A new addition in the Bible!!

I have a growing fascination--attraction might be a better word--with the Bible. The more experience I accumulate the more “true-to-life” the scripture seems to be! I know, I know...it's really just me that has changed. Still, I find some long-time familiar passages seem as fresh as if they had just recently been added.

For instance, last week I read John 15:1-8. You probably know it. It's the time when Jesus was talking to his disciples using the metaphor of the vine and branches. "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (John 15:4, NIV) I've always thought of that verse legalistically: “remaining in me” is obtained by obedience to him. However, according to the broader context, it seems more likely that obedience IS the fruit...the result of remaining in him. To put it in other terms, it's not obedience that brings spirituality it's spirituality that brings obedience!

I know it's both: obedience results in remaining in him and remaining in him results in obedience. But I wonder how much more joy and satisfaction I might have in my Christian journey if my obedience was viewed less as a task (or burden) to do and more of as a result of my closeness to Him. What do you think?

Darkness Reigns?

Hello to all you folks out there in the Blogosphere . I've decided to try something different this week.  Instead of reading, you'll be watching!  This is a first time for posting a video on our blog site so there may be a little lag.  Please be patient.   Be sure to post your comments below...We'd love to know what you're thinking!

- Dave

Every Good and Perfect Gift

It was my sixteenth birthday and my parents had an amazing surprise for me. It was a brand new CCM 10 speed Targa bicycle.

Wow, I was so excited that I couldn't stop thanking them.

As I think back over that, and many other wonderful blessings that I have received from my parents, I am reminded that my heavenly Father has blessed me beyond what I can ever understand or adequately describe.

James understood this and expressed it so well when he said:

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

and comes down from the Father of lights,

with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."
James 1:17

When it came to the bike, I couldn't stop telling anyone and everyone--who would listen--just how great my parents were for giving me such an awesome gift.

It makes me wonder what it is that holds me--what holds us--back from expressing the same love and overwhelming joy in and for our heavenly Father?

How has God blessed your life this week?

What is it that holds you back from sharing the joy of that overwhelming blessing?

Let us know by leaving a comment below,  and together let's become "little kids" again as we share the blessings of God--our heavenly Father--with everyone we can.

Alan

No Expertise Required

To the unemployed or underemployed these are sweet sounding words aren’t they? After another unsuccessful interview what a relief to finally come across a classified add that has this as its title! I’ve been thinking about this phrase lately because I had a conversation over the phone this week with someone who is part of our church that told me they thought we prefer to have “experts” leading ministry. As I heard them express their heart I was saddened because I imagined they felt the same kind of discouragement that a job-hunter can feel. I heard them saying “I feel that I need not apply for this job because I’m not good enough to be of any use to this church or perhaps even to God.”

Although nothing could be further from the truth, I realized that at times we can perpetuate this myth as a church by how we do things. But if we read the Gospel accounts of the life of Christ there is no doubt that in choosing the disciples Jesus seems to be showing us that “no expertise” is required to follow Him in mission. Just think of the kind of people He chose. One might even argue that Jesus in fact purposefully chose the non-expert to help people see God at work. Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:26ff:

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

So be encouraged. No expertise is required.

What do you think about this idea? Doesn't it seem counter-intuitive to the world? Do you think we can really live this out? Won't it be too messy?

Gary