Archives For November 30, 1999

Yet another Andrew Peterson song that sums it up for me – as his “I’ve Got News” did…

Fool With A Fancy Guitar

It’s so easy to cash in these chips on my shoulder
So easy to loose this old tongue like a tiger
It’s easy to let all this bitterness smolder
Just to hide it away like a cigarette lighter

It’s easy to curse and to hurt and to hinder
It’s easy to not have the heart to remember
That I am a priest and a prince in the Kingdom of God

I’ve got voices that scream in my head like a siren
Fears that I feel in the night when I sleep
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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  -Jeremiah 29:11

We are … perplexed, but not in despair;  …  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  -2 Corinthians 4:8, 18

Recollection

June 25, 2010 — 3 Comments

It’s cool how the small things cause you to remember stuff from your past – both good and, well, not-so-good.

In my new role as a foster father (not-soon-enough adoptive father!), the other day, Sam & I were cleaning up the side of the house and we were “team sweeping” the leaves and stuff – me sweeping, him using the dust pan.  He was having a tough time getting all the stuff in the dust pan and I recalled how my dad taught me the “sweep, back up the pan, and repeat” process for getting all the stuff picked up.  So, naturally, I imparted my well-honed “sweeping” knowledge to him…

Pretty cool – and not so painful.  I’m sure, in the course of our lives together, I’ll have ample opportunity to share and teach Sam about the not-so-good or hard lessons I’ve learned…

I was reading in Colossians yesterday and these two verses from chapter two popped out:

9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

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Here is my #5opic Friday Challenge album!
[What’s #50pic Friday?  See Here, then Here]

All photos taken with an iPhone and either left “as taken” or processed using a few apps: CameraBag, Pic Grunger, TiltShift, Photogene, or ColorSplash.

Enjoy!

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OK.  Please read the post title again in your best robot voice…that will lend to the theme here.

Ever had one of those days – or maybe weeks?  I have – I guess we all do.

The other day, I found myself in robot mode.  You know, where in spite of the junk that’s going on around you, you enter that safe and socially presentable state called: ROBOT MODE.  (just for effect, re-read those two words in your robot voice.)

I was bummed, busy, and had stuff to do and people to work with…so I “engaged” and went through my day as if nothing were wrong – you know: birds singing, rainbows in the sky, whistling aloud, etc.  Believe me, I’m good at it too – I bet I fool most people.

Except one…OK, two.  (OK, maybe more, but I’m only focusing on two here…)

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I was reading in First Thessalonians this morning and this verse in chapter one caught me:

3We [Paul, Silas and Timothy] continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)

Um, ok…”caught” is probably not the best word.  “Convicted” is probably more appropriate…

Mainly because at times, if I were honest, Paul may have phrased this a little differently about me (…maybe even you).

Maybe something like:

3We continually [lift you] before our God and Father [because of] your work produced by guilt, your labor prompted by obligation, and your endurance inspired by fear of our [gracious] Lord Jesus Christ [and the totally wrong thought you have that you’ve got to “bank” good things to make Him love you, accept you, and answer your prayers].

x

Oh, to be like the Thessalonians…

For those who would call themselves Christ-Followers, Sunday was HUGE!

It was a day of rejoicing.  A day of proclaiming Jesus’ victory over Satan, sin, and death.  A day of innumerable “He is risen / He is risen indeed!” exchanges with “Marco?  Polo!” precision.

You know, all the things that we appropriately do on Easter to give praise, honor, and glory to our amazing God and risen Savior.

It’s Tuesday.  Now what?

We read that after Jesus’ death, the disciples hid at first, then waited for the Holy Spirit to come as Jesus told them to.  Hopefully you are not in hiding today and we receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as Savior…no waiting.

So, now what?

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You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Psalm 139:13, 16

Every time I hear this song, I’m amazed, humbled, and filled with hope.

Beautiful Things
Michael & Lisa Gungor

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

© worshiptogether.com songs

I think sometimes we wrongly think that the only people who make a difference or have “impact” for God are the “professionals.”  You know, the pastors, evangelists, worship leaders, authors, etc.

Sure, as Christ Followers we’d never say that out loud; but we think it and often act and even live like it.  We know the passages in the Bible that talk about every part [or person] of the “body” [or church] being important; but we often equate ourselves as the “pinky toe” – you know…necessary, but usually not seen (except in season).

I read a verse today that reminded me that, in addition to the “professionals”, it’s regular folk that make a difference or have “impact” for God – in some cases even greater than the pros.

Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.

Romans 16:23

Here, at the end of his letter to the churches in Rome, Paul mentions a bunch of specific people to greet and also lists people who send their greetings.  For whatever reason, Erastus’ job is listed instead of simply calling him a fellow worker, friend, or brother.

Honestly, when I first read this, I thought Eratsus was the sewer coordinator for Corinth; but a check of the Greek shows that he was the city treasurer.  At any rate, dude was not a church “professional” as we usually categorize people.

Anyway, Erastus’ job title just struck me and reminded me that we all are important and contributing parts of the body of Christ.

REMEMBER: It’s not just for the “Professionals”

– Dennis…just a regular, old, security [φύλακα] dude.

From a Lenten devotional I recently subscribed to:

“The life God longs to give me in his presence is free of my dependencies.”

[…save Him]