Ah, Coffee!

Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze.
It maketh me to wake in green pastures:
It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses.
It restoreth my buzz:
It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction,
I will fear no Equal:
For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me.
Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks:
Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over.
Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever.
Author Unknown

Twitter Bible – Book of Ephesians

1-Greetings Gentiles-Tnk Gd in X-chose us n luv 2 B his children-reclaimed fm sin /X-Gd's will is n X-Proud of U-G'd's power n U the Church

2-Lookin 2 world 4 ult answrs = dead end-free gift o'Gd = acces 2 him thru X-we R made 4 gd works-Gd no play favs-outsidrs R now insidrs

3-Those outside faith R claimed /God-my suffering = sign that Gd luvs U-Gd wnts 2 do more that U cn ask or imagine by his power wrkn n U

4-Bear 1 another humbly n luv-each has a role in building up the Church, X's Body-speak truth n luv n order 2 build up-n anger, dont sin

5-Walk n way o'luv-clean up act or miss Kingdom-B ppl o'light-submit 2 1 another: mutually and out o'luv n respect 4 X

6-Everyone: respect each other-put on full armor o'God-pray n Spirit always-pray 4 me, Paul-I send others 2 encourage u

Be Still

Maybe it's me. But there seems to be more murders, financial woes, and relational crap in the air lately. Part of human nature is to watch the train wrecks. Over and over. Blood sells news. Sex sells news. Woe sells news. Must be our fallen nature.

I find I must purposefully and skillfully cut myself off from this. My feet are firmly planted on the ground. But I am a child of Eternity. My destination is God and, as Julian of Norwich said, "And all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well."

Part of my spiritual walk is to refocus during the day on things eternal. That is, where I am ultimately headed and who ultimately loves me. This world is the penultimate.

Take time today to step into eternity. Be still and let God. Yes, I know stillness is tough but, like eating your Brussels sprouts, it is an acquired taste. You can cultivate the habit. No really, you can!

Be still. Eternity awaits. And it beats the 6 o'clock news.

Being Real

Betty Ford died this past week. Many may not remember her. She was no rock star. She may not be remembered either because she was First Lady a while ago or because she was not the "out-of-the-catalog, model First Lady" we have come to embrace.

I liked Betty Ford from what I knew of her. I bet Jesus likes her, too. She was real. She was a steadfast support to her husband who weathered the aftermath of the Watergate Scandal and President Nixon's resignation and pardon. She was transparent and genuine. She spoke of her depression, her struggle with alcohol, her breast cancer and mastectomy, and her support of a whole host of women's issues. She probably irked many Republicans of a more conservative bent in doing so. And she rescued thousands from addiction through her Betty Ford Center.

Betty Ford was real in a First Lady world that makes it very tough to be real.

Are you real? Where are you on the transparency scale? Are you the genuine article, the real you, to others? Transparent people express two powers that the rest do not.

o       They channel an unvarnished Jesus to a hungry world (we are made in his image after all)

o       They bring healing to those around them through the encouragement of just being real

What can you do today to make yourself more transparent? How real can you afford to be? Have you explored who the real you is? Yes, this is risky but it is a risk worth taking. I'll pray for you. I know Jesus is rooting for you.

God, You’ve Got to Be Kidding!

An American moment. A dad and his son at the ball park. Maybe a foul ball or, even, an autograph. This past week, this idyllic scene went horribly wrong. (Story here.) 

 

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers flips a foul ball to dad Shannon Stone who falls, in an attempt to catch it, to his death in front of his son, Cooper. Sad.

 

A couple of things come to mind. (But I am not done reflecting on it. It's scary.)

I don't think God did this. Not as some moral lesson or because he needed an "angel." God love's us and would have taken the fall if God could. Sh*t happens. Even atoms have free will. God's word is that he will be with us in the pain and will redeem the worst.

God asks us to trust him when all Hell breaks loose. He is still at work. Those who pray, spend time with scripture and have a quiet time, in my experience, always fair better that those who run through life constantly doing everything. Ultimately, it all passes away and only God is left. Why not invest in God?

We are not in control despite what we think and we cannot shield loved ones from pain. I hate this reality but it is better to own it than be ambushed by it (you will be.) Joy comes from God from within. It is not a product of enough stuff or having things go our way.

Life is precious; why are we wasting our time being so damn busy? It is a bad investment. Period. We have choices and there is no gun to our head. Busy makes us sad souls, not enviable. Invest time as wisely as money. And that does not mean skipping or skimping on God.

In the end, life (and death) is a mystery.

Pray for Cooper, his family and Josh. I hope others will pray for me when it is my turn. It will be some day.

Be devoted to prayer. Be alert and joyfully thankful in prayer - Colossians 4:2‏

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11

pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 

Twitter Bible - Acts

1-Book2 o'Luke-risen Jesus appears, says soon outta here but U wont B alone-Jesus 2 heavn-white coat dudes say Y U surpized?-Matthias replaces Judas

2-Wind, tongues o'fire-Holy Spirit-foreignrs understand each other-Babel undone-Peter preachs-church shares everything-many added 2 #s

3-Peter/John heal lame man-Man praises God-Peter: Y R U surprised?-Investing in Jesus has power-Change your minds;quit trying to be self-sufficient

4-Relig officls 2 Petr/John: cut out Jesus talk!-5K join P/J-P/J wind up in relig court-P sez cant help it-Displs pray-peeps generus

5-2 lie 2 apostls & die  4 it-crowds gathr 2 B heald-many join TheWay-Relig dudes jealous; arrest apostls who escape/flogged 4 obeyin Gd

6-Converts food fite-keeps discipls fm God work-apoint 7 deacns-1, Stephen speaks o'Christ boldly-arrested by religus-trumped up chargs

7-Stephen preaches in his defense 2 his relig prosecutors-Claims Jesus is Lord-They have him stoned 2 death-He asks God 2 forgiv them

8-Saul approvs Xn killin-all but apostls scatter-Philip preaches n exile-sorcerer baptizd as result-foreign outcast begs P 4 baptism

9-Saul persecuted The Way-Risen Jesus meets him on road-Why?-blinded-follower told 2 GO & house Saul-Saul preaches X-ppl try to kill Saul-Church flourishes

10-Gentile convert has vision: Gd sez, gd job, get Peter-Petr has vision 2, watch R 4 relig fussiness-2 meet-God doesn't play favorites

11-Peter checks in2 headquarters to explain his liberal acceptance of Gentiles- sez, God told me-Church spreads after Stephen's death

12-Herod jails apostls, kils James-church prays 4 Petr-chains fall, Petr free-gards n deep do do-apstls cant Bleve its Ptr-Herod dies

13-Barney/Saul n Antioch-made missionares-prech Jesus n synagogs-sorcerer interfers, Bcoms blind-relig R jealus-Saul 2 Gentiles instead

14-Paul&Barny meet w/succes preachin n synagogs but sum R unhappy&split worshiprs-Paul heals, ppl mistak thm 4 gods-relig ldrs stone thm

15-Conflict n Church-gotta B practicin Jew B4 Bcomin Xn?-Council: we giv U no extra burden (okay, mayB a few)-Paul/Barney split ovr Mark

16-Paul has Tim as protege-Spirit guids P's work-P reachs out 2 women(oh no1)-Lydia househld baptizd-P/Silas in prison, covert guards

17-Paul/Silas met w/mixd reviews n preachin-In Athens, Paul uses whr Athenians R at in spirit 2 draw them 2 X-"X is wht U R searchin 4!"

18-Paul gives up & moves on 2 preaching 2 Gentiles-Relig ldrs mad but 2 no avail-Paul leavs church ldrs whr he visits as he moves on

19-Road trip-Paul finds Xn's w/incomplete understanding of Gospel-pattern of hostility by relig ldrs and pagans continues but Way grows

20-Paul on the road again-more relig resistance-P's sermon bores man 2 death-P revives him-P sets sail 4 Jerusalem after farewell spch

21-Paul 2 Jerusalm-Church tels Paul 2 prove he real deal-since he wrks w/Gentiles, looks bad-P complies-mistakn 4 insurrectnist-arrested

22-Paul speks n defense o'arrest-vry honest n tellin his God Story-Crowd angry-AuthoriTs afraid ,P Romn citizn-Tak Paul 2 religus court

23-Paul angrs relig authiTs-gets them 2 squabble w/each other-AuthoriTs plot 2 kill P-Govt officials find no fault-whisk him out o'town

24-Relig authoriTs make case against Paul to governor-He's a troublemakr-Govnr expects bribe, gets none-2 years pass in house arrest

25-Relig Lders try 2 ambush Paul-baseless charges abound-P appeals 2 Caesar-King Agrippa hears case 2

26-Paul states case 2 Agrippa-tells "God Story"-Festus; you're insane!-Paul hoped 2 evangelize w/his story-P found innocent-on 2 Caesar

27-Paul sails 2 Rome-sez trip will end n disaster 4 all, is ignord-Storm!-P: take courage, God will help-wreck but all reach land safely

28-locals kind 2 shipwreckd-Paul bit /snake: lives-P arrivs n Rome 2 house arrest-P preachs 2 relig ldrs but 2 no avail-on 2 Gentiles

Defensive

People are more defensive today. Defensive about God. What I mean by this is that more people appear to have God all figured out and will not brook any possibility that there may be MORE. More to God and more to us. They are sure they have things nailed down and they cannot be challenged. I am sure that I do not have things nailed down.

 

Our thoughts about God as well as our systematic theologies can be as much of an idol as a 2,000 year old carving. We tend to think of time-tested explanations as one and the same as God when, in fact, they are creations of a human mind.

 

All scripture must be interpreted. The Bible is not self-interpreting. All interpretations are done by imperfect human beings with only a sliver of reality in their grasp. Our thoughts of God are both flawed and incomplete.

 

If I spend my time defending what I believe about God, I miss the chance of gaining a deeper understanding. Of this, I am certain; I don't have a lock on God. Each day I yearn to know more. Both those I agree (including myself) with and those with whom I do not agree can shed light or deflect it. Upon reflection, I can deepen my understanding of God.

 

God is a big boy/girl. She/he can take care of him/her self. I, however, am in need of a Savior. One not made in my image or the image of anyone else.

 

How open are you to a deeper revelation of God?