A Day of Reckoning...Put Off/Put On!

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A Day of Reckoning...Put Off/Put On!

Today is a Day of Reckoning...but not how you think!  Usually we use that term to mean to give an accounting, a calculation, a settlement of accounts.  In fact according to Wikipedia, it can mean a host of things from the Final Judgment Day to heavy metal albums and Nintendo games.

But in the Bible sense, EVERY day is a Day of Reckoning.  This word reckon in the Greek is often rendered consider.  In other words, "count on something to be true".  My reckoning doesn't MAKE it true.  It already IS true, so I count on it and live from it.  So each day is THE day to reckon to be true what God says is true...because it IS true.  I can take it to the bank and live from it :)

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The Stabilizing Focus of a Morning Prayer

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The Stabilizing Focus of a Morning Prayer

Life is a mix, a conglomeration.
There is confusion and clarity, flailing and focus, excruciating pain and exquisite peace.
There is bitterness and sweetness, strength and fragility, "rugged seas" and "smooth sailing."

As Paul Lawrence Dunbar so aptly expresses in his poem Life:

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Abba's Child -- A Spiritual Father

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Abba's Child -- A Spiritual Father

We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.

The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.

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Kiss Me...I Might Be Irish

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Kiss Me...I Might Be Irish

That was the saying on a balloon I saw at Kroger.  And it was also the sentiment in the elementary school we kids went to in New Jersey.  St Matthew’s was an Irish parish (maybe because the founding pastor was Irish, Fr Duffey), so our sports teams were the “Fighting Irish.”  Anyway, the sentiment was that everyone was Irish on St Patrick’s Day. I remember us Renner girls (mom’s maiden name = Galuszka; so you do the “ethnic” math ) spraying our hair green, putting on our already green uniforms, and heading next door to school.  (Yes, we lived next to the church and school!).  We FELT Irish…even if we were really German & Polish!

Everyone was indeed “Irish” at St Matthews on St Patrick’s Day, except for the few rebellious students and even teachers who wore orange instead of green.

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"Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?"

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"Where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?"

A mature young Christian woman goes to her regular adult Bible study class. The teachers of the class  are experts in Biblical counseling. Week by week they share from the Scriptures answers to common problems faced by individuals and families in today's culture. One Sunday after learning the "formula" for solving a particular problem biblically, our mature young woman asks, "But where is the Holy Spirit in all of this?" 

A member of a sound evangelical church is a student in a class on Christian church history.  He reads some articles ... 

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A Spiritual Father: Abba's Child

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A Spiritual Father: Abba's Child

We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.

The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.

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Advent Devotions: the WITH-ness of our God {from nearness to oneness}

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Advent Devotions: the WITH-ness of our God {from nearness to oneness}

Jesus Christ the Son of God became one with us, so that we could be one with Him! 

This glorious truth is at the heart of the Incarnation.  God became one of us!  One with us!  Why?  So that we could experience union with God.

And that takes us back to our 3 Greek prepositions for with:  (see previous post:  The WITH-ness of our God (prepositions):

  • para, meaning beside, nearby, in the immediate vicinity or proximity, alongside
  • meta, meaning with, in close association with, in companionship with
  • sun, meaning together in intimate union, inseparable from
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"Never more than I can bear"-- Oh, really?

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"Never more than I can bear"-- Oh, really?

"God never gives us more than we can bear!" For some reason, I've been hearing that a lot lately, have you?

I don't know about you, but in my experience, it has been the opposite! God regularly gives me more than I can bear...and I'll tell you what I think is the reason.

As I now like to say, "I'm a tough nut to crack." I'm a pretty strong personality! So for a lot of my Christian life, I've believed that it's my strength and know-how and abilities and wisdom, coupled with the blessing and help from Above, that will get the job done...successfully...even in the spiritual realm. I've eaten over and over again from the "Tree of knowledge of Good & Evil" thinking that was God's will and way!

But now I know differently. His way is His strength in my weakness! Not His help in my weakness! HIM doing it and being it!

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Where We Need to Live Today. . .Under His Wings

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Where We Need to Live Today. . .Under His Wings

I posted this back in March. I need this again. Do you? Read these Scriptures aloud. Let them wash over your soul. Listen to the song … the words … the imagery … the truth.

And be still and know HE is GOD, and HE is what we need in the midst of the upheaval and discord and confusion and ungodly attitudes all around us. And may the mind of Christ have sway in us His sons and daughters! Amen….

…When in the deepest of troubles...when there is no consolation or comfort...go to the sacred place where you and the Lord live together and nothing can touch...the place of union with our God through Jesus Christ by faith (Colossians 2:9-10 ESV)...and rest in Him who rests in you (John 17:20-23 ESV)!

Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8b

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Living the Colorful Life

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Living the Colorful Life

God lives a colorful life . . . or maybe better said, God lives His life in color!

All we need do is look around. Color is everywhere . . . in nature, in people, even in feelings, ideas, and circumstances.

But as Christians, who embrace a color-loving God who gives us fullness of life through the indwelling Spirit, we most often live inwardly in colors muted and shaded and not alive.

Why is that, I wonder? 

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You can take the Boy out of Minecraft, BUT . . .

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You can take the Boy out of Minecraft, BUT . . .

Last week I was with my dear daughter Beth and son-in-law Nate and their four darling kids. William (almost 5 y.o.) recently had discovered that he could “do” Minecraft. And so now he is eating and drinking and living Minecraft (much to my chagrin).

However, what mom and dad discovered is that when William is not cooperating, is disobeying, or is in any way defiant, removing Minecraft for a day or two can get across to him how unacceptable his behavior has been. And so it was, one of the days of our visit . . . no Minecraft for the next day.

As Beth and I were sitting outside the next morning enjoying our coffee, William appeared at the doorway describing in vivid detail his Minecraft dream. (I wish I could recount it for you, but I “glaze over” at the first mention of Minecraft or other video games.)

Oh well, so much for removing Minecraft . . . who knew. You can take the boy out of Minecraft, but you can’t take Minecraft out of the boy.

Then I realized . . . what a great illustration of a basic spiritual truth in our walk with Christ in grace:

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A Spiritual Father: Abba's Child

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A Spiritual Father: Abba's Child

We are not cowed into timidity by death and life. Were we forced to rely on our own shabby resources we would be pitiful people indeed. But the awareness of Christ's present risenness persuades us that we are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own.

The Christ within who is our hope of glory is not a matter of theological debate or philosophical speculation. He is not a hobby, a part-time project, a good theme for a book, or a last resort when all human effort fails. He is our life, the most real fact about us. He is the power and wisdom of God dwelling within us.

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Holes in my Soul: Thriving, Not Just Surviving

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Holes in my Soul: Thriving, Not Just Surviving

Do you ever feel like there are holes in your soul? I do. In fact, right now I feel a bit like a piece of Swiss cheese. And I don't mean "baby swiss." No, the real holes kind.

The interesting thing is that nothing bad is going on right now in my life. It's all good stuff! But the constancy of the schedule with a newborn (darling first granddaughter!), a two year old (energetic boy, I might add!), two older boys (awesome, each one!), plus sleep deprived young parents (getting ready for a military move next month, I might add), and two aged, also sleep-deprived, grandparents (John & me!) has been hard and delightful at the same time. But to be honest, we adults are all living "on the edge" of something (I just drew a blank as to what).

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Vineyard Tour Stop #2 -- Job Descriptions: Who Does What in the Father's Vineyard

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Vineyard Tour Stop #2 -- Job Descriptions: Who Does What in the Father's Vineyard

By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.John 15:8

Have you ever started a job with no job description? I have, and it's pretty confusing.

Years ago, I was looking for a part-time teaching job. A friend asked if I would like to apply to substitute teach in ESL & GED classes. I told her that I didn't have a clue about either one of those. She assured me that it wasn't difficult. All I had to do was follow the teacher's lesson plans. So I naively applied.

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We Died to Sin in the Death of Christ . . . Count on it! (Part 3)

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We Died to Sin in the Death of Christ . . . Count on it! (Part 3)

Today is a Day of Reckoning...but not how you think! Usually we use that term to mean to give an accounting, a calculation, a settlement of accounts. In fact according to Wikipedia, it can mean a host of things from the final judgment day to heavy metal albums and Nintendo games.

But in the Bible sense, EVERY day is a Day of Reckoning. This word reckon in the Greek is often rendered consider. In other words, "count on something to be true". My reckoning doesn't MAKE it true. It already IS true, so I count on it and live from it. So each day is THE day to reckon to be true what God says is true...because it IS true…

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