Category: Daily Post

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Registration Day

Yesterday was school registration day.  What a mad house.  Between all the confusion and chaos and money flying around, there is a small detail that makes me love this day.  There something about seeing the children again after not seeing them for just the short months of summer.  Some of them have different hair cuts.  Some have grown 2 feet.  Some have matured in their faces and in the eight grade some of them have grown beards.

Its just a great measure of physical development and really really fun to witness.  Its a shame in some ways that we reach a maturity level with our physical stature.  The shame is that I think sometimes we apply that same ‘I’m done’ growing approach to our spiritual growth as well.  Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could witness in such a visual way our continued spiritual growth?

So, maybe as school gets starting for another year, we need to assess our spiritual situation and figure out what we need to do to move on the the next level.  Just like those children growth day by day, not all at once over the summer, we can continue to grow in our salvation day by day.  However, you do have to make sure that just like school lunch, you are providing yourself with spiritual fuel to keep that growth going.

So, start today and sign up for continued spiritual growth!

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:14-16 (New International Version)

17Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:17-18 (New International Version)

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Add it up

Last night I was given the opportunity to hear Rich Little speak.  No, not that Rich Little, the preacher Rich Little.  He’s heading out to be a professor at Pepperdine and was speaking in town last night.   He was very engaging as he spoke of sharing the grace with have received with other people.  The whole time he was whittling away on stage, I keep thinking to myself, that these ideas seem like they are a little risky, and radical.  He spend most of the night exposing hidden secrets from Matthew 7, part of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount.  However, it was the place he ended that really started me thinking:

12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matt 7 :12

How simple!  The entirety of the law in 11 words.  “Do to others what you would have them do to you”.  But how complex and how radical.  How many times have your heard this relay in word or action as “Do to others before they do to you?” or “Do to others as they do to you?”   But Jesus, always the radical, says “Treat them how you want to be treated.”  How many times to I tell my boys those exact same words?

But can we really live that way?  I mean, I know that I want the people I work with to bring me ice cream at 3pm every afternoon.  Hm, I wonder maybe if thats what I want then I should bring ice cream to them at 3pm.  Or I should find out what they like and bring that to them.  For many of my co workers that may be a bowl of gajar halwa.

But I guess its more then ice cream.  Its the words we use, its the way we listen.  Its the attention that we give to others.  Its our concern.  It’s a text message of encouragement, a smile, forgiveness and mercy and grace.

Hm, sounds radical and risky.  Maybe its worth some serious prayer and attention.  I know that I would want you to do it for me.

Are you summing it up today?

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More on Risktaking

I have been continuing to think about taking risks and I thought I would share one more thought about this before I jump in my jumpy way to some other topics.  I am sure I will return back to this, as it seems there is something risky about the life of a follower of Christ – although we have made it a place of safety. ( not saying there is not a lot of safety and peace in that life as well).

I was talking about risks with one of my friend Jolly Don, and the thing he mentioned about taking a risk was very simplistic.  He was like – “how about talking with your neighbor”.  Funny isn’t it.  We think risks may be packing up and moving to China for a year, which is an incredible thing  to do, and very important.  But maybe the riskiest place for us is next door, or in the next cube or the person at the market?  I dunno, I am sure I could be debated about this, but it seems to be the place to start.  And when our Savior was asked “what do I need to do to inherit eternal life?”.  He responded indirectly with two things in Luke 10:

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 ESV

Maybe this first risk to take is to love God with everything you have, don’t hold back, and love those you meet as you would love yourself. Simple or tall order? Either way there’s no better day then today to give it a try.

“Do this and you will live” – Jesus Luke 10:28

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Video Link

I think the email feed yesterday did not contain the link to the video.  Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA_uwWPE6lQ

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Risks

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the safe little environment that I live in.  Nice comfortable house, water coming from the faucets, a very nice place to work, good roads, internet connections, electricity, all those things that we come to expect, and things that don’t get me wrong are great blessings from God.  However, I think some times they all with the other aspects of life can make us complacent all the way around.

So I have been thinking about taking risks.  I don’t mean bungee jumping off the New River Bridge, or necessarily backing up and moving to the Sudan.  I am thinking about things closer to home that will force me out of what can become the comfort zone of life.  I am not sure what this means yet, but I think it may lead to a good thing. With those thoughts, I have two things to share today.  One is a video that I shared a few years ago with several of you from Francis Chan.  If you can’t see this on your work computer, as I know YouTube is blocked a lot, make sure you check this out at home.

The second is this guy named Ananias from the book of Acts.  God told him to go and see this bad dude named Saul who was persecuted those who followed the Christ, and he after a little bit of hesitation, went.  He took a risk and great things happened

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Acts 9:10-18

What risks are sitting in front of you that you are hesitant to take.  Trust in God and see where he leads you.  Great things are ahead, if we dare!