iCrucified

Posts Tagged ‘Scot McKnight’

Fasting by Scot McKnight – The Ancient Practices Series

I finally finished Scot McKnight’s (of the Jesus Creed) contribution to the “Ancient Practices Series,” Fasting.  I consider it one of the best offerings I have had the opportunity to read and study yet on this, often misunderstood, spiritual discipline.

Fasting is a discipline and an act that I have had much confusion, and consequently, minimal participation in. In my approaches to fasting, there has always been some little niggle in my soul that I could not get past. Additionally, I wasn’t always sure what the bigger picture was meant to be for the act of fasting. Much of what I had been taught was that fasting super-charged the prayer life, brought a person closer to God, showed God we really wanted Him to move or speak, or do something… This did not and does not sit well with me (like we can command or conjure God to do anything), so for the most part, and for much of my Christian walk, I just didn’t fast. Several years ago my passion for spiritual formation and ancient Christianity was aroused and I began studying the spiritual disciplines. I attempted fasting, but did not have reason or purpose other than motive to follow those who had trod (successfully) the journey of faith before me.  I still didn’t feel right in my soul about this, so my practice was sporadic…not much discipline involved at all.

Fast forward to late 2008.

I began praying that God would teach me about certain disciplines that I did not understand; fasting and prayer were two of the big players in my God pleas. I sensed God’s leading me into an extended fast and complied. What I learned in a personal and experiential way, Scot McKnight shares in several aspects with his work in Fasting. I suppose it would have been nice to have gotten the book and read it before my own experience, but I would have missed out on a lesson from the greatest Instructor of all.

About the book that Scot wrote though, he centers and grounds the act of fasting around the “sacred moment.” Specifically, McKnight, calls attention to the true act of fasting being tied to a “response to grief.” I really appreciated how inclusive he was in describing the breadth of spirituality and fasting in response to these sacred moments of grief. I was even more impressed with appreciation with his honest representation of what the Scriptures teach us about fasting…and doing so with no recognizable bias. I like that. Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

Wrapping it up: 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 36-40]

LtJC – Days 36-40:

The way of Agape is not easy. More often than not, it is love that is dispensed and manifest in the faces of the unloved, in the lives of the broken, and in the hearts of the hateful…when those who are the loving are persecuted, despised, maligned and martyred. The way of Agape is selfless, sacrificial, and serving…the way of Agape is the highest calling of all. The way of Agape begins with loving God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. The way of Agape ends with loving our neighbor as ourselves. Anything in between those two points is a distraction…

The final 5 days (leading up to Palm Sunday) were focused on living examples of Jesus Creed love (days 36-40). The first example given (mentioned in my previous entry) is support. Support is evidenced in many ways not the least of which is our finances. It can be seen in other ways as well; for instance, the sharing of material resources, time, and serving with our gifts and abilities. The bottom line is love for Jesus supports his teaching and his kingdom. Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 36]

LtJC – Day 36:

“Supporting Jesus turns one’s love for Jesus and for his kingdom vision and for his followers into living reality. When Jesus called his followers to love God and love others, involved in that love was the willingness to use resources for kingdom work.” Scot McKnight

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “What we do with our money reveals what matters to us…”
• “Money matters because it reveals both what we want to hold onto and what we value enough to support”
• “Wisdom advises that giving comes first, saving second, and spending third…”
• “God’s work begins in our local community of faith and spreads across the globe.”

“Love supports the work of God”

“But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Send article as PDF to

and so it should be now too as we live for God’s Kingdom today…

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 34-35]

LtJC – Day 34:

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “What we do is not eternal. What is eternal is the relationships spiritual gifts establish”
  • Our gifts forge relationships
  • Our relationships will remain
  • The relationship with God and with others that “gifts” forge is what will remain
• “Exercise your gifts to establish those lasting relationships”

“Our spiritual gifts are given to nurture what will remain forever: Love” Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 31-33]

LtJC – Day 31:

“Love does not insist on its own way…” (1 Corinthians 13:5-6)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “Jesus Creed love is AGAPE Love…”
• “Agape Love denies self…”

My takeaway/parting thoughts: icrucified = crucify self = deny self

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ…”

Luke 9:23

Mark 14:36

“To choose to live a life of loving others is to choose against a life of loving only ourselves.” (Scot McKnight) Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Day 30]

Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 30:

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• “Love isn’t what you feel, it’s what you do…” Madeleine L’Engle
• “We are not happy with our lot in life or we are ticked with God for assigning our lot.” Scot McKnight

My takeaway: The thing about this (these) attributes of AGAPE love is the awareness that it cannot be lived to the full under the fuel of ourself (me). We cannot “will” this kind of attitude and behavior; at least with the expectation of sustaining it for a prolonged (forever) period (indefinite) of time. Loving enemies, remaining patient and longsuffering with lazy, immature people, being kind in the face of rude and boastful people…this is how love lives. This is the attitude of Christ…not me. Exactly. Not me. Therefore, the only way to live in sustainable God-Love (AGAPE) is for God to live in me. The only way for God to live in me is to for me to make room for Him. Jesus said; “You must be born again.” The inference of this statement is that I must first die or “deny self” in order for the “room” to be made. Indeed, the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26) is budded, flowered, and matured from the seed of me that falls into the ground (John 12:24-26). I cannot love like God…but God in me can. If I am not loving like Him, is He living in me??? Or am I still living in me, occupying the space that God wishes to make for His room.

“You must be born again…” Jesus (John 3:3-8)

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 28-29]

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” [1 Cor. 13] Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 28:

“God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean” Acts 10:28

Jesus Creed Thoughts for the day…

• Other people are listening for God
• Resistance to boundary-breaking is normal
• God is impartial
• God dwells with all who face God Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Day 26-27]

“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” [1 Cor. 13] Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

LtJC – Day 26:

We’re talking LOVE…AGAPE Love… “unflinching love” Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Day 23-25]

O God, who has given us the great and saving truths of Your gospel: grant us, we ask You, to live amid these things, to meditate on them and seek them; for one who goes on seeking, finds. Help us, therefore, to learn those things on earth, the knowledge of which shall abide with us in heaven. Grant this for Jesus Christ’s sake. [Amen] Give us strength with changed heart, O Lord, to love You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength…and help us, O Lord, for Your namesake to love our neighbor as ourselves. [Amen]

“Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace-in peace because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

“Scriptural living comes from trust in the Lord. When our eyes are fixed on the Lord Jesus and we trust in His word, we will be steadfast and mature.” Deep-Rooted in Christ; Joshua Choonmin Kang

“Your decrees are my meditation…” (Psalm 119:99) Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to

40 Days Living the Jesus Creed [Days 21-22]

The Golden Rule: Principles to Live By [Day 21]

“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within.” (Romans 12:1-2 J.B. Phillips Translation)

I really enjoyed the all so practical approach to this day’s reading. Our focus and meditation was taken from chapter seven of Matthew’s gospel; key points are highlighted below: Read the rest of this entry »

Send article as PDF to