blinding flash of the obvious

I realize when I say this you might think: " yes, I've heard that before..."

Have you ever read an entire New Testament book in one sitting while tracing a theme ? I highly recommend reading Matthew while looking for an answer to this question:
Why did Jesus come to earth ?
I found 36 truths about the purpose of Christ on the earth. I am telling you the truth by the time I got to the crucifixion scene I felt like I was there standing on that hill watching it unfold. When I read the words that the veil to the holy of holies was ripped in two... I just about fell apart. There was something about the cumulative effect of seeing Jesus head toward Calvary all the way through the book that made me feel something I had never felt before about Jesus.
Another idea (which I may do next week) Trace the idea of " in Christ" through all of Paul's epistles.

By the way, I think it's worth it to write everything down as you go through. Just carve out time and make it happen.

Revolutionary Christians

Who are they ? Revolutionary Christians are people who attract others. Those who meet them are fascinated by them and want to know more. All who come in contact with them get the irresistible impression that they derive their strength from a hidden source which is strong and rich. An inner freedom flows out from within them, giving them an independence which is neither haughty nor aloof, but which enables them to stand above immediate needs and most pressing necessities.
Revolutionary Christians are moved by what happens around them but don’t let it oppress or shatter them. They listen attentively, speak with authority, but don’t get easily rushed or excited. In everything they say and do, a lively vision calls them forth which those who hear them can intimate but not see. This vision guides their lives. They are obedient to it. Through it they know how to distinguish what is important from what is not.
Many things which seem of gripping immediacy hardly stir them, and they attach great importance to some things which others simply let pass.

( Henri Nouwen With Open Hands page 67)

bring out your dead ( bring back the dead)

I always enjoy it when something clicks. I have known things about the Old Testament for years but sometimes ideas just come together and you see things in a new way. When Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, he went forward with that idea even though he wasn't sure how that would help make him a father of many nations. The thing I hadn't fully come to terms with was the idea that Abraham was willing to do this because he was fully convinced that God could bring people back from the dead. I always stopped short of recognizing that fact. Maybe in my mind I thought : " Well Abraham knew God was going to stop him so it didn't matter anyway... "
It did matter and I think Abraham would have killed Isaac... but he also had the confidence that God could bring him back to life.

Do you have faith like that ? Can you say, even if this looks like the death of my dreams... God is able to resurrect what is dead ?

remedy for a rotten attitude

It's interesting to me how many times in the Psalms that we are encouraged to sing praises to the Lord. Sometimes in my academic mindset, I can relegate singing to sort of an optional thing. It doesn't seem that way in Psalm 30. Giving thanks to God and singing praises to Him are exactly the remedy for the "weeping" that lasts for a night. Do you have a place to sing outloud and talk outloud ?

I highly recommend it.

Kid Rock continued

After he opened the door, I introduced myself and asked him about the song that was playing. I had heard the word " Jesus" come out earlier. He lied and said it was " Kid Jesus..." Later, I looked it up on the internet and it was a Kid rock song. Anyway, he seemed willing to talk even though heavily intoxicated and he really wanted me to see the moon for some reason. I asked him if he thought he would go to heaven or hell if he died. He said: " I would probably go to hell because I smoke, drink and listen to bad music." We sort of stumbled through a few more minutes of conversation and I tried to explain how our works can't save us and used an illustration about trying to jump over the Grand canyon... but I don' t think he really ever understood that. After about 10 minutes, I said good bye and told him I would pray for him, but I really wanted to pray with him at the moment but didn't feel the time was right. I walked away from the car about another 1/2 mile and then I noticed that they were following me. He pulled up and asked me if I had made it home yet and I said "no." He really wanted to know where I lived and I didn't tell him. I did tell him that I really wanted to pray with him and he agreed. I prayed that God would fulfill his deepest desires and show Him Christ. He seemed very pleasant after the prayer, thanked me and drove off.
I guess as I think about that encounter, I would like to say to whoever... Are you listening for God's voice ? If He asked you to do something that seemed irrational, would you do it ?
I was reminded of how lost and how " Biblically unaware" so many people are in our world. We are His ambassadors.