Do you believe a moving of the Holy Spirit in history-changing revival is possible in our sceptical, self-wise, divided world today? A revival that is not programmed or planned, and that does not glorify any group or personality, but glorifies Jesus? Can we see our sons and daughters turn to God and make and keep copvenant with Him?
Such a moving of the Spirit would be in response to prayer, but not the cause-and-effect of merit earned, or grace deserved. How can we pray with power for this moving of the Spirit? Maybe we already are! But in twos and threes and in unashamed prayer meetings in churches of many denominations the cry for help is beginning- continuing!
If we sow to the Spirit we will reap! (Galatians 6:7-9) There are more people in church each Sunday in our nation, as needy as it is—more people than in all the football and baseball games!! We are NOT a minority!! The little church with 45 worshipers, multiplied by thousands, along with the larger churches add up in numbers. Yes, numbers, of themselves, may not mean a lot. But if we unite in prayer—just asking the Prince of Peace to come! Come in his own way, but come! By His Spirit he will convict and convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and judgment to come!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on our war-torn, hate-riven world. Lord Jesus Christ, send your Spirit, and grant a revival! To the glory of the Father, Amen!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The WORD of God
I have a big problem when someone declares 'God told me this' or 'THIS is what God is saying to you.' It is a very serious thing to speak for God- TO SAY THIS IS GOD'S WORD ! Just what IS God's Word? What do we mean by "The Word of the Lord" ?? Just where is the word of the Lord?
The Bible? Certainly! It is the written word. But the Bible does not save us from our sins. In John 5:39 Jesus says "Search the scriptures, for in them ye THINK ye have eternal life, and they are they that testify of ME!" So as we read the Bible and hear its message we become acquainted with the story of Jesus; we believe we come to know HIM.
Jesus Christ! Absolutely! Jesus alone is the LIVING Word sent down from heaven. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the WORD!" We talk about mystery when we think of Jesus dwelling in us! The 'Message" of God's love has reached where we are . . .we 'know' Jesus--we are coming to know Him.
But thye fact is that most people do not read the Bible- and most people do not consciously invite Jesus to be a part of their lives.
Colossians 3:16 says: "LET THE WORD DWELL IN YOU RICHLY"
The Word of God in the CHURCH? In YOU? In ME? Yes- the Word of God also resides corporately and individually in the Body of Christ. The written Word and the living Word speak to us, and when we worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ--when we are tuned in in prayer and submission and faith-- when we invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and use us--then God's people become in a very real way THE WORD OF GOD SPEAKING TO OUR WORLD.
From time to time we see God in other people. We hear God's voice. Not as they "tell us what God said for us to do"-- but in the mystery of incarnation continued through the living Body of Christ.
The Bible? Certainly! It is the written word. But the Bible does not save us from our sins. In John 5:39 Jesus says "Search the scriptures, for in them ye THINK ye have eternal life, and they are they that testify of ME!" So as we read the Bible and hear its message we become acquainted with the story of Jesus; we believe we come to know HIM.
Jesus Christ! Absolutely! Jesus alone is the LIVING Word sent down from heaven. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the WORD!" We talk about mystery when we think of Jesus dwelling in us! The 'Message" of God's love has reached where we are . . .we 'know' Jesus--we are coming to know Him.
But thye fact is that most people do not read the Bible- and most people do not consciously invite Jesus to be a part of their lives.
Colossians 3:16 says: "LET THE WORD DWELL IN YOU RICHLY"
The Word of God in the CHURCH? In YOU? In ME? Yes- the Word of God also resides corporately and individually in the Body of Christ. The written Word and the living Word speak to us, and when we worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ--when we are tuned in in prayer and submission and faith-- when we invite the Holy Spirit to fill us and use us--then God's people become in a very real way THE WORD OF GOD SPEAKING TO OUR WORLD.
From time to time we see God in other people. We hear God's voice. Not as they "tell us what God said for us to do"-- but in the mystery of incarnation continued through the living Body of Christ.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
RED SOX DOWN UNDER
Last night about 9:30 I checked my email and had a nice letter from Alison (Farmer) Clark, the daughter of our dear departed brother, Brian Farmer, and sister, Joyce Farmer of Scotland (even though they were both very much Birmingham, England, products!!). The Alan/Alison Clarks have emigrated to Australia. We consider them family.
Anyway the letter came through and Alison mentioned that at that moment her son Daniel (a high school senior) was watching the Red Sox playing the Baltgimore Oriole. So was I at that moment. (The Sox won 4-0 by the way.)
The funny thing was that it was Friday evening here, and it was Saturday afternoon, THE NEXT DAY, over there in Australia. I was thinking Daniel could know what is happening before it happens--and then realized--I have it backwards-- I should let him know today--oh well-- you see how confusing it all is??
Daniel says he wants to become a teacher, live in Quincy, Massachusetts, and haved season tickets to the Red Sox. All that is probably possible-- except the season tickets-- unless someone dies and leaves them to him.
Anyway the letter came through and Alison mentioned that at that moment her son Daniel (a high school senior) was watching the Red Sox playing the Baltgimore Oriole. So was I at that moment. (The Sox won 4-0 by the way.)
The funny thing was that it was Friday evening here, and it was Saturday afternoon, THE NEXT DAY, over there in Australia. I was thinking Daniel could know what is happening before it happens--and then realized--I have it backwards-- I should let him know today--oh well-- you see how confusing it all is??
Daniel says he wants to become a teacher, live in Quincy, Massachusetts, and haved season tickets to the Red Sox. All that is probably possible-- except the season tickets-- unless someone dies and leaves them to him.
Friday, August 31, 2007
On Growing Older
I thought the other day-- less than three-and-a-half years and I'll be entering the ninth decade of life. That's a pessimistic way of looking at 80. Growing older one can expect a number of things to happen.. and many of them are actually good. Well, some of them. What are they? I'm thinking.
Friends. Old people have their own humor. Really funny, too. You wouldn't always understand. Instant rapport with new ones sometimes- but always "old" old friends understand best. Trouble is so many of them now live in heaven. (I hope.)
Family "Family" is a big thing to me. But over the generations a family is like one of those computer-generated kalaidascope-like patterns that keep churning out unexpected loops and whorls and new turns and beauty.
When you stop to look at your place in the pattern it is easy to be overwhelmed and lose your place.
I knew my grandfather Purchis, and went fishing with him once; he gave me a shotgun when I turned 14. But I only saw him twice after I was married, and although I "loved" him he was really a stranger to me, what with the separation of miles and years. I didn't know my grandfather Metcalfe at all.
For me family love never stops, but patterns emerge and develop and old people have a place that touches the spinning circles, now intimately, then more and more remotely. We only have ONE father and ONE mother, but TWO sets of grandparents, and FOUR sets (that's 8!) great-grandparents so we never can have everyone "home" for Christmas! More's the pity!
Faith. Ask my son Mark about "pencil" "ink" and "blood." I really am into "blood." Sort of like things that are 'important to our group,' and things that are 'important beyond our group', and things that are IMPORTANT!
Funny how I still live a lot by "pencil" I suppose but I don't judge you by my rules.
It has been dawning on me that God actually loves (even) me! I can't explain a lot of things I used to "know." But I really do believe what I believe, however.
I believe in God's call to holiness. One definition of 'holiness' is simply belonging to God. Even I can do that! Belong, I mean! (See Romans 12: 1,2)
Friends. Old people have their own humor. Really funny, too. You wouldn't always understand. Instant rapport with new ones sometimes- but always "old" old friends understand best. Trouble is so many of them now live in heaven. (I hope.)
Family "Family" is a big thing to me. But over the generations a family is like one of those computer-generated kalaidascope-like patterns that keep churning out unexpected loops and whorls and new turns and beauty.
When you stop to look at your place in the pattern it is easy to be overwhelmed and lose your place.
I knew my grandfather Purchis, and went fishing with him once; he gave me a shotgun when I turned 14. But I only saw him twice after I was married, and although I "loved" him he was really a stranger to me, what with the separation of miles and years. I didn't know my grandfather Metcalfe at all.
For me family love never stops, but patterns emerge and develop and old people have a place that touches the spinning circles, now intimately, then more and more remotely. We only have ONE father and ONE mother, but TWO sets of grandparents, and FOUR sets (that's 8!) great-grandparents so we never can have everyone "home" for Christmas! More's the pity!
Faith. Ask my son Mark about "pencil" "ink" and "blood." I really am into "blood." Sort of like things that are 'important to our group,' and things that are 'important beyond our group', and things that are IMPORTANT!
Funny how I still live a lot by "pencil" I suppose but I don't judge you by my rules.
It has been dawning on me that God actually loves (even) me! I can't explain a lot of things I used to "know." But I really do believe what I believe, however.
I believe in God's call to holiness. One definition of 'holiness' is simply belonging to God. Even I can do that! Belong, I mean! (See Romans 12: 1,2)
Thursday, August 9, 2007
One Man’s Opinion of President George W. Bush
The hatred of George W. Bush is unreasonable, and approaches mob mentality. He is not always ‘right’ in his decisions, in terms of success or failure of this program or that; that does not mean he has been false in his integrity in seeking the best for his country.
As a Christian I believe it is my duty to pray for the leaders of government, local and nation and world-wide. If God could use pagan sovereigns such as Cyrus, and Darius to further his kingdom, he can rule and overrule the nations of our age in response to the prayers of his people.
George Bush publicly confesses Christ as his Lord. Repeatedly he has expressed the need for prayer. Certainly he deserves my sincere prayer support. My faith is not in him, nor in any political party. But if all the Christians who criticize would also sincerely pray for the leaders of our nation- pray for them by name- the spirit of our nation would be healed.
As a Christian I believe it is my duty to pray for the leaders of government, local and nation and world-wide. If God could use pagan sovereigns such as Cyrus, and Darius to further his kingdom, he can rule and overrule the nations of our age in response to the prayers of his people.
George Bush publicly confesses Christ as his Lord. Repeatedly he has expressed the need for prayer. Certainly he deserves my sincere prayer support. My faith is not in him, nor in any political party. But if all the Christians who criticize would also sincerely pray for the leaders of our nation- pray for them by name- the spirit of our nation would be healed.
Perspective on Being Fabulously Wealthy
I Corinthians 3 "All things are yours!" What in the world does that mean?
When we think of wealth in terms of money or fame and the other marks of our culture we tend get everything backward. The reason is we presume thatwe know what will really makes us whole, happy, fulfilled.
When we think of God and church like the culture pressures us to think we are pressured to "add faith" to our lives just in case there may be some truth to this heaven and hell stuff. We work hard so that we can retire from work.
We think of worship and beauty in worship as superfluous, and want religion that is "practical" and that "meets our needs.
"We think that "belonging wholly to Christ" is something for missionaries or for people stupid enough to be missionaries or full-time pastors or Christian college professors.
We think that really being serious about our faith must be likegoing on a diet: everything good is fattening.
But the Bible tells us that when we belong to Jesus everything good in the universe is in orbit around our best interest!
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
Not because in and of yourself you are so great-- but you areChrist's
and Christ is God's
and so Your work is God's work
and God'swork is your work and
Your work and worship is attended by angels...
(...from a sermon on I Corinthians 3)
When we think of wealth in terms of money or fame and the other marks of our culture we tend get everything backward. The reason is we presume thatwe know what will really makes us whole, happy, fulfilled.
When we think of God and church like the culture pressures us to think we are pressured to "add faith" to our lives just in case there may be some truth to this heaven and hell stuff. We work hard so that we can retire from work.
We think of worship and beauty in worship as superfluous, and want religion that is "practical" and that "meets our needs.
"We think that "belonging wholly to Christ" is something for missionaries or for people stupid enough to be missionaries or full-time pastors or Christian college professors.
We think that really being serious about our faith must be likegoing on a diet: everything good is fattening.
But the Bible tells us that when we belong to Jesus everything good in the universe is in orbit around our best interest!
ALL THINGS ARE YOURS!
Not because in and of yourself you are so great-- but you areChrist's
and Christ is God's
and so Your work is God's work
and God'swork is your work and
Your work and worship is attended by angels...
(...from a sermon on I Corinthians 3)
Thursday, August 2, 2007
"Follow ME!" (-Jesus)
I am probably pretty naive, but I'll say it anyway:
There arejust two kinds of people in this world . . . only two kinds oflife-goals:
1) Those who believe that Jesus IS -- is there for them tobuild their lives on . . . AND
2) Those who think they can "fit Jesus in", that Jesus changeswith the times.
It may come as a shock to you, but YOU CAN'T FIT JESUS INTOYOUR LIFE PLANS!
Jesus is the "odd-shaped cornerstone" that only works ONE WAY:
You can trust Him, and build onHim, and He will never let you down as long as you live! or else--He simply always gets in the way!
The first kind of people are people who really believe thatJesus doesn't change, and so they dare to follow him through the changing scenes of life. They believe that Jesus is NOT simply who wemake Him out to be. He is not the private, personal "God of our choice", but the God that IS! He is YHWH!
The second kind of people are people who act as if JesusChrist is in the same category as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.They may never admit it out loud, but instead of staying in personal touch with Jesus they begin to accept what the experts say about Him,or they stop talking to Him because that is what little kids and old,old people do.
And so they change their god to fit their world instead of the other way around.The secret of joy in the Christian Way is this:
If you dare to put Jesus first, follow Him no matter where He seems to be leading you, and build your life around Him, then your salvation "experience" will be becoming a relationship!
God is not only your Savior from sin, but your Friend, who desires the very best for you!
Prayer: Lord we come to You, the Eternal God! We thank You we can dare to build our lives on You. Give us grace to make and keep covenant with You and live to please You. In Jesus' name, AMEN
There arejust two kinds of people in this world . . . only two kinds oflife-goals:
1) Those who believe that Jesus IS -- is there for them tobuild their lives on . . . AND
2) Those who think they can "fit Jesus in", that Jesus changeswith the times.
It may come as a shock to you, but YOU CAN'T FIT JESUS INTOYOUR LIFE PLANS!
Jesus is the "odd-shaped cornerstone" that only works ONE WAY:
You can trust Him, and build onHim, and He will never let you down as long as you live! or else--He simply always gets in the way!
The first kind of people are people who really believe thatJesus doesn't change, and so they dare to follow him through the changing scenes of life. They believe that Jesus is NOT simply who wemake Him out to be. He is not the private, personal "God of our choice", but the God that IS! He is YHWH!
The second kind of people are people who act as if JesusChrist is in the same category as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.They may never admit it out loud, but instead of staying in personal touch with Jesus they begin to accept what the experts say about Him,or they stop talking to Him because that is what little kids and old,old people do.
And so they change their god to fit their world instead of the other way around.The secret of joy in the Christian Way is this:
If you dare to put Jesus first, follow Him no matter where He seems to be leading you, and build your life around Him, then your salvation "experience" will be becoming a relationship!
God is not only your Savior from sin, but your Friend, who desires the very best for you!
Prayer: Lord we come to You, the Eternal God! We thank You we can dare to build our lives on You. Give us grace to make and keep covenant with You and live to please You. In Jesus' name, AMEN
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