Monday, June 11, 2007
Friday, April 06, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Where have all the Good ones Gone?
Ever noticed that in this day and age of overwhelming information we dont seem to be getting any smarter. We are living in a period like never before. My kids know more about most things at 9 than my grandpa did in a life time and yet something is missing.
We are experiencing a fragmenting of knowledge build on half truths, sound bites and YouTube clips. Nothing solid or complete-things that sounds clever or ring or "truthiness" but are void of depth.
Look at these statistics from a recient online article Some Startling Statistics:
1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
We talk in terms of more and more knowledge, but fail to instill the value of real wisdom. We hide our ignorance in shadowy intelligence.
Value wisdom and seek truth. Put the hard work of study into your life. Read to and teach your children to love books. Build a generation of learners and people who love to learn, experiement and growth in knowledge and truth. Pray to God for wisdom though it costs all your have pursue it.
James 1:5
Ever noticed that in this day and age of overwhelming information we dont seem to be getting any smarter. We are living in a period like never before. My kids know more about most things at 9 than my grandpa did in a life time and yet something is missing.
We are experiencing a fragmenting of knowledge build on half truths, sound bites and YouTube clips. Nothing solid or complete-things that sounds clever or ring or "truthiness" but are void of depth.
Look at these statistics from a recient online article Some Startling Statistics:
1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.We talk in terms of more and more knowledge, but fail to instill the value of real wisdom. We hide our ignorance in shadowy intelligence.
Value wisdom and seek truth. Put the hard work of study into your life. Read to and teach your children to love books. Build a generation of learners and people who love to learn, experiement and growth in knowledge and truth. Pray to God for wisdom though it costs all your have pursue it.
James 1:5
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Insights from Bethpage
I took a few days to myself this week. Really needed it. People today are way too busy. Christians should be the best at rest. Not laziness mind you, but rest. It is a sin not to rest. Resting puts God back in control (not that he ever wasnt). There has to be time when we stop creating, stop fighting to get ahead, stop doing. A time when God is simply God and we enjoy that. We listen for a change. We reflect. We stare blankly. We acknowledge publicly through the act of rest that we trust Jesus more than ourselves. That he is in control not me. I say to the world, and myself, that I am human and not divine. I need to know that. I confess him with my mouth and live in my professional hypocrisy.
Here are a few things that came to mind this week as I rested. I might elaborate on them further at some point. Maybe not.
1. Godliness doesnt come easy.
2. Godliness is not an accident- it is worked for.
3. Grace accompanies repentance.
4. Honesty is crucial.
5. Study Hard, Pray Harder.
6. Hebrews 10:22-23
7. God does hear us and he desires that we hear him.
Might I suggest that in the next couple weeks, sooner than later you take some time to stop. You dont have to go anywhere or do anything, just rest. Rest from TV, from too much food, from spending money, from work-even from play. Enjoy a long hot shower. Take a walk. Make your self a cup of tea in a kettle and not the microwave. Listen. Found out what silence sounds like again. Its a scary thing...and like the rest of God it is good.
I took a few days to myself this week. Really needed it. People today are way too busy. Christians should be the best at rest. Not laziness mind you, but rest. It is a sin not to rest. Resting puts God back in control (not that he ever wasnt). There has to be time when we stop creating, stop fighting to get ahead, stop doing. A time when God is simply God and we enjoy that. We listen for a change. We reflect. We stare blankly. We acknowledge publicly through the act of rest that we trust Jesus more than ourselves. That he is in control not me. I say to the world, and myself, that I am human and not divine. I need to know that. I confess him with my mouth and live in my professional hypocrisy.
Here are a few things that came to mind this week as I rested. I might elaborate on them further at some point. Maybe not.
1. Godliness doesnt come easy.
2. Godliness is not an accident- it is worked for.
3. Grace accompanies repentance.
4. Honesty is crucial.
5. Study Hard, Pray Harder.
6. Hebrews 10:22-23
7. God does hear us and he desires that we hear him.
Might I suggest that in the next couple weeks, sooner than later you take some time to stop. You dont have to go anywhere or do anything, just rest. Rest from TV, from too much food, from spending money, from work-even from play. Enjoy a long hot shower. Take a walk. Make your self a cup of tea in a kettle and not the microwave. Listen. Found out what silence sounds like again. Its a scary thing...and like the rest of God it is good.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Colossians
We are taking a quick journey through the book of Colossians in bible study right now. Part of me is regreting trying to cram such a powerful letter into 4 weeks of study. Part of me is really excited to see how God is using our breif time in the book to drive participants more deeply into scripture on their own.
A few observations from Colossians.
1. Jesus is Supreme
2. Jesus is Sufficient
3. Christians should live these truths out in their lives.
4. People are easily distracted.
5. Paul really loves Jesus and People.
6. I, at my core, do not.
7. Repentance is key to understanding all of the above.
8. Grace is the key to Repentance.
We are taking a quick journey through the book of Colossians in bible study right now. Part of me is regreting trying to cram such a powerful letter into 4 weeks of study. Part of me is really excited to see how God is using our breif time in the book to drive participants more deeply into scripture on their own.
A few observations from Colossians.
1. Jesus is Supreme
2. Jesus is Sufficient
3. Christians should live these truths out in their lives.
4. People are easily distracted.
5. Paul really loves Jesus and People.
6. I, at my core, do not.
7. Repentance is key to understanding all of the above.
8. Grace is the key to Repentance.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Next Spirituality
"We certainly have been placed in an interesting time. In fact it is not much different than what Machen was experiencing in the early 1900's. We have a rise of liberalism within the church labeled as Emergent. And we have the rise of scientism outside the church labeled as Progess. Both are trying to regain ground. One attempts to gain ground they lost to the evangelicals, and the other ground they lost to the postmoderns. The New Liberalism and the New Science which are not really new at all are they?," Tom Moller, an elder at Kaleo Church
Quote from a post on goodmanson.com about the possible future of spirituality.
I would argue though that I do not know if some of these trends will stick as the primary with Atheism and Science is that they do not and cannot answer the larger questions people have. They are find sounding arguements, but merely a new approach to the same old attempts at "new religion" which all are still born into an impotent faith based on hollow philosophies and elemental spirits of the age.
Is nothing new under the sun? Nothing.
"We certainly have been placed in an interesting time. In fact it is not much different than what Machen was experiencing in the early 1900's. We have a rise of liberalism within the church labeled as Emergent. And we have the rise of scientism outside the church labeled as Progess. Both are trying to regain ground. One attempts to gain ground they lost to the evangelicals, and the other ground they lost to the postmoderns. The New Liberalism and the New Science which are not really new at all are they?," Tom Moller, an elder at Kaleo Church
Quote from a post on goodmanson.com about the possible future of spirituality.
I would argue though that I do not know if some of these trends will stick as the primary with Atheism and Science is that they do not and cannot answer the larger questions people have. They are find sounding arguements, but merely a new approach to the same old attempts at "new religion" which all are still born into an impotent faith based on hollow philosophies and elemental spirits of the age.
Is nothing new under the sun? Nothing.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Asking Big Questions
I ran across the following post during a blog reading session. It came from Steve-Olson.com. He hass a good little post called "ten things I learned from my 4 yr old." Good read. The following insight really hit my heart
"A few weeks ago our cat was dying. So I explained death to my son and told him our cat was going to heaven. I was amazed that he grasped the permanence of death. Like the other members of my family he was very sad for several days. Then he asked, “Dad, how do you get to heaven?” I said,”Well everyone goes there when they die.” He said, “No I mean, how do you get there? Do go out the door and get in the car? Do you take a rocket?” I had to admit to him that I didn’t know how you get to heaven, I just believe in it. A few days latter he asked, “If God made me, who made God?” Good question. I haven’t thought about that one in years. "
It hit me because I had jsut finished talking with my 9 year olds about some of this very stuff over pancakes and french toast at our favorite breakfast dinner on route 66.
A couple of observations:
1. Everybody wants to go to heaven.
2. Everybody at some level fears or questions death.
3. Kids are smarter than we give them credit for especially in understanding spirituality.
4. Dads have a responsibility to teach there children about Jesus and Life.
5. We live in a post Christian America.
6. Christians are obligated to the world to reveal the mysteries of God, namely Jesus Christ.
7. Everybody is spiritual, some of us just stopped asking the Big Questions.
I ran across the following post during a blog reading session. It came from Steve-Olson.com. He hass a good little post called "ten things I learned from my 4 yr old." Good read. The following insight really hit my heart
"A few weeks ago our cat was dying. So I explained death to my son and told him our cat was going to heaven. I was amazed that he grasped the permanence of death. Like the other members of my family he was very sad for several days. Then he asked, “Dad, how do you get to heaven?” I said,”Well everyone goes there when they die.” He said, “No I mean, how do you get there? Do go out the door and get in the car? Do you take a rocket?” I had to admit to him that I didn’t know how you get to heaven, I just believe in it. A few days latter he asked, “If God made me, who made God?” Good question. I haven’t thought about that one in years. "
It hit me because I had jsut finished talking with my 9 year olds about some of this very stuff over pancakes and french toast at our favorite breakfast dinner on route 66.
A couple of observations:
1. Everybody wants to go to heaven.
2. Everybody at some level fears or questions death.
3. Kids are smarter than we give them credit for especially in understanding spirituality.
4. Dads have a responsibility to teach there children about Jesus and Life.
5. We live in a post Christian America.
6. Christians are obligated to the world to reveal the mysteries of God, namely Jesus Christ.
7. Everybody is spiritual, some of us just stopped asking the Big Questions.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
It Is The Lord!
"Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God."
"Give Me to drink." How many of us are set upon Jesus Christ slaking our thirst when we ought to be satisfying Him? We should be pouring out now, spending to the last limit, not drawing on Him to satisfy us. "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me" - that means a life of unsullied, uncompromising and unbribed devotion to the Lord Jesus, a satisfaction to Him wherever He places us.
Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him. It is easier to serve than to be drunk to the dregs. The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him. We are not sent to battle for God, but to be used by God in His battlings. Are we being more devoted to service than to Jesus Christ?
From Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest
Monday, January 15, 2007
7 Things I have learned planting a church
1. It's Hard
2. Without a call from God do not plant a church (Prov. 16:9, 21:30)
3. Jesus builds the church not me-Christ is supreme and suffient in doing so. (Matt 16:18, Col 1-2)
4. It is very often harder for christians (including myself) to comprehend repentance and live for the kingdom of God than it is for those who do not yet know Jesus. (Matt 21:31-33)
5. God uses ministry to "get you done" before he uses you to "get ministry done".
6. Prayer is your greatest assest. I still do not do this well, but God in his love pushes me to me knees constantly (Eph 6:18)
7. It's Really Hard
1. It's Hard
2. Without a call from God do not plant a church (Prov. 16:9, 21:30)
3. Jesus builds the church not me-Christ is supreme and suffient in doing so. (Matt 16:18, Col 1-2)
4. It is very often harder for christians (including myself) to comprehend repentance and live for the kingdom of God than it is for those who do not yet know Jesus. (Matt 21:31-33)
5. God uses ministry to "get you done" before he uses you to "get ministry done".
6. Prayer is your greatest assest. I still do not do this well, but God in his love pushes me to me knees constantly (Eph 6:18)
7. It's Really Hard
Me
I am a church planter. The Church is called Mystery. I hope to use this site to post my thoughts, ideas, loves and frustrations with life, church, scripture and God.
One of the realizations as of the first of this year for me has been that I do not create enough. I teach, preach, study and all that but I do not create enough anymore. I desire to write, paint and spend time in the other part of my brain that does not simply DO things.
One of the values of our church is Expression. Worshipping God for who he is in ways he has made us to be. This happens in formal worship of God and the joy and satisfaction we have in standing before Christ in adoration should be carried over and lived out in every area of our lives.
Maybe I can begin to do that here.
Pastor Steev
I am a church planter. The Church is called Mystery. I hope to use this site to post my thoughts, ideas, loves and frustrations with life, church, scripture and God.
One of the realizations as of the first of this year for me has been that I do not create enough. I teach, preach, study and all that but I do not create enough anymore. I desire to write, paint and spend time in the other part of my brain that does not simply DO things.
One of the values of our church is Expression. Worshipping God for who he is in ways he has made us to be. This happens in formal worship of God and the joy and satisfaction we have in standing before Christ in adoration should be carried over and lived out in every area of our lives.
Maybe I can begin to do that here.
Pastor Steev
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)