Following Christ

“We want to be saved, but we insist that Christ do all the dying.”
–A. W. Tozer

   How soon we forget that the call to follow Jesus is the call to die. "Take up you cross," Jesus said. We want our comfort, our style of music, our kind of worship, and the joy of the Lord to follow our every move.
   But that's not our calling. Our calling requires some kind of sacrifice, some kind of obedience, some kind of loss, some kind of death. There's a banquet to follow, but for now, in this life, the call is to die. And Jesus should not be the only one who dies.  0/

We Owe God Nothing

We owe God nothing. It is by Grace we are saved, forgiven, redeemed. If we owed God for what he has done it would no longer be Grace; no longer free. It would be a transaction; an exchange of services rendered. But Jesus paid the debt in full. We serve God because we love him, not because we owe him.

Prayer Our Weapon

Prayer is essentially weaponized weakness.
No, prayer isn’t magic; it is expressed helplessness.
It is a verbalized acknowledgment of our own lack of power, of our own weakness. And it is in our weakness that God’s power is perfected.
--From The Gospel Project

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

God's best work, most powerful work, is done in the dark places of our lives.
The darkness may manifest itself in times of depression, sickness, adversity, conflict, turmoil, pain and treachery.
The tomb was dark and hidden from the light, but as disciples grieved God was at work-in the darkness-bringing joy and hope back to life.
Don't be afraid of the dark.

Too Long

It's been too long since I've been active on this blog. I'm glad God is more faithful and dependable than I am.
I'll try to be more consistent with postings, whether anyone reads them or not. They'll be short. Hopefully an encouragement to other Outsiders like me.

Do I Think of Heaven?

Do I Think of Heaven?
About 30,000 feet above the earth
And closer to Heaven than ever before
... or maybe not.
I think of Heaven often.
Loved ones are there
praying,
waiting,
worshipping.
Brian, my Father,
Ken, Geraldine,
Four grandchildren I have yet to meet
that went home before knowing me ...
....and many others are there, also.
They are home.
I have never been closer to Heaven
than when we laid them to rest.
There's something about
a freshly dug grave
where time and eternity seem to meet
that reminds me of another
grave opened early!
Emptied,
vacated,
eternally opened
for all who believe
to see
to cling to
to embrace
...yes, embrace
the dank
the damp
the dark
... As He did.
Be sure, death can surely wait...
I'll cheat the cheater as long as I can.
Yet for Jesus the grave became
an opened door...
As it will be for me.
As it could be for anyone.
That adventure,
that trip
that surprise
will fly me higher than
any other journey...
straight to the Heaven,
to those that are home,
to the "One and Only"
that I can only dream of seeing now.
Oh yes, I think of Heaven.

Sunday School Just For Kids?

About 233 years ago some Church leaders in England began classes on Sunday for the children that worked during the other 6 days. Hungry and overworked in the mines and factories they were drawn in droves, literally, to Sunday School.
Sunday School began an outreach to the unchurched, unloved, and unreached. In England over 250,000 children attended weekly, 4,000 in Manchester alone.
The phenomenon spread to the United States. In the industrial north children were drawn by the thousands. In Chicago the response was overwhelming. But hoards of unwashed, orphaned, and lost children learned about God and His love.
Around 1870, however, the government decided to improve upon this wildly successful movement. The Education Act was passed that promoted sports on Sunday and drew upon the children and adult church people for participants.
So today we have a small group of kids that come to Sunday School and an adult population that would miss even worshiping the Almighty God with His people for an NFL game or baseball game. Yes, far more Christians engage in sports events on any given Sunday than Christians that engage in worship and Sunday School. After all, Sunday School is for kids, right?
Well, for adults that would come we are starting two new classes. Steven Hawkins will teach the Book of Daniel, replete with implications for world. Michael Hague will teaching about Work and Money. Many believers could use the biblical perspective on these.
The other classes for Ladies and Young Adults will continue as they are. But you better sign up quickly for the class you want. Class size is limited on Daniel and Work and Money.
Come to Sunday School and bring a kid. We have classes for them, too!