Prayer request

Update 7/31/08-It appears that the more seriously injured of our friends is out of the woods. It will be a long recovery, and prayers are still appreciated. Thank you for prayers already offered and those to come.

Some close family friends were shot in yesterday’s church shooting down in Knoxville. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Water

Not much to add except, “Amen.”

Let me be blunt. When we stand before our Saviour, he isn’t going to quiz on the latest and greatest books by Christian authors we’ve read, (NT Wright or otherwise) – or the Contemporary Christian Music we’ve listened to to assuage our souls – or even the wondrous edifices we’ve built in his name. He’s going to ask us“when I was hungry, did you feed me, when I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink, when I was alone did you invite me in, when I needed covering did you clothe me, when I was in prison, did you come to me?”- Bill Kinnon, Achievable Ends

HT and Thanks Bill

Thought this was kinda funny

From my Amazon.com page-

(Don’t try to draw any Brokeback Mountain inferences. Just an interesting mix of interests.)

 

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ESV, The ESV Study Bible (Hardcover)   Motorola Q Global Smartphone (AT&T) by Motorola Trojan Elexa Ultra Sensitive Premium Lubricated Condoms – 72 by Trojan Two Men With The Blues ~ Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis

“Here’s the problem ….”

Had lunch with a good friend today.

Almost all the conversation was about the problems in his church.

First, he likes a more traditional worship style than the church has. The worship leader is quite a bit younger than he is, and has adopted some of the habits and tools of younger worship leaders all over the place. Like talking between and during songs. My friend jokingly said he’d like a sign on stage facing the worship leader that would flash, “SHUT UP AND SING THE SONG ALREADY!”.

He’s also seen the inner workings of the church. All the power plays, manipulation, agendas, stubbornness, pettiness and dysfunction that messed up folks trying, and sometimes trying not, to do God’s kingdom work inevitably showcase. It can make you pretty cynical, especially as it touches you personally. It’s touched him pretty hard, and repeatedly, up side his head.

But my friend isn’t thoroughly hardened yet. He still finds tears in his eyes as he sings of his own brokenness, and adoration for his Lord.

That any of us inside the church can do this is pretty much a miracle in my book.

That anyone outside it can see through all the mess and find Jesus is most definitely a miracle of the first order.

Correction

In my last post I partially answered this question. 

Here is a better, more truthful, more concise partial answer.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Phil. 2:3,4

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” -Philo of Alexandria

It is, after all, the most excellent way.

A partial answer

Here’s the question.

Now, a partial answer.

1. Stop living for myself. I am incredibly self-centered and manipulative. If I want something, I can will start planning how best to broach the subject, present my case, and take advantage of circumstances to get it. From sex, to a new computer, to a position in an organization, it’s all about how I can get what I want. 

2. Quit pretending all the time. I have no idea how to be real. I’m all about crafting a persona, gauging a crowd, or a person, to figure out what will present me in the best light.

3. Stop playing it safe and comfortable. That’s my whole life, “safe and comfortable”.

4. Quit playing around with God. I need to be serious when I say that He is my King, and that I’ll do whatever He tells me to.

5. Love others. Not the side-hugging, schmaltzy, crap the world associates with us. But the sacrificial, messy, ugly, hip deep in the hurt and dysfunction kind of love that I don’t want to give to people I really don’t want to be around.

6. Stop all the competitive crap.  I want to be thought of as the spiritual one, not someone else. I want to be asked to lead this or that, not someone else. I shouldn’t have to win, I should be glad when others are doing well. But….

7. I should actually do things in secret, where God sees, and not in order to be seen and praised by men.

8. Obey what I already know, and quit nuancing scripture. I shouldn’t expect to be shown anything more if I’m not willing to obey what I’ve already been shown.

A quickie

Here’s a famous quotation.

“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

-Mohandas Gandhi

What about my life would have to change to fix this?

Stupifying. Sadly though, not surprising.

I’m posting this without comment.

BBC-  An eight-year-old boy has sparked an unlikely outcry in Sweden after failing to invite two of his classmates to his birthday party.

The boy’s school says he has violated the children’s rights and has complained to the Swedish Parliament.

The school, in Lund, southern Sweden, argues that if invitations are handed out on school premises then it must ensure there is no discrimination.

The boy’s father has lodged a complaint with the parliamentary ombudsman.

He says the two children were left out because one did not invite his son to his own party and he had fallen out with the other one.

The boy handed out his birthday invitations during class-time and when the teacher spotted that two children had not received one the invitations were confiscated.

“My son has taken it pretty hard,” the boy’s father told the newspaper Sydsvenskan.

“No one has the right to confiscate someone’s property in this way, it’s like taking someone’s post,” he added.

A verdict on the matter is likely to be reached in September, in time for the next school year.

 

Think it’s a joke? click here