"This woman is driving me crazy" - Luke 18:5
Always pray.
Never give up.
Especially in your cry for justice.
You do pray for justice don't you?
Pray for the underdog.
Pray for the poor.
Pray for students in Title I schools.
Pray for widows and orphans and immigrants.
Day and Night.
Jesus spoke the parable of the persistent widow to a group of downtrodden people - people who needed hope that the world they were living in would be restored and that God would wipe out the inequity and injustice.
She - the widow in his story - broke all protocols and cultural values in order to get what she wanted - what was right.
I hope you add praying for justice to your circle of prayer.
When you witness things that are not right, pray persistently and fervently.
When power abuses, pray.
When you read the paper, or watch the news, I hope it draws you to prayer. I hope you get angry at the evil - the injustice and this holy anger prompts you to move.
True craziness is inviting the homeless to your birthday party or deciding that Christmas is not your birthday. It's sponsoring children and cutting back on eating out. It's buying the used car so you can give more away to build a well in Uganda or taking a Saturday to volunteer at the food ministry or homeless shelter.
You fill in the blank.
Some day all the messes will get cleaned up. Until that day, we've got some praying to do and some work to do.
Keep drawing circle.
"We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:5
I LOVE Mark Batterson's story about Mark and peanut paste - about Ebeneazor's Coffee House being set apart as a dream factory. That dream resonates in my soul. It's why we've done Advent Conspiracy and are in the middle of planning and raising funds for Laz's Well.
(By the way, I've field tested Network for Good - we now have an online source for receiving donations. Click this link - Lazarus' Well Project - to see our new opportunity to accept online donations!
But as much as I love this inspiring story - and I do believe God is completely guiding it, I do get frustrated with Mark B's manipulation of scripture to make it say what he wants. In question - the passage above from 2 Corinthians. There is no way to make this text also mean that we should take our dreams captive - unless our dreams are disobedient to begin with. Read the whole paragraph and you realize that Paul is talking about sin and "arguments and pretensions that sets itself up against the knowledge of God." It's NOT about, according to Mark, "capturing creative thoughts and keeping them in our minds." This haphazard-ness with Scripture disappoints me on a lot of levels.
Of course his idea is not wrong - my beef is - always is - from anybody - making God's Word say something it doesn't.
So yes - journal creative thoughts - be like the HP employees in those commercials from a few years back who were always asking "What if . . .? Be creative problem solvers. Dare to dream big dreams for God. ASK GOD to give you big dreams. Let's see what the Spirit imparts.
I prayed a prayer in a family food ministry meeting a week ago that blew (even) me away with its boldness. God may or may not call us to feed a million people, but I know He wants us to circle Harford County and end hunger here - this place with both rich farm land and hungry people. I have no doubt that he placed Sandy Juchs in our lives for a reason. But the dream that I prayed will require lots of $$$ and people and resources - of which I have no idea where to turn. Still I will pray. And I invite you too as well.
I can hardly give more details than that since I can only see dimly, but clarity will come - with time - and as we move and God opens doors through our prayers.
And I invite you to share this blog - maybe someone you know will catch the vision or be inspired to join with us. And of course, the more pressing need is to finalize the funds for Laz's Well so send the link. You can also invite people to give easily through facebook.
God bless.
"Speak to the earth, and it will teach you."
Wonderful story/quote about George Washington Carver. I can't find it online for those who don't have the book (sorry!).
One God idea is worth a bushel of good ideas.
I've always heard the "good" is the enemy of "great."
I've seen it in churches that are healthy enough growing a little, maybe even just maintaining, and being "okay" with things as-is. Things are going good so why change? I hope we Viners never get comfortable with good when we can have great, when we can have God.
How great is our God!
God ideas are only reveled in the presence of God. Which brings us back to prayer.
Time to do some knee bends?
I want to share some of what God has placed on my heart for the Vine's future this Sunday, but I also want to hear from you. As you circle the Vine in prayer, what God-ideas is God giving you about the Vine?
Hey Stan - you're the pastor - you went to seminary - you get paid to do this. Why us?
Because I trust the Holy Spirit to speak the same thing to more than one of us or even two of us. I believe in corporate discernment. If it's a God-idea, God through His Spirit, will whisper it to more than one person.
Look at this - Jesus said it . . .
"I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you." - Matthew 18:39
I believe Jesus was implying what I just wrote - the Spirit works in us to bring unity.
And we hear better when all ears are inclined to heaven!
In my last church, I once asked 200 church members gathered in our sanctuary, for consensus over whether we should purchase 25 acres of land for a new family life center. No one voted against it and the church now has a wonderful piece of property to handle future growth.
When we had a major decision to merge three congregations into one and yet retain all three properties I again asked for consensus in a room of 200. The Spirit moved - no one dissented - and we moved forward. That merged community is now First Saints Community Church with seven services over five campuses.
Unity and vision and prayer - confirmed in community - through the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
People told me, before hand, in so many words, that i was foolish to seek consensus among such a large group
Actually, I think it's foolish to move forward into a major action without consensus and unity!
(I despise Robert's Rules - the Spirit cannot whisper for 51% to vote one way and 49% the other - SOMEBODY isn't listening!)
And that's at the heart of my request. It's hard to hear God when we're not listening
So get on your knees. (The reception is better down there!)
And let's let God shape our big dreams and God ideas - together.
And when we agree and ask - GOD WILL DO IT!
