The Adventurous Journey

Thank you

2006-07-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

It has been a long year for the Poirier & Merrill family as we have been at the side of my sister, Kim during her battle with cancer. Thank you to the many of you who have prayed for us and expressed yourselves through cards and emails as we grieve as a family. The love we have felt over the past year or so has been a blessing. I sure appreciate being loved!!

Scot

Reasons To Hope

2006-06-12T08:29:00.000-05:00

Check out today's entry on Mike Cope's blog:

Signs of Hope

I like what he said and I agree. There are signs of hope.

Messages of Support for the Poirier's and Merrill's

2006-05-31T12:10:00.000-05:00

Hello again.

Keep Scot and his family close to you these next few days. God is their strength and we are too. They are holding up well in their grief.

If you wish to view the obituary for Kim you can use this link:

Kim Merrill Obituary

Scroll down to view a picture of Kim and you can click to view the obiturary.

At the bottom of the obituary you can also sign a guestbook. Spend a few moments and leave your message of support. Scot told me today that this guestbook means a lot of him and his family. They spent this morning reading these messages and they are drawing great comfort from these words, and will do so in the days to come.

It will be a tough couple of days, but with God's help, all will make it through. Scot wanted me to let everyone know that he is so very grateful for your love.

The calling hours will be Thursday, 6-9pm, at the Potter Funeral Home.
The funeral will be Friday, 11am, at the Manchester (CT) Church of Christ.

A Loss

2006-05-30T06:58:00.000-05:00

With deep sadness, I want to share that Kim lost her battle to cancer yesterday. The family was there and she fought to the very end. Scot and the family are in mourning as they await the funeral services later in the week.

Please keep Glen (Kim's husband), Theresa (her mother), and Scot and Helen in your prayers and thoughts this week. Some day grief will turn more towards joy, but right now hearts are heavy and broken.

Kim Merrill was a lovely lady, a follower of Christ, and great person! She will be terribly missed.

Prayers and Thoughts for Scot and Kim

2006-05-27T08:24:00.000-05:00

Scot called me a few moments ago. He and Helen are headed to CT now. His sister, Kim, has turned for the worse. Her heart rate is irregular. Her breathing is shallow and labored. She is dehydrated and no longer eating. The family is gathering around her bed.

Please keep the Poirier and Merrill families in your thoughts and prayers.

Playing It Safe?

2006-05-24T10:49:00.000-05:00

I "borrowed" this from Jim Martin's blog:

Too Dangerous to Play it Safe

There are some people who live dangerously. No I'm not talking about jumping out of an airplane with nothing between you and the ground but a parachute which you hope will open. I'm not talking about participating in the annual Sweetwater, Texas rattlesnake roundup. We went one year. Uhhh--nothing quite like it.

Right now, I am thinking about the danger of playing it safe. The following are some dangers I have in mind. Do you have some others to add?

1. The danger of staying the same. Don't grow. Don't move. Just stay where you are. Never change your habits or the way you use your time. Stay the same. Be your same predictable self. Close your mind to anything new, different, or untried. That can be a very dangerous way to live.

2. The danger of playing it safe. "Who me? No I can't do that." Why? "What if I fail? What will I do?" Far too many people are determined to play it safe. Far too many churches are so interested in playing it safe that they say "no" to opportunities for ministry before them. This attitude is putting many churches at great risk! Why? Playing it safe is often a rationalization. If I play it safe then you don't have to trust God. That can be a dangerous way to live.

3. The danger of avoiding risk. Perhaps your teens are talking about going to a mission field or working with the poor in some distant American city. "Wait! You can't do that. We want you to live near us! We would miss you if you were that far away!" So, a teenager's vision is doused with cold water because mom and dad have no such vision themselves.

4. The danger of avoiding pain at all costs. Of course, no one likes to experience pain. Yet, one can go to such lengths to avoid pain that it becomes dangerous. Mom and Dad can't stand to hear their four year old whine and throw a tantrum that they bribe the child with toys, ice cream, etc. Perhaps mom or dad can't stand to see their child worry about her ticket so they rush in to pay it themselves. Consistently removing the natural consequences of our children's behavior can be very dangerous in the long run.

5. The danger of avoiding any discussion about "the big pink elephant in the middle of the room." A family has a troubled son or daughter. At Christmas, the daughter never shows up. No call. No explanation. Nothing! However, the family never mentions it and goes on with Christmas. Her packages under the tree. Her plate and silverware on the table. Ice tea is next to her plate. Yet nothing is ever said. The "big pick elephant in the middle of the room" is ignored. Are you ignoring something that really ought to be addressed?

Can you think of others?

Wicked

2006-05-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

Last night, my wife and I chaperoned a school field trip. Our two boys participate in their middle school chorus and the director planned a trip to the Boston Opera House to see the Broadway musical WICKED.

What a wonderful musical. The music captures your heart. The acting draws you into the story. And the set is very imaginative. Here is a brief synopsis:
Long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes for the most spellbinding new musical in years.

There are a few lines from one of the songs (Wonderful) I keep replaying in my head this morning: There are precious few at ease/With moral ambiguities/So we act as though they don't exist.

Sounds a little like some church folk I know these days.......

(Do you think my good Christian family will get second looks when they wear their WICKED apparel out in public? Maybe they'll even wear the clothes to a church service.)

Mike Cope's blog message for May 10, 2006

2006-05-10T22:02:00.000-05:00

Inorganic Music

Once again, there were classes at Pepperdine (as there have been at ACU and Tulsa earlier this year) on the need for greater fellowship between Christian Churches and Churches of Christ — again taught by Bob Russell and Rick Atchley. Of course, this is just a beginning. A small beginning. But, it is an important beginning. (At least it’s a beginning in some places. Many of you are in places where you already realize that anyone who is a Christ-follower is WITH you not AGAINST you!)

So here’s my take on instrumental music: God doesn’t much care. Most of the old arguments were lame, built on shoddy hermeneutics.

Nevertheless, those in the a cappella tradition don’t need to be ashamed of it. There is a rich tradition in the church that runs through the centuries of singing without instruments. Even today, when people enter our churches, they are dumbfounded to hear people singing — full voice, four-part harmony.

That doesn’t mean it’s the only way, or that it’s God’s way. Sure, I could be blessed by being in a church with Chris Tomlin leading worship.

But I’m not. I’m in a congregation with a heritage of being a cappella. That doesn’t mark us as being the REAL people of God or as being RIGHT. But it is a rich heritage that can be, if continued in love and humility, a gift to Christian community, reminding us that worship is a place of full participation where we all offer ourselves again to God, seeking to be reshaped by him to live for the sake of the world.

So God bless the drums/guitars/saxophones that are played for the glory of God. And God bless the pitch pipes and the tuning forks that find a pitch so that others can sing without instruments.

Preserving this a cappella heritage isn’t nearly as important to me as it is to others. It’s nothing I’m going to fight a younger generation on. If they decide to set it aside for the sake of the mission, I’ll be with them. (Sad, perhaps, but still with them.)

But in the meantime, I want to participate at the top of my lungs; I want to remind others that such singing is a blessing; and I want to share with others a growing appreciation for the many different looks of the universal church that lives for Christ.

--------

From Paul:

For those who'd like to read the comments posted on Mike Cope's blog (usually the comment section is where the real action takes place) you can go to this link:

Mike Cope's Blog about Music

BTW, I think this is a good piece to wrestle with. Some may feel that our church unity might be tested by this, but we must work hard to listen before we speak, pray before we preach, read deep and wide (especially Scripture), and let God's reign and kingdom mission to the world guide our hearts and conversation with each other. For what it's worth, I believe we can hold diverse views on this subject and still live and work together in unity for the mission of Christ.

Still thinking about the Achilles tendon

2006-05-04T07:49:00.000-05:00

Paul,

I’ve been thinking about your question regarding what our church's Achilles tendon is.

You, Tony Thompson from the Burlington church and I have worked on a series of lesson from Mark’s gospel. We’ve entitled the series “No Turning Back- living the surrendered life.” The challenge I see for the church is that the cause for which Christ died is being routed in our society. Ironically, as Christians our story underscores that God has come near. I heard a lesson from Randy Harris where he spoke about God coming near. He said 100 years ago in Africa about 7% of the people would have claimed to be Christian. Do you want to know what that number is today? 46%! Africans are now leaving their countries and going into other African countries to evangelize. Africa has become the center of Christianity. Or what about China? In 1900 about one half of one percent of the population claimed to be Christian. And after a hundred years of China trying to rid the country of Christianity it now has approximately 7% of the population that claims Christianity. There are more Chinese Christians than there are American Christians. But in our country the un-churched population is growing by leaps and bounds. Yet our story says that God has come near.

If we buy into the idea that there’s “No Turning Back” and that we are called to “Live the Surrendered Life,” we’ll find ourselves going to all kinds of people to show them that God is near. Here’s where our potential Achilles tendon is: There’s risk in buying into this idea. The risk is that all kinds of people will come into our churches and make them look a lot different. The risk is that God will be in control and for those of us who like to be in control––will be challenged.

In my rock climbing “year” I learned a valuable lesson. You need to trust the rope that ultimately holds you when you fall. Here’s my point––believe that God is the one who is in control. We are a people with a story. We are being called to let creation know that God is near. I’m convinced that when you do this, God’s got ya!! He’s got ya because it’s his mission and he’s the one in control.

Make no mistake, this new life we are called into for God will be one dedicated toward the goal of transforming others.

God has come near!

The Cast

2006-04-29T08:54:00.000-05:00

It seems like I always have a story!

I’d love to tell you that I hurt my foot saving an elderly woman as she walked unknowingly into hostile traffic; or that I tripped while successfully saving innocent people from their burning home. But… I cant!

The awful truth is I hurt my foot playing––basketball. If you’re reading this and you know me you’re probably not at all surprised. I’m certainly not.

Here’s how it happened: I was having a great game of basketball. In the first five minutes of getting into a pick-up game at the YMCA, I jammed my left thumb on the ball (ouch!). BTW- I happen to be lefty. Anyway, with in 20 minutes of playing I ran the baseline (schooling the 18 year old who was trying to keep up with my youthful speed!!!), which is one of my signature moves for a reverse lay-up. Well––I got the reverse lay-up up but when I came down from my 2 inch vertical (in full stride) I evidently ripped the plantar facia:

And since Tuesday night I’ve had difficulty walking. Fortunately on Wednesday I was “squeezed in” to see my orthopedic. Now let me tell ya… this guy just loves me. I think I’ve given him enough business over the years to pay for his house and his twins’ college tuitions. Let me put it to you this way…we’re definitely on a first name basis.

So here I am––in a cast, nursing an injury that will no doubt slow me down for a few months. But make no mistake––I cant wait to get back out there on the court and do some schooling.

You know, the funny thing about all of this is even though I’m severely injured I can still beat Paul in hoop!

Weakness

2006-04-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

Well....Scot has some news. If you see him hobbling around you'll know he has a weakness. His weakness is for basketball and his weakness is his body. He is suffering today because of his weakness. I let the old guy tell you about it some time.

I wonder out loud this morning. What is our church's Achilles tendon?

Hello! Is anybody out there?

2006-04-25T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ah, so good to be back. Paul, I look forward to continuing to dialog the adventurous journey.

BTW, I received an email earlier today from "Day of Praying and Fasting." They are a good organization trying to make a difference by providing humanitarian aid around the world. This year their focus is in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Check out this link Day of Prayer and Fasting and jump on in.

Talk to you soon...

We're On The Way Back

2006-04-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

Scot and I have been saying lately that we need to resurrect the ole' blog. I have been out straight with some major projects and Scot has been working on projects and giving his time to his sister. Her sister continues to struggle with cancer and we both continue to have projects. But we thought it would be good to get back to the blog. So, we're on the way back.

We'll start slow but hope to become more consistent as time goes by.

As you can see, we at least changed the template and we hope to add other things to the site in the future. We're both cheap, so we'll probably not get as fancy as other blogs, but at least we'll have some content that might be worth reading...or not.

Thanks for checkin' in.

Catching Up

2006-02-06T13:10:00.000-05:00

As you can tell, Scot and I have been "radio silent" the past few months (and more). I ask for your prayers on behalf of Scot and his sister, Kim. She is in a deep struggle with her cancer and Scot is working really hard to be there for her and the family. Plus, he is trying to finish some graduate work with deadlines coming soon for a big project. Plus, church life is keeping him busy as well.

I...well, I have been in a "listening" time in my life. I have been doing a lot of reading, playing with my boys, enjoy time with my wife and catching up on church work and ministry. It has been good to go quiet for a while. I find myself trying to learn more and more about listening to the rhythm of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am asking myself lately, "What is the Spirit doing?" That is humbly, confusing, clarifying...often all at the same time.

We'll be posting more in the coming months. Thanks for checking in every now and then

Quote To Chew On....

2005-11-16T15:52:00.000-05:00

Summarizing a statement by Donald Hagner: "The faith of Jesus unites us but faith in Jesus separates us."

I've been chewing on this one for while.....I like it.

Falling Off The Wagon

2005-11-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

Well...I fell off the wagon this morning. Actually, I blame my family (just like an addict would do, right!). Today is Veteran's Day holiday and the kids are out of school for the day. Leanne has a college class this morning (not a state school so they don't get many holidays off). Usually on these "special" days, the family starts laying down hints and my craving starts. I've been good the past few months and have tried to stay away from these. Since I've come back from my annual Lake Placid Hockey School (yep, I go to school for these kinds of things)with my friend Bill, I've been trying to maintain my physique.

But this morning I couldn't stay away. It is a crisp, fall day with bright sunshine and temps starting out in the 30's. I went and fell off the wagon at this place. I don't like coffee, but what a better way to start this "special" day with hot chocolate and those other things.

And I really fell off the wagon....I came home with an extra 1/2 dozen. Oh well, if you are going to fall...fall hard!

Have a great day!

Forget Making A Case

2005-11-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

I been more into reading than writing lately. Here one blog I've enjoyed reading. This guy is a lawyer, he knows what he's talking about. In particular I like this post:

Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Further Adventures in Missing the Point

It seems like every time I browse through the titles in a Christian bookstore or in the Religious section of a chain bookstore, I always find something that strikes me as odd. Today it happened in the "Christian" section of a Barnes & Noble.

What is going on with all of these books about "evidence" that "demands" certain things and the "case" for various Christian-related ideas, events, etc.?

Honestly?

Are people's relationships with God so disconnected that they need some sort-of strict, rational reassurance that God really is out there? Or are people thinking that - if they can load up with enough quasi-judicial sounding "ammo" - that they can really stick it to their non-Christian acquaintances? And if they do "stick it" to their non-Christian acquaintances, do they really expect their humiliated opponents to start begging them for more information about Jesus?

Take it from someone who works in the "case making" business every day: the use of "evidence" that "demands" stuff from others is way overrated.

There is a level at which one's case and evidence are very important in our judicial system, but most lawsuits are driven by relationships, not evidence. The relationships between the parties, which normally begin to deteriorate long before a dispute develops between them. The relationships between lawyers and clients. The relationships between witnesses and parties. The relationships between judge and lawyer and, ultimately, between the jury and the parties. Tell me about how those relationships work, and I can do a pretty good job predicting how a lawsuit will go without knowing a single thing about the underlying dispute.

For all that matters, forget all of the other relationships. If you can just tell me which parties the jury LIKES and which ones they don't like, I can predict the outcome of a case most of the time.

My advice to anyone who is obsessed with making out the "case" for some aspect of their faith is this: lighten up. Walk with God, enter into genuine, authentic relationships with the people around you, even non-believers, and Kingdom stuff will start happening. Force feed this stuff to yourself and those around you, and you may end up like an obnoxious barrister who - in spite of having the perfect case - loses to the jury because he's a pompous smart alek.

Spiritual Blackmail

2005-11-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

Greg Newton says this about Community and Coercion:

One thing that was impressed on me during our years in Africa is that ecclesial power is illusionary. In that situation you realize how powerless you are - and how foolish it would be to believe you can control those people.

I used to tell the Tanzanians "Budula wane buli giki, butogwa wingwe wa kudegeleka" (my power is this, your willingness to listen). I was being honest. They could walk away, do anything they wanted, and totally disregard me. There was nothing I could do to make them do what I wanted or said.

All Christians are volunteers. In Tanzania the word for believers also meant "agree-ers". What binds us together is uncoerced agreement. We agree to submit to one another. We agree to follow God's leading. None of this can be forced.

So often guilt, shame, and fear are used to wield power over people even in matters of faith. "Jesus gave us the power to bind on earth and in heaven so if you don't do what we say we will consign you to hell." The threat of excommunication kept medieval kings in line, if not because of their own fear, because their subjects would rise up in revolt against an excommunicated sovereign.

Spiritual blackmail has no place in spiritual formation. No fellow believer rules over me spiritually, and I rule over no one. We are all brothers. And yet I willingly submit to the instruction, guidance, and interests of others.

Trying to live out this reality in a community is challenging because all models that I am familiar with, have a hierarchy at the core. That hierarchy is based on illusory power, but those at the top of the structure attempt to wield it nonetheless.

Being free to pursue God, and yet indebted to love others, is the tension that keeps us in relationship without the coercion of human power.

"I Have a Dream"

2005-10-21T06:46:00.000-05:00

This morning I thought it would be good to share with you an email I received from a member of my congregation in Chelmsford, Ma. Lorene is an intelligent thinking Christian woman who wants to be more of what God is calling her to be. I'm thankful that Lorene and her family worship with us in Chelmsford, and I'm thankful for the email she sent me this morning.

I have a Dream

I have a dream that one day, sisters and brothers will walk together, serving humankind and doing good deeds.

That they will not hold onto resentment and anger for a sister or brother, as they are all made in the image of God and made one in the body of Christ. If anger and resentment has begun, there will be sisters and brothers, in the body of Christ, who will possess the spiritual nature and wisdom needed to address these problems and be able to, with the help of God, Christ and the Spirit, bring about a full spiritual healing and reconciliation. To be reconciled means to put an end to hostility, this can only occur when we fully understand exactly what we claim to know, that while we were enemies of God, Christ died for us.

I have a dream, that one day we will truly understand we were called to suffer, to suffer for Christ’s sake. And, so we will no longer be a people who live by mere words, but will be willing to put into action, exactly what we so easily proclaim. We will learn to suffer, in humble honor toward Christ and let God go about doing His work in the hearts of His people, while we build one another up in our pursuit of taking up the cross and following Christ every day.

If we discipline ourselves to learn to suffer and struggle spiritually, true repentance will occur, bringing the full body of Christ into worship of our Lord, for His grace, mercy and compassion is great, greater than anyone deserves.

We would do well to remember who we are and what we are in contrast to God’s holiness.

Amen

Lorene Gerstenlauer

“Surprise, surprise, surprise!”

2005-10-11T10:24:00.000-05:00

Helen and I just received our one hundred or so pictures and our personal DVD of an unplanned festive time we had with friends and family.

I remember when I was a kid watching the sitcom that starred Jim Nabor’s as Gomer Pyle. One of my favorite responses from Gomer was “surprise, surprise, surprise!”

Helen and I were planning on celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary on November 7. However our daughter, Jessika, had different plans for our celebration–– on October 2.

Jessika flew up from Nashville, Tennessee on September 29 to join Helen and other family and friends to attend the Women of Faith conference being held in Hartford, Connecticut on September 30th & October 1.

They went. They enjoyed. They came back home to New Hampshire. And we thought we would have a couple days to spend with our daughter before she went back to Nashville on October 4. However she schemed with many of our friends and family to have a surprise celebration at the Nashua Church of Christ on Sunday evening, October 2. All I can say is…“surprise, surprise, surprise!” We were like deer in the headlights. Clueless!

Hmm… Thank you Jessika for honoring mom and daddy. We sure do love you. And thank you to our family and friends who attended our surprise party.

We feel loved and accepted by so many people. God has blessed us beyond measure.

One last note: For those of you who attended who were part of the deception to get us to the Nashua church building… shame on you!

The Purpose of a Church Family...

2005-09-30T15:58:00.000-05:00

The purpose of family is to extend the family...when families get turned in on themselves, when they get into themselves, focusing too much on themselves, unhealthy things begin to happen. Bad habits form. Unsavory personality traits appear. Unusual thoughts start to be expressed. A strange psychosis takes over. Sometimes church families get this way. They get waaay too into themselves. For instance,

Churches can spend a lot of time TALKING about Jesus. Let me be clear, family conversation is good. One of the greatest joys during the Clark family reunions are the amount of TALK TIME we have. Some of the best moments we have around here, in our church, involve a lot of TALK. But this blessing may also become our curse. We TALK about Jesus and what he wants. We TALK about what is kosher and what is not. We TALK, We TALK and We TALK. But, like natural families, sometimes church families constantly talk but have trouble moving from talk to action. Jesus calls us to “hear his words and to put them into practice.”

Church families can be so into themselves that they struggle to hear or see people around them. These churches are known for their closeness, they are kind and loving to each other, but there are people around churches whose spirituality doesn’t quite match the family definition. There are valuable people who are quiet and often orbit around the edges of the family circle. They wouldn’t be noticed unless you are looking for them.

Church families may have rules and regulations about family protocol that actually inhibit folks from enjoying the life-giving blessing of family. Keep the family walls high and intact. Though a family may say they are welcoming and want others to join them, in order to fully gain membership in the family, you have to do this, follow that, and don’t get caught acting that way. Family holiness and family reputation can be a powerful, life-denying thing.

Could it be that people’s obsession for church family can become so in trenched that they actually become inhibitors to the very change that God is working towards? The purpose of family is to extend the family. But some times “Family” can get in the way of “being” and offering the gift of family to the world.

Hear what I am saying. Jesus loves family. He is not against family. He honors supernatural and natural family units. But his purpose for the family is to extend the family. God wants his spiritual family to be the resource for His kingdom endeavors.

God On A Leash

2005-09-27T08:31:00.000-05:00

“…no longer will we focus our faith on rules about God.”

Religion has a tendency to focus on rules about God. Religion's nerve center is on keeping one unstained. It's designed to keep one on the right side of things.

“Don't associate with those gamblers and prostitutes! Instead you need to be over here where there are nice people who go to church every Sunday and give their money to church and to each other.”

“Don't associate with those people over there who are living the wrong way sexually, where there are people suffering and dying from sexual diseases. Instead you need to be on this side of the fence where people are spiritually clean and morally straight.”

“Don't associate with those people who cheat and steal. Instead you need to be on this side of the tracks where everybody acts nice.”

But Jesus' action is different. Jesus is the one who touches and holds lepers! Jesus is the one who parties with those cheating tax collectors and stealing sinners! Jesus is the one who lets the woman that the church fathers thought was a prostitute stroke and anoint him at a dinner party in a lepers house!

This is the kind of stuff that happens when God breaks loose in our lives. Maybe some of us just need to admit it. We don't really want this kind of God on the loose. We don't want an untamed God on the loose in our world. We certainly don't want him loose in our church were we want everything a certain way. What we really want is a domesticated God… a religion that focuses more on rules about God.

It's okay for him to be holy as long as he is humble. We're okay with the power God has and the reign he represents, but we want that power domesticated--we want it working for us. We want God on a leash. Our lease!

The Rest We All Need

2005-09-25T07:34:00.000-05:00

Focusing on Rule or Living in the Rest of God?

This world of ours is littered with people who need rest. There are people who see themselves as worthless because they have some kind of mark on them...either self-inflicted or a label slapped on them by someone else. There are other folks who feel that they do not measure up to God’s standards, no matter how hard they try...and they are trying really hard. There are people with struggles, and confusion, and they are tired of living quiet lives of desperation. There are people who are worn out because they have tried to live their life by their own power and might. They need rest.

The good news is that Jesus comes to rescue us all from this absurdity. Come to me, Jesus says, all who are weary, burdened, and I will give you rest. Follow me. Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.

In no turning back and in living the God-surrendered life, we say this: No longer will we focus our faith on rules about God. We will rest in God. We all know that things can fall apart in our life. This world has it’s fair share of trouble and sadness. We can get knocked off balance. When we break down, we often look for someone to settle the disarray. Where is the doctor? Do we have an attorney? Go see the preacher. Call the plumber. The phone line is dead. The electricity is out. My life is in shambles, God, are you listening? (Thanks, Jeff, for this thought).

It is in these moments of shaken equilibrium when we do not need a rule about God. WE NEED GOD and WE NEED HIS REST! And the good news is that, in Jesus, God extends his hand.

God Ripping Open Heaven

2005-09-22T19:33:00.000-05:00

Mark 1:9-13
"And it happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. Immediately coming up from the water he saw the heavens being RIPPED OPEN and the spirit like a dove coming down on him, settling in him. And there was a voice from the heavens, “You are my only son. In you I took delight. Immediately the spirit drove him out to the desert and he was in the desert forty days being tested by Satan. And he was among wild animals, and the angels were serving him."

You see, when the heavens are ripped open and God gets turned loose and the Spirit descends on us, like it did on Jesus, God pushes us out of our comfort zones and send us into some unsettling places. The Spirit sent Jesus to the wilderness. God turns loose on us and turns us loose and sends us out on a mission for his Kingdom. He sends us out with this wonderful gift to be offered to our world. When God gets a hold of us, “God drives us to where he wants to go, to what God wants to do and not always to where we want to go and what we’d rather do.” (to quote Brian Blount)

When God gets loose inside of you, you start to do things that turn the world upside down and inside out! There is no turning back. As followers of Jesus, may we recognize that God is loose in our life and remember that God is loose in our church. May we be courageous enough to join with God who is loose in our world.
May we have the courage to run loose in the world, to be like Steve Martin, wild and crazy, because God has gotten a hold of us and he’s not turning loose and neither are we. There is no turning back. What a gift He’s ripped open for us.

We're back!!

2005-09-20T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hey, Paul and I are back in the saddle again (I can hear this old Aerosmith song...) and raring to get back into this blogging stuff. Although the summer has been busy, it has also been fruitful.

Let's see, I just finished harvesting the last of my watermelon, cantaloupe, and sweet red peppers. These are reminders to me how good God is. Mind you, I wasn't really thinking about God's goodness when I was slaving in the garden back in May. The black flies and mosquitoes were ruthless. My new garden was filled with boulders and other junk. I worked real hard. I worked real hard not knowing if it would really pay off. Let me tell you though, right now… it paid off!

Ah...Life is good!