Friday, April 30, 2010
Great Quote:
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.~Alexis de Tocqueville
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Kingdom of God pt. 1
This is an issue that the Bible is constantly addressing and we completely miss it. If I were to ask you where your citizenship is, I imagine you would answer the United States of America! [that is if you live in the USofA] This would be a perfectly normal, and expected response. Yet, I wouldn't say that it is a very Biblical response to that question.
The whole story of the Bible is drawing us away from looking at ourselves as citizens of this world. We are to be citizens of a new kingdom; the kingdom of heaven! This is how you define being a follower of Jesus. The rulers of the kingdoms of this world, according to the Bible, are just fakes. They control nothing, and when we act like they do we are believing in a fakes.
This is our challenge as Christians living in our world today. Our history is clouded with people who while carrying the banner of Christ, have failed to see the rulers of this world as fakes. They bought into their false fronted kingdoms, and turned their primary loyalty from the Kingdom of God. They became citizens of places like Rome, Spain, England, or the United States.
Jesus is calling us to see through the kingdoms of this world; to see them for what they really are: false hope. The ONLY hope for this world is the citizens of the Kingdom of God actually live out their citizen ship.
Of what kingdom do you claim citizenship?
The whole story of the Bible is drawing us away from looking at ourselves as citizens of this world. We are to be citizens of a new kingdom; the kingdom of heaven! This is how you define being a follower of Jesus. The rulers of the kingdoms of this world, according to the Bible, are just fakes. They control nothing, and when we act like they do we are believing in a fakes.
This is our challenge as Christians living in our world today. Our history is clouded with people who while carrying the banner of Christ, have failed to see the rulers of this world as fakes. They bought into their false fronted kingdoms, and turned their primary loyalty from the Kingdom of God. They became citizens of places like Rome, Spain, England, or the United States.
Jesus is calling us to see through the kingdoms of this world; to see them for what they really are: false hope. The ONLY hope for this world is the citizens of the Kingdom of God actually live out their citizen ship.
Of what kingdom do you claim citizenship?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Brilliant quote:
When the largest industry in the world is no longer War, I will accept Darwin's theory of Evolution.
~Dale S. Mugford
~Dale S. Mugford
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Top 10 Recommended Book List [Edited: 4.27.10]
1.] Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell
Standard work in dealing with being a Christian in today's world.
2.] Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
A wandering journey through the life of Don as he searches for faith. One of the cult classics from when I was in college.
3.] Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne
A brilliant work, that reads like a journal, of the life, adventure, and musings of a guy who's a radical believer of Jesus. It will definitely blow your mind.
4.] New Kind of Christian - Brian McLaren
One of the original works dealing with the change in culture and its impact on the Church. One of the works which definitely changed the way I view the world.
5.] Change or Die - Alan Deutschman
A very interesting look at the possibility of change, even in the most difficult situations. The author looks at 3 clinical cases where change is not seen as possible, yet change does occur.
6.] Peculiar People - Rodney Clapp
A look at the church and how it engages with culture.
7.] Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller
A book discussing the relational nature of salvation and Jesus. [It ends with a very compelling look at Romeo and Juliet.]
8.] The Search to Belong - Joseph R Myers
An intriguing look at community and relationships within the context of Church ministry. I had the pleasure of meeting Joseph, and found him to be a deep thinking person and well read person.
9.] The Politics of Jesus - John Howard Yoder
An Anabaptist look at the nature of the way as Christians we should live. This is one of the books that you'll find cited in tons of other books. If you don't read at this book, you're missing out BIG TIME!
10.] The Challenge of Jesus - NT Wright
One of the foundational looks at the life, ministry, and consequences of Jesus. I've found this cited in multiple other works. Wright is possibly one of the BEST New Testament scholars in the world. If you don't read at this book, you're missing out BIG TIME!
Standard work in dealing with being a Christian in today's world.
2.] Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
A wandering journey through the life of Don as he searches for faith. One of the cult classics from when I was in college.
3.] Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne
A brilliant work, that reads like a journal, of the life, adventure, and musings of a guy who's a radical believer of Jesus. It will definitely blow your mind.
4.] New Kind of Christian - Brian McLaren
One of the original works dealing with the change in culture and its impact on the Church. One of the works which definitely changed the way I view the world.
5.] Change or Die - Alan Deutschman
A very interesting look at the possibility of change, even in the most difficult situations. The author looks at 3 clinical cases where change is not seen as possible, yet change does occur.
6.] Peculiar People - Rodney Clapp
A look at the church and how it engages with culture.
7.] Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller
A book discussing the relational nature of salvation and Jesus. [It ends with a very compelling look at Romeo and Juliet.]
8.] The Search to Belong - Joseph R Myers
An intriguing look at community and relationships within the context of Church ministry. I had the pleasure of meeting Joseph, and found him to be a deep thinking person and well read person.
9.] The Politics of Jesus - John Howard Yoder
An Anabaptist look at the nature of the way as Christians we should live. This is one of the books that you'll find cited in tons of other books. If you don't read at this book, you're missing out BIG TIME!
10.] The Challenge of Jesus - NT Wright
One of the foundational looks at the life, ministry, and consequences of Jesus. I've found this cited in multiple other works. Wright is possibly one of the BEST New Testament scholars in the world. If you don't read at this book, you're missing out BIG TIME!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
We all know whose side Yahweh was on...
There was a race of people that migrated to ancient Egypt because of that nation’s prosperity. These people were poor and the lower levels of society in Egypt were better than the places they left. In Egypt they were able to feed their children. In Egypt they had a place to work. In Egypt they had hope.
But because of their vast number, the Egyptians were afraid they would destroy their society. They believed they needed to control this population or their country would fall apart. Because of their fear they despised them, they killed their children, and they forced them into slavery.
We know this group of people as the Israelites; the children of Abraham.
And we all know whose side Yahweh was on...
Friday, April 16, 2010
Great Quote:
THE VIOLENCE we preach is
not the violence of the sword, the
violence of hatred. It is the violence
violence of hatred. It is the violence
of love, of brotherhood,
the violence that wills to
beat weapons into sickles for work.
the violence that wills to
beat weapons into sickles for work.
oscar romero, november 27, 1977
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