You Can Really Find the Cross Anywhere: You Just Have to Look!
My friend Steve posted this video a few weeks ago after he and a friend took an adventure to downtown Calgary. It is amazing that we can find Jesus all around us if we are just willing to open our eyes to his presence!
A Voyage Through Space
Recently while trying to recover from surgery I spent some time on NASA’s Website looking at the many pictures in there archives. I was blown away by there beauty as I strayed off in my own day dreams. I have always been fascinated by the idea of space travel and seeing all of the wonders of God’s creation! Anyway, I thought I would share some of those beautiful pictures with you.
Praying Through Psalm 77
I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
I take this time to focus my thoughts on your presence with in this very moment Father. I cry out to you to fill me with the presence of your Spirit as I draw to you in meditation. I open my heart just as I do my hands that it might be soft spoken in the aweness of your taking notice of me; your faithful and loving servant.
You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
I am thankful Father for your delivery through this past Tuesday’s surgery but, I seek after you in the pain I am experiencing now. I feel guilty in asking this of you and am hesitant to speak but in lack of sleep I cry out to you for mercy that you might hear my pains. My head is pounding like a ticking time bomb and my body screams within the agony of my joints. The cutting of flesh is done Father however, my heart continues to bleed. I am exhausted Father and feel the emotional settlement of feeling defeated.
Yet I am alert and look for the excitement of your guidance as I examine myself in spirit. Yes, I am in pain however I am alive! I bleed yet remember that you bled also and resurrection is soon to follow. My emotions may be squelching and yet I am surrounded by the blessings of family and a wife who loves me.
“Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
Of course not! I hold to your unending faith and your desire to be with me both in my times of need and in my times of great joy and celebration!
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
I know that the answer is simple and straight forward… “No!” I must confess in my own struggle to see this whole heartedly though Father. Perhaps it is within my own blindness but, why would you love me? Why would you bring compassion and graciousness to my existence as I am yet a small puppet within this glorious creation of yours?
This has no bearing however as I acknowledge all these within my life. You are truly a merciful, kind, and loving God who enriches my life with your graceful presence!
Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
I am once again reminded of you words to Job that “You are God” and we have little understanding yet of that. You are God and you have been at work since the dawn of creation. As you are the creator of the foundations of this world I can find new roots within your promises. My faith is renewed as I reflect on the times you have brought me through so much already!
I remember laying in an ICU bed in 1994 and you made a promise to me through the words of my mother that, “You and your father will be just fine.” I know even now with this pain that that promise is still true. You have great plans for the future and much work for me as your humble servant. Your seeds of fruit are great and nothing will hold them back!
When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
There is a fluidity to your creation Father. It rises and falls in crashing waves of love, kindness, goodness, mercy, and great blessing. It speaks of your ways both in the softness of beauty and the loud clashing of spiritual fire. I praise you Jesus for the glories you so richly disserve and I continue to seek after you in all my ways. I pray that you hear my words and bring me quick healing that I might bless you more through serving your people. Amen. Amen.
Six Word Memoirs: What’s Yours?
My Memoir: Wheels Help Make Life Roll Along!!!
Erik Freiburger
What would be your six word memoir?
Shake Hands with the Devil: Movie Night
Expressions of Courage
“How many lives can be saved in a fight against indifference when your only weapon is the courage to stand alone.”
You are not alone in the search for global justice! Tonight is a time to gather and find inspiration as we watch the film ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’; a true story about the Canadian Lieutenant General Romeo A. Dallaire and his experiences in Rwanda, Africa. Following the film will be a short presentation from Ricot Leon regarding his ‘Heart for Home’ and the dream he has to bring hope to the nation of Haiti. Popcorn and refreshments will be provided.
There is no official cost however; we ask that you might make a donation of any amount to ‘Heart for Home’ in the effort of supporting there work in building the hopes and dreams of the Haitian people. Together we can all find courage, strength, hope, and the ability to take a stand and make a difference in the world today!
Place: Oak Park Church – #11263 Oakfield Drive S.W. Calgary, Alberta
Day & Time: Saturday, March 8th, 2008 @ 6:30 pm – 10 pm
For more about the film visit: www.shakehandswiththedevilthemovie.com/.
For more about Ricot Leon and ‘Heart for Home’ visit: www.heartforhome.wordpress.com/
Thank you for your interest and support. If you would like any more information please email erik@ecfcommunity.org.
Guy Kawasaki and The Art of the Start: A Fresh Look at Entrepreneurial Evangelism
O.K. O.K. I know at first it seems like an oxymoron. How can entrepreneurial endeavors have anything to do with evangelistic practices? Perhaps it is from a “secular” framework but I think we could learn a lot from some of the ideas Guy Kawasaki talks about in his book ‘The Art of the Start’! What do you think?
Here is a great video of Guy talking about some of the things he has learned over the past decade in business. Mac users BEWARE!!! Ha, ha!
The Million Dollar Message
Recently I was reading a post on my friend Alan Hirsch’s blog ‘The Forgotten Ways’ titled ‘Consumption as Spirituality’. A fellow reader named Penny made a moving comment with regards to her friend in the hospital. I won’t share much of the comment however, I feel the pain that I think we humans all feel with the perplexities and paradoxical understandings we have with regards to the issue of death.
I must admit to being reminded of a sermon I did in regards to the practices of euthanasia several years ago called ‘The Million Dollar Message’. It was a sermon I wrote after Bonnie and I had blindly rented and watched Clint Eastwood’s film ‘The Million Dollar Baby’. For those of you that know me… this was deeply a personal attack and I felt overly compelled to respond. That said, I realize that the doorway we see as “death” is shrouded in things we don’t necessarily understand. Things that I don’t understand. Looking back… maybe… I was wrong. Then again… maybe not.
The Million Dollar Message!
Introduction
How many of you have seen the movie “Million Dollar Baby”?
Well that’s great because today I want to share with you the “Million Dollar Message”! And to begin I am going to use a quote that Eddy “Scrap Iron” Dupris said in the film.
He said “If there is any magic in boxing, it’s the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys, and detached retina’s. It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you.”
What battles do you face in life? What struggle is it that you find that keeps getting right up there in front of your face and seems to make life just impossible? And after you’ve got it there, what are you supposed to do with it?
Jesus too faced these questions and he addresses them in the passage that I want to explore with you. Turn back to today’s reading in Mark 8:31.
“GET BEHIND ME…”
This is a passage where Jesus is spending some time with his disciples, probably in the evening while sitting around the fire, and Jesus is telling them about the coming events that would be happening soon.
As he explains that these events will be a hard time and he himself would be facing great suffering and pain, Peter quickly pipes up saying “No Lord, don’t say that.” “Don’t say that you will have to suffer in anguish!”
I mean think about it! Jesus isn’t just saying poor me, he’s saying every person of worldly leadership, the government, the religious leaders, and educator’s of his country and culture will despise him and murder him. Probably on a cross. And Peter who has seen the horrific anguish and torture of people dieing on the cross is saying to his friend “Please Jesus, there has to be another way?”
Jesus responds “Get away from me Satan!” That’s pretty powerful words to use. So why would Jesus say this?
If we look back at Matthew 4:1-11 we can see that earlier Satan also tempted Jesus three times. One of which where he offers Jesus all the nations of the world if he would just bow down and worship him. He was offering Jesus a way to gain the whole world without having to suffer on the cross.
In the same way Peter, although motivated by a different purpose (the purpose of love for his master and not wanting to see him in pain), was still asking Jesus to avoid the cross. He was asking for another way in which Jesus could be King without having to suffer. Whether Peter knew it or not, the temptation was directed by the works of Satan.
By saying that Peter was looking at things from a human perspective, Jesus was pointing to the fact that Peter was quick to see the promise of glory and worship that come at the end of the road but he was blind to the path that Jesus had to walk in order to reach the end of the road.
Likewise, Satan is more then willing to let us see the promises that Jesus has for us but his illusion is to blind us from seeing the road in which we need to travel in order to receive those promises. We stumble around asking ourselves why must I go through this, why do “I” have to suffer.
With God’s vision though Jesus recognizes the fact that power and glory comes after hard work, persecution, deprivation, and suffering.
Jesus gives us to results for Peter in these first few verses.
First is the command “Get away from me Satan!” “Get out of my sight!” Recognize that his temptation is a lie. Recognize that it is a feeble attempt to cloud our focus from the truth that we have to first travel the road of hardship before we can receive the riches of heaven.
Secondly he says in the same words to Peter as we see in other translations “Get behind me…” Jesus is placing Peter back into the proper position of authority to which he belongs. Jesus is the master, he is our leader, the one who is holding the white towel, and Peter is the disciple. Plain and simple, we can’t follow what we can’t see!
Jesus is reminding us of the same thing. He is the one with the vision, the one who sees the invisible dream, and if we are going to be able to follow him we have to see him in front of us!
THREE STEPS OF TRAINING
Do you remember the scene in the movie were Frankie Dunn is taking Maggie Fitzgerald as his next fighter. Maggie is spilling guts out about all the hard work she’s doing and all the suffering and persecution she’s had to endure and wondering what it’s all for. Frankie finally concedes to training her under some specific conditions. He say’s “If I take you on you don’t say anything, you don’t question me, you don’t ask why, you don’t say anything except maybe yes Frankie.”
That’s exactly what Jesus does in the next few verses. Now that Peter is in the proper position to which he should be, Jesus gives three quick points, three conditions as to how we can follow him as his disciples.
First he says “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.”
Jesus was aware of the persecution that the church would later face and he also knew the purposes the Romans had for there acts in crucifying people. See the Romans would not only whip the people they were crucifying to dull the pain of the crucifixion itself but they would also tie the cross beam of the cross to the shoulders of there victims and make them carry it to the site of execution. This cross beam which would weigh in excess of 60 pounds or more would cut and scrap the raw backs of their victims and was meant to be a representation to the people of their submission to Roman authority.
Jesus is asking for that same allegiance. That we would submit inspite of pain and anguish all our authority to him right down to the place and time of our death. He was saying that the promises he has for us are greater then even death itself and they were worth sacrificing every part of our self desire for. We begin living our lives with an attitude that says “What I want is irrelevant!”
Maltbie Babdcock once wrote that “Present suffering is not enjoyable, but life would be worth little without it. The difference between iron and steel is fire, but steel is worth all it costs. Iron ore may think itself senselessly tortured in the furnace, but when the watch-spring looks back, it knows better. David enjoyed pain and trouble no more than we do, but the time came when he admitted that they had been good for him. Though the aspect of suffering is hard, the prospect is hopeful, and the retrospect will start a song, if we are “the called according to his purpose,” in suffering.”
Jesus’ second condition is that “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.”
In the early parts of the movie do you remember the scene where the character Big Willie Little is in the fight of his life and he gets a shot to the side of the head where he gets cut under the eye. Stopping the fight and sending the fighters to their corners, the ref tells Frankie (Eastwood) that he had to stop the bleeding or he would stop the fight. Not wanting to loose, Willie asks his trainer “What should I do?” And Frankie responds “You got to let him hit you?”
Although a little perplexed Willie follows his advice and just like those old Rocky movies we can see the slow motion of Willie dropping his guard as the fighter gives him a shot to the head and then those cool CSI special effects when we see the close up of all the blood vessels in his check seizing up and stopping the bleeding. It was after that when Willie could go in and give the knock out blow and claim victory.
Willie is the picture of what Jesus is asking of us. That if we persist of guarding our own lives with our own wisdom we will loose it and be unable to continue the fight. But, if we just place our faith in him, allow ourselves to drop our guard and endure the shots of suffering we receive in this world, we will begin to experience the path to victory and rejoice with the final knock out blow. That is what “real life is about”.
The third condition Jesus gives us is a series of rhetorical questions. “And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?
I’ll add to these questions; “What is your life worth?” “Can you truly understand the value of your life and how it affects everyone around you?” These are very personal questions that I have asked myself and to be truthful with myself, I cannot answer them with any certainty not because I can’t see what has happened in the past but because I cannot see the future! Who am I to judge and determine the people I may speak to, hear, comfort, or come in contact with in future? I cannot judge! I have no authority to do so!
There is a very clear point at which the movie Million Dollar Baby changes direction and for those of you who have seen it you know what I am referring too! It is at the point where Maggie after having broke her neck and becoming paralyzed, asks Frankie to help her commit suicide. I want you to think about it for a moment and the power of her statement. She says “I can’t be like this Frankie, not after what I’ve done, I’ve seen the world, People chanted my name, not some damn name you gave me, they were chanting for me. I was in magazines. You think I ever dreamed that would happen. I was born 2 pounds 1 and a half ounces, Daddy use to tell me I fought to get into this world. You know if I had my way out, that’s all I want to do Frankie. I just don’t want to fight you to do it. I got what I needed. I got it all. Don’t keep letting them take it away from me. Don’t let me lie here till I can’t hear those people chanting no more.”
Compare it again to Jesus’ words “And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
At what point did Maggie become disillusioned to the fact that here soul was measured by the fight for life, the fight of celebrating 33 years of life and still punching that speed bag and not just for the simple chants of a crowd.
Titles are won and titles are lost, champions come and champions go, but in the eternity of life there is only one Maggie Fitzgerald. There is only one Erik Freiburger. There is only one you.
With this in mind I give you a quote from G.K. Chesterton. “In everything worth having, even in every pleasure, there is a point of pain or tedium that must be survived, so that the pleasure may revive and endure. The joy of battle comes after the first fear of death; the joy of reading Virgil comes after the bore of learning him; the glow of the sea-bather comes after the icy shock of the sea bath; and the success of the marriage comes after the failure of the honeymoon.”
It is true that some of us endure suffering here on earth whether it be physical or not however in the face of eternity this lifetime is a mere moment before the riches of heaven.
Likewise, our soul is not set to the riches of this world but through Christ it is intently focused on the Kingdom of God making the value of this life a journey of preparation planned out by our heavenly Father for the coming of the next life. It’s value immeasurable in the hands of God!
Conclusion
If you can’t tell I am very emotionally attached to this message and moving into the conclusion I want to share with you why.
Bonnie and I watched this movie a few weeks ago. Sitting down we thought we where going to watch a movie about boxing, about over coming adversity. Instead we were flooded with images of fear, worry, doubt, self-pity, and ultimately the glorification of murder. It hurt and it cut deeply as it attacked us personally in our lifestyle.
The producer called it a work of genius and the general public would seem to agree giving it 4 Academy Awards out of 7 one of which being Best Picture. It floors me that, that same public would earlier have just rejected ‘The Passion of Christ’ film from any possibility of award for its implied message content of hatred and instead embraces the message content of a film comparing human life being worth that of putting a dog down.
Work of genius? Absolutely! Great direction, superb acting, fantastic screen writing but, orchestrated by an unseen entity to which millions will be affected which geniusely is far greater then anyone man. The film deceivingly does not allow the public to understand the message of euthanasia prior to viewing and instead hides behind the mask of Actors names and a beaming picture of the awards it has received.
At the same time bringing a message of comparing euthanasia to justifiable homicide in a society that struggles with the very question of assisted suicide. We have states like Oregon passing bills making euthanasia legal, husbands denying communion to the wives as they starve to death such as the court ordered murder of Terry Schiavo, and human beings laughing as they crack a joke about Dr. Kavorkian.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer at the height of the Nazi’s campaign for euthanasia wrote that “In a Christian community, everything depends upon whether each individual is an indispensable link in a chain. Only when even the smallest link is securely interlocked is the chain unbreakable. A community which allows unemployed members to exist within it will perish because of them. It will be well, therefore, if every member receives a definite task to perform for the community, that he may know in hours of doubt that he, too, is not useless and unusable. Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also that the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of the fellowship.”
He was not advocating euthanasia but instead was pointing to the fact that each and every individual is vital to the community of faith despite any physical fight they may have or physiological struggle.
Jesus tells us in verse 38 of Mark 8 that we are not to be ashamed of his message. We’re not to be ashamed of his life because the life he gives us is not a life of shame. It’s a life of power and influence, of love, and compassion, and generosity to all of his creation in the midst of adversity! I know its true because I’ve seen it with my own eyes. I’ve seen it in the life of my wife’s friend Katie and her passion for friendship and sailing. I’ve seen it in my friend Mike Zunic’s life with his love of racing and race cars while expressing his faith through those experiences. I’ve seen it in the lives of Henry and Geraldine Eckert with the joy that they have in sharing stories about there grandson Nathan. And I see it in the life of my wife Bonnie and the inspiration she gives me as we share life together.
I began this message saying I wanted to share with you the million dollar message and shared with you the words of Eddy “Scrap Iron” Dupris. “If there is any magic in boxing, it’s the magic of fighting battles beyond endurance, beyond cracked ribs, ruptured kidneys, and detached retina’s. It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you.”
It’s more then the magic of boxing. It’s the magic of life. The power of the Holy Spirit taking us beyond the physical pain and suffering of this world, beyond the psychological struggles of depression and anguish, beyond the spiritual attacks of sin and unseen enemies. It’s the power of each one of us risking everything and submitting to the dream that nobody sees but the Son of God. Jesus Christ. And when we get there we won’t hear the applauses of human hands but the choruses of Angels singing. And we will all raise our arms in victory not with the closed fists of self accomplishment but with open hands of praise and worship to an awesome God!
I’m going to close in prayer but while I do that would you do something with me. I want you to all stand up, grab the wrist of the person next to you and lift their hands in victory. We are all champions in Christ!
Living Within A Covenant: Who Am I?
I can remember several years ago coming across a quote from a Sufi mystic named al-Halraj who said, “I saw my Lord with the eye of the Heart. I said: ‘Who are you?’ He answered: ‘You’” Simply stated it seems easy to dismiss any truth behind it by compartmentalizing it and labeling it as Sufi propaganda. But, for just a minute lets begin to picture it in the light of Jesus’ words of, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
It seems to me like abiding in Jesus is in the same essence as much as being in his nature whether it’s eating and drinking with his friends or spiritually engaging with his heavenly Father through prayer. If we want to ask the question, “Who is Jesus?” we can’t answer it with out examining where we see Jesus in our own lives physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Again, to ask “Who is Jesus?” we must also ask “Who am I?”
In past I have struggled to picture this covenant within a relational framework. Covenant meant the demands and rules of an institution and it was not meant to be seen within my own nature or even that of a living symbiotic partnership between me and Jesus. Things have changed. My covenant has changed. My relationship with Jesus has become deeper…personal…and alive! I am ready to ask and explore the answers to those questions of “Who is Jesus?” and “Who am I?” The answers not so much in word… but within a relational life!
My Covenant
Expressing God’s Word through personal, relational, creative, missional, and interactive practices of daily life. (Matthew 16:13-20)
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I hope to become a better speaker by utilizing every chance I have to do so whether it is in a seniors care center, church, or public advocacy group.
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I hope to become more creative in expressing God’s truth, through all means and by incorporating others into that practice.
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I hope to inspire and encourage others to become self expressive and conscious of God’s presence and message coming through their everyday words and deeds.
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I hope to continue to develop a “platform” in which I and others can use to express our interactions, experiences, and encounters with Jesus through daily life. More specifically the Expressions Community.
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I will continue to write creatively in regards to the ideas, thoughts, wonderings, and dreams that Jesus brings to my heart.
Embodying Jesus Holistically is the Core of Who We Are. (Matthew 22:37)
Physically
Psychologically
Spiritually
Empowering One Another Through the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit According to Their Own Dreams (Acts 2:17-18), Passions (Matt. 5:3-11; Gal. 5:22-24), Gifts/Talents (1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:1-16).
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Plan a “date” night with Bonnie at least once every month.
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Be the best husband I can be by: listening, flowers (just because), understanding, practicing grace, seeking forgiveness, authentically speaking with her (taking time to speak face to face), cooking, and helping where ever and with what ever possible.
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Meet with at least three people a month with the intent of listening, encouraging, and participating when able in their dreams, passions, gifts/talents, and life endeavors. – Coffee, dinner, hang outs, or where ever. Just as long as it is face to face!
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Continue writing, researching, and developing what God puts on my heart and sharing it with others.
Engaging the World by missionally seeking to make a difference within our own communities. (Luke 10:1-12)
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Continue developing, planning, and implementing ‘Expressions Coffee & Tea House’.
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Host and plan to have a community movie night once a month either at home or in MTC.
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Begin going down to The Mustard Seed once a month while trying to form a group which can join me.
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Start a group which meets once a month at a local coffee shop to hang out, find fellowship, and perhaps discuss a planned article centered on Missional Living/Leadership.
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Organize and participate with MTC’s hospitality team with the intent of “improving” the “Coffee & Tea Environment“.
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Plan a number events towards community developments and needs. – Crises Pregnancy Center, P.A.R.T.Y., Safe Internet Use, and any others that seem to begin in taking shape!
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Start speaking at the hospital again with regards to P.A.R.T.Y. Program, Newly Injured (Paralyzed) People, and the Canadian Paraplegic Association.
Perhaps this seems too detailed or exhaustive however, much of this I already do and only wish to improve upon it in the light of Jesus’ calling. This of course would look very different for someone else. With that in mind, “What does your Covenant look like?”
Changes in Just Wondering…
It seems as though some of the most intimate moments that I have experienced with God have been while sitting on my back deck under the blackness of night while starring off into the glittering night sky of the stars and luminous moon light. It seems as though I could spend hours there conversing about my day, family, friends, and my deeper thoughts about faith, theology, and the church. I suppose too, often I would just sit there listening and enjoying being in his presence. I often like to compare it to a candle being lit in a dark room. It is small and yet it brings illumination and focus to everything within that room. Likewise, Jesus can bring light into our lives through moments of inspiration or epiphany even in the darkest of circumstances!
It is for this reason that I decided to change the theme to Just Wondering… so that it could better reflect this aspect of my life, faith, and walk with Jesus. It is a darker theme in the hopes of it drawing focus and attention on what is being said and shared through my posts and the community responses. Contrary to some of my friends saying other wise, I must confess that I am not a “computer guru” and as such I chose this theme from a set design. There are ups and downs to its parameters one of which is that the pages to this site are now listed at the side rather then as tabs at the top. I hope this does not deter you from exploring the other different Wonderings I have on this site.
The other change which I have brought to Just Wondering is in the recognition of how God has used music to shape and mold my faith throughout the years. Whether it was sitting in the living room listening to my mother play her box guitar and singing along with her or the many great artists, ”Christian” and “Non-Christian”, that I have heard play live and in recordings; music has always had a great place in my heart for the authentic expression and exploration of what it means to walk in Jesus’ presence. For this reason I have added a “Box” widget to the right column of the site where you can listen to some of the music which has impacted me over years. At the beginning of every month I will change the song being played so make sure to keep up with the latest addition to ‘Songs of Wonder’.
Bonnie and I will be busy over the next coming months writing a business plan and preparing for the launch of ‘Expressions Coffee & Tea House’. However, I hope to write a number of posts over the next little while on such things as ‘Who Am I?’ – My New Years Covenant, ‘Some Christmas Pic’s’, and a series of entries detailing my thoughts regarding the six points of ‘Ideology and the Christian Church’ which I had brought up a few weeks ago. Until then enjoy the new theme, the ‘Songs of Wonder’, and the encounters you might have with the presence of Jesus in your life!
Jesus is the Gift
Jesus is the gift that perfectly fits every heart
and it is with his love that all celebration starts.
We rejoice in Him as we remember His birth
and thank God for sending His only Son to earth.
His life lead from a manger to a cross on a hill
where he faithfully followed his Father’s perfect will.
He freely laid down everything so that we could live,
and there is no greater treasure anyone could give.
Like a scarlet ribbon His love wrapped around the cross
and he offered it to us all at the greatest cost.
So each time that we give we remember what he’s done
and honor the perfect Gift – God’s one and only Son.Holley Gerth
A Christmas Prayer
Father, I draw close to your Spirit today. My heart reflects back into the depths of history as I picture the birth of Jesus in a stable of animals. A baby lying amongst a bed of straw, set within a manger. I look deeper still into your face Jesus with your brown reflecting eyes looking right through to my soul and I am filled with your incredible presence…. Jesus…. Emmanuel…. God with us.
Jesus, you begin to open your eyes and I ask for that sight. The sight of wisdom to be brought to the masses. That our leaders, seen and unseen, would have the veil of human ideologies and concepts lifted from their minds and hearts. That instead it would be replaced by the visions and dreams of your Kingdom, an ever lasting Kingdom of true justice, freedom, and equity for all despite race, nation, religion, or political affiliation.
Your heart beats with a cadence for peace and good will for all. Let mine and all others fall into the rhythm of beating within that same Holy Spirit. Let your passion for peace fill the Middle East so that freedom can be brought to the imprisoned on all sides. Let your stillness of heart and the tranquility of your actions loosen the grips we have on weapons which do harm to one another so that we can take up open hands for the purpose of rebuilding that which was lost not only in the physical sense but in the community, social, spiritual, and relational sense.
I pray Jesus that here in the West we would break the confines of self seeking agendas so that we can begin to see the acts of good will to all being that of a holistic embrace of our neighbors in all parts of the earth. There is no rich, no poor, no enemy or infidel; only my brother, my sister, my friend and my neighbor. Teach us Jesus in testimony and deed the greatest power of loving our neighbor as ourselves!
I pray Lord that we would take greater notice of what it means to have dominion on the earth. That we would recognize that dominion does not mean dominance or the right to do what ever we choose too but, that it is the right to do what we should do. Give us courage Jesus in the face of environmental degradation to make the right choices and to change our lives so that we take better care of the beauty of your creation. I pray more specifically that I can and will make the changes needed to my own life so that I might be a witness to the transformations you can bring to our community.
Let your Joy fill the air. Let the richness of life, a life to the fullest bring health and happiness to all people. May healing be found by those who seek it. May I offer comfort to those who need it. Let laughter and cheer pierce the deepest and darkest states of mine and all others physical, emotional, and spiritual imprisonments. Let all things in my heart, mind, and soul be shaped by righteousness, goodness, and truth!
I confess you Jesus as my Lord, my Savior, my end all and be all, my life and my very being! This shapes my hope in present and in future. May that hope, that faith, that love, that first and eternal Christmas of God with us continue to flow into every heart from now into Eternity! Amen.
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Morning & Evening Devotion: The Door By Which All Will Pass
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”
Bonnie and I just finished our daily devotional and I felt God really stirring in my heart so, I thought I would share it with the rest of you!
Jesus, the great I AM, is the entrance into the true church, and the way of access to God himself. He gives to the man who comes to God by him four choice privileges.
1. He shall be saved. The fugitive manslayer passed the gate of the city of refuge, and was safe. Noah entered the door of the ark, and was secure. None can be lost who take Jesus as the door of faith to their souls. Entrance through Jesus into peace is the guarantee of entrance by the same door into heaven. Jesus is the only door, an open door, a wide door, a safe door; and blessed is he who rests all his hope of admission to glory upon the crucified Redeemer.
2. He shall go in. He shall be privileged to go in among the divine family, sharing the children’s bread, and participating in all their honours and enjoyments. He shall go in to the chambers of communion, to the banquets of love, to the treasures of the covenant, to the storehouses of the promises. He shall go in unto the King of kings in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the secret of the Lord shall be with him.
3. He shall go out. This blessing is much forgotten. We go out into the world to labour and suffer, but what a mercy to go in the name and power of Jesus! We are called to bear witness to the truth, to cheer the disconsolate, to warn the careless, to win souls, and to glorify God; and as the angel said to Gideon, “Go in this thy might,” even thus the Lord would have us proceed as his messengers in his name and strength.
4. He shall find pasture. He who knows Jesus shall never want. Going in and out shall be alike helpful to him: in fellowship with God he shall grow, and in watering others he shall be watered. Having made Jesus his all, he shall find all in Jesus. His soul shall be as a watered garden, and as a well of water whose waters fail not.
Nothing Always Leads to Something
It might sound crazy but, all I want for Christmas this year is absolutely nothing! Why? In honesty, because I truly believe that nothing always leads to something. I started thinking about this probably about a week ago while reading the story of Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem in Luke 2:1-7.
It starts by saying that, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.” Of course this was a big thing for many Jews as many would not be in there own ancestral home towns. The Roman Empire had brought the technologies and road systems which would spread the Jews all around the known world and so it would take them a great deal of time to work there way back to Israel and their own respective ancestral homes.
Mary and Joseph where no exception. It would probably take them several days to navigate and walk all the way from their small village of Nazareth in northern Israel down to the birth place of their ancestor David and the home of the tribe of Benjamin; the city of Bethlehem. It is here where I begin to reflect on the state of nothingness that Mary and particularly Joseph would be feeling.
Mary is pregnant and on the verge of giving birth to their first born son. After being inquisitively held under the judging eyes of their friends, their family, and their fellow neighbors in Nazareth they take the dangerous and long journey down to Bethlehem to register under Caesar’s censes with all that they own on the back of a lone donkey. Tired, sore, and straining to find a place to rest they are confronted by the cold and suppressive shoulders of their distant relatives. There is no room in the inn. No extra space by the fire. And no place for Mary to lie back while going through the labor of Jesus’ birth.
I can just picture Joseph’s anguish! Why? They are not important enough. They are not intellectually, politically, our religiously astute enough. They wouldn’t be able to give an entertaining enough conversation at the supper table. They are not rich enough or they just don’t have the right connections with the right people. I imagine them listening to the whispers behind the closed doors of the city homes as they heard the same adage Jesus would hear thirty years later; “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46) They were worthless and unimportant. They were nothing.
My friend Patrick wrote an article several weeks back on the word ‘Kenosis’. It is a Greek word meaning “nothing” or “nothingness” and he points out quickly the struggles we often face with this kind of state or value. He says, “It’s a curious sort of now because it doesn’t seem quite a Christian value. Buddhists believe in emptying. Christians believe in filling. Buddhists pursue a divine nothingness. Christians the fullness of God. So such a term becomes easy to write off as not being Christian. Only it’s entirely so.” More pointedly we find Paul using this word of kenosis in describing his picture of the first Christmas in Philippians 2:5-7 as being in the character of Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
We go back to our passage, our first Christmas scene (Luke 2:6-7), “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger.” Joseph and Mary that night found themselves completely empty, void, and without significance and yet in the flickering of the torch light, laying there in the straw bed of an animals manger was a tiny baby. A baby which brought a smile to each of them as they knew that even when life seemed empty and without purpose, God would bring fullness to it. Nothing always leads to something.
I would like to borrow the words of my friend Patrick again when he said, “Being emptied is assuming there’s still something, only it has been gutted, poured out. The container remains. The content changes.” Perhaps, you have felt this same sense of meaninglessness or loss of purpose. Maybe you have felt pushed to the side or felt a sense of a numbing nothingness in your life. I offer you the same promise Jesus offered through his Spirit of Christmas; nothing always leads to something. Again, nothing always leads to something.
Nothing always leads to Hope.
A hope that says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:1-11) Jesus promises that in the authentic expression of even our most deepest emotions we can find hope in witnessing and looking for his kingdom around us.
Nothing leads us to Faith.
I am reminded of a quote which I read from Sam Ervin. He said, “Faith is not a storm cellar to which men and women can flee for refuge from the storms of life. It is, instead, an inner force that gives them the strength to face those storms and their consequences with serenity of spirit.” In other words, faith is to say “the kingdom of God is near” and to truly believe it not because it is written in the bible or even in our heads, but because it is shown through our actions, our words, and our daily activities to which that kingdom has come to be present. It is an unseen power which we have in the simple choice of following Jesus!
Nothing leads to Eternal Life
On that first Christmas, after all that had happened – Mary’s encounter with the angel, Joseph’s dream, their traveling down to the city of Bethlehem – Do you think that while looking into the depth’s of their babies eyes that they would have any clue as to Jesus’ promise of God’s love for this world, “that he would give his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Not even the empty nothingness of death can stop Jesus and his followers from the reality that nothing always leads to something.
All I want for Christmas is absolutely nothing because nothing always leads to something.
Music from the Heart: Just One Touch
Last Saturday at our Expressions Christmas gathering our good friends David & Ana shared this song with us from a cd which he had of a singer from China. It was moving just to hear them sharing something which was both personal and yet reflective of who they are. Anyways, here is the song:
First Communion: A Christmas Poem
It has been a long time since I have written any poetry so I must first make the disclaimer that this might be pretty bad. Never the less, Bonnie and I are hosting Expressions Christmas gathering tonight and I thought for my part I would attempt a poem before celebrating communion. So I suppose without further ado:
First Communion came in a still dark night,
the angel Gabriel appeared and gave Mary a fright.
He spoke “Peace be with you” as the moon light glistened,
and Mary sat at rest and quietly listened.
“You are in God’s favor and shall bear a child,”
“his faith will be as a rock and the religious leaders he will rile.”
“His Kingdom will be great and he shall be called the son of the most high.”
Mary’s heart leaped in the Spirit while she let out a long sigh.
“You will call him Jesus, Emmanuel, for God is with us.”
And at these words Mary became troubled and began to fuss.
“How can this be that a child I will bear?”
“For I am not yet married and the whole town will see this as unfair!”
“The Holy Spirit will be upon you in righteous communion,”
“and through birth he will bring God and man to a great reunion!”
“Every knee shall bow, every heart shall repent,”
“He is Lord! The Son of God who was Missionally sent!”
So Mary bowed her head while saying, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord,”
And after a small quiet pause, “let it be to me within his accord.”
So it is with all who would follow as servants in Spiritual communion,
that we would lift body and cup in remembrance of Jesus and our incarnational union.
An expression of Luke 1:26-38:
”In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, ou will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
Remembrance Day : Seeking Out the Kingdom of God
I spent the day today touring the Calgary Military Museum with my three little cousins. It was very moving as I reflected on the costs that war and violence has had and is having on our country and on us as humans. I pray that we are soon able to find peace and rekindle the fires of what it means to really build the Kingdom of God here on earth where the guns will no longer be firing, bombs will no longer be blowing, and neighbors can embrace one another as sisters and brothers. May the real Empire take shape in our hearts and minds rather then the political conceptualizations which we have made it out to be. I hope you find peace this Remembrance Day!
“If You Go God Will Show…a New You!”
“Cure yourself of the condition of bothering about how you look to other people. Be concerned only…with the idea God has of you.”
A few weeks back my dad had invited me out to a four day conference being held at Southside Victory Church called ‘Rivers’. I agreed to go but to tell you the truth, I was pretty nervous about actually attending. See Southside Victory is one of those “Holy Roller” churches and I am a Holy Roller for sure, just in a different way (I am after all in a wheelchair:). But, I did go!
So there I am sitting in the third row from the front (I think my dad had us up front on purpose) and they began to worship with lively music. People were shouting, dancing up and down the isles, jumping and waving their brightly colored banners (it was actually quit elegant and beautiful), and of course “slain in the Spirit” laying and rolling on the floor in the open spaces at the front. One guy runs by me a few times and then grabs my hand and try’s to pull me up to the front. I smiled and politely said no thanks.
Then this couple, probably in their mid fifties, takes out these three to four foot long ram horns from under their seats and start blowing them as hard as they can right in front of me! I thought, are those things real (I later on asked them and sure enough, they were)! So here they were blowing these things for all they were worth, cheeks ballooned outwards, their faces getting redder and redder, and this strange kind of “ahhuuuga” noise coming from out of the horns. I got this big smile on my face as I thought, “No wonder these guy’s are getting slain in the Spirit. Their passing out from lack of oxygen!”
That’s when it happened. A moment and spirit of spontaneous unity that I did not expect. My father reached over, grabbed my hand and raised it in worship with his hands. It was in that moment that I two very real realizations. First, there is great Joy in real worship. No fluffy acts of trying to fulfill the requirements of performing a religious theatrical or professional presentation to the theme music of the day and no fake acts of trying to guard against the feelings of “what will they think of me if I do this?” The pure unadulterated and unrestrained spirit of Joy! And second, my father has faith in a mighty awesome God! But, if I did not go God would not have shown me that!
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”
Jesus told his disciples, “Go your way…” Not Peter’s way. Not James or John’s way. Go your way! It seems clear that throughout history and time God values human free will more then anything else and Jesus makes no hesitation in imparting that free will to his disciples when he sends them on ahead of himself. He wants their destinations to be set by their own dreams, goals, passions, and inner stirrings. Peter and Andrew were fishermen so maybe they would head for the fish markets and coastal communities. Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans so perhaps he might head for the Roman communities and military postings. In any case they were going where God was showing their dreams and aspirations for the Kingdom of God here on earth.
More importantly Jesus was telling them to go! This was like that moment (for those of you who have seen the movie ‘Transformers’) when the beat up Camero had sped up to them, its door flung open, and Jesus was turning to them saying “Fifties years from now when you are living in the safety of your comfy, white picketed home; are you going to look back at this moment and ask yourself, ‘Why didn’t I go?’”
What if Simon turned to Jesus and said, “If they want to go that’s o.k. but, I think I will just stay here with you Jesus where I know that it is safe.” Jesus would be like, “I am offering you the riches of life in its fullness and wonderment. Why would you just want to stay here and settle for the scraps? Nevertheless, the Kingdom of God has come near.”
Don’t miss the boat! Don’t recognize the call to move in upon your calling, your dreams, your hopes for a better future, a better you and not act upon it! Listen closely to that inner voice and when Jesus says go, then go!
It was the fall of 1993 and I distinctly remember walking down one of the side streets close to my best friend’s house when I had one of those moments of being called to go somewhere. It was as though someone was asking me “How would you feel if you were in a wheelchair?” Looking back I can recognize it as God speaking with me. I answered with what seems now like a lack of complete understanding to what I was being asked. Being in a wheelchair would be great. It would make me unique, I would stand out from others, and I would be special. And it did! I just didn’t count on or expect all the challenges that would come with it.
There was another time several years ago that I had a different calling to go. It was to the Mustard Seed and the homeless people of Calgary. While I was down there God showed me something I will never forget. It was a cold February evening. A number of the college students and I had been down there since early morning serving, cleaning, and walking/wheeling the streets while visiting the homeless beggars on 8th Avenue. The sun had pretty much set and the only light was coming from the street lamps and the natural aura from the moon.
We had lined up with the rest of the homeless outside of the Seed’s main building and were waiting for them to open the doors and allow us to come in for dinner. A couple of the students and I were chatting about the days events while shivering from the cold and jumping up and down with the anticipation to getting in where it would be warmer. Then I noticed a scruffy and some what dirty native man a little ways off looking over at me. When he walked over we chatted for a few minutes and then he asked me if I would mind if he prayed for me! I was a little taken back by the faith of this homeless man but I of course said, “Yes, of course you can!”
I will neither forget that moment nor the face of this broken, native, scruffy, homeless man as he kneeled down and put his hands on my knees while praying for me. God called him to go and he listened and God showed up! I didn’t walk and nothing supernatural happened but a miracle did in fact take place that night sitting and shivering in the cold with this homeless man. The miracle of human unity. The miracle of my brotherhood with this man and his faith. The miracle when realized that when God calls, if I go God will show a new me!
If you go God will show… a new world to you.
If you go God will show… great character in you.
If you go God will show… changed lives because of you.
If you go God will show… transformation within you.
If you go God will show… a New You!
Coming to the Table in a New Light
“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.”
“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
A Sense of Preparation and Anticipation
In a lot of ways I some how can’t help but feel like the liturgical setting and practice of the last supper or communion has eroded the natural and much more creative practice to which Jesus and the disciples first practiced it. That’s not to say that it had little or no value within liturgy as it first was constructed, I just think that value has slipped away through time and lost the appeal of what Jesus meant to say through our remembrance of it.
In the gospels it is not a 5 minute setting where each disciple passed the tray of wafer like crackers and little plastic cups of grape juice, said a quick prayer and “gobbled” them done. In fact Jesus branched the Jewish festival of the Passover feast as a reflection to the New Covenant he was bringing! The Last Supper or Communion was something different something more then a simple wafer or even a feast. It had meaning and personal spiritual significance to those who were apart of it.
Jesus says to his followers earlier that they should go into the city and prepare for the evenings activities. I don’t know why but I picture Peter and his brother Andrew going off and hitching a boat to go fishing so that maybe they might bring a fish to the evening’s meal. Maybe James and John went to the local market to find bread, cheeses, fruits, and other good stuff while Philip, Thomas, and the others searched for a room in which they could host the event.
I don’t really know the order but they all had a part in organizing and preparing for the Passover meal. There was still something deeper about it though. There was this sense of preparation but also the greater sense of anticipation. Anticipation as to meeting up with the others and hearing about the adventures they encountered while preparing for the night. Anticipation as to whom else might be there and anticipation to what Jesus might have planned for the evening. The feast once it arrives becomes alive and full of laughter, joy, and the excitement of people talking with one another as they share their different stories, memories, talents, and gifts.
Unity in the Body
Jesus grabs there attention as he stands with a loaf of bread in his hands. He begins breaking it up and handing it to them as he says “Take, eat; this is my body.” What a peculiar and strange thing to say. I don’t know about you but when I picture the idea of eating a “body” I kind of loose my appetite. That being said, I don’t think Jesus intended us to think of it that way!
I think Jesus intended for the disciples and us to see it metaphorically. So let’s picture it for a moment… what thoughts come to mind as we imagine the disciples taking part in one body? The thought that comes to my mind is that Jesus was reminding them of the unity to which they had with one another through his relational participation with each of them.
The problem though is I think when we start reflecting on that word “unity”. Typically when we hear this word I think we tend to assume it means a grouping of individuals or elements which have all things in common. Like we find unity with the jocks of our schools or we find unity in those who believe, act, and follow the same endoctrinization or denominational system as ourselves. That’s not the unity Jesus was describing here though through the picture of his body.
Picture a single strand of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). Do you know that if all the molecules of DNA in a single human cell were laid out end to end, they would stretch 2 meters. How many cells do you think there is in a human body? It is estimated that the average human adult has over 10 trillion cells in there body; each one with their own unique, specific, and extraordinary DNA strand! That blows my mind!
I can remember watching a film on the Intelligent Design Theory several years ago that stated the language used within the DNA structure is so complex that it is virtually impossible to be considered accidental or random in nature. If that is so, God in essence spoke each one of our identities into existence and in so doing left his imprint on each one of us.
“Take, eat; this is my body.” This unity Jesus spoke of was a relational interjection which he has with each one of us as we also have with one another through our expressions of love, kindness, compassion, joy, and fellowship. The things we think about affect those around us. The words we speak transform, for better or worse, the people we are close too. The actions we take, either for ourselves or others, begins a processes of change which is inevitable whether we accept it or not but we do have the power to choose whether we do it in remembrance and reflection of our unity in his body, his character, his persona, or not.
Missional Agenda to Pouring Out a New Covenant
Jesus then takes his cup and says, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Looking back we can easily see the tie Jesus was figuratively placing between his death on the cross and the cup he held in front of himself but, what about the disciples? What do you suppose they were thinking in that moment and time?
It might seem radically different but blood was considered to be a life giving element. So I imagine the disciples were not seeing Jesus’ cup of the New Covenant as a representation to his actual death but rather a picture of the way he lived his life! Jesus lived a life which was poured out not for himself and not just for those of his friends. He lived a life that was poured out for many so that they might remember and follow his lead by pouring their lives out into the hearts, minds, and spirits of many more!
Jesus’ life was filled with the imagery and acts of a missional focus to reach out to others in need in whatever way that took shape. That same indwelling call that Jesus had is passed on and shared with us as we in essence drink from the same cup. As we are empowered through his body we are sent out to do his work and incarnate his presence with the rest of his people regardless to there beliefs, life styles, or outer image.
How can we do this? I remember reading a friends blog a few months ago and he referred to another article on the site ‘Towards Hope’ called ‘Ten Tips for Living the Incarnation…[Plus One]‘. John Santic has outlined a beautiful picture of what it means to live incarnationally and I encourage you to read is article but for the sake of pouring it out for you here is a synopsis of his 10:
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Attentive Listening
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Formative Practice
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Proximity
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Holistic Gospel Proclamation
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Patience
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Generosity
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Advocacy
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Hospitality
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Reading the Culture
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Pathos
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[Plus One]…Simplicity or ‘Here’s to Nothing’
Coming to the Table in a New Light
I don’t know about you but when I reflect back on what the disciples may have experienced and encountered at that supper table in a dimly lit room, I begin to see myself coming to that table in a new light. A light filled with hope, promise, future, and purpose. A light filled with communion. Communion with God. Communion with Jesus. Communion with my brothers and sisters. Communion with many!
Expressions of Epiphany: Taking the First Steps
O.k. O.k. It has been awhile since I have had the chance to blog!!! In truth, I have a good reason! Actually, an excellent reason!! Expressions has been a dream Bonnie and I have had for some time and we are finally taking the first steps in making it a reality.
That is where my time has been going. I have been writing and developing a website for Expressions (Click Here) with the aid of my good friend David. As well as planning for the coming month and kickoff of our group starting this weekend. With that in mind, I am looking forward not only to the kick off this Sunday but also to hearing Brian McLaren speak at the First Christian Reformed Church here in Calgary on Saturday (Click Here for Details).
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention the excitement of having been able to see the Blue Man Group a few weeks ago. Bonnie got us tickets for my birthday and we both agreed that it was possibly one of the best shows we have ever been too. I could also really see what Leonard Sweet meant when I heard him speak on the effective ways in which we as a church can communicate with one another as the Blue Man Group communicated with the audience.
This past weekend I spent sometime at my Dad’s “Holy Rollers” church. I guess I was rolling in my own way (Ha, ha – if you know what I mean). In honesty, it was a great time of seeing what it really means to experience the joy of the Spirit! It reminded me of a poem a friend gave me along time ago.
“When God puts us back together again; (with the aid of our willingness to cooperate); this great church will be marked by; the dignity and scholarship of the Anglicans, the order and sacraments of the Roman Catholics, the warm fellowship of the Methodists, the Presbyterian desire for good preaching, the Lutheran respect for sound theology. There will be the Baptist concern for individual salvation, the congregational respect for the rights of lay members, the Pentecostal reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Quaker appreciation for silence. We will find there the Mennonitesense of community, the social action of the Salvation Army, the social justice of the United, and the Reformed love of the Bible, all wrapped in Orthodox reverence before the Mystery of God.”
The Parkinson’s SuperWalk: Wheeling for Healing
“There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose.”
Kin Hubbard
Every year I wheel in the ‘Parkinsons SuperWalk’ in the hopes of raising funds towards the pursuit of finding a cure for this disease. My good friend Mike has battled the effects of Parkinsons for several years now and in his own way is ‘Racing for a Cure’. He and a group of Christian Drag Racers have been traveling around Alberta and B.C. talking about the desease and racing in a 1980 Cutlass while being sponsored by The Parkinsons Society.
As a Christian, I always hold hope to God making a way for healing and a cure. At the same time I recognize that by living incarnationally we too have a responsibility to pursue healing in others in whatever way we can. Jesus told his disciples in Luke 10:8-9, “Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.” Perhaps that act of healing is expressed through prayer and caring for them; maybe it is in practicing and learning the skills and art of medicine, and maybe it is as simple as participating in raising funds in the hopes of financially supporting those who have the desease or sickness. All the better when you can do all three!!!
Anyways, on Saturday, September 8th a group of us will be gathering in the Glenfield area of Fish Creek for a time of fellowship and excersize. If you are not doing much on that day and would like to participate in the pursuit of a cure for Parkinsons, Click Here to register online and we will see you there!
If you would like to make a donation towards the cure of Parkinson’s Desease, Please Click Here. Thank You Very Much for being willing to exemplfy a Christ likeness in your heart and life!
Psalm 71:1-6
In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
you are he who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.
Life Without Limbs: An Incredible Story
Bonnie and I watched this incredible story this morning about Nick Vujicic. I think the scariest moment for me was when he jumped in the pool! Dispite any fear, Nick is a great inspiration and I thank God every day for working through and with people like him. If you want to hear more about him Click Here. Anyways, I had to share this with you!!!
Loving God: Pursuing His Utmost With Our Utmost
At the core of all things Jesus tells us that we are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Love at first seems a simple term however; the love that Jesus describes seems to be lost in the translation.
By the English definition love is described as a “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties or affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.” This kind of love seems tied to an understanding that it is a reactional response to something which is mutually experienced, beneficial or acquired between two individuals. Love is something which is earned through a relational development rather then a characteristic which is always present.
Although often interpreted this way by many unsuspecting believers this is not what Jesus meant when he called us to love God. The love which Jesus asks of us is in the Greek form of ἀγαπάω love which has the deeper meaning of “a God like love that loves regardless of the circumstances, a deliberate love that decides it will keep loving even if it is rebuffed. We are challenged to live out the highest love and to do so with the highest sincerity. Our love is to be genuine, not counterfeit.”
This is a love which seems most difficult to instill in the hearts of many people today. It is as though we do not trust that it has already been created within us. With the wear and tear of a consumeristic, competitive, self driven, and fallen society we have callused the relational sides of our hearts and hidden, even from ourselves, our own identities of ἀγαπάω love and the connection to which it gives us to God. In spite of this, the apostle Paul is still right in saying, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” We may hide from the love which is in our hearts but love is always present. Jesus knew this and calls us to acknowledge, revel, and bring that love to the surface of everything we do.
Mrs. A. E. Janzen describes the story of a college professor by saying, “A college president not long ago made this arresting statement to a class of graduating seniors: “It gets easier and easier for man to dominate his universe … and harder for him to dominate himself.” He went on to say, “It matters little what you learn or express if in the end you cannot find some ways of working things out with your neighbors.” We cannot dominate the universe, but, with God’s help, we can dominate ourselves.”
Similarly, Michael Frost quotes Vaclav Havel, “There is such an enormous gap between our words and deeds. Everyone talks about freedom, democracy, justice, human rights, and peace; but at the same time, everyone, more or less, consciously or unconsciously, serves those ideals only to the extent necessary to defend and serve his own interests, and those of his group and state. Who should break this vicious circle? Responsibility cannot be preached: it can only be borne, and the only possible place to begin is with oneself.”
Both Janzen’s story and Vaclav’s articulation point to the truth that love is not something which we can earn or acquire from God or others but is rather a conscious choice which we are free to express starting solely within ourselves. We are free to express love by choice and are not confined to expressing it through a consumeristic “what do I get out of it” mentality.
Loving God first starts by the words and deeds we begin within ourselves allowing others to see the transformation to which we experience and freeing them to recognizing God’s love within them. It starts by loving God with all of our heart by seeking the incarnation of Christ like character from the inside out and then extending that love outwards to all of our soul by living faith as a holistic expression of who God created us to be.
Expressions
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By Donald Miller
Follow Me to Freedom By Shane Claiborne & John Perkins
Journey to Significance By Neil Cole
Organic Leadership By Niel Cole
Sacrilege By Hugh Halter
Forge Canada
Friend of Missional
Missional Apologetics
The Missional Network
Verge Network
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