The Bible summary you may have wanted but never took the time to compile…or maybe you didn’t want it. Regardless, here it is.

Good Read!

Timothy Brown's avatarReluctant Xtian

This past Sunday at my church we started a new adult education series called, “The Bible: What is it?”images

I wanted to name it, “The Bible: What the Hell?” but my editors decided against that.

Overall, the first day of the class went OK.  I say just “OK” because, well, we talked about some boring stuff on Sunday like how the Bible came about. Basically some Bishops of the ancient church started proposing that there should be a particular “plumb-line” for what is acceptable to use as scripture…mostly in reaction to some interesting suggestions (they called them “heresies” but, whatev) from some other Bishops like Marcion.

So in the year 331 they arrived at what we commonly call our Biblical canon (“canon” is a fancy word for “ruler”…as in, what something is measured by).

So the Christian Bible (of the Protestant flavor) contains 66 books with histories, myths, poetry…

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What possess you?

Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:16-22, NRSV)

This man went away form Jesus grieving for he had many things he could not sell…

What do you have in your life that you can not sell? What thing or things, possess your time, your love, your honor, your devotion? What is it that Jesus would peer into your soul and say, “If you wish to be perfect, go and…”

Jesus is waiting for you to allow Him to be the possession you give your time, your love, your honor, your devotion to…

What is it He would ask you to give up?

And can you give it up,to get the life that only He can give you?

Church Basements, Government Shutdowns, Kitchen Tables and the Kingdom of God

Words worth your time to read!

geoff sinibaldo's avatarsinibaldo.wordpress.com

folding.chairI’ve spent some time in church basements and meeting rooms listening to people talk about their church. Faithful and faith-filled people have been part of each gathering. Some people are hopeful; some people are scared; some people have grand plans and visions for the future while others wonder if their community can survive. I’ve sat with colleagues at meetings, lunch dates and coffee shops having similar consultations.  In each of the three churches I’ve served as pastor we’ve had cottage meetings, retreats and planning days to think about our work as a congregation and where God is calling us a community.

These conversations are important. The insights shared are helpful. The community-building that takes place as a result of these gatherings creates common vision and understanding.  In these discussions we re-center our ministry on the work of being the church – gathering for worship, opening the scriptures, praying together and…

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Who’s driving your car?

Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel; there they have continued. Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah? I will come against the wayward people to punish them; and nations shall be gathered against them when they are punished for their double iniquity. Ephraim was a trained heifer that loved to thresh, and I spared her fair neck; but I will make Ephraim break the ground; Judah must plow; Jacob must harrow for himself. Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your power and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people, and all your fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children. Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn the king of Israel shall be utterly cut off. (Hosea 10:9-15, NRSV)

What is it about our power to make our lives what we want that we put so much trust in?

It is kind of like riding shotgun after you have been driving for a while…

Have you ever grabbed for a handle above the window that wasn’t there?

Have you ever applied the brake, when there was no pedal?

We cringe and make faces and try to maneuver the car, but we can’t. We have to trust in the one behind the wheel.

Hosea tells Israel because they trusted in their own power and their own armies, they will have war and not peace. If we trust in our own power and or own armies we will have war and not peace.

So let God drive and trust that He will bring you peace, even in the wildest of rides!

Spit out

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” (Revelation 3:14-22 ESV)

You are neither hot nor cold. You have no emotion what so ever.

Have you ever felt this way in life? Like you were not hot or cold, just kind of there?

Sometimes it is good to be just there, but where our faith is concerned, just there is not enough!

God gave His all for us, and asks that we do the same. If you are cold in your faith and actions you think you have it all together and don’t need God, and if you are hot you are seeking what God has for you. You will be living the way that God has in store for you to live and will follow where He leads.

So don’t be lukewarm, or cold. Realize the place God needs to be in your life and follow where He leads!

Satan falling….

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20 ESV)

Jesus tells the 72 that He saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning…

Satan was an angel, and thought he needed to be higher than God, so he was removed from heaven.

The 72 were amazed that the demons listened to them. But they shouldn’t have been, because all things are subject to God and if we actually have God in us then the God in us will make all things subject to Him.

The interesting thing in this passage for me is the original la gauge of the falling. Jesus really says I saw Satan fall over and over and over and over and over again… Satan falls, the falls again, then falls again… It is an action that happens over and over again.

So does that mean that Satan repents and is accepted back into heaven? And then goes off the deep end again?

Just like us…

So allow the God in you to lead you where He needs you and when you fall from heaven, repent and return to God.

Trust

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish. Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146, NRSV)

What do you trust in?

Do you trust in your job?

Your money?

Your community?

Any of these things could be pulled out from under you at any moment. None of these things are sure and able to withstand time. Everything in our world will change but one.

To put your trust in anything but God is futile. It will not stand and is something that is fleeting…

Trust in God and follow where He leads, and rejoice in Him!

Saved by?

You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.  (Ephesians 2:1-10, NRSV)

How do we secure our eternal salvation?

Can we be sure?

100% beyond a shadow of a doubt sure of our salvation?

We can because of the promise made to us, but we can’t because of anything we do.

You see we all deserve death and separation from God, yet because God is rich in mercy, He sent His Son to die for us and make a way.  Because Jesus was faithful to the promise and followed through on what God asked Him to do, we are made right with God. Because of grace!

You see the author of Ephesians tells them, and us, that we are saved by grace through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. We can do nothing to make it it is a gift.

So does that mean we do nothing?

Lutherans are real good at quoting verses 8-9 above, but we can not stop there…

“For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” You see God created you to do good things! That is why He gave you life, so live it giving and doing for others!

what you got…

I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, ‘The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.’ (2 Corinthians 8:8-15, NRSV)

We do not do things to earn our way to the good graces of God, it can not be done that way. We do not do good works to earn our way to heaven. We do good works because of the genuineness of the love we have for Christ. We are so moved by the gift He gave us, by giving His life so we may have life, we are moved to genuinely love others and give.

You see we are all capable of giving and doing the mission of God. We have to give out of what we have been given. Not out of what others do. We can not judge ourselves against someone else, or judge what another gives or does not give based upon our gift. God judges the heart of the follower and knows if you are giving as you should. And that is all that matters. So give out of what you got and don’t worry about anyone else.

Be moved genuinely by the love Christ has for you and show that love and mercy and grace to the world.