An Eye for Redemption

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Liberal Theologians on Hell
2008-06-07 20:09:00
Over at Karen's Say What?!? blog we have been having a discussion about Hell or, as my blogging friend Brian calls it, eternal conscious torment. So I thought it interesting when fellow Kansas Citian and blogger Bill Tammeus yesterday included the topic on his blog. Following is an excerpt from Bill's blog:The June 3 issue of the Christian Century, generally considered a mainstream or liberal Christian voice, contains a collection of essays from various theological thinkers about hell. In some ways, it's a little surprising to see such a publication devote so much space and energy to a subject that, frankly, doesn't get a lot of attention these days in Mainline churches.Perhaps even more intriguing is the almost unanimous insistence among the writers that the doctrine of hell has -- and must have -- an important place in Christian theology and that people who want to throw it out give away far too much.The piece seems not to be available online, but I want to give you a few high...
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A Manifesto for Church
2008-06-06 16:29:00
Jeff tagged me asking for my perspectives on what a church should look like. I am not going to tag anyone else on this one but if you want to opine about it at your place then visit Jeff's blog and get the rules for the post.. and let me know if you do. Here are some of my thoughts (in brief) about what an ideal church might look like:ekklesia: this is the Greek word that is most often (115 times) translated church in the New Testament. This word denotes a gathering of people called together for a common purpose.. it could be used for people called to a town hall meeting as well as to a church service. The idea here is that people are called to be together - the emphasis being on the word together. I think that it is sad that some feel that they do not need others in Christ's body. So, the first idea about an ideal church revolves around a sense of being called together. Believers all over the globe, in very diverse ways, are called together to walk out and work out the kingdom to...
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Intercessory Prayer
2008-06-04 16:49:00
This weekend I corresponded with a friend about intercessory prayer. Here are a few thoughts that I shared with this very compassionate person:The Lord?s prayer is a good prayer to pray at a macro level. I believe God wants us to invite Him into our world and praying the Lord?s prayer is a good way to do it. The question of God?s will can be summed up with this question: Are our prayers factored in to God?s will? I think that the answer is yes because another part of His prayer is asking His kingdom to come. When we invite His kingdom to come we pray on a macro level for the miraculous and supernatural.. we ask Him to invade our dark world and our dark lives with His light. Of course much of the Lord?s prayer deals with our relationship with Him.. inviting Him in to change us from the inside out.On a less than macro level I believe that prayer is the work of the Holy Spirit.. being moved by His goodness.. moved by His compassion.. being His vessel here on earth. In the same way that...
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Longing for Cool Water
2008-06-02 16:24:00
I listened to this video and prayed Psalm 42 this morning. It is a great psalm to pray when you are confused, heartbroken and in need of the comfort of God's spirit. Pray it today.. right where you are.As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for you, the living God. When can I go and worship in your presence? Day and night I cry, and tears are my only food; all the time my enemies ask me, "Where is your God?" My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God and led them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and shouting praise to God. Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God. Here in exile my heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to him. He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul; chaos roars at me like a flood, like waterfalls thundering down to the Jordan from Mount Hermon and Mount Mizar.May the LORD show his ...
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How do we dignify the pain?
2008-05-25 21:55:00
I commend to you today this excellent message with the same title as this post. It was given by my good friend Livie Sanchez (pictured here with husband Tony) at church this morning. Of course, if you are a complementarian you should listen to it in private :)In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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Healing Friends
2008-05-24 22:18:00
I sense that this will be a rough post to write. It is a followup to a post that I wrote in February titled Wholeness. In that post I wrote about some people at church and their reaction to my wife Ann being in a wheelchair.. I spoke about how some folks.. even though they are well meaning.. come across as condescending and a bit annoying when they obsessed about my wife being healed.Well recently, when Ann was in the hospital for an extended 38 day stay, I began to experience a new kind of phenomenon.. many people came to me extolling the Lakeland Revival telling me that Ann should watch it and maybe God would heal her over the TV or Internet.. no joke.. it is what some told me. For those of you who aren't familiar with this revival you may want to check out Lee Grady's article on it.. my friend Jason also wrote about his experiences in Lakeland. This post however is not about Lakeland but about how people have reacted to it.. and in specific how I am internally processing their ...
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Being True to Your Heart
2008-05-23 19:06:00
Today's post comes to you compliments of Kim Allen, of heartmath.com. While Kim does not use the bible to make her points, I find many of her ideas consistent with living a life consistent with God's spirit Who lives inside of us. I hope that you enjoy it.Without thinking about it, point to yourself. You probably didn't point to your head. Rather, you pointed to the center of your chest, the area around your heart.And the reason most of us do is evident in the way the word heart is used in just about every culture and language around the world: Follow your heart; speak from your heart; in your heart you know. All metaphors for the authentic you!Being true to your heart is the formula for living the life you want. You're fulfilled, content and at peace. You feel care, appreciation, love, joy, compassion, kindness?heart-felt emotions that not only feel good, but are good for you, too. Is it any wonder we all live for the moments our hearts come alive?A good first step is to sort t...
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Awesome Creation
2008-05-19 14:21:00
"Man has made many machines, complex and cunning, but which of them indeed rivals the workings of his heart?" -Pablo CasalsThis quote came across my eDesk this morning and got me to reflecting, with awe, about God's creation. Whether you embrace theistic evolution or merely accept the idea that God formed Adam out of the dust, you have to agree that we are wonderfully made.. humanity is an amazing creation. When I think about the functioning of our hearts and brains.. I am simply in awe of it all. It reminds me of this passage:Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)Made in God's image.. no wonder our hearts are without rival!In the seemingly most tragic event...
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Sunday Morning Coming Down
2008-05-16 19:42:00
I am moved every time I hear this song.. to think about folks that are lonely.. folks that are really hurting.. folks that have lost their way.. folks just like me that need a friend.. dear Jesus pour out your grace in us and through us.. help us to befriend someone who is lonely today.In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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The Grace of Wrath
2008-05-13 00:41:00
In her excellent (and brief) Christianity Today article, titled The Grace of Wrath , Carolyn Arends paints a picture of wrath being an expression of God's love. Here are a few excerpts from it:When Evan Almighty hit theaters last summer, some evangelicals worried that elements of the movie were sacrilegious. One of their particular objections got me thinking.In the film, God (played by Morgan Freeman) claims that people miss the point of the story of Noah's Ark because they think it's about God's anger, when really it's a "love story." Some Christians saw that statement as an offensive distortion of the Genesis account of God's wrath. Their protest left me pondering what I suspect is a fundamentally important question: Is there any story about God that isn't a love story?...God is love, BUT God hates sin. How does one hold those two realities in tension? I unconsciously developed a theology that intermittently had God the Son and God the Father in a good cop, bad cop routine, ...

Friend of My Wounded Heart
2008-05-10 23:54:00
I was listening to Wayne Watson's Friend of a Wounded Heart on my Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir CD the other day. As I listened I thought about how relevant the words were to me. So here are the words with my reflections interspersed:Smile, make them think you're happyLie, and say that things are fine.And hide that empty longing that you feelDon't ever show it, just keep your heart concealed. Once upon a time in my life I lived like this. I hid my deep-seated pain and disappointment with God and with life. The devastation of my first wife's death drove me into hiding.Why are the days so lonely?I wonder where, where can a heart go free?And who will dry the tears that no one sees?There must be someone to share your silent dreams. The journey out of my pain was a road filled with quiet desperation and tears. It was very difficult to share my pain with friends - I hated it when I lost it in front of them.Caught like a leaf in the windLooking for a friend, where can you turn?Whisper the ...

Institutionalized Education
2008-04-28 17:31:00
I watched a thought provoking video on education over at Jason's blog this morning. Jason asked us this question:My question, as you watch, is how does this apply to the church? Does it have relevance to the way we should do things at all? Now or in the future, how do you transition? If schools teach from a 19th century paradigm in the 21st century, what about the church?Here is the way that I sort-of answered: I have believed for a very long time that our school system is targeted at a small minority.. most of the folks who are successful in school have a style of learning that is very compatible with the manner of teaching in "institutionalized education" ... hey, I liked saying that ... usually it is someone who is unhappy with church that says "institutionalized church" :)Seriously, the problems in US education far outshadow that of church in America.. I wonder why we never hear about this? Maybe it is because the "institutionalized church" has bought into "institutionalized ed...
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When you forgive....
2008-04-27 14:47:00
This morning I commend you to the reading of a post with the same name as this one at Julie's place. Here is an excerpt from this very beautiful accounting of her journey of forgiveness:I joined Campus Crusade in the usual way: within minutes, I was sharing the Four Spiritual Laws with unbelievers. I had determined in college that I'd do it all differently, all rightly, all better. My Bible study leaders taught us about sin. I wanted truth. They tried to get me to see my own sin. All I could see were the sins of others against me.It would have been incredibly helpful, in looking back, if someone had simply mentioned that Jesus died not just for my sins (sins I couldn't see, identify or feel), but that he died for the sins against - for those sins committed against victims. It would have been even more helpful if I hadn't been admonished to forgive my parents, but had rather been told how important my pain was to God, how proud God was of me for caring that much about truth, just...
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A Jesus for Real Men
2008-04-20 01:06:00
This great Christianity Today article (of the same name as this post) written by Brandon O'Brien is subtitled:What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong.Here are a few excerpts that I liked: Besides offering an extremely narrow view of masculinity, this framework totally excludes women from real discipleship. To begin with, it blames them for neutering the gospel. Left in their hands, the church became nice and affirming and lost its vision to reach the world. Perhaps worse, if Christ is the model of masculinity, then women can't imitate him. They can pursue him as the lover of their souls. They can imitate his devotion to the Father in their relationships with their husbands. But they can't become like him in any essential way.Most importantly, Scripture gives no indication that Jesus came to earth to model masculinity. He is the "image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Col. 1:15). As such, he is not simply the perfect male; he is the perfect hu...
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Repentance from Religion
2008-04-19 22:31:00
My blog friend Sarah has written a really great post this week.Here is an appetizer:I used to believe the only way to follow God wholeheartedly 100% was to either be a missionary or to be in "full-time ministry" or to "have a ministry" (a paid or fundraising-supported function within a Christian organization, ministry or church). I wouldn't have articulated it that way, and if someone had articulated it to me that way, I wouldn't have intellectually agreed. But deep down, this was my functional paradigm. This belief was affected by Hellenistic dualism and its false dichotomization of sacred from secular.Please check out her whole post. You will be glad that you did!In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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Perseverance
2008-04-10 16:18:00
The bible is filled with people who overcame some of the most outrageous obstacles. I thought I'd take a few minutes while I sit here in my wife's hospital room.. speaking about persevering!.. to talk about a few of these people and comment about what they teach me about perseverance. I'll start with one of my favorites: Joseph. Here is what he said when he reflected on his brothers' betrayal; his false imprisonment and his life separated from his family: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." (Genesis 50:20)One aspect of persevering is the ability to see your past with an eye for redemption. This viewpoint will cause you to see God's fingerprints in your life.. it will keep bitterness from grabbing hold of you.. it will help you have a kingdom view of your life. This view kept Joseph in a place where God could use him to interpret dreams and find favor with Pharaoh.King Davi...
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Being "right" isn't enough
2008-04-05 17:02:00
Pearlie referred me to this Christianity Today article titled:Brian McLaren on the Homosexual Question:Finding a Pastoral ResponseThe article speaks about Brian's conversation with a young couple wanting to know about the church and homosexuality. Here is an excerpt that I loved from the article:I hesitate in answering "the homosexual question" not because I'm a cowardly flip-flopper who wants to tickle ears, but because I am a pastor, and pastors have learned from Jesus that there is more to answering a question than being right or even honest: we must also be . . . pastoral. That means understanding the question beneath the question, the need or fear or hope or assumption that motivates the question.We pastors want to frame our answer around that need; we want to fit in with the Holy Spirit's work in that person's life at that particular moment. To put it biblically, we want to be sure our answers are "seasoned with salt" and appropriate to "the need of the moment" (Col. 4; Ep...

Hope and Expectations
2008-04-04 22:32:00
Lately I have been meditating on what it means to have hope. The scripture that I have been thinking about is: And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)Many times in my life I have thought that my hopes have brought me disappointment. In retrospect it wasn't hope but expectations.I remember a time about 10 years ago when my heart was in a very dark place. My son was having troubles and I spoke to my pastor Jeff about it hoping he could help. Little happened that summer and I started resenting my pastor.. I expected him to follow-up with me.. I expected him to do something. Late that summer the Holy Spirit began to deal with me and asked me this question: Why do you expect Jeff to act when you have not c...
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Thine is the Kingdom
2008-04-04 18:15:00
Close your eyes and let Jesus' words wash over you!In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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Antiestablishmentarianism
2008-03-29 17:42:00
Dan's post got me to wondering:Is the Church supposed to be counter-culturalor a part of the Establishment?I would be interested in your thoughts on the subject. I am still pondering but it seems that the Church began as a somewhat rebellious expression of faith that rocked the religious and political world of its day. Many of Jesus' sayings could be construed as ones that wereI think that I have been, at least in the past, a proponent of working within the system to effect change - in hindsight I am not sure that is the best avenue. What do you think the church could or should be doing in our present day culture? Do you think that it is best to try to work within the system or something different? Luther started from within and wound up on the outside.. it seems to be a common pattern. Does anyone know of someone really making significant change from the inside?In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and wor...

Happy Easter
2008-03-23 19:02:00
In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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Strength in Weakness
2008-03-22 16:32:00
In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.

Good Friday
2008-03-21 13:39:00
He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:3-7,12)In the seemingly most tragi...
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In the Name of the Lord
2008-03-15 20:17:00
Just a short video to get you ready for Palm Sunday..There Is Strength In The Name Of The Lord !There Is Power In The Name Of The Lord !There Is Hope In The Name Of The Lord!Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord!In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.

Say Amen!
2008-03-14 22:46:00
This video is a message from Otis Moss III, the new senior pastor at Trinity Church of Christ.. Barack Obama's church. It is an uplifting message.. one that speaks to the courage to hope again. Hope you enjoy all 8 minutes of it.In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
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God the Spirit
2008-03-10 16:41:00
I regularly watch a famous TV pastor who uses the the phrase "Holy Spirit of God" or "God's Holy Spirit". I cringe each time I hear it because it subtly communicates the idea that the Holy Spirit is not a person.. the third person of the trinity. I do not want to give an exhaustive study on this but please consider these few verses: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." -John 16:7Jesus refers to the Spirit as "him".. because He is a person who can comfort and counsel us in a intimately personal way. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. -Romans 8:26-27This passage tells us that the Spirit h...
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My Tribute
2008-03-09 15:56:00
This was the song that .. the song that I first sung in April 1976 and ushered me into God's presence and changed my life forever. To God be the glory. Here are the Andre Crouch lyrics:My Tribute How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me? Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove Your love for me; the voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee. To God be the glory, to God be the glory, to God be the glory for the things He has done. With His blood He has saved me, with His power He has raised me; to God be the glory for the things He has done. Just let me live my life, let it pleasing, Lord to Thee, and if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.Play it again and close your eyes this time.. and worship.In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.

Strenghth in Weakness
2008-03-02 22:24:00
If you have a few minutes (about 42) to spare you might want to listen in on my sermon that I gave this morning titled Strength in Weakness. You can listen here and view the slides here. If you listen please let me know what you think.In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.

We Walk by Faith
2008-02-24 15:41:00
I heard this song today and wept. Sometimes a song can touch us like nothing else.We Walk by Faith We walk by faith and not by sightthrough the day and through the night.Every word of God is right.We walk by faith and not by sight.We walk by faith and not by sightthrough the day and through the night.Every word of God is right.We walk by faith and not by sight.As we walk the road of life, sometimes the way is hard.When strong winds blow and threaten us, we must trust the LordWe walk by faith and not by sightthrough the day and through the night.Take courage if you are hurting today. Life is sometimes difficult. In times like these it is important to know that we walk by faith and not by sight.In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.

Wholeness
2008-02-16 18:52:00
Since my wife Ann has been back at church these past few months I have noticed a trend that this cartoon seems to capture so well. People feel an overwhelming need to pray for someone in a wheelchair.. sometimes it can be a bit annoying.. and a bit condescending.Unlike the cartoon, however, I don't think that people have this reaction because they are looking down at my wife.. I just think that they are uncomfortable and don't know what else to do at times.. they are well meaning (I really mean that!) but would do better to engage Ann in conversation rather than pray for her.I also think that, in general, people are very outwardly focused in nature. This is one of the reasons that health and wealth preachers are so very successful.. they make the gospel all about externals.. they train people to look healthy on the outside even though they are inwardly sick.Wholeness is all about being well on the inside even though our flesh is broken.. and we all have broken flesh. Wholeness is ...