Tag: Galatians

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Go Go Joe!

A few weekends ago I traveled up the road to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with some local high schoolers and my family to take in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.    It’s a great and fun show, and the tunes have been stuck in my head for weeks. There was one part of the movie that has stuck with me.  It’s after Joseph has been betrayed the second time (  the first by his brothers, the second by Potiphar).  He sits in jail with no hope.  No way out.  No chance.   It’s in this moment that Joseph sings about how he doesn’t matter and that his life is not important.  But right there in that same moment, the narrator starts to sing to him “Go Go Joe, Go Go Joe”.  In the midst of his despair she starts to encourage him and finishes her encouragement with “We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”.  Its a funny line, but a really really powerful line. 

That’s the part of Joseph we can relate to.  I don’t tell dreams, I don’t have twelve brothers and I dont have a multicolor coat ( oh, well, yes I do…)  .. but really, I can relate to feeling at rock bottom, to feeling that you are alone, or that you have no hope.  And I caught myself rejoicing in my mind when I heard her singing”  We’ve read the book and you come out on top!”  It reminded me of my of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs – I Will Rise

There’s a peace I come to know, though my heart and flesh my fail, there’s an anchor for my soul ,I can say it is well, Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed, the victory is won, he is risen from the dead, and I will rise!

Yes!

We have read the book, we come out on top.

 24See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. 1 John 2:24-25 

 26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.  Galatians 3:26-29

And if you are not sure what happens to Joseph or if just you want to see a great show, my son and nephews will be in a rendition of “Joseph” along with the high schoolers at Boyd Buchanan this weekend.  Three shows – 7 on Friday night, 2 and 7 on Saturday.  Come out there and enjoy a great show and rejoice that we come out on top!

Enjoy the day you have been given – its a day closer to the promise.

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March Fourth and Do Something

Its here, the only day of the year that also a command.  March Fourth!  Its a day to get up and go.  Its seems this would be a better day to start with resolutions then Jan 1 when you are all tired from the Holidays.  Plus it’s sound so strong and energetic – March Fourth!

Today, pick something that you have had laying around that you have been wanting to do, and just get it done.  I am going to spice up the front page of this site a bit, so that http:\\www.butcherville.com actually has some content, even though my friend Blue Line has returned to be with me all day today and tomorrow!  What are you going to do? Can’t think of anything?  Here are a few suggestions:

  • share the Daily Buffet with a friend, I know you have been wanting to- maybe some one else is as crazy as you and find encouragement through through this bit of text.
  • mow your lawn ( ok not really)
  • say a prayer for Tennessee Jed.  I have spoken with him a little this week, and he is still struggling with lots of stuff.

It’s amazing how many things we want to do, however  we never stop and take the time to do.  Its like that in all aspects of life – even our spiritual lives.  We have high intentions, but find ourselves wandering.  Sometimes its the battle within ourselves that prevents us from getting things done. Check out Galatians 5.  This is an interesting verse, especially around the end of the 17th verse.

Galatians 5:16-18 (New International Version)

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Which is it that we want to do, that we do not do – the sinful nature, or the desire of the Spirit? Anyway. which are you going to let lead you today?  March Fourth leave the flesh behind and be led by the Spirit, then watch what happens!  Do it today – March Fourth!!

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Happy Groundhog Day 2010

Wow, January is gone. I could not believe that yesterday was the first of February and that today is Groundhog Day!

Wow, January is gone. I could not believe that yesterday was the first of February and that today is Groundhog Day! ( ok that was a bad joke, I will not do that again.)

But really, can you believe 1/12 of 2010 is gone, and I am still writing the date as 20010. So, How are those resolutions going?  Are you changing yourself?  It was interesting how much I heard about casting resolutions away before they were even created back around the New Year.  It seems that we are conditioned that things will stay the same.  Is not expected that things can change.   However, we don’t expect that with our children?  We expect them to grow and mature and change, but at some point, somewhere in our life, we agree ( give up) and the expectations for change diminish.

With that mindset, it was interesting this weekend to hear one of my friends talk about some new believers, who are adults.  She was expressing how awesome and inspiring it was to “watch them change and grow” right before her eyes!

Take a look at 1 Corinthians 4:16

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

We are given a chance each day to change and grow.  I think we should start to expect change – each day.  Look at this verse I shared with Tennessee Jed(keep praying for him) yesterday from Galations 4:19

I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Paul expected change in the Galatians.  I expect to see change in Tennessee Jed, as painful as it will be.  And I attempt each day to renew myself and expect some change.

How about you, Will you reset you expectations and reaffirm those resolutions.  In this short month, set some attainable goal(s) and go for it.  On this Groundhog Day, come out of your hole, take one look at your shadow and then change the season!

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Happy MLK 2010

It’s the day the government has set aside to remember Martin Luther King Jr and his wonderful work to create racial equality in America.  Its also a day that I get to travel to snowy Maine to work!  Have a mentioned I love snow.

Anyway, its MLK day, so take some time to stop and think about racial harmony and racial tension.  As follows of the Christ, sometimes this seems to be one of the hardest things for us to deal with for really unknown reasons.    But this problems with differences is an issue that is discussed much throughout the history of mankind and also very much in the pages of our Bible.

For instance, Jesus, when asked “who is my neighbor”, tells the all familiar story of the Good Samaritan, a story that fundamental tells us that our neighbor is the person we hate – so go and show them mercy.  He is telling us that everyone is you neighbor and that

” A person’s a person, no matter how small” – Dr.  Seuss.

And we can’t forget the passage dealing with the oneness we have in Christ and how that unity crosses social, gender, racial, or any other barrier you want to create.

Galatians 3:27-29 (New International Version)

27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So today, honor Dr King, and spend some time thinking about how you are treating your neighbor ( is it as you treat yourself?)

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New Years Best of Countdown

Step by Step

Originally published on 5/27/2009

“Step by step ooh baby , Gonna get to you girl , Step by step ooh baby …. “ oh uh.. well, sometimes NKOTB just stays in your head.

But not today.  I had to google those lyrics, today I am singing about keeping in step with the Spirit in Gal 5:25.  I think the Message’s paraphrase is good.  We have more interesting things to do with our lives then to get got up comparing with each other.  Lets live by the spirit.  Lets turn this world upside down.

are you ready?

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

— Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

http://www.heartlight.org/gallery/1720.html

The Message (MSG)


25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.