LifeGroup with Friends

Great Lifegroup tonight.  I will live on faith in Jesus, considering suffering as pure joy (James 1).

I REFUSE to feed the beast of imaginations, lies and deception.  That one feeds on knowledge, "interprets" it for his purposes--to steal, kill & destroy.

Have you been asked a question that made you question what God has said & done?  You don't need to have an answer for every question, just faith that God can handle it.

Then, he passes the ball to us. Unbelievable.

Some stuff is worth plagerism.  Why "fix" it?  John Eldredge wrote this about RISK, adventure, Life.

"It’s not the nature of God to limit his risks and cover his bases. Far from it. Most of the time, he actually lets the odds stack up against him. Against Goliath, a seasoned soldier and a trained killer, he sends . . . a freckle-faced little shepherd kid with a slingshot. Most commanders going into battle want as many infantry as they can get. God cuts Gideon’s army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred. Then he equips the ragtag little band that’s left with torches and watering pots. It’s not just a battle or two that God takes his chances with, either. Have you thought about his handling of the gospel? God needs to get a message out to the human race, without which they will perish . . . forever. What’s the plan? First, he starts with the most unlikely group ever: a couple of prostitutes, a few fishermen with no better than a second-grade education, a tax collector. Then, he passes the ball to us. Unbelievable."
(Wild at Heart , 31–32)

I would never have dreamed...

Thinking about the move, the house that sold in 11 days during a blizzard and all that God has done lately, and all that needs to be done.  Everything is not where I want it to be, and sometimes it seems like things are a little worse.  I just have to remember it's who He is, not what He does, or what I do that matters.  He is Good..this will all work to His glory, somehow.  I would never have dreamed we would have come this far. 


Came out of a Lifegroup meeting the other night where we had talked about "divine moments".  As we were driving we saw a sign that said "Change your life, Change your world". It reminded me of the verse I read that morning from Mark 2:22

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."

Just then I started to play the song someone mentioned at the lifegroup meeting (downloaded on iTunes): Carrie Underwood's song "Temporary Home". We are just passing through a house, lets not get distracted by the windows. Its worth a listen (click here http://da98808.blogspot.com/):

Little boy, six years old
A little too used to being alone
Another new mom and dad, another school
Another house that’ll never be home
When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

This is my temporary home
It’s not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I’m passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I’m going
I’m not afraid because I know
This is my temporary home
 
A young mom on her own
She needs a little help, got no where to go
She’s looking for a job, looking for a way out
‘Cause a half-way house will never be a homeAt night she whispers to her baby girl
Someday we’ll find our place here in this world
This is our temporary home
It’s not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we’re passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where we’re going
I’m not afraid because I know
This is our temporary home

Old man, hospital bed
The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers, “don’t cry for me,
I’ll see you all someday”
He looks up and says,
“I can see God’s face”
This is my temporary home
It’s not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I’m passing through
This was just a stop on the way to where I’m going
I’m not afraid because I know
This was my temporary home

This is our temporary home

Happy Groundhog Day

Today is a big day for my family and I...we put our house up for sale after nearly 10 years.  Most people who know me know why.....but here is part of what God has put on may heart after asking him, talking to many friends who care and love God, fasting and listening....we are meant for so much more that the life we have had here. 

A big push came from reading the book "One Month to Live", that asked the simple question, how would you live your life differently.  The answer was clear.   

 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."   Matt 16:2

Jesus said….
 “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matt 22:37-40

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. Matt 5:46

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Luke 4:18-19

 The mission statement from Jesus is clear.....we are not meant to live the same day over and over again, but meet him as we reach out to others.   A lot like the movie Groundhog day...we were meant for so much more

Just as I Am, Without One Plea

"If you lost everything, would he be enough?"

A man who spoke this from experience, covenant, relationship....not theology.

A key to access and communion is not believing we are ready, but that HE IS WILLING.  Thanks Tony, Scott and TJ for the constant reminders of the Truth.  He came to save the prisoner, the lost, the blind, the lame, the sick...just as we are.  I write this today as one with doubts about many things, but not about this.

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.  Rom 8:38-39


Just as I Am, Without One Plea
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Text: Charlotte Elliott, 1789-1871
Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868

You wont relent: Wilson "Snowflake" Bently

I died a little today. Preparing for the future, it was a good day to die. It snowed.

"The Wild Goose Chase" from my friend Bill told the story of Wilson Bently...."I want to die the way that Wilson Bently died" writes the author. Bently was a snowflake photographer. Bently wrote this:"Under the microscope I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty could not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design, and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted that design was forever lost."

Wilson "Snowflake" Bently died walking through a severe snowstorm in 1931. He died doing what he loved. Pursuing his "God-ordained passions...life is too short for anything less". It was great to read this to my 8 year old son Sean, and for my wife to be there.

Thats how God pursues us. That's how we were meant to live, relentlessly, passionately.



My new favorite song...

You won't relent
Chris Quilala (Written by Misty Edwards)

I won't relent until you have it all
You have a seal upon my heart

Many waters cannot quench this love

Come be the fire inside of me.....
come be the flame inside my heart
Come be the fire inside of me.....
until you and i are i one

come be our passion.......come be our passion.......
God come dwell inside of us
our heart is .....yours
Lord we desire you
we hunger for you God

there is nothing we want more Lord
there is nothing we want more Lord
there is nothing we want more Lord
there is nothing we want more than you Jesus