This week Anne Rice wrote on her Facebook page: “For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.” Read More…
Many dads are jacked up and that’s why some people rarely spend time to think about God as a Father. Jesus introduces the Father and child relationship to us. It is Jesus’ relationship to His father that should be our focus. In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus tells a story about a father and his two sons. Two things stand out about the father in the story: he is an approachable and forgiving father, and he is a strong and leading father. Read More…
Matthew 5:6. First, let’s meditate on Isaiah 25:6. It’s one of my favorite verse. Vintage wine and great steak is the imagery that God chooses to describe Heaven. Jesus similarly describes Heaven as a royal wedding feast in Matthew 22:2. Feasting on great wine and meat sounds awesome (but, I can’t keep from wondering if some Christians will be uncomfortable there). It sounds satisfying. Read More…
Matthew 5:5. My view of meekness or gentleness was forever changed by Proverbs 25:15. The verse says that some speaking is bone breakingly clear. The ESV translates the word gentle as soft, but that is not the best translation for a word that connotes an empathetic kindness. In most communication courses the instructor tries to correct poor communication with a technique called active listening. When actively listening, you repeat back what you hear to be sure there is no misunderstanding. A gentle word can break a bone because when it is spoken it clearly communicates, “I understand you,” “I love you,” and “I deeply care for your well being.” Meekness is understanding where others are coming from and loving them where they are. Read More…
Matthew 5:4. Mark Moore in his commentary on the gospels says, “Evangelicals have made so much of grace that we have often made too little of sin.” I have noticed in my own life (and in observations as a pastor) that it is hard to force oneself into grief over a wrong doing. Many people have found themselves wanting to feel remorse for a wrong committed, but lacking something inwardly that causes grief for sin. Read More…
Matthew 5:3. Every Jesus follower should commit to knowing and living what Jesus preached. Jesus’ most important sermon is recorded in Matthew 5-7. Jesus begins with a series of blessings. The series begins and ends with the phrase “the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus‘ focus was to proclaim the current formation of and ultimate completion of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 4:17). The theme of this sermon is “the Kingdom of Heaven.”Read More…
On December 11 hundreds of people were able to take a virtual prayer walk around ABQ. During the prayer walk people were encourage to pray for the city and to pray for New City to reach the City. If you would like to participate in this prayer walk, you can do so at any time. Read More…
We launched a new website and a new way for people to do good. We are asking our supporters to contribute $6.10 to the SIX:TEN campaign. The SIX:TEN effort is about bringing heaven to earth. In Matthew 6:10 Jesus asks us to pray for Heaven on Earth to happen. Read More…
I enjoyed Ed Dobson’s book. What if Christians could isolate themselves away from their tribal, denominational, and family pressures and attempted to live biblically? I am always asking the question, but “what does the Bible say?” The answering of that question is an individual responsibility. I was in a theological debate one time with a close friend and professor. We represent two different theological tribes. I was arguing along “party lines,” if you will. At one point the professor paused and said, “can you give me a text for that?” I couldn’t. I just had to say, “I know it’s in there.” Read More…
To be honest, I have always struggled with the Kingdom of God. The phrase makes me think of a renaissance festival. I am freaked out by renaissance festivals. I dragged my family to such a festival a few years ago. I knew I had made bad decision when I saw the drunk man in period clothing chasing a woman whom he affectionally called his wench. Wench is the medieval term for a prostitute. It seems that many women at the festival took great pains to be sure that they could dress the part with accuracy. My mind links things together in categories. So my thought process goes something like this: Kingdom = renaissance festival = Monty Python. I can’t explain why it happens in this way, but you can see the hang up. When I meditate on the Kingdom of God, I am unable to contextualize it. My context for kingdom thinking includes Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Read More…
Chris Farley’s biography has helped me to appreciate the power of my words. Chris Farley was a college icon of mine. We told and retold lines that he had spoken throughout his years on SNL and in his moves. We always found an occasion to sing “Fat Guy With a Little Coat.” I personally loved the Matt Foley sketch. You may remember the motivational speaker that “lived in a van down by the river.” Read More…
James 3:13-18 provides us with a matrix for decision making. We can evaluate the wisdom of any decisions by running it through this filter. I have taken these words and expanded the thoughts breifly so that the terms can be easily applied to any decision.Read More…
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