OCTOBER 1, 2018

“The ragamuffin who sees his life as a voyage of discovery and runs the risk of failure has a better feel for faithfulness than the timid man who hides behind the law and never finds out who he is at all.” 
― Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out

ISAIAH 22-23

17At the end of seventy years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. 18Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes. (23:17)

EPHESIANS 3

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family^a in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

JOURNAL 

Reading these passages from Paul...it can at times seem like he is speaking another language.  It saddens me to think how far I fall from really living this way. How my community does not look this way, how I depend so much on the culture and comfort and all the trappings of suburbia rather than truly seeking God with a community of believers.

Reality is that people mostly seek God in desperation...not in gratitude. I hate that about myself, I hate that often I am closest to God when I myself have failed...when I can't figure life out. Does it have to be this way? I don't think it is an absolute necessity...however it usually is the way it happens. Yet with God all things are possible, but I must seek  God always, not as just an answer to my own problems but because I realize the ineptness of my own wisdom. I realize the trappings of my own patterns of behavior. I realize that apart from God I am nothing and am just a vapor. I realize that with God I have the power and love of the creator of the universe and of all things. Why would I ever shrink back from trusting God? Why would I ever go my own way? Why would I ever rely on the things of this world rather than seeking and trusting God?

 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 

EPHESIANS 2:4-5

SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

“A quiet conscience makes one strong!” 
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

ISAIAH 19-21

 4My heart falters,

fear makes me tremble;

the twilight I longed for

has become a horror to me. (21:4)

EPHESIANS 2

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^a and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

JOURNAL 

To truly quiet the mind...especially in moments of stress is an amazing gift of God. Quieting the mind and hearing from God is not just for times of high stress and anxiety but also during the good moments as well. For it is in these that I can fully embrace the wondrous gifts of life. It is crazy to me how my mind often fights against these moments of solitude and quiet. I can see how I am addicted to being entertained and having my thoughts occupied. Yet it is clear from scripture that to truly hear from God...to truly tune myself with his spirit, requires that I shut down the the external and allow his spirit to take over my thoughts.  It is in doing this that I become in tune with all that he has for me today, this week, this month and this life.

7Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;do not fret when people succeed in their ways,when they carry out their wicked schemes.

PSALM 37:7

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

If you've got pain
He's a pain taker
If you feel lost
He's a way maker
If you need freedom or saving
He's a prison-shaking Savior
If you've got chains
He's a chain breaker

Zach Williams - Chain Breaker Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

ISAIAH 16-18

10You have forgotten God your Savior;

you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.

Therefore, though you set out the finest plants

and plant imported vines,

11though on the day you set them out, you make them grow,

and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud,

yet the harvest will be as nothing

in the day of disease and incurable pain. (18:10-11)

EPHESIANS 1

 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

JOURNAL 

The power that we possess in Christ is the equivalent of what raised Jesus from the dead...what? How can that be? This is what Ephesians says...this is scripture and it is not taken out of context. This is the word Paul sent to the Ephesians. This is the power that opened his eyes to all that Jesus is...this is the power that performed miracles and saved lives. This is the power that lives within us. What then am I to fear? What am I to shrink back from? Why would I ever doubt the path he leads me down...he can take all the pain, plow the way, open the prison and break all the chains. Do I believe it? That is the question....

 6You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

NEHEMIAH 9:6

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

“‎What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and work flow.” 
― Martin Luther

ISAIAH 13-15

13You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.^b

14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

15But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,

to the depths of the pit.(14:13-15)

GALATIANS 6

1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5for each one should carry their own load. 6Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

JOURNAL 

Thinking through this whole concept of carrying each other's burdens. I think of how one of the greatest joys in life is knowing that you are not alone...that someone understands...that someone connects with how you feel and is willing to sit with you in those times and places when you feel lost and alone.

In those times and moments it is like a cold drink of water on a hot day, or sitting next to a warm fire after being outside in the cold. The power God gives us in compassion, love and understanding is an amazing power and one that should never be dismissed.  Likewise there is great joy in being that for someone else. I know there are times when I have felt God moving in me as I listened and created space for someone else.

I think in a large part that is what we are here to do...to create space...sacred space...space for us and God...and space for others. The sacred space is that holy place between what happens to us and how we respond. It is in this space that we find ourselves, it is in this space that we find God. The more we are able to seek God in the midst of circumstances and seek this space for guidance and wisdom, we then are able to find God's heart and also ours. To be part of this for another human being is Godly because it fulfills our deepest longing (connection) and connects us in God's mission for our lives.

 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

MATTHEW 28:18-20

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018

“Spirituality is not to be learned by flight from the world, or by running away from things, or by turning solitary and going apart from the world. Rather, we must learn an inner solitude wherever or with whomsoever we may be. We must learn to penetrate things and find God there.” 
― Meister Eckhart

ISAIAH 10-12

 “I will praise you, Lord.

Although you were angry with me,

your anger has turned away

and you have comforted me.

2Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense^a ;

he has become my salvation.”

3With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.(12:1-3)

GALATIANS 5

 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love...22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

JOURNAL 

My mind, my emotions and my habits are such a product of my past and my environment. They are a product of what I continually feed them with. The amazing thing about the spirit is that it actually allows me to separate myself from my thoughts, emotions and habits. It allows me to pause and consider God. It allows me to see that many times my initial thoughts and emotions do not reflect truth or reality. To be able to pause...seek God and actually choose a different way is essentially what makes me human.

These are the truths that fill the whole of scripture. God's spirit gives us the power to step outside of all of the power of habits and hurts and fears and emotions. It allows me to realize that beyond the storm clouds and wind and rain is a blue peaceful sky. It is this constant that is most symbolic of God and his spirit. The storms are never constant but the blue sky peace of God is...so regardless of the circumstances I can have peace, I can have joy, I can act in love and I can live out the fruits of God's spirit.

 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 TIMOTHY 1:7