Vulnerable...

It's been a while since I joined in with Faith Barista's JamWithMe Thursdays.
                     
I've missed it. I've missed the challenge of writing specifically on a topic to a deadline. I've missed reading other bloggers' thoughts.
So when I saw the topic this week - ' Vulnerable' - my first thought was 'How long is a piece of string?'
Because it is one of those heart-close topics which, particularly at VULNERABLE times in our lives, begs to be unwrapped.
Then I watched this video a friend sent me.

Caring for vulnerable children.
What more is there to say? Doesn't this put our own preoccupations when we are 'feeling vulnerable' into perspective?

        For God so loVed 
     the world thAt he gave
 his one and onLy Son, 
          that whoEver
         believes iN him
           shall noT 
                  perIsh 
   but have eterNal
                    lifE

Valentine's Day...

I'm reproducing a wonderful 'Love message' from Holley Gerth

Valentine's Day comes with chocolates and flowers. But it's not that way for all of us, is it?

We live in a world where "happily ever after" doesn't always come true.I know that because I've heard it from many of you. 

So today if you find yourself with a sweetheart, celebrate with much joy.And if you don't, let me lean and whisper you are still loved.Higher than the sky. Deeper than the ocean.More than you've even dared to dream. The hairs on your head are numbered. The cares in your heart are too. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are have a purpose and there is a good plan for you.

You are not alone--you are fully and beautifully known by One who loves you more than you can even imagine. I just wanted to whisper that to your heart again, especially today.

XO  Holley 

photo: Loved print by RedLetterWords

What Ephesians says about the church

Ephesians 2 has got me thinking about the church again. I've often thought about what it ISN'T - but Ephesians has reminded me what it IS.

Louis Giglio has a brilliant talk on this.  And here is a post from Good Morning Girls on how we are to be unified in Christ - in the church: 

The truth is that where it counts, we are actually all the same. Before we were saved we were no different than the guy on death row.  We all had hearts overflowing with sin and deserving of death, and yet we were all lovingly rescued by the Prince of Peace. We now have the same Father, the same acceptance, the same Holy Spirit and the same eternal inheritance. God does not love one of His children more than another and no matter how annoying we can sometimes be He does not play favorites. In Gal. 3:28 Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Our common salvation should lead us to stop some things and start others.

Because we are one in Christ we must:

1. STOP SHOWING FAVORITISM (JAMES 2:1-13)

Since God does not play favorites, neither should we. Sure there will be some people we click with more than others, but we should truly love one another, extending the same kindness, courtesy and generosity as we would to our dearest friend. We must do this for even our differences are overshadowed by our spiritual unity in Jesus.

2. STOP BEING JUDGMENTAL

If we were to take the time to get to know people who we think are not like us we would begin to realize that we actually have a lot in common. We all struggle with common sins, fears, and temptations (1 Cor. 10:13).  More importantly, we share a common Lord and love for Him. This should move us to stop harsh, unrighteous judgement especially in trivial matters.

3. STOP THINKING YOU ARE BETTER (PHIL 2:3, 4)

We are called to lay our lives down for others. To think of them as better than ourselves. This is impossible if we don’t see how similar we all are. Our sameness kills pride and produces humility. No one is good at everything. In the areas where we excel another might struggle and where we struggle some one else excels. We need to be cheering each other on to godliness. Wherever you excel, serve others. Where others excel, let them serve you.

But we can’t just stop some things without also starting other things. Let me offer three brief words.

1. CHANGE YOUR THINKING

Our theology is the starting point. Keep in mind 1) everyone is created in the image of God and therefore has value, 2)everyone is a sinner in need of a Savior, and 3) in the Kingdom we are all adopted into one family.

2. REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT

Invite people into your life who are not a part of your “group.” This is what God has done for us in Christ, and He calls us to do the same.

3. BE A GOOD FRIEND

Being a part of a family doesn’t always mean happy, smiley faces and sugar sweet words. We must also hold each other accountable. We need to speak truth into each others lives in order to help build each other up in godliness (Prov. 27:6). Of course for this to work we need to be willing to receive correction ourselves. This is what friendship looks like. We are fighting the same enemy and serving the same King together.

Our commonality should lead to unity. Our diversity should serve the body and our Savior is what makes us special. In all of this we find comfort because in the end we are all the same.

I can't put it any better than that.

Death. Questions about. And what happens after...Heaven is for Real

Have you ever wondered about what happens when you die? 

Is there/can there really be life after death?  

What is heaven like?

These are not questions that are easy to answer.

So reading ‘Heaven is for REAL’ (my emphasis)  – was a long-held ambition. Ever since I had heard about Colton Burpo’s near-death experience as a 4 year old boy, I wanted to hear the whole story. This book does what it says on the tin.

The story unfolds just as it happened to Colton and his family. After Colton didn’t die – the medical records state so quite clearly – he started to talk about his experience in heaven.  He didn’t sit down and relate a wonderful, out-of-his-imagination typical four year old’s story. Instead, far more convincingly, small pieces of information kept cropping up in conversation: in four year old language. Colton had met ‘Jesus’ cousin’ (he didn’t remember his name).  Jesus had told Colton to be ‘nice’.  Jesus had ‘markers’ on him – discussion showed these to be the marks on Jesus’  hands and feet which, to a four year old, looked as if someone had drawn with felt tip marker pens.  In heaven, Colton met his great-grandfather and unborn sister – who had died before Colton was born.  Colton couldn’t recognize the Jesus he had met in any pictorial representation of Jesus – until he saw a picture painted by another little girl who had had a similar experience.  As his father Todd carefully examines Colton’s experiences in the light of Biblical knowledge, he is amazed at the accuracy of everything Colton relates.

Sometimes there can be a degree of scepticism about accounts such as these.  Yet Colton’s experience rings true on every page.  Read it.  You will be drawn into Colton’s world – and that’s a wonderful place to be.

Life.  ‘Death’.  And some answers.

I was given this book in exchange for a review by Booksneeze. So glad to have read it.

PS since reading this book, I came across this critical review.

The Building and the Cornerstone

Ephesians 2:19 - 20, according to the Message:
That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation.

This is the fellowship of the saints...
It strikes me that our unity - our oneness, our sense of community, our belonging as family - rests ON the heritage of Peter and James and John and Paul...held together by Jesus.
This is different from the world.
In worldly life, we find our place in a hierarchy of others. The leaders - the best, the cleverest, the richest, the most successful - are at the top. Yet Jesus is not some remote Lord and Master, some distant boss whose business we aspire to work for or are employed by but are unsure how long we will be employed. He is the CORNERSTONE: "... the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure."
We are being built TOGETHER, joined together, working together to form the church with Jesus holding us TOGETHER.
An upside-down pyramid which cannot totter and fall because of JESUS!

Ephesians 2

Found on Good Morning Girls facebook page this morning...

Inspirational words...

Created for Good Works

A great post from Jen at Good Morning Girls.  I have struggled with the study this week, for reasons which are essentially nothing to do with the verses, but nevertheless found it difficult. This post has crystallized the meaning for me - I particularly loved the 'zombie' analogy!, which says we are all 'living dead' but are now alive because of Jesus.
Jen reminds me that we are created for good works and good works are created for us: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10 ESV)  Although I am not in the place of having the chores and joys of young children in my life, yet this post is an inspiring reminder to 'do everything for the glory of God' (1 Peter 4:11 says: If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.)  1 Corinthians 10:31 in The Message says: do everything...heartily and freely to God's glory.#
Every.Thing.

Grace - and failure

I was as good as dead because of my sin.

I used to live a life of self-indulgence. 
I am not alone, but that does not help me to know that.
I am responsible for my actions.
But God has given me LIFE.
LIFE.
Not just life, but LIFE in all its fullness: life of out of this world joy.
Life full of grace - because of one amazing man. One Jesus.
This is a true gift - not because I am worth being given to but because God is the great Giver. Nor is it because of anything I have done.
There is no room for pride. No room. For. Pride. None.
Knowing this, yet still finding it hard, at times, to live victoriously in the knowledge of God's saving grace, I find this week that I need to remind myself of this poem:

Running the Race
Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure's face,

my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children's race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn't hard to tell.

They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,
and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,
to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire.
One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,
was running in the lead and thought "My dad will be so proud."

But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought he'd win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,
and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.

As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn't win it now.
Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race!"

He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that's all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.
"I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race."
But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face
with a steady look that said again, "Get up and win that race!"

So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
"If I'm to gain those yards," he thought, "I've got to run real fast!"
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten...
but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye.
"There's no sense running anymore! Three strikes I'm out! Why try?
I've lost, so what's the use?" he thought. "I'll live with my disgrace."
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face.

"Get up," an echo sounded low, "you haven't lost at all,
for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Get up!" the echo urged him on, "Get up and take your place!
You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!"

So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,
and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.

Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,
head high and proud and happy -- no falling, no disgrace.

But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,
the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad he sadly said, "I didn't do so well."
"To me, you won," his father said. "You rose each time you fell."
And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.

For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,
another voice within me says, "Get up and win that race!"

by D. H. Groberg

May I always see my Father's face.

A reflection on the Good Morning Girls study on Ephesians - Chapter 2 this week...