:00.000-08:002011-12-05T09:31:54.311-08:00FBC OLOHFBC OLOH:<br />
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This past weekend Johnny Taylor and I traveled to Lake Forest Ranch in Macon, MS, and spoke to the students of FBC Oloh. <br />
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Marked by many factors, this past five months prepared us to go and teach to this group of students about the often taught often forgot subject of "No Condemnation."<br />
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Friday Night: Session 1 "No Condemnation"<br />
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Based from Romans 8:1, a verse that just says it, "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This application to the life of a condemned Christian is the most freeing message they can receive. The Gospel is not about condemnation, it is about intimacy with God. Intimacy with God leads us into action...we often throw out comments such as, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the word of God." This statement boast so much truth; however, we often "hear" but we rarely respond. <br />
the woman caught in adultery (John 8) brought before Jesus in the synagogue was guilty, so are we! Jesus could have stoned her and would have been completely just in doing so, yet because of his righteousness that fulfilled the law He asks her, "where are your accusers?" is there anyone here to condemn you? He pulls her out from under neath the banner of condemnation and sets her under the banner of "love." Song of Solomon 2:4, "he brought me to the his banqueting house and his banner over me was love." Just says it.<br />
I told the students Friday Night that they had permission to not and try to fix themselves because they would never be able to fix the problem on their own. I certainly showed up with this idea of not being able to fix them and it freed me to relax and just teach. <br />
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Saturday Morning: "Life as it relates to Law and Torah"<br />
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I shared my journey to ultimate life in Christ and it wasn't a 7 step process or a formula but it was about how God ambushed me rescued me from a false Christian Identity based on my works for his acceptance. I was given life based on His works not mine, that freed me and messed up all my theology up to that point in life... I'm not sure what god I was serving but it was not the creator of the universe. The god I served fit nicely in the shape of my box and looked an awful lot like me...! I make a terrible god. When I found that I didn't love God first, but that He loved and pursued me with reckless abandon and began to live loved, it ruined me. Living Love allowed me to pursue him with reckless abandon just as he was pursuing me...His pursuit of me caused me to pursue him! I discovered that this journey meets up with a symptom that I cannot repair and it is "dependency." Living in grace, Living loved, and pursuing God causes dependency. I began to hear the word of God and doing the word of God (James 1:22) yet, this doing was not about works it was about dependency. <i>But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness</i> Romans 4:5. Now that just says it! What did God reveal to during this time of growing and currently revealing to me to this day...<br />
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"Law and Torah"<br />
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the difference in these two words freed me to read the bible from a way of life and not a demand.<br />
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Law in the Greek is Nomos which gives a judicial view of living...the law then carries out the purpose of condemnation, judgment, and death. This view of Law makes sin increasingly sinful, because that is what we are "sinful."<br />
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Torah in the Hebrew is translated in to Nomos in Greek but does not mean the same thing, the idea behind the torah is "teaching or instruction a way of living." Torah was not meant for condemnation, judgment, and death but for life. Torah can condemn, judge, and produce death because it contains the in it a holy and just standard given by God that makes sin increasingly sinful. The Torah is a covenant promise of life in a person.<br />
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When we think of Law we think of the Ten Commandments, the ten commandments was not a law but a marriage covenant over the people of Israel who then once it was received rejected its standard to intimacy. Just like the Israelites of the time we too have decided that it is better for us to have someone go in our place and come and tell us what God says...! That's not what he wants from us, he wants us to come through the blood of Jesus and live our lives in his presence, the scriptures say, be holy for I am holy... that is we have to go through Christ to live holy. <br />
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Saturday Night "Law is Christ"<br />
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Jesus is for us the graceful revelation of the Torah, he is the fulfillment of these scriptures. John 1:1 gives us the revelation of this word... what do we call the word? Scriptures right, what is the torah made of? Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These are the Torah, but these scriptures are not merely words on paper, they point to a person. You cannot have a relationship with words, the scriptures are shadows of a real person who we call our savior, Jesus Christ. <br />
Colossians 2:17 says that these are the shadows of the things to come but the substance belongs to christ...(just says it). John 5:39-40 says that you search the scriptures for knowledge...however, it is not in the scriptures that eternal life exist, but he tells them you refuse to come to me for life...<br />
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The point of all this, Jesus is the Law, Jesus is the Torah. Matthew 5:17-18.... says that Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it therefore becomes the law on our behalf and meets its righteous demands for us.<br />
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The importance of finding our life in Christ is essential to living not condemned by the law.<br />
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Sunday Morning. "God hasn't Changed" <br />
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simplicity is the key to understanding that you are not condemned, the question is do you believe?<br />
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The Shema says, "Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one from Deuteronomy 6:4...<br />
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Hear is a simple request, listen to notice of my voice. Israel is the loved bride of Christ... The Lord our God, is Elohim (plural) giving us the concept of this triune God who is a Father who loves us, The spirit who reveals to us, and the Son who took our place to rescue us. The Lord is one, (James 1:17) in whom there is no variation.<br />
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The word became flesh and dwelt among us... (John 1:14)<br />
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The weekend was exciting not because we did anything to fix, but gave the freedom to allow God to fix... we just need to live in his grace, experience his love, and be dependent on his life.<br />
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have a great day,<br />
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JasonJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-13666759691904484952011-10-31T13:48:00.000-07:002011-10-31T13:49:04.300-07:00coffee and conversationsI love coffee. I love conversations. I miss conversations that last over an hour. Where have dreams wondered off too? I am insinuating of course on the idea that conversations with God is possible. Maybe even while you are enjoying a cup of coffee. In my heart I want to believe that such dreams are being lived out by people all over the planet.<br />
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I know God is not a distant form or a figure illuminating from a heaven out of reach. God is near, even hear. Place your hand up to your face at the crest of your nose, intimacy is in your space. Coffee is not a life saver, but my life has been saved over a cup of coffee. Conversations do not taste good always, but spew a sweet aroma over the lips and hears of those participating.<br />
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I am delighted, terrified, and ready to start the future....moving forward and pacing out of dependence and far from security. Money does not drive the influence of God or how I'm to live. Wealth is not for God to be assured of using you, wealth is the found treasure of Him. <br />
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I look forward to retreating and speaking of the dulcet scriptures that breathe life into our beings and take our breaths away at its fulfillment. No condemnation, God has not changed, and the law is graceful...<br />
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the enrichment found in these simple truths of our approach to God will open the highway of intimacy, revelation, and knowledge of and with God. Make me quiet so you can speak, allow me to listen so I can live.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-62176163882469238952011-09-20T11:23:00.000-07:002011-09-20T11:23:11.115-07:00The Gospel: A Set and Divine Foundation from the Beginning<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Gospel: A Set and Divine Foundation from the Beginning<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time of year as set forth in me a joy unspeakable, not out of duty, not out of a set arraignment, but for the joy of knowing God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recently saw the birth of my twins and began to wonder if these two would be my last-born children here on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that God sent Jesus as His only begotten son (John 3:16) through the seed of the Spirit in the womb of a woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I automatically began to pray over these newborn bundles of joy and wondered what life would be like for them in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thought set in my mind was “The Gospel.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These children of mine are children of the seed of flesh and destined for death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a tragic truth that we do not think about when you are just trying to get them home from the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time of year has also been set aside as a remembrance or a turning back to the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Jews celebrate this time of renewal through Rosh Hashanah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The portions are beginning again and a time of repentance is before us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a believer in Jesus as Messiah the festivals celebrated are duly a remembrance and a time set for the day of return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word teshuvah is exactly this statement of returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the garden, we see an amazing action performed before verdict is given that goes unnoticed by many, if not most believers and is a tragic miss that is left void in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe this tragic misfortune that goes unnoticed is the root cause of the feeling of “duty” that we place on self to be loved and accepted by God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the garden we see that Satan temps Eve and subsequently entices Adam to take part in the occasion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Gen 3:6</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Gen 3:7<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Gen 3:8<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We notice that the first reaction to taking part in sin is revealing, they knew that their eyes were opened, holy smokes batman we have just broken the one rule that God set up for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The absence of life reveals our nakedness it shows us the things we do not like about ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth will reveal the hidden details, and it is in this that we try to cover up and hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice Adam and Eve’s response is to cover up what has been revealed, they make it their task to cover up what has been made wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is such a testament to our way of thinking, it is much easier for us to correct the wrong ourselves; however, it does not lead to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your work will never lead to life; it cannot, will not, and has never been able to save you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if the intentions of the heart are for good, you will never be able to save yourself or someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may be on the mission field in the middle of a jungle out of duty, instead of life, and it will never be your means of salvation or fulfillment of the void in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God shows up in the midst of the garden, noticed they heard the sound of God walking in the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This reminds me of being alone in a room and hearing the sound of footsteps rustling on the sidewalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The anticipation of the sound always leads to the stress of the unknown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet this approach was not one of decimation, but of relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the approach we miss when we read the garden account, we forget that a relationship has been established and now we see how God brings forth the gospel even in the garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God does something that we miss, we miss and forget the purpose of why we are sons and daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He questions the means by which they sin, He tells of the enmity between woman and the snake, and then he performs a sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point in the garden, no judgment has been given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God provides “garments of skin” and thus, provides the first sacrifice we see in scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sacrifice came before judgment, the blood spilled before a word uttered in punishment, and his compassion shown before they were removed from the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A relationship was established gloriously before he gives the terms of how life will be outside of the comfort of the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man had fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, in the midst of falling short,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>redemption was already on His mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God rescued them, redeemed them, and then He sent them in the world to live in dependence upon Him and not of themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gospel was shown in Adam and Eve admitting their faults; Jesus preached “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must realize that God has provided for us a sacrifice in the form of being clothed in Righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God being the Gospel clothed Adam and Eve in the righteousness that he provided through the sacrifice he made on their behalf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see judgment show up in Genesis 4:5 when Cain offered his sacrifice of the fruits of the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fruits of His labor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gospel in the garden before they were moved out of it was the sacrifice of the animal that clothed their nakedness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question is not what are you doing to clothe yourself; the question is have you accepted the robes of righteousness through Christ at the finished work of the cross?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see God preceded your sin by offering Christ on our behalf, pouring out His judgment on the only one who lived righteously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being clothed in righteousness is having your works exposed for what they are, nakedness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gospel exposes and sheds light on our self-effort, no matter what that self-effort looks like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was exposed in college through my efforts to perform every kind of ministry opportunity available, yet it did not cure the ailment of self.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried and tried to make it happen, the mission field was my acts of righteousness, my tracts of faith, and my alter building to attempt to sacrifice those sins and never live in them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In such things, there is no life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be called to any form of ministry in and out of country, and if there is no life in the calling then there is no power behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can gather in small groups and pray to our hearts content, yet if it is without life, there is no power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you living out of duty? Or out of life? Are you exposed by the righteousness of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you heard is voice? Have you heard His footsteps?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for they shall be called sons of God (Matt 5:9).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Righteousness is out for you and it will chase after, pursue, and hunt you down until you fall into its fate, being clothed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God does that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Gospel is God, The Gospel is being Clothed, The Gospel is infinite, and The Gospel is for those who hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing my children born into the world in frailty and nakedness exposed them for what they are, dependent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adam and Eve experienced it and so do we.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-41228959271468433152011-07-05T08:39:00.000-07:002011-07-05T08:39:13.539-07:00The Law, Grace, and Christ<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Tape Loop"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The Law</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Wait! The Law is not bad, the law is not wrong, and the law is holy, just, and righteous. The law at the same time makes my skin crawl. Judiciously, the law is perfect. The written law is good about pointing out my no goodness. The written law is a tutor, i.e., someone to guide me, stay in line, and point me to Christ. The Law Moses received on Mt. Sinai was given on tablets of stone. Tablets of stone or tablets of hearts is used in reference to man to describe the type of heart man obtains. Such as, the different hearts are two: One being a heart of stone and the other a heart of flesh. These two pictures are given in means of describing the law. If you have a heart of stone, then the law to you is lifeless. If you have a heart of flesh, then the law to you is life. If the law is not bad, and the law is not wrong, then why do we teach the law as bad and wrong? I think it’s a matter of the spirit, by the spirit we have clarity in revelation and clarity in truth. We subject ourselves to teaching of others and do not look into the heart to find the spirit's interpretation.</span><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Moving forward, the law is a loose Greek interpretation of the word "torah" in Hebrew, which means "teaching." The Greeks give the interpretation of the word "nomas" which means "law" the word is legalized lawyer talk. This was not God's intention for the "commands" or "mitzvoth." Torah or teaching then is a way of living life and thus being called a heart of flesh and living. The Law as we know it will never be understood unless you see its intent through the eyes of Grace and the life of Christ.</span><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Grace</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> Take a deep breath, this taste good! Grace is God's undeserved favor a gift that you cannot earn, work, or achieve by action. Soak this in for a moment; if you cannot earn something from God, then His gift to you is free. What is so hard about grace? Grace doesn't leave room for improvement, because you cannot improve on perfection. Grace is perfect, it will leave no stone unturned in your life and it will never be taken from you once received. Notice I wrote, received. God's unconditional love is fueled by His unending vat of grace. John Mark Macmillan's lyric in the song "He loves Us” sings "...if grace is an ocean, we're all sinking...” The Law doesn't mix with grace, or does it? Or is the law grace? The law was received by Moses from God on tablets of stone, yet Moses by grace saw God face to face and lived. The spoken commands over the people of Israel from Sinai were not a set of rules and regulations for an enslaved people, but a way of life for a bride. </span><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> This marriage picture displayed at Sinai, takes an imperfect bride and gives them a means of living by which perfection is obtained through dependency. We in our culture today love the stories of the damsel in distress that are rescued by their hero, and thus live their life in the safe arms of a husband. This is not a new way of seeing our union with God; the Sinai picture is this rescuing of a people who were less than perfect and creates a perfect marriage. This giving of a perfect union is a gift of God, thus making a perfect grace. Grace open's the eyes of the blind and makes the poor rich; it feeds the hungry and gives drink to the parched. Do you see the picture of grace in the law yet? O.k. let's take it to the next step and wake up the senses about the law and grace by looking to Christ.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Christ</span></b><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Gentium Book Basic"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> Resting yet? The Law is the heart of stone and Grace is the heart of flesh. The fact that Christ is from divine seed shows us that He is born with a heart of flesh yet lived under this marriage covenant that we call the law. Christ is the means by which we faulty, marred, and skewed humans have this resting place when it comes to living up to the standard of the law that seems impossible to live. Christ, according to Paul in the scripture, fulfilled the law. I don't know about you, but that is really good news, that really taste good, and that gives me a hope for the future. The written law is a tutor that points us to Christ. Christ is the new law, written on hearts of flesh which is given by a husband to a bride as a gift. This gift is "life,” a life of knowing and a life of seeing, gazing, and believing. Christ fulfills every detail of the written law and is our divine access to God. This introduces us on a small level the depth that we will be diving into as we begin this study of James.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-6656307434921976802011-06-02T09:49:00.000-07:002011-06-02T09:49:55.247-07:00FLEECING, FLEXING, AND FLIPPING OFF<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> To whomever takes in this reading, I implore you to read and think about the implications of how we walk in this life and live in and under the smile of the Messiah. I write this in response to losing a gentleman in our community suddenly and tragically. In remembering those folks we have had close ties with in the past and present, it is good to remember, it is good to grieve, and it is good to walk through the disgusting measure of loss. Fleecing, Flexing, and Flipping Off is about relationships as it involves the Sovereignty of God.</span></span></span></span><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">FLEECING</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> By definition according to Websters, fleecing is to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion; to charge excessively from for goods or services. Literally, fleecing is to shear or remove from. By implication, to cover with. This past week our little community of people lost a what in my flesh would be considered a good and decent man. A tragic death occurred in the midst of him visiting his mother for Memorial Day weekend. When looking at the world around us, we are being fleeced by people all the time; having goods stolen from us at a ridiculous rate. If you have driven up to a gas pump in the past 6 months, then you have experienced this fleecing. The gentleman who passed away has been fleeced from us. God chose to remove him. We use the word fleecing a majority of the time in a negative since, however, I would like to use it in means of describing to you a relationship with God that goes to the point of removal. God's sovereignty fleeces us, it removes our dependence on self and by implication covers us with his muscles and provides for us a rest in the most troubling of times. Sovereignty means supreme power or authority, and we under God's supreme power are fleeced of self. This fleecing is the most difficult to accept or taste because this fleecing requires us to be removed of any control. I don't know about you, but that just scares me because I like control. When it comes to spiritual living, my control or what I think is control is useless. God is fleecing us of independence and His sovereignty brings us to our dependence.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">FLEXING</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> By definition according to Websters, flexing is being bent, shaped differently, and contracted. When I think of flexing, I think of muscles. Body Building, Arnold ("Get to the choppa") type guys come to mind. I've never looked at flexing when it comes to spiritual thinking. Dave Busby was big on using the metaphor of relying upon "His Muscles!" The term flexing can also be used in the negative way to describe God, I've heard God is flexing His muscles when it comes to bad weather, natural disasters, and going through a rough patch in life. In the light of sovereignty, flexing is best described as being shaped differently. God bends, shapes, and molds us into manifesting Him in our mortal flesh. In the case of losing a friend, God flexed His muscles by transforming him from the flesh life to the spiritual life. When God chooses to take a life home, His sovereign choice was to have him home. During these times families are flexed, bent to grief, mourning, and questions. In an odd way, God is the one flexing towards dependence and bringing you to the end of self. When God flexes us it is for His good purpose and we benefit from being shaped into the workmanship of Christ. We are created in Christ to be shaped and molded to manifest him in our mortal flesh. To borrow a quote from Busby, we rely on "his muscles" to endure "his flexing."</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">FLIPPING OFF</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> By definition according to Webster s, (yes, flipping off is found in webster s), turning up the middle finger in a course gesture. In the midst of being fleeced and flexed our response is nothing short of flipping off. If you are offended by the comment of flipping off, then you find a better description of what you feel on the inside when you are stripped of those things you hold dear in your heart. In the midst of being fleeced and flexed, honesty is the response that is required. I find it funny that we have this idea in our minds that God doesn't see those things we often feel when things do not go our way. In loss or tragedy our response is often in grief, flipping off, questioning, and ticked that we had no control over the loss. I'm no less a victim of this response, but in the midst of grief God screaming is ok, why? Because God can handle your honesty. God can handle your flipped off response, because he is large enough to handle this response in the midst of the most horrendous occasion. strangely enough, when we try to answer the unanswerable questions about God and we mess it all up, we feel like flipping off. You can flip off all that you want, but God's sovereignty will still remain. God's fleecing will remain to cover you, God's flexing will remain to bend and shape you, and God in the midst of this fleecing and flexing can handle your flipping off by the measure of honesty that is spewing forth from you.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">Fleecing, flexing, and flipping off are components of grieving, learning, and growing. When we look at these in the midst of relationships, we see the benefit being fleeced, flexed, and flipped.</span></span></div></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-88467773047541211102011-05-27T09:56:00.000-07:002011-05-27T09:56:26.830-07:00Jesus, Yeshua, and Politicians This title strikes me as hilarious because in a manner of speaking this title represents all we know of God with Skin. In my finite words, I'm writing about the church. These certain points of view cover a wide variety of people, all of which have influenced me and my path to knowing God. Again, I write these articles to make you aware of the need to know God in relationships. So as you read Jesus, Yeshua, and Politicians think about what your view point is and how it influences your relationship with God.<br />
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<b>Jesus</b><br />
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Jesus, What's in the name? What is so renowned about Jesus? At the name of Jesus people swear, claim, sway, wage war, unite, argue, have conversations, congregate, and disassociate. What is the draw that men would write up their own rules in how to know and have relationship with Him. Did Jesus mean for us to write our way to him? Religion has fueled our passion for knowing God for so long that we have forgotten to seek him outside of the walls of a steeple house. <br />
Jesus, unfortunately, tasted and saw all the different ways that man tried to get to His Father. The funny thing is this, Jesus said that the only way to His Father was through Him. If you need a reference, its in the Bible, John 14:6. Jesus' statement is a lesson on how we approach God in a relationship. The funny thing is, a by-law does not have to be passed to understand it, although man has even skewed that simple statement in the Bible that just says it.<br />
The Christian view point of Jesus puts emphasis on what we "do", instead of "being." Somehow, the same Bible is read, yet the point of view ends up being different. Why? Man is really good at reading scripture through their own veils and filters. Try and read the Bible unfiltered with no presuppositions to influence you. Read with the conviction that you want to learn about God and not about what supports your religion. <br />
Christianity is largely based on view points of man instead of looking at what God says about Himself and you. Is the Jesus of scripture that you serve a liar? Jesus makes it clear that He is the pathway to God. Knowing God is eternal life according to John 17:3, this is Jesus praying in the garden before his subsequent arrest. The message to Christians is this, repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Tozer said, "God Himself is here waiting on our response to His presence (p.50)." It's interesting that we view Jesus as a middle class white collared american, friends, that is not Jesus and that is not who he is. If you begin to study scripture, then you must face the reality that Jesus Christ is a Jew and lived as a Jew, and followed the Jewish customs. What, then, do you do with your view of Jesus at this point?<br />
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<b>Yeshua </b><br />
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Yeshua, now what's in this name? Talk about a controversy in order! Jews all over the world still do not believe in your middle class white american Jesus. The man the Pharisee's arrested was, according to them, a blaspheming Jew who happened to be a good teacher, who read in the synagogues and followed the Jewish customs set up by God and revealed to Moshe (Moses). Could you in fact be in love with a Jew? Well, let's end the drama quickly! Yes, if you call your self a believer of Jesus Christ, then you are in fact in love with a Jew. Why did God choose to send Jesus as a Jew? Well, from the beginning, before the foundation of the earth God set aside for Himself a bride, a people of choosing known as the Jews. <br />
Yeshua is the Hebrew name that we know as Jesus, its meaning is significant. You see Yeshua means salvation. I look to a certain verse in scripture to point to this meaning, Exodus 14:13 says, and Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever." The key phrase is "see the salvation of the Lord," or "see the yeshua of the Lord," or "see the (deliverance, victory, prosperity: health, help) of the Lord,". <br />
I met a Lady (who calls herself a messianic christian) who radically challenged me about two years ago to read the first five books of scripture and allow the first five books of scripture to fuel the whole understanding of the Bible. Two years previous of meeting this sweet lady, I begin to study Jesus' Hebrew roots. What I have discovered on this four year journey is a depth and intimacy with God beyond what I ever expected. What am I saying? Do all Christians have it wrong? No, I believe we have a skewed view point of we place our faith and trust in. This view point that Jesus is just for American Christians is misguided and wrong.<br />
I used to be scared of the term "messianic" because I thought it was just "messy." Messianic simply means that for a Jew who believes in Jesus as Messiah is Messianic. Or like my friend a Messianic Christian is a kingdom minded lady who has found her life in Christ and chooses to live in the Hebrew lifestyle and festivals, honoring the true sabbath (friday evening to saturday evening), and praying for the peace of Jerusalem.<br />
I'm not challenging you to convert, I'm challenging you to discover, because I believe when you discover the Jewish Jesus, you will discover what scripture is all about. Yeshua says of himself about the Torah, these are they that speak of me. What do you say? How do you see? What have you learned? I think a change in point of view is good and allows you to find exactly where you are rooted and grounded.<br />
<br />
<b>Politicians</b><br />
<br />
Politicians, Just saying the word causes me to throw up in my mouth. Jesus was no politician, he was not out to see how many people he could get to show up at the synagogue, and he was not out to promote a false picture of self. Our picture of God is the most important thing about us. Why? Because, what comes to mind on the first thought of God is what you worship about God. We have this idea that Jesus is a politician hoping to get our vote so that he can be lord of our lives. Jesus was not out to gain a vote, he was out for your life. God does not base his acceptance of you based on votes. Jesus is not a democrat or a republican, He is not a congressman or representative, He is not what you picture in your mind. <br />
Politicians are confound by boxes, they have a mantra of finitude, they place what they believe should happen in a box and say this is the answer. Jesus never lived by boxes, Jesus had the hand of one whom He rested in, His Father. Funny, that Politicians rest in policy and Jesus in His Father. This is a picture of how we are to view God. Politicians are not sons and daughters of policy, but of people. We live as if we are sons and daughters of policies, and not sons and daughters of God. God doesn't hoard mounds of policies over you, He longs for relationship with His sons and daughters. In Christ, we are sons and daughters, just like he was a son. Therefore, 1 John 4:17 states, as he is, so are we in this world... The scripture doesn't say, as the policies goes, so are we in this world...<br />
Politicians are not all bad, just need to realize that dependency is the way out of problems. Jesus, Yeshua, and Politicians are together in this article because we need a change in our view points. The change in view points come only through the revealing of God and knowing Him. Remove the filters that skew the view of the Father, your Father in Heaven and live as sons and daughters in His kingdom which reigns forever more.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-6729964251795571142011-05-13T10:58:00.000-07:002011-05-13T11:01:32.753-07:00Youth Ministry, Boxes, and Wrath<div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Youth Ministry, Boxes, and Wrath</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br clear="none" /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Greetings and salutations to our friends and family in ministry. Often in my experience with youth ministry I walk away with serious questions of sanity. Looking to most people for advice, they would say, "Yes, Jason, you are crazy!" I have been listening to God with the intention of following His desire for my life for over 15 years. I'm just now experiencing some of the deep truths of who He is to the fullest. Why now? Well, that is what Youth Ministry, Boxes, and Wrath is all about, experiencing God, knowing God, and enjoying God. Read with an open mind and give me your thoughts on how you experience, know, and enjoy God.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Youth Ministry</span></strong></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><br clear="none" /></strong></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong> </strong>You do not wake up in the mornings and wish youth ministry on any one. Youth in general are very confused, ego-centric, and vain. Youth are confused, ego-centric, and vain largely due to the fact that they have no identity. Identity in my opinion is the single greatest lesson that a youth can learn between the ages of 13-19. The teenage years develops youth into what they will be for the rest of their lives.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> At the age of 13, I was a confused, overweight teenager with bad acne. My body raged with the fury of a fire that is not easily extinguished. I was searching for an identity but was not sure where to find it or how to follow it. I begin to experience music and placed much of my identity in music. The mixture of music and puberty was a strange brew, I learned a lot about my sexual nature through music. Jon Bon Jovi is not exactly the model of sexuality in our society but for a young teenager who was discovering himself it was a place to experience the fury.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> What does it mean to experience something? According to Webster's, experience in the verb form is to undergo through a period of time. When do we experience something? We experience something as we undergo it. We may not fully understand it, but the reality is God is to be experienced. I believe students have the ability to experience God, even in the midst of raging hormones. Even in the midst of being ego-centric and vain, God is experienced. We've done a great job as parents of painting a minimal picture of God for youth. Youth have such a small picture of God because we have created a small God, its our fault. Youth Ministers, Pastors, and Parents all play a roll in painting a picture of God. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> The argument I experience largely in this area is that we are finite and cannot paint an accurate picture of God. The answer to that argument is yes, we are finite, but we can experience God. We have the faculties to experience God. 1 John 1:1 tells us that we can experience God, even now. I ache over the condition of our students, because they believe in God yet, they believe that they can't experience God. I experienced music through the sense of hearing. This was just one use of the senses God created us with. We can experience God through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Spiritually speaking, we can experience God to the fullest through a relationship in intimacy even as a youth.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br clear="none" /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Boxes</span></strong></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br clear="none" /></span></strong></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> As a youth, I had a point of view of God that fit my confused, ego-centric and vain values. God was a mere spiritual Santa Claus, a mean drill sergeant who expected the me to go way and far above my ability. How does a youth maintain such a picture of God in the midst of a hormonal rage fury in their teenage years? Youth gain their prospective from their parents (or lack thereof), teachers, youth ministers, pastors, and secular society. The finite argument plays into this point of view.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> Sadly, youth, as a result, create a God shaped box that fits what they have learned. Youth take what little they know of God and begin forming their ideology based on what God is in their mind. Most of the time, youth picture God based on relationships they have formed. God can be really awesome, really nice, really mean, really huber cool, or really not even real. Boxes are made to hold stuff. Boxes are not fit to contain something that cannot be contained. Try to over fill a box and see what happens, it completely falls apart. Boxes can be decorative, plain, and bothersome. We store in boxes the things we do not want to deal with on a daily basis and we place them in attics, garages, storing units, and closets by creating space for us to live. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> Youth create God shaped boxes to make themselves feel better about God and His presence. Youth create what they see and not what they know. If you meet a youth who has a relationship with God, then you will see a youth who does not have a box. Boxes are not for knowing, God is. Jesus praying in the garden before his arrest is praying in John 17:3 "and this is eternal life, that they may know You..." As current leaders of today's youth we must create a generation of knowers of God, not just rules and regulations, but a intimate knowing of and not just about God.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> My goal is to rid students of their God shaped boxes and live their lives out of the box with God as their life. Many people are sad that today's church is fading. My response to this line of thinking is that we have created this fade by not pointing our students to a relationship with God. If you want students to worship God and glorify God, then point them to knowing God and you will see the results. The results is that God will be their life. Boxes hold memories and stuff we don't want, is that how we want a generation of students to see God?</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><br clear="none" /></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Wrath</span></span></strong></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><br clear="none" /></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> Wrath defined is violent vengeful anger, retributory punishment for sin or crime. The God of wrath, is wrath? Is this really a part of who God is? If you do not know about God's wrath, then you have not encountered His life. Wrath to a youth is the scariest term they can associate with God and does not fill their God shaped box. In the minds of youth, God is not wrath. Show me a youth who has acknowledged God's wrath and I will show you a youth that is enjoying God and living life to the fullest. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> We have been faced with this idea in the rising emergent church of a God who does not send anyone to hell, especially Ghandi. We have been questioned on how we know these things about God, well scripture (you know that book that God revealed to man to write so that we may have a way of knowing and understanding Him) if you read it, tells us that hell is real and that God's violent vengeful anger and punishment for sin is wrath. We deserve God's wrath because of sin. Youth need to know that we are subject to vengeful anger and punishment of God. Youth need to know that wrath is God's just punishment for their sin. No one is left out of this wrath even Jesus. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> How does wrath and enjoyment go together? If a youth is faced with wrath, then he/she is faced with death. Death, spiritually speaking brings life. Death is a sign that you are at the end of self. Sin equals death, we all deserve it. When you are faced with death you are at the end of self, Paul made an outrageous claim in Galatians 2:20 by stating, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me..." This outrageous claim says that Paul was represented on the cross, thus facing God's wrath. How? Sin is not a singular concept when facing the masses, it is plural. However, when talking about Sin as a whole it is singular. God's wrath is poured out on Sin and that covers the masses. Your sin and my sin is represented on that cross, thus we can claim with Paul this outrageous statement, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live..."</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> The joy of wrath is knowing that you are not under it! How are we considered not under wrath? Youth need to know that they are not objects of wrath in Christ Jesus. Why do we teach that they are subject to God's punishment when we teach that the cross was the punishment? A youth who is identified in Christ knows that they are sons and daughters of The Father and live as such. 1 John 4:17, "love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world." Romans 8:1, there is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Wow, youth need to know this, youth need to bite into that cookie and taste how good it is. This is the cookie of wrath because in Christ Jesus we have been saved from God's wrath.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> Wrath is a precursor to enjoyment because when we realize that Jesus has taken our place and faced the wrath on our behalf, we will know that we have been shown mercy and live life experiencing, knowing, and enjoying God.</span></span></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-56586242451435345372011-05-06T09:00:00.000-07:002011-05-06T09:00:29.529-07:00Chris Tomlin, KVNE, and Shofar's<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;">Chris Tomlin, KVNE, and Shofar's</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ok, most of the time I write about 3 elements in my blogs about life. These elements usually link to one another in some form based on the content written. Today, I wanted to set up this blog by saying the distinction in this blog leads to one ultimate end. That end is God. So what does Chris Tomlin, KVNE, and shofar's have in common? What is the link between these three? All three are linked by one night, with three different purposes as their end. Take a moment and read, see if this links to your heart and I would love to hear your response!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;">Chris Tomlin</span></span></u></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">If you do not know who Chris Tomlin is, then you are sheltered in a hole against your will. Chris Tomlin has been a part of ever major Christian worship song in the church at one point or another. Chris' songs include "How Great is Our God," "Forever," "Holy is the Lord," "Jesus, Messiah," and my daughter's personal favorite is "Our God is Straighter (Greater to you and me, but she is 3)." </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Chris Tomlin grew up in Grand Saline, TX, it's a hole in the wall. On Chris Tomlin's Birthday, he was paraded through the streets and Main St is now Chris Tomlin BLVD. Chris gives a free concert at the high school football field in which 3,000 people show up to sing. The concert was really good by the way, it was typical of how good he is in leading worship. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Chris Tomlin in his being had to feel deep within a little sheepish about this pomp and circumstance, and it was pomp and circumstance. I will give Chris Tomlin props for one thing, he did tell the crowd that all this stuff was cool, but it held to purpose on the why we were gathered on that football field. It had nothing to do with Chris Tomlin BlVD, I'm not sure that KVNE grasped that concept. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><b><u>KVNE</u></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">KVNE is a local christian radio station out of Tyler, TX. KVNE is not bad in itself, the radio station provides good quality programming to the local community and the East TX area. KVNE produces good cheesy christian music, including Chris Tomlin. Most of what I know about today's Christian music is that the music is soft on God. It paints a picture of God that all expectations of God is based on our works. One of things that God freed me from was the ability to have to listen to Christian Music and KVNE. I, for the most part, cannot stand to listen to KVNE and its programming because it is a bowl full of Velveeta. I'm not a velveeta fan when it comes to christian music. Chris is not velveeta, nor is his music. KVNE was there in full grandeur. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The evening was a huge plug for them in their ratings! KVNE gained major exposure for themselves including taking about a 1/3 section of the bleachers for themselves which they filled in a minimal bases. About 50 seats were available for citizens who could not afford to sit down at a normal paid event, was forced to stand at the fence because it was reserved! My angst is not against Christian music, but the publicity of the music and its nasty business.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><u><b>Shofar's</b></u></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><u><br />
</u></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A shofar is a ram horn that is featured in scripture as a means of presenting and praising the coming of the Lord. My first time to hear a shofar blast (and it's a blast, not just blown, a blast and it's very loud) was in a charismatic church in Mobile, AL, who sheltered homeless people. The sound of the shofar is piercing, it will strike to the very chord and center of a person when one hears its blast. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In the midst of the pre-show for Chris at the football field, there was a buzz in the crowd in the anticipation of Chris coming out on stage and playing music. There were about 1500 people on the field itself, including my church group and we were having a chat when we were interrupted by KVNE. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">KVNE had their moment in the spotlight, to tell everyone of how great Chris Tomlin is and how incredible their radio is in this east Texas area. A young lady stood up on stage from KVNE and said "Wow, by you all being here tonight, you must really love Chris Tomlin and ..." at this point from behind us in the open part of the field, there we blast from two shofar's which totally drowned out the praising of Tomlin.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Two young men in yamaca's were dancing and blasting the shofar's in the middle of her speech. Many people thought, "how rude to blast the shofar in the middle of KVNE's speech." </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I must confess that it startled me at first, because when scriptures read at the trumpet sound will be the coming of the Lord. I thought that Jesus was coming back and it was time to go. The blast was so loud that it overtook the sound system which was enormous in stature. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Who were these men so rudely interrupting this introduction speech about Chris? I'm not sure, they may have been two men from a local messianic fellowship or they could have been angels with a common purpose. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What common purpose could these guys have in blasting the sound of the Shofar? The blast lasted about a minute and a half. Long enough for Chris to enter the stage and notice the parting of the crowd because all attention was not on Chris at that moment, it was on the blast. The crowd upon hearing the horn all turned and it was as if the red sea was parting an opening shown down the middle towards the stage. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A man asked afterwards, "why are you two blowing those horns?"</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">the response was simple, yet so profound, "to prepare the way for Hashem!" </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">in Hebrew the meaning of Hashem is "The Name." We know it written as YHVH, it is the name of God which is not spoken so that they will not blaspheme His name. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hashem, folks showed up at the blast of the Shofar and became the center of attention. Not a parade, not a street name, and not a radio station can stand in the way of the weight of glory felt on the field that day. It was subtle, most people did not recognize that the shofar is the instrument used in preparing the coming of the Hashem (The Lord, Adonai, in the greek Kurios). The hair on my neck stood, tears began to fill my eyes, and at the sound of the shofar we began worshipping God... and the concert hadn't even started.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The point of Chris Tomlin, KVNE, and Shofar's is this: That we should all be ready for God's presence and not pomp and circumstance. The stage is and will always be God's. The beautiful part about worshipping God is not that it comes as a requirement of stature, but as a result of relationship. Thus, it is a glorious lifestyle.</span></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-8882232277947354142011-04-27T12:07:00.000-07:002011-04-27T12:07:28.308-07:00Love, The Cross, and Engines<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Love</span><o:p></o:p></u></b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the efforts of human flesh over the generations is the lack of the knowledge of scripture and its basis for the gospel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Farewell Rob Bell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love Wins?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure that these statements represent the angst of most Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be real honest with you, I’m ashamed of most evangelicals who claim the gospel as their claim to God, yet have no clue what the driving force behind the gospel is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can tell you that it is not human effort that brings forth the gospel, it is not how many times you have your name check on the roll sheet on a Sunday Morning, and it is not a claim to God by your emotion and will.</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Bell is right, Love does win not because Love doesn’t send a person to hell, but because Love demands justice and righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A loving God is a wrathful God, if God is not wrath then he is not just and His love for people is not based on righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would God send Ghandi to hell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How arrogant have we become to question what God would do or not do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ghandi is as much deserved of hell as you or I? So, why would He not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did Ghandi believe in God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the wrong questions,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s righteous wrath is poured out on sin. It doesn’t matter what you and I believe and what claims we make on our own. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “He (God) made him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 14:6 says, “I (Jesus) am the way, the truth, and the life and no man (including Ghandi) can come unto the father (God) except by me (Jesus).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m a firm believer that scripture just says it, and this just says it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is not measured by human effort or design but by a characteristic that exist by the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is God produced and God driven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A fruit of the Spirit…”Love, joy, peace,…” Spirit produced not you produced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No greater <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>love</u></b> than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15:13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BTW the words of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love is God’s just wrath poured out on sin, or he would not be God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God in Jesus Christ (God in flesh) sent himself to die in our place because Love does win!</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Cross</span><o:p></o:p></u></b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the days to come, we will be faced with one of the greatest challenges of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the cross relevant?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it have a say in our lives and how we approach God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross is and will always be offensive, but does that mean in its offensiveness that it doesn’t apply?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross was not meant as a focal point in our relationship with God, neither is heaven or hell; however, the focal point is the relationship that results from the cross.</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were faced with a cross in the days of Jesus, then it meant death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you faced the cross?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you realized your death?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross is offensive because it takes death to accomplish its work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without the cross there is no possibility of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus, God’s own son, even faced death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul wrote in Philippians 2:8, “he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus faced what was offensive and therefore, created the most offensive means by which we know God, death.</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ghandi said that he would have been a Christian if it had not been for Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did Christians cause him to go to hell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did religion send him to hell? The cross sent him to hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Belief in something other than God is just means for His wrath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without death there is no life, in life you find that all true breath begins at the foot of the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross is the end of self effort, and whatever means by which you are proceeding in self effort must needs to be found helpless at the foot of the cross, death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love wins at the cross!</span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: none; tab-stops: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Engines<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Engines have a specific purpose in how it is used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The engine is not however the central focus of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The central focus of the car is found in its purpose, which is to get you from point a to b and back again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The car thus, gets you to where you are going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cannot claim this illustration for myself, Jaytee powered this info and its premise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like the engine, the cross is not central to our relationship with God but it is the access by which we have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross is the engine to our relationship with God, without the cross there is no relationship and its result is a just and wrathful judgment of hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cross like the engine gives us access to move forward in our relationship with God in intimacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The focal point of Christianity is your relationship with God, the cross gives you access to that relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the purpose by which Jesus made his John 14:6 claim.</div><div class="MsoNoteLevel1CxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hebrews 4:16 gives us clear indication of how Jesus gives us access to a relationship with God,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“let us therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have access because the cross (the engine) propels you forward in your relationship with God to approach were no man dares to trod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took death to give you life, and it is in your death that you find life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believing in the offensive cross gives you access to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love wins in relationships because the engine of cross fuels it.</div><!--EndFragment-->Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-84966790375500651032011-02-19T07:00:00.000-08:002011-02-19T07:04:39.882-08:00Control, Dependency, and The X Factor Greetings and Salutations to my friends and family,<br />
Learning is a life long process, it seems to creep by and then you wake up looking back and wondering if you have succeeded. Many would argue that living the American dream is life's ultimate goal. David Platt would have you believe that it isn't, and that living the American dream is not all that it is cut out to be. People may live the American dream and not be missionaries. If being on missions is the anti-American dream then there are many who are going to hell. Including me! Well, it depends on how you view the mission field. If you view the mission field has over seas then I guess we've all missed the boat who have never done over seas mission and we have missed God's plan for our lives. O.k., I don't believe we have all missed God's plan. The mission field is outside your front door, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, loving your neighbor as self. What role does God play in answering the question of control, dependency, and the X factor? <br />
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<b>Control</b><br />
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Arrogantly, what makes you and I think we have control? Human beings are for the vast majority control freaks. If we did a self evaluation amongst a group of 1,000 people we would find that each situation would be different, but they would all have variants of control. People are often shy, outgoing, reserved, out-of-control, and even keeled across the board, yet they are all in this illusion of control. Naive as it may be to say such things, look at your own life. Do you like to be told when to rise and when to walk? Do you like to be told how to talk? Do you like someone to plan your day for you? Do you think that you have ultimate and infinite control over life? How do go from babies of dependency to autonomous adults of arrogance? Did the devil make me do it? (I'm tired of giving the sunny red devil credit for anything.) Giving the devil credit is giving him control and mastery, and folks he does not have control or mastery over anything that God doesn't give him control over. I think we answer yes to all of the control questions and yes to the devil. Saying yes to the devil questions is giving him control and you can count me out of that vote. He has received enough awards and accolades from me in the past, but no longer.<br />
Flesh allows us to think we have control, it allows us to run the show so to speak. You may believe that you are "letting go and letting God" but that's all a bunch of bologna. We let go and let God when circumstances are favorable for us. Have you ever thought that favorable circumstances are those circumstances that God places us in, good or bad? Control is a made up word, an illusion, an apparition, second cousin to your imagination and you have never had it as your own. If we are not under control then we have a necessary need for dependency.<br />
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<b>Dependency</b><br />
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When I think of dependency babies come to mind often, especially when they are fresh from the womb. Babies drink milk, sleep, pee and poop all at the aid of someone else. Sign me up if there is a list going around because that is the life of dependency. Check out this video, this is dependency.<br />
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enough said.<br />
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<b>The X Factor</b><br />
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Some would say that Dick Hoyt has the "X" factor. I once sat through a conference in which the premise of the whole weekend was asking the question of "do you have 'it'?" I'm not sure what "it" is or if I have "it" but that has to be the worst question I've ever encountered to supply a weekend of spiritualism and renewal! The first thing that came to mind in the midst of the "it" weekend was oh no I don't have "it" and now I've got to find a way to get "it" which gave nope of ever finding "it". If you figure out this mystery "x" factor please contact me and let me know, and maybe I'll satisfy "it". <br />
Recently, I began P 90 X, extreme workout. The "X" factor in this extreme workout is well I'm not sure. I'm busting my butt to find the "X" factor but if the "X" factor is found in the belly I'm in trouble. In looking for the "it" or "X" we can kill ourselves in trying to maintain levity. In your journey to find "it" or "X" losing control and living dependent is "it" and "X".<br />
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I'm not sure about the American dream, most of "it" and "X" is wrapped up in the American dream and we suffer the illusion of control because we lack the desire to live dependent.<br />
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have a good day!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-71048015720255936952011-02-12T08:36:00.000-08:002011-02-12T08:36:32.621-08:00What are You up to?<link href="file://localhost/Users/goodsonj/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> In the incredible walk of life, we face the ever daunting question; God what are you up to?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> This is the question that grabs my attention when facing each new morning. It’s like ground hog day all over again and I’m perfecting the Ice sculpture that I’ve been practicing on for 36 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Funny, when I think of sculpting there is a frustrating element to the patience of an artist forming its subject. Immediately I want the end result to show forth and give validity to the creation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> The interesting part of this sculpting that I’ve been trying to form is this, I’ve never had control of the chisel. What I thought was my idea and my mind was really all the thoughts and Idea’s of the graceful and infinite hand of Hashem (the name Adonai, The LORD).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> As the page turns on life and each new day reveals His revelation, I’m finding myself stripping away from the old layer of skin that I’m encamped in and discovering the wide vast ocean of the unknown and the known.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Finding joy in the midst of this ocean is apart of the living and breathing God who encompasses each of those things I naturally do not. His fruits belong to him and I’m just a vessel that He makes himself manifest. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "American Typewriter"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> So God, what are you up to? Give me the courage to follow it and rest in your infinite grace and mercy as it is being lived out.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-37412297562788780292010-12-24T11:39:00.000-08:002010-12-24T11:39:45.736-08:00T-Shirt and Jeans Day 212/18/10<br />
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In the midst of relaxing and enjoying some rest, I miss how much time I've spent away from my girls and I realize how much of a blessing that teaching has been to me. I have learned a significant amount about teaching and relating to students such as, classroom management, teaching the teks, and listening. The question often rises in my mind is one of concern for many christians, is God for you?<br />
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Is God for you? We have heard how much God is for himself. If God is for himself, then He is for you! He cannot deny himself, namely Jesus ChristJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-43410725653728499892010-12-22T10:03:00.000-08:002010-12-22T10:03:50.092-08:00T-Shirts and Jeans Day 1 <br />
Let me begin with a brief explanation of t-shirts and jeans; I'm on a 16 day mission to be comfortable and wear what I consider to be ultimate comfort t-shirts and jeans. I have a two week break from school, and that means a two week break from khaki pants, golf shirts, and yes the ever gagging tie. <br />
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<strong>T-Shirts and Jeans Day 1 Monday 12/17/10</strong><br />
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School let out after lunch today and a huge sigh of relief fell over me, knowing that I could just relax and enjoy my family for the evening. There was a community wide youth rally at the Civic Center, I encouraged my youth to attend; however, I was following God's plan and taking my family for a trip to see the lights in Marshall.<br />
I had several people ask about why I didn't attend the event; after explaning myself that I was following God's plan by not going and hanging out with my family, a look of confusion and dismay fell over their faces. I wonder if I would have told them that I went and worshipped satan with my family instead of going to the youth rally if I would have received the thumbs up? No, I would have received the same confused look as similiar to the one when I told them that I was hanging out with my family. <br />
Ruach Hakodesh is the Hebrew term for the Holy Spirit, this is exactly who we are to be led by and not by our flesh. We are not of the flesh, we are of the spirit. Every one who showed up at that event was doing exactly what God had planned for them; God didn't plan a youth rally for me. A book named ,<u> "The Law of Faith,"</u> by Norman Grubb states in chapter 1 pg 13,<em> "It is my belief that in each member of Christ's body, from the time of the new birth, the Holy Spirit begins to develop some special characteristic through which God may be glorified in a particular way, some aspect of His grace and truth through which the whole body may be edified and enlightened."</em> I add this quote to tell you that the measure of faith given to you is not by what you muster up and provide for yourself but, the gift of the spirit is measured by the faith given to you is the faith of Christ. God is glorified by your response to his voice in your life and manifesting the measure of faith given to you. The measure of faith not by the flesh, but by the Spirit.<br />
Being in the middle of God's plan was much more fulfilling than doing something I was not supposed to do in the first place, and I will rest really well at night knowing that my family is my gift of God. Listening to the Spirit was just as much a worship experience as listening to a youth rally for those who went. I went to the lights in comfort, wearing t-shirt and jeans with a orange vest with my girls and my beautiful wife.<br />
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t-shirts and jeans, <br />
<br />
Jason<br />
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P.S. here is my favorite Christmas song, by one of my favorite bands "The Rhinetones" performing "O Holy Night"<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w4u1H_2UM6o?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w4u1H_2UM6o?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-58600429448729903302010-09-05T20:40:00.000-07:002010-09-05T20:40:08.876-07:00Self-Hatred and Religious IdolsIn depths of one’s lonely soul there is an abyss that seems endless and cold. The rope that leads to the bottom is an unforgiving drop to a cold slab where the only friend you have is self. Broken and torn in the soul is where God finds the rich soil to plant His strength in you. Francis MacNutt says, <em>“If the Lord Jesus Christ has washed you in his own blood and forgiven you all your sins, how dare you refuse to forgive yourself?” </em><br />
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At the lonely bottom, self-hatred shows its ugly head out of the shadows and renders you guilty and shamed by the lack of forgiving yourself. Learning about self-hatred will cripple the soul and damage the heart unrecognizable until you forget about the reality of your identity. Identity is the major crisis of our nation’s Christian population and its cure is found at the end of the rope. <br />
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The end of the rope strategy takes its shape by you giving up on everything you know to be true and wiping the slate clean. If your concern is worship, then stop worshipping until the only thing in life you can do is worship. If your concern is prayer, then stop praying until the only thing you can do is pray. If your concern is Bible study, then stop Bible study until all you can do is study you’re Bible. <br />
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When the slab at the bottom is too hard to bear spiritually, take comfort in knowing that the idols in your heart are being destroyed. Worship, prayer, and bible study are all forms of idols. Idols such as worship, prayer, and bible study are never recognized as idols because those who have such idols have never tasted the goodness of God on the cold hard slab. 2 Timothy 3:5 describes these idol worshippers as<em> having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power…</em>then it says,<em> avoid such people</em>. <br />
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By our own fault, we lye at the bottom of the abyss trying to work out godliness in the attempt to show God the fruit of our labor and to no avail the arrow continues to miss the mark. <br />
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If you are mucking around in the pit of despair with no hope out of self-hatred, then take the pill and swallow the bitter truth that your only hope is in seeing the unseen. Paul Tillich defines the unseen as <em>“the courage to accept acceptance.”</em> What religious idols have a form of godliness in your life, but lack the power of God? Is your self-hatred to the point that you are ready to give the idol of <em>“self”</em> up? Join the journey with us in walking through the end of self and listen to our weekly podcast “Coffee and Conversations” found at www.teleoridge.com/podcast or on itunes under Teleo Ridge Ministries. Later, From Jason.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-25328408090795504622010-07-05T06:45:00.000-07:002010-07-05T06:45:18.601-07:00Colorado Trip Day 4Today is July 4th, and I'm sitting on the front porch of this enormous home/lodge/envious spot I'd like to live...and I'm working on my opening session for FBC Oloh in the second week of December...I know I know, I'm on vacation. You can't just sit here where I'm sitting and not think about God and His glorious creation...here is the view from my post<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBczwWcCiCHtp1IQHiYH82sGYN7nmkFOvVy9l-66DgtgAp7Qe6f7_Ki0-DzrOPEwntm6aIKTLZyjhw4OL5vBAa3ebWKQRUeqwoHk2f9RX928dlztCZEkmI8nr3Mb4mkVdzmMngAtvHwE6/s1600/100_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBczwWcCiCHtp1IQHiYH82sGYN7nmkFOvVy9l-66DgtgAp7Qe6f7_Ki0-DzrOPEwntm6aIKTLZyjhw4OL5vBAa3ebWKQRUeqwoHk2f9RX928dlztCZEkmI8nr3Mb4mkVdzmMngAtvHwE6/s320/100_1084.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">See what I mean, God just beamed a promise over me that dated back to Noah, a perpetual promise that is still with us today.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I stepped out and tried to film this chipmunk; however, I was highly unsuccessful and failed miserably. Hey here is a shot of the upstairs loft; (the game room), and oh my my my...is it fine.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqD1QEYgjDrqjOxebuLz_a_WZM8XZ3D_SZGMfuBYWD_52oIPXQqh417aBCoe-7Jl_8HkrRuCRYw4BDHeXAqAHE5X18nLG_cmf5gUEb2SbURe3Powk7hKMlK6e0yts3U4IfIRaK34FA_M-/s1600/100_1093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqD1QEYgjDrqjOxebuLz_a_WZM8XZ3D_SZGMfuBYWD_52oIPXQqh417aBCoe-7Jl_8HkrRuCRYw4BDHeXAqAHE5X18nLG_cmf5gUEb2SbURe3Powk7hKMlK6e0yts3U4IfIRaK34FA_M-/s320/100_1093.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We all joined for an afternoon supper at Kathy's Uncles in South Fork and we had a great time, and then my batteries to my camera failed so here is what I took before equipment malfunction happened... more to come later.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FqMJbJTjsTqWH31H0vjst1TCXb-nQphcIbklLEbICxP3o4mrooKSK7_meqgF35Cs91DvjUpHen2wuF_L3n90w5e7VuL7_nxqod0GFzRKYYA1bwqKIv1TLW9V6uY6pId36SEr8MxKwRev/s1600/100_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FqMJbJTjsTqWH31H0vjst1TCXb-nQphcIbklLEbICxP3o4mrooKSK7_meqgF35Cs91DvjUpHen2wuF_L3n90w5e7VuL7_nxqod0GFzRKYYA1bwqKIv1TLW9V6uY6pId36SEr8MxKwRev/s320/100_1105.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>by the way...worst pot of coffee I've ever made...highly embarressing look you can see right through it...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nOdOwWVq0n2m2Eut_PKapQkrw_C1TYHa1SasEGrwHq8pZrp3YsNgSgT1iMnaSbt8w45uyfrnEjCvwoSRpoISqnF3MzEzwBS2t3ZIl6HzI24BXkZI6ppuv57UQt2pzazANgxzFbDkaSMD/s1600/100_1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nOdOwWVq0n2m2Eut_PKapQkrw_C1TYHa1SasEGrwHq8pZrp3YsNgSgT1iMnaSbt8w45uyfrnEjCvwoSRpoISqnF3MzEzwBS2t3ZIl6HzI24BXkZI6ppuv57UQt2pzazANgxzFbDkaSMD/s320/100_1092.JPG" /></a></div>also, this was the first sign we saw when we walked into the house...hilarious and unnerving!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-t65_H9OvczZ31K7yV3z-jrIdRDgtQp4smbJqDclyFE_7t9crU2sdFad0dZR1_ejYaeNpTnC_nMboj1wleSTmXWtmjjsihyphenhyphen2ET9__7Nqyb_Lb2t2qY6fVkkjKxavQNJBjN6-sc1vom7q/s1600/100_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-t65_H9OvczZ31K7yV3z-jrIdRDgtQp4smbJqDclyFE_7t9crU2sdFad0dZR1_ejYaeNpTnC_nMboj1wleSTmXWtmjjsihyphenhyphen2ET9__7Nqyb_Lb2t2qY6fVkkjKxavQNJBjN6-sc1vom7q/s320/100_1089.JPG" /></a></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-75881274559649286972010-07-03T23:07:00.000-07:002010-07-03T23:07:33.729-07:00Colorado Trip Day 3 (Arrival)Travel Day 2 (Arrival at South Fork, Colorado)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18hAIsxXa9XYklMN7DkYXqf82Dnj93RjR4cxUVy2yoHd4XizJUe12djVC3YJHLPQTeqd8ZQiGtoEKhXLB1aTeWyvDFT5lg7_1HBsHlDohShHYNNC-C_t8fhyPWzQgckux8doFapK5CpMs/s1600/100_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18hAIsxXa9XYklMN7DkYXqf82Dnj93RjR4cxUVy2yoHd4XizJUe12djVC3YJHLPQTeqd8ZQiGtoEKhXLB1aTeWyvDFT5lg7_1HBsHlDohShHYNNC-C_t8fhyPWzQgckux8doFapK5CpMs/s320/100_1004.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The trip today began with a couple of major important stops before we left Amarillo, of course you have to understand that no trip can be complete without a stop at Starbucks.. and Wal-mart..., and while in the drive thru I noticed that there where a brand name of cookies in the window by the name of "Lucy's" of course I had to buy them, here is a pic of the cookies.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxsQt6IxIwN5eqT2o4g3NrktbEjt98mjIioDvpqdarGUeinfZO1JoH_hKs2SO6ahrGFMtceBs4bhdqK9xJv2bvI9Nwsb9jhASe0OGlNnHVhiwWGvR8-tyIi0t2j6E_hfBOPxYBo6yvikC/s1600/100_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxsQt6IxIwN5eqT2o4g3NrktbEjt98mjIioDvpqdarGUeinfZO1JoH_hKs2SO6ahrGFMtceBs4bhdqK9xJv2bvI9Nwsb9jhASe0OGlNnHVhiwWGvR8-tyIi0t2j6E_hfBOPxYBo6yvikC/s320/100_1002.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgLzTUpSUhmQ48sULGCehR1jj2_i8fOaqRuLqD1M1agCOYB045EBb65fzfmRMrwONZEqSTo7WJmtDByhZWkOkTZK25l-fnzpkks9-4pVVpHqlOEeZzGhcyS6ROgri70Tg533jmItPnpLY/s1600/100_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgLzTUpSUhmQ48sULGCehR1jj2_i8fOaqRuLqD1M1agCOYB045EBb65fzfmRMrwONZEqSTo7WJmtDByhZWkOkTZK25l-fnzpkks9-4pVVpHqlOEeZzGhcyS6ROgri70Tg533jmItPnpLY/s320/100_1003.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Forgive my morbid sense of humor here, but you can't look past a sign like this and laugh...I know, I know, it doesn't say Dumois, it says Dumas...but check out the parady in this road sign.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJV1lY75xvF9RM76omBnK5nMfsRY4hY4XcfA4ItVKs5huRIS5LpFG15VIUVWlo-mEqWmXycIEj_KsZiRm8A4GnMNIDyt86-VCmrsJmvDA1FKdAMPjK2HtheCH_BAG6l2xaFz4S1E6cFBPj/s1600/100_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJV1lY75xvF9RM76omBnK5nMfsRY4hY4XcfA4ItVKs5huRIS5LpFG15VIUVWlo-mEqWmXycIEj_KsZiRm8A4GnMNIDyt86-VCmrsJmvDA1FKdAMPjK2HtheCH_BAG6l2xaFz4S1E6cFBPj/s320/100_1009.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We found a coffee mug today in the city of Clayton, NM, I will reveal the mug later on...I bought it for a friend in Tupelo, MS, Larry McClendon. </div><br />
here are many random pics of the Mountains, we've been studying the Hebrew language and it's pictograph's and the word for Mount in Hebrew is SaR, samech Aleph resh (lean on God's humble servant) interesting one of ranges we drove through today is known as Sangria de Cristo (The Blood of Christ). Here they are...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC55xQkAjtIQya1jw36OvxbzwFLP6_GHdw14WBq7FrZ2ua_7gcL09bS3Y-3o1R83rFnB8BqYpBTW2Q4AhgrPeZCA9VJR6Op226oM7iOfAmud4x4baSrkakCO6QlOtwd__9Fra_61yx6HYg/s1600/100_1015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC55xQkAjtIQya1jw36OvxbzwFLP6_GHdw14WBq7FrZ2ua_7gcL09bS3Y-3o1R83rFnB8BqYpBTW2Q4AhgrPeZCA9VJR6Op226oM7iOfAmud4x4baSrkakCO6QlOtwd__9Fra_61yx6HYg/s320/100_1015.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRS1mJi0wCJyz1prQF7Jzt63yN4W4DbfnsS6iz58-0fY9P1JPL2K8nJlLWDG_E9VvRLWJltknxseFz85dGWSSwgVkdL2ia15K6_pjurja2c1tmOqCHbJQAxMZn-KcFvw8RTh9yMbfgNbL/s1600/100_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRS1mJi0wCJyz1prQF7Jzt63yN4W4DbfnsS6iz58-0fY9P1JPL2K8nJlLWDG_E9VvRLWJltknxseFz85dGWSSwgVkdL2ia15K6_pjurja2c1tmOqCHbJQAxMZn-KcFvw8RTh9yMbfgNbL/s320/100_1047.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDENVmg0OdSbDMDp7sYqac7sNVBrt-9m0bNPcV9Mw8F7XiKY1SubW5sjk3eSjAJKkGBRwyU2CyZ46c8vIGgTD8u9gnA5ZdIoPhP1-RQuIHigK47GnPYLfQAwN11s4U5_-HQlcePN_kXi6/s1600/100_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDENVmg0OdSbDMDp7sYqac7sNVBrt-9m0bNPcV9Mw8F7XiKY1SubW5sjk3eSjAJKkGBRwyU2CyZ46c8vIGgTD8u9gnA5ZdIoPhP1-RQuIHigK47GnPYLfQAwN11s4U5_-HQlcePN_kXi6/s320/100_1063.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKTWMqbEMF93aNY6whOPh5D2eebpxBUQ2Xj5CVVs5jPesJUjE9aetX-lXaJdKtHmkOOk3kohEyynVxH7k6XCGJ9rV2xU_obgW4ae-VErRAsWo33LU2CnN3GhsqQWLZ79USkTo920o-_mj/s1600/100_1053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKTWMqbEMF93aNY6whOPh5D2eebpxBUQ2Xj5CVVs5jPesJUjE9aetX-lXaJdKtHmkOOk3kohEyynVxH7k6XCGJ9rV2xU_obgW4ae-VErRAsWo33LU2CnN3GhsqQWLZ79USkTo920o-_mj/s320/100_1053.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Random Pic of the day in Alta Mesa:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4ypnzzGb-KzQfOcjhYYRaeWDTsutu2u-FhJswhGI6Xs9CTaCPWqtGSyc1nfjRPRrdSbAn4t3wGEyZ8sVz0Xc_jGj7I8O9Yuhi2sjVjgFmRMgRn_toyD7dC2kd8aE__PyWPMNX0MfIAKI/s1600/100_1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4ypnzzGb-KzQfOcjhYYRaeWDTsutu2u-FhJswhGI6Xs9CTaCPWqtGSyc1nfjRPRrdSbAn4t3wGEyZ8sVz0Xc_jGj7I8O9Yuhi2sjVjgFmRMgRn_toyD7dC2kd8aE__PyWPMNX0MfIAKI/s320/100_1056.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Here is a pic of us today at Raton pass, my girls are sitting on the same wagon that April, Brent, and I sat on in '81 or '82 or ever earlier...30 years later we found the same wagon, it brought a tear to my eye, here is this pic:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzaCimtwIJ4oEaGtLf0Eg-T48_htvkzuUrwnnmwl4KIYJla1mcJgK0UaWTl12ByWRJBWww-N80RrQ6lho0EHcGyRNEy_Zoe1jUgUDgfKUmGyACzralgTpbf4-V0DM516Ltmp9Wqz9ub2f/s1600/100_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzaCimtwIJ4oEaGtLf0Eg-T48_htvkzuUrwnnmwl4KIYJla1mcJgK0UaWTl12ByWRJBWww-N80RrQ6lho0EHcGyRNEy_Zoe1jUgUDgfKUmGyACzralgTpbf4-V0DM516Ltmp9Wqz9ub2f/s320/100_1041.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Here is the humble abode that we are living in for the week, it is quite spectacular and here is the view around the cabin:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSK3TlNPtWl4czu0ntjF9_1ydUs6m8hmtCGteTFv3GUpBpwJ279qoKzmSjPWFJNDmu8SPb0rHnf4HGq8RgLXcrbebDKAltSYUqBywoBgGHtEI1RiXMAyI-QfSaSiiD4n33R0EZJb3Hoor/s1600/100_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSK3TlNPtWl4czu0ntjF9_1ydUs6m8hmtCGteTFv3GUpBpwJ279qoKzmSjPWFJNDmu8SPb0rHnf4HGq8RgLXcrbebDKAltSYUqBywoBgGHtEI1RiXMAyI-QfSaSiiD4n33R0EZJb3Hoor/s320/100_1073.JPG" /></a></div>As we embark on this week, I look forward to hearing from God and what He is going to do in directing my life and walking in His grace. I'm learning to trust in his voice alone and not make a move unless he directs it...and my selfish nature does not always respond, yet I find myself right in the middle of what he has for me.<br />
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more tomorrow!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865351512501573989.post-87939912705437998702010-07-02T20:45:00.000-07:002010-07-02T20:45:53.862-07:00Colorado Day 21st Travel Day:<br />
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Preparing to leave on a trip is always somewhat stressful, yet, the anticipation of leaving the norm is welcomed and timely. <br />
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We sat out today for the goal of making it to Amarillo, of course, the trip on map-quest said it would "only" take 71/2 hrs...ha ha ha! This is our first official Jason Goodson family road trip...every time I think about going on vacation...Chevy Chase and the family truckster from National Lampoons "Vacation" comes to mind. You just pray that there is no uneeded adventure other than gazing upon my girls pretty faces as they look at the Rocky Mountains for the first time. "I can't wait to see their response..." <br />
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This morning as we were pulling away from Mineola in family car and the Hainesville Aires trailer as if we were a traveling family band, we've had several strange looks today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0Y5LIjv6j4iozX0vu7ucYmTY8pvfN5-1F0f46oaH5JZMQ4zRl6dC69pOR1jl2uO0iS-r66TCoE2rbUMNrKNIwPa0CGDApn8zVy_KKrAWswTJvt00ecYncT7e30esx-2vC2ot3027JMWq/s1600/100_0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0Y5LIjv6j4iozX0vu7ucYmTY8pvfN5-1F0f46oaH5JZMQ4zRl6dC69pOR1jl2uO0iS-r66TCoE2rbUMNrKNIwPa0CGDApn8zVy_KKrAWswTJvt00ecYncT7e30esx-2vC2ot3027JMWq/s320/100_0976.JPG" /></a>Those smiles well they didn't last long!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We began our journey and 31/2 hours later decided o.k. it's time to pull off and have lunch in Bowie, TX. Just a comment before I go any further..."There is absolutely nothing to eat on hwy 287 west of Denton." I was getting worried about the possibilities once we left Denton when nothing but tumble weed began running across the road.</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Good ole Bowie, TX just north of 287 on hwy 81 we ran into a "Golden Chick" after circling the McDonalds that held only 14 people, smallest McD's ever!</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4_-jhYpoXGP2G-jZME1c-stjoJdg7Qw8YdaIzpu9BuvwVzKbkFdKbEFjjQEpVVHiimyHs4rLwR_Lytu_p6MeKz1KHHMWyrHa30BkKRa9i-XA_a-Z45K51nWBu-0mTDpS-UX6D_YAnoI9/s1600/100_0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4_-jhYpoXGP2G-jZME1c-stjoJdg7Qw8YdaIzpu9BuvwVzKbkFdKbEFjjQEpVVHiimyHs4rLwR_Lytu_p6MeKz1KHHMWyrHa30BkKRa9i-XA_a-Z45K51nWBu-0mTDpS-UX6D_YAnoI9/s320/100_0978.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Friendly people at the Golden Chick in Bowie...a little to far off the road however.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are some pictures post Golden Chick experience as we entered the vast Texas plains.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqICoeHYKnXkIrCDcoMyqMPVcR2blwWZmLokFCy-1V64dNWmZ_flJ84u3pfzpME1pToBdyoor0Kd2ztNEvwA7VmMicTygms0dXUBhtN82qbmPkHb3MAZRoC9wXflreYBT4bhA0Ch17cUjA/s1600/100_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqICoeHYKnXkIrCDcoMyqMPVcR2blwWZmLokFCy-1V64dNWmZ_flJ84u3pfzpME1pToBdyoor0Kd2ztNEvwA7VmMicTygms0dXUBhtN82qbmPkHb3MAZRoC9wXflreYBT4bhA0Ch17cUjA/s320/100_0986.JPG" /></a>a sleeping goosters is a quiet van!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzVB3Cxl-z7lw1G39Qrrq-9SmygPSURq9BCxCYmnnJo4ENF4a4OvgcSc9I1xpAqE7_ZwVrHVUheLAT1LBZT-4IPBwEroqbNkZ8iq13MA5e51_LukEY8T1-oyom5btLFrnrz0rtNTBnswj/s1600/100_0982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzVB3Cxl-z7lw1G39Qrrq-9SmygPSURq9BCxCYmnnJo4ENF4a4OvgcSc9I1xpAqE7_ZwVrHVUheLAT1LBZT-4IPBwEroqbNkZ8iq13MA5e51_LukEY8T1-oyom5btLFrnrz0rtNTBnswj/s320/100_0982.JPG" /></a>on the open road, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKF7s6aV4jlq6Gq_Ny6yjnWLL6ngRDXVWZwbeY-RxlQG5I5yiyJssCiFmIiTfZ9gbE8UoI14LLZaL7WTxq03u55UbpRKAo9JkO_FFBNbz81MaNDApa_Cpc3NMf6lw1DZeKCd8cdLkmxsK/s1600/100_0983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKF7s6aV4jlq6Gq_Ny6yjnWLL6ngRDXVWZwbeY-RxlQG5I5yiyJssCiFmIiTfZ9gbE8UoI14LLZaL7WTxq03u55UbpRKAo9JkO_FFBNbz81MaNDApa_Cpc3NMf6lw1DZeKCd8cdLkmxsK/s320/100_0983.JPG" /></a>isn't the scenery just beautiful, they don't come any better than KGood.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This our attempt at producing a video of mountains in TX, well that are just not mountains, ant hills more like it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxYIPVx-KeqWzPU5Mz2gTXaLG9LmXz397DCgxWIC3J02ETOCez1wSalYQbiEiIAz9YPZYzpab3nAgUeJ9DTIg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is our attempt at artistry in motion</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9MMVCFvHjYWmbsI_PuxEDQADisnL0j349OroX3OrjOnZi0SpVj0__EL4fLFHOrDnlUiaSuCQgLbREe7Q2MR0xPVUvkuEy6FoZbHH_TuE10Mvb9Wh2t7C45-98kXJRkAW69mStOcUV2tr/s1600/100_0989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC9MMVCFvHjYWmbsI_PuxEDQADisnL0j349OroX3OrjOnZi0SpVj0__EL4fLFHOrDnlUiaSuCQgLbREe7Q2MR0xPVUvkuEy6FoZbHH_TuE10Mvb9Wh2t7C45-98kXJRkAW69mStOcUV2tr/s320/100_0989.JPG" /></a>it was a cool looking tree...the only tree all day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We finally made it to our destination in Amarillo, and we sure are tired; however, before the slumber, "STEAK" at</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCX5LTIoaQB7NbfU-QPLINci_FV3I3mMGmj84wY6J-OE2cM3ScCNHaoB7VN3IqGi679qzA9T_Xklo7oLg1CSXU158iSvYnLHskM5zHDBPPdyKFisAkhLeEkk7nQaRHM8AIhCjhF1YY5gj/s1600/100_0996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCX5LTIoaQB7NbfU-QPLINci_FV3I3mMGmj84wY6J-OE2cM3ScCNHaoB7VN3IqGi679qzA9T_Xklo7oLg1CSXU158iSvYnLHskM5zHDBPPdyKFisAkhLeEkk7nQaRHM8AIhCjhF1YY5gj/s320/100_0996.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Mae Train went into shut down mode when she saw the moose head, then finally calmed down long enough to enjoy some excellent cooking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was meditating on this verse today for shabbat (or sabbath day) from Exodus, it says</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Exo 14:13 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. </div><br />
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Exo 14:14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." <br />
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What an encouraging truth in the midst of the junk we live in, I want to with my family this trip, is to be silent so that we do not miss seeing His salvation, that He will work for us as we glory in Him who is Adonai, EL-Roi.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02620302511167334885noreply@blogger.com0