iCrucified

Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

Thank you Jesus for “waking” my soul to newness of life. Without You there is nothing to hope for, nothing to look forward to… You are the reason for our life and the promise of all that is life today and life to come. Praise You, O Holy One, who lives and reigns with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

My soul was inspired to praise and thank the Savior and Life-giver of my soul, Jesus, this morning after revisiting an older writing of mine and realizing the glorious awakening that Christ has given to me.

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As I was catching up on blog posts this morning I ran across this one from Mark Batterson that continues to hover in the front webs of my mind. I found “Holy Complications” a great reminder to me; I tend to forget this truth far too often and much too easily. And, honestly, it is really something that I am aware of, but sometimes my thinking gets off track…

I have entered into one of the most uncomfortable and complicated seasons of my life; moving across the country, leaving a relatively secure salary, leaving family, friends, and all things familiar… taking on a new and stress inducing job, learning to live with new people, new friends, different culture, and all the small nuances of those relationships that further complicate the processes of all of the above. Don’t read this as a rant; it is background data, hopefully some of which you might relate to. The point is…life, and following Jesus through it, doesn’t mean the complications of life get unraveled and organized into this beautiful, harmonious tapestry of existence. No, sometimes it gets even more complex. This is where God’s grace and transforming wonder really works miracles.

While I know that following Jesus is not easy (simple not easy), I forget. I get off track. Life gets complicated and I get frustrated. Hopefully somewhere in the midst of the frustration I hopefully follow the path of Christ and am able to hear the leading/guiding voice of Christ-in-me. Then I remember what Batterson reminds us in the above post. Following Jesus complicates my life in holy ways. Willing to be bent, shaped, and crushed when needed is all part of the transformation process. Heck no, it doesn’t feel good and I don’t like it, but I don’t think my discomfort gives me the right to say the complications in my life are sinful or unholy. No, when life gets complicated and I get stressed because of those complications, it is even more imperative that I lean on things I have learned and been taught through my years of following Jesus… less of me and more of him… denial of self and focus on the Kingdom of God… exaltation of the Christ and loving the people He created and died for. Amazing. When I put things in their proper perspective, it always seems to slow the world down a bit… quiet the noises around me to a manageable level, and help me understand the “complications” in my life (as I follow Jesus) are by his hand and will. Complicated? Yes. Uncomfortable at times? Yes. Holy? Yes.

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A-a-a-a-annnnnd We’re Off!

This is the next “jump” in what has been developing in our life along the way of the Jesus Journey. We’ve shared in earlier posts ( here and here) that we were joining a church plant in Olympia, Washington and we are now at the day that we head out for this new adventure. Wow!

Special thanks go out to all our friends that helped us to pack up the big yellow truck. I thought we had dispensed of most of our “stuff.” We still have way more than I thought we did and the truck is packed to the gills to prove it. Our departure is filled with sadness and excitement at the same time…as well as a little nervous anticipation for the ride out (I’m not a trucker and lack the experience of one…but I’m a quick study; “10-4 Good Buddy”).

So, I plan to blog our way out to Washington. I know the ride crosses some of the most beautiful scenery and landscapes that our country has to offer. I’ve got my camera charged and plan to stop along the way to take plenty of photos to share with you each evening. I hope you’ll join us and keep us in your prayers as we travel. As always, you can subscribe to the blog to receive email updates or just check in periodically to catch up. I’ve linked the updates to Facebook, if you’re a FB’r…

“The whole Jesus demands the whole man.”  ~~Archbishop Michael Ramsey

I am giving Thee worship with my whole life, I am giving Thee assent with my whole power, I am giving Thee praise with my whole tongue, I am giving Thee honour with my whole utterance.

I am giving Thee love with my whole devotion, I am giving Thee kneeling with my whole desire, I am giving Thee love with my whole heart, I am giving Thee affection with my whole sense, I am giving Thee my existence with my whole mind, I am giving Thee my soul, O God of all gods. (Celtic dressing prayer)

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“You wake us to delight in your praises; for you made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it reposes in you.”  ~~Augustine

Prayer for the Day:

Lord our eternal God, You increase and multiply Your faithful by the abundant gift of Your grace. Look now on Your chosen people, and clothe forever in the garment of eternal life all who in baptism have been reborn. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, on God, forever and ever. Amen.

“Miracles do not attract unbelievers as much as the way you live your life. And nothing brings about a proper life as much as love.”  ~~Chrysostom

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I determined (going on ten years now) when I chose to follow Jesus, that I would do so the way  He commanded: with complete abandonment of self…loving Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus said the expectation is to love Him more than anything in this world; more than even our own families. Radical. Intense. I get it….and I am ridiculed, criticized, misunderstood, alienated, and not taken seriously because of it. Don’t mistake my words for sympathy fishing; I’m not…fishing for sympathy…or understanding. Jesus said this would happen to those who follow Him. It’s all good. In fact, it’s great.

Middle Road, Broad Road, or Narrow Road? Which one do you follow?

Jesus, all or nothing…half-hearted is idolatry.

I get what Francis Chan is talking about… (check the video below).

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I recently finished a “30-Day Experience,” with the book Apprenticeship with Jesus: Learning to Live Like the Master by Gary W. Moon. I shared the experience and journey along with five other people as a joint exercise during the season of Lent.

Let me start by saying that I will probably revisit and “re”-journey through this 30-Day experience over and over and over. It’s that good. Not only is Dr. Moon’s writing style friendly, welcoming, and down-to-earth, his ability to engage the reader-apprentice in the deep workings of spiritual formation is an absolute gift. The Christian journey, at its most primal level, is about reentering real and intimate relationship with God…following Jesus is the path of that relationship and life of that journey. Gary Moon invites the apprentice to join this experiment in a very friendly and un-intimidating manner. The beautiful thing about this approach, and it is given credence through the testimony and witness of at least a couple of the people I “apprenticed” with, is that the initiate apprentice has no barriers or preconceptions about the 30-Day experience. It is truly a “nothing to lose and everything to gain” proposition.

“The whole purpose for which we exist is to be thus taken into the life of God. Wrong ideas about what that life is will make it harder.”  ~~C.S. Lewis

The exercises are not cumbersome or demanding and the folksy stories and humorous anecdotes Gary weaves into each day make the book a joy to read as day-by-day new habits develop that help us draw nearer to Jesus.

“God has created us for intimate friendship with himself—both now and forever.”  ~~Dallas Willard

The book is in introduction to methods, purpose, and practice of the spiritual disciplines…in manageable portions; anyone can do it. Anyone. If you are hungry for a deeper and more intimate fellowship with Jesus and don’t know where to start, this is a most excellent place to begin. Also, it can be done alone, but I think a person would get much more out of it they were doing it with one or two other people, then meeting together at least weekly to share experiences and pray together.

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A somber reflection…

Eastertide…

How quickly we forget the miracle of resurrection. Christ has come. Christ has died.

And… Christ has risen again.

Tarry… He said.

Wait…for ME; He said.

Be filled… Be filled with… ME, Jesus.

Be filled with God; YHWH, the unspeakable name of the uncreated One. The Power. The Presence… Living in You; Living in Me.

I ask; as did the disciples traveling along to Emmaus. Do not our hearts burn when He is with us, but wait… isn’t He always with us if He dwells within us?

“Behold, I make all things new…”

I wonder, as I examine my soul, how often I live in a continuing state of spiritual renewal. Does not my heart burn with His Presence? Has His “Perfect Love” cast out all fear? Does the assurance of His Indwelling Presence remove my doubt and anxiety? Has my faith grown to support a “born-again” life…is my faith larger than a mustard seed?

Why am I so easily distracted? How can I be distracted from what I am inhabited by? Is there a prescription for Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder?

Am I inhabited by the I AM?

O, LORD, Crush me and empty me that I might be filled with You. I am in need of continuous reformation. Re-Form my image that I might Re-flect You; a Resurrected image of You, O God.

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I know this video from Rob Bell is getting a lot of play time right now. That’s ok, because it’s gonna get some more play time from here too. To borrow one of Rob’s favorite phrases, “it’s brilliant!” I love these words he uses (that should come as no secret,  I use them a lot here too)…

Redeemed, renewed, restored, recreated, resurrected! Reestablished, reconciled, restarted, RESURRECTED!

Do you believe, he asks? WHY YES, I answer! As a matter of fact… I DO!

Live it. Believe it. Resurrection. Recreated. IMAGO DEI. Reestablished. Renewed.

Resurrection is today.

I think I’ll watch this a couple hundred more times… Brilliant!

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Frequenters of this blog know that I have a certain affinity for a special group of “R” words — Redemption, Reconciliation, and Restoration. I’ve written about these words, studied them, meditated over them, and allowed them to become a part of the fiber of my soul. A couple weeks ago, I was able to preach on one of the points of redemption. This Sunday, I was able to teach and share my heart on some elements of the restoration. My sermon audio is included here along with my outline, sermon notes, and small group questions.

Please feel free to leave any feedback or questions.

Sermon notes and manuscript

Small Group Discussion and Outline

2010MAR28 Road2Redemption 4JB by icrucified

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