born into ashes, but alive in the Spirit

hi folks, 

i want to use this space as a way of encouraging and equipping myself and you all to walk through this season of lent with some intention and purpose.

the intention is that we would all take some action in examining ourselves for the sake of our discipleship and transformation 

the purpose is that we ought to be different, better, more like Jesus when we arrive at Easter 

God has been gracious and has allowed a piece of His Word to fall on me, and i believe that it is not just for me, but for us all

"the people who know their God shall be strong, and He will do great exploits with them."

Daniel 11:32

last night as we participated in the imposition of ashes, we heard the Father's love for us in how He made us...in how He took care to knit us together...for a moment take a look at your hand, your feet, your eye (i know that's a tricky one)...what artistry, what grace and function and purpose, what beauty...psalm 139...

we also heard the confession of the guilty...pain, heartache, and longing...but also transparency, humility, and the door opening for forgiveness and renewal...psalm 51...

lastly we heard that resounding chorus...BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME BLESS HIS HOLY NAME!...because He loves us, He forgives, He sets free, He pays our debts, He "crowns us with love and compassion", "He redeems us out of the pit", "He satisfies our desires with good things", "He heals..."Praise the Lord, oh my soul!...though we are dust, with Him we are brought into the everlasting...wow...[pause and spend some time with that]

take time each and everyday to see what the Lord is telling you in His Word...let it examine you and tell you who you are and who you can be...in Christ...share your thoughts, here and with those who you encounter during your day...may the Lord's blessing for the world flow through each one of us..."the people who know their God shall be strong.  He will do great exploits with them." amen

I heart henri nouwen

He is so good at putting such profound things into small and wonderful statements.  can't say enough about this saint and brother.

peace,

matt 

Wednesday September 7, 2011                           

Blessing One Another 

To bless means to say good things.  We have to bless one another constantly.  Parents need to bless their children, children their parents, husbands their wives, wives their husbands, friends their friends.  In our society, so full of curses, we must fill each place we enter with our blessings.  We forget so quickly that we are God's beloved children and allow the many curses of our world to darken our hearts.  Therefore we have to be reminded of our belovedness and remind others of theirs.  Whether the blessing is given in words or with gestures, in a solemn or an informal way, our lives need to be blessed lives. 

Recommitment Pt. 3

Do you love the Lord with all your heart, your passion, your gut?

This is a pretty big question to ask in terms of recommitting to God. The reason that it is such a big question is that if we answer it truthfully, we will most likely find that we don't. That answer means that we are faced with a choice. We either have to do something about it or leave things the way they are.

So think about that for a minute...

 

What is your answer? At least for today, my answer is, "I've got work to do." I am going to be more intentional about doing the things that demonstrate the love that I confess to have. This means better time spent with the One that I love and better time spent with the ones that He has given me to love. It also means less time being selfish and wallowing about the things that I don't have or lamenting that my life isn't the way that I want it to be. Of course my life isn't the way that I want it to be, thank God. That is why I gave Him my life in the first place isn't it?

Jesus has been working this in me for awhile now, and I think that I might finally be coming out of my apathy and distraction.  

"Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.  The old has gone, the new is come."

"I surrender all.."

"Take my life..."

"Anyone who would gain his life must lose it"

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

"in my life, be lifted high.  in our world be lifted high.  in our hearts, be lifted high"

"Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength..."

People wrote these phrases.  The were inspired by something so much greater than themselves.  The Lord fell upon them in such a way and with such power that they could do nothing more than give everything.  This is the kind of love that I've been seeking all my life.  I want that 'giving my whole self to God' mentality.  I want to be able to say that I love my God with all my heart.   And that is really powerful and scary...but really good...in the truest sense of that word. 

In the words of that prophet from the 80's:

"I'm just looking for a dare to be great situation"  Lloyd Dobler Say Anything

recommitment pt. 2

So in a  fleshing out of this idea of recommitment, I would like to walk through the Shema (my augmented version). If you are a part of our worship community at Knox, you will recognize this as part of one of our calls to worship. 

 

 

Call: Who is it that you seek?

Response: We seek the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Call: Do you seek Them with all your heart, your life, your desire?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Them with all your soul, your energy, your purpose?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Them with all your mind, your attention, your creativity?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Them with all your strength, your hands and feet, your work?

Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Let's take this in parts. In the concept of recommitment it is essential that we identify what it is that we are recommitting to.  Many would see wisdom in recommitting to a healthy diet, less t.v., more reading, exercise, or any number of things that we put under the category of self-help.  Others would recommit to a cause for justice, or the pursuit of hard work or some new project or adventure.  But we are talking about something in a wholly other category.  

When the leader calls out, 'Who is it that you seek?', they are not asking for us to respond with self-help tips or self-actualization or a rallying cry for a cause.  they are asking for nothing short of your all being focused on the Triune, Living God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This is a big deal.  This is not to be said lightly.  This is not to be forgotten when we leave the worship gathering or worse yet, forgotten immediately after we say it.  Responding with, 'We seek the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.', we should be prepared to reorient everything...EVERYTHING PEOPLE!...to the one the we seek, pursue, search for, long for.  

So next time we'll look at recommitting the heart, but for now consider the object of our recommitment.  Today I will seek Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Will you do this with me?

peace,

matt

recommitment

I'm sad to say that I've actually fallen away from this in the business of life.  So I'm recommitting to putting something of substance up on this blog at least once a week.  Apologies to all for the lack of content.


So here is some content:
What would it look like for me, you, us to recommit ourselves to the Lord, to prayer, to servanthood, to a passionate and obedient life in submission to the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit? 

Just a little question.  I invite your responses and discussion.  I will check back and give some more thoughts tomorrow.

peace to you all,
matt