Life Unraveled
The journey of a frail pilgrim trying to love God and love others
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Empowered to Be
February 3, 2010
Who are we? Are we what we do? Are we what others say about us? Are we the power we have? It often seems that way in our society. But the Spirit of Jesus given to us reveals our true spiritual identities. The Spirit reveals that we belong not to a world of success, fame, or power but to God. The world enslaves us with fear; the Spirit frees us from that slavery and restores us to the true relationship. That is what Paul means when he says: “All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God, for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:15).
Who are we? We are God’s beloved sons and daughters!
Are You Being Challenged?
January 16, 2010
A great cartoon reminding us that school’s out, and there’s no one but ourselves to encourage being stretched and challenged.
The Impossible Quiz? I think not…
January 16, 2010
OK, so there’s a challenge presented. I must rise and meet that challenge; nay, I shall EXCEED that challenge!
Holding our Ground
January 13, 2010
In a world so full of social and political turmoil and immense human suffering, people of faith will often be ridiculed because of their so-called “ineffectiveness.” Many will say: “If you believe that there is a loving God, why hasn’t your God done something about this mess?” Some will simply declare faith irrelevant, while others will consider it an obstacle or a detriment to the creation of a new and better world.
Jesus often tells his followers that, as he was, we will be persecuted, arrested, tortured, and killed. But he also tells us not to worry but to trust in him at all times. “Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” (Luke 21:14-15). Let’s not be afraid of skepticism and cynicism coming our way, but trust that God will give us the strength to hold our ground.
Words and Deeds Defining Us
January 13, 2010 — 1 Comment
Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” But how many times can we truly ‘entertain’ a thought (or ‘thoughtless’ deed) before it ultimately becomes accepted by us, and thus can be used to add to the things that define us?
True vs. Truth
January 13, 2010
The opposite of a true statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. (Niels Bohr)
Spiritual Choices
January 13, 2010
Choices. Choices make the difference. Two people are in the same accident and severely wounded. They did not choose to be in the accident; it just happened to them. But one of them chose to live the experience in bitterness, the other in gratitude. These choices radically influenced their lives and the lives of their families and friends. We have very little control over what happens in our lives, but we have a lot of control over how we integrate and remember what happens. It is precisely these spiritual choices that determine whether we live our lives with dignity.
Truth-Seekers
January 10, 2010
Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it. (Andre Gide)
Happy Epiphany!
January 6, 2010
What is Epiphany? It’s “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.” Christians have celebrated for centuries as the Twelfth Day of Christmas commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles (as represented by the Magi that came to visit).
May you have a “sudden realization” today of the same thing Paul preached to the Gentiles: the unsearchable riches of Christ, the freedom we have through him, and immeasurable love of our Savior (Read Ephesians 3:8-21).
Bible Reading Plans
January 2, 2010
[Click Here for Bible Reading Plans]
Let’s commit to being in the Word this year…YouVersion has a great compilation of reading plans, from a leisurely stroll of a section over a year to an intense workout of the entire Scriptures in one year—and for every type of reader. You can also check out a plan John Piper recommends that includes the entire Bible in a year with a 5-day catch-up each month.
What’s your poverty?
December 21, 2009
How can we embrace poverty as a way to God when everyone around us wants to become rich? Giving of our financial resources sacrificially is one of the most powerful testimonies of a Christ-centered life; however, lack of money is not our only source of poverty. What is your poverty? Is it lack of emotional stability, lack of a loving partner, lack of security, lack of safety, lack of self-confidence? Each human being has a place of poverty. That’s the place where God wants to dwell! “How blessed are the poor,” Jesus says (Matthew 5:3). This means that our blessing is hidden in our poverty. We are so inclined to cover up our poverty and ignore it that we often miss the opportunity to discover God, who dwells in it. Let’s dare to see our poverty as the land where our treasure is hidden.
Honoring God
December 15, 2009
A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell. (C.S. Lewis)
Simul Justus et Peccator
December 7, 2009
A phrase coined by Martin Luther to discuss the notion that we are simultaneously righteous and sinful. In his Lectures on Romans, Luther put it this way: “The saints in being righteous are at the same time sinners; they are righteous because they believe in Christ whose righteousness covers them and is imputed to them, but they are sinners because they do not fulfill the Law and are not without sinful desires. They are like sick people in the care of a physician: they really are sick, but healthy only in hope and in so far as they begin to get better, or, rather: are being healed.”
