Jesus is the apple of the Father's eye -- and he knows it. In his Father's eyes he sees no hesitance or neutrality or indifference. His Father loves. Jesus knows no fear for today or tomorrow. Unearthly assurance baptizes every nook and cranny of Jesus' soul as hes sees the Fathers;s face in the fellowship of the Spirit. At his Father's right hand looking into eyes filled with ancient love, the beloved Son knows the sheer hope and freedom of the Father's passionate embrace.
Now, what if this Son turned and shared himself and his mind with you? What if Jesus reached into his own soul, as it were, and took his own spiritual knowledge of the Father's heart and gave it to you, put it in your soul? What if he were able to penetrate our projections and share his own perception with us in our fallenness? This is where the gift Jesus gives to the human race is far greater than any religion. This is the stunning turn in the history of human existence.
The good news of Jesus Christ is not that at last we have an accurate religious manual to follow and a master leader to show us the way. And it is not that wee finally have perfect information about God to learn. The gospel is about Jesus himself. He knows the Father. And gospel is about the stunning fact that the Father's Son has established a real relationship with us in our darkness. And in this relationship, he is sharing with us--with the world-- his own mind and knowing, his own communion with his Father, forever. What a gracious merciful brother. He bears our sneers, suffers our hostility, and returns for them his own knowledge of the Father's heart.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Random Thoughts Conservative vrs Liberal
1. Big Business vrs Socialism
I don't like the alternatives. It is very clear in the last few months that big business was padding their own pockets with blatant disregard for the country, the economy and even their own companies. The other side is socialism. I am not in favor of pure socialism where everyone gets an equal share of everything, but I am also not in favor of moderated socialism where everyone gets some of somethings.
The way the dialogue happens is cast by both sides, the donkey and the elephant. The donkey says the right choice is big business, and the elephant's platform and actions confirm the donkey's accusation that the elephant only cares about big business.
The other side of the dialogue the republicans say the democrats have a socialist agenda and everything I have seen in the last 6 months confirms that Obama, Pelosi, and Reed have an agenda that I consider to be socialist and not in the best interest of anyone.
I don't think anyone making 7 figures a year should have any say on minimum wage. It seems to me that some one making $19,367 a week should not be speaking out about people making less than $10 an hour which comes out to be about $22,000 a year.
2. Hawk vrs Dove
I have been a hawk most of my life. I served in the military as did my father, my grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces. I prayed for the country to win wars. I called for the destruction of our enemy.
I don't want to be a hawk. I think that Jesus calls me to a new position. I don't think it looks like the doves of this country. I believe that I can not ignore evil doers. I can not let terrorist, bullies, or fools do bad things to innocent people. I must find a non-violent way to call attention to their bad behavior and encourage them to change. On the other hand I believe the government leaders have a mandate from God to protect the people they govern. I would not want the job of deciding how to protect a nation, but that is what my elected officials are supposed to provide for me.
2. Pro-Life vrs Pro-Choice
I don't think anyone can know precisely (the right second, minute, hour or even day) when life is conceived. I am pretty sure it doesn't happen when a baby is born and I am equally certain it does not begin the day of sexual intercourse.
I don't like that both sides demand that I make a choice that fits their harshly drawn lines.
I love babies. We have 6 children and I am already anxiously awaiting the time in a few years when grandchildren begin to arrive. I want to protect all children
I love mothers who invest in their lives, but I also love 20 year old girls whose drinking problems have caused them to act with abandon. I have never met a woman who had an abortion because she had set out intentionally to have an abortion. I have met some women who spoke callously about their abortions, but I am guessing it was a shield for them to protect themselves from conversations about painful events in their lives.
I also love toddlers, pre-schoolers, and elementary kids. I have lived in the inner city and seen kids whose lives are filled with abuse, pain and suffering. Unfortunately these kids are likely to end up in a hopeless life and repeat the cycle of pain, and abuse.
I don't think the answer is mass abortions, but I think Jesus followers need to invest their time, energy, effort, and money and in serving and helping change the poverty cycle in our big cities.
Don't try to make me fit in your tidy little categories.
4. Gay Marriage vrs Gay Castration
The evil hatred that I have seen directed toward homosexual men and women is grotesque. The fear mongering done on christian radio and television about the homosexual agenda to destroy our Christian values, take our children, and ruin our marriages is laughable. I am not afraid to have my children around homosexual people. They are not all pedophiles any more than all pastors are pedophiles. They don't need to be castrated.
I support the right of a gay couple to have each other in the hospital room on their death bed and various other important rights, but I don't understand their need to be married. I don't think that a gay couple needs to have a marriage. Civil Unions accomplish most of their objectives.
There are probably other issues. I don't want to be left or right, republican or democrat, conservative or liberal. I want to make up my mind on each issue. I want to be able to have a conversation with out being called the enemy.
I don't like the alternatives. It is very clear in the last few months that big business was padding their own pockets with blatant disregard for the country, the economy and even their own companies. The other side is socialism. I am not in favor of pure socialism where everyone gets an equal share of everything, but I am also not in favor of moderated socialism where everyone gets some of somethings.
The way the dialogue happens is cast by both sides, the donkey and the elephant. The donkey says the right choice is big business, and the elephant's platform and actions confirm the donkey's accusation that the elephant only cares about big business.
The other side of the dialogue the republicans say the democrats have a socialist agenda and everything I have seen in the last 6 months confirms that Obama, Pelosi, and Reed have an agenda that I consider to be socialist and not in the best interest of anyone.
I don't think anyone making 7 figures a year should have any say on minimum wage. It seems to me that some one making $19,367 a week should not be speaking out about people making less than $10 an hour which comes out to be about $22,000 a year.
2. Hawk vrs Dove
I have been a hawk most of my life. I served in the military as did my father, my grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces. I prayed for the country to win wars. I called for the destruction of our enemy.
I don't want to be a hawk. I think that Jesus calls me to a new position. I don't think it looks like the doves of this country. I believe that I can not ignore evil doers. I can not let terrorist, bullies, or fools do bad things to innocent people. I must find a non-violent way to call attention to their bad behavior and encourage them to change. On the other hand I believe the government leaders have a mandate from God to protect the people they govern. I would not want the job of deciding how to protect a nation, but that is what my elected officials are supposed to provide for me.
2. Pro-Life vrs Pro-Choice
I don't think anyone can know precisely (the right second, minute, hour or even day) when life is conceived. I am pretty sure it doesn't happen when a baby is born and I am equally certain it does not begin the day of sexual intercourse.
I don't like that both sides demand that I make a choice that fits their harshly drawn lines.
I love babies. We have 6 children and I am already anxiously awaiting the time in a few years when grandchildren begin to arrive. I want to protect all children
I love mothers who invest in their lives, but I also love 20 year old girls whose drinking problems have caused them to act with abandon. I have never met a woman who had an abortion because she had set out intentionally to have an abortion. I have met some women who spoke callously about their abortions, but I am guessing it was a shield for them to protect themselves from conversations about painful events in their lives.
I also love toddlers, pre-schoolers, and elementary kids. I have lived in the inner city and seen kids whose lives are filled with abuse, pain and suffering. Unfortunately these kids are likely to end up in a hopeless life and repeat the cycle of pain, and abuse.
I don't think the answer is mass abortions, but I think Jesus followers need to invest their time, energy, effort, and money and in serving and helping change the poverty cycle in our big cities.
Don't try to make me fit in your tidy little categories.
4. Gay Marriage vrs Gay Castration
The evil hatred that I have seen directed toward homosexual men and women is grotesque. The fear mongering done on christian radio and television about the homosexual agenda to destroy our Christian values, take our children, and ruin our marriages is laughable. I am not afraid to have my children around homosexual people. They are not all pedophiles any more than all pastors are pedophiles. They don't need to be castrated.
I support the right of a gay couple to have each other in the hospital room on their death bed and various other important rights, but I don't understand their need to be married. I don't think that a gay couple needs to have a marriage. Civil Unions accomplish most of their objectives.
There are probably other issues. I don't want to be left or right, republican or democrat, conservative or liberal. I want to make up my mind on each issue. I want to be able to have a conversation with out being called the enemy.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Book Review "Why We're Not Emergent"
This book was written in a way that held my attention.
I am not an academic scholar so just wanted to mention a couple of things to me.
The writers are very open about their strong reform theology.
1. In reading the book I believe that their contention with emergent/emerging church is that it is not reformed and does not hold to a reform definition of God's "sovereignty".
I believe that the post-modern emerging/emergent church is weak and desperately needs to find some help. It was/is built on its opposition to foundationalism but has not found any real meaning. I was hoping for a critique that offered something more than a defense of traditional reformed theology.
2. I found their critique of the emergent authors to be substantially lacking. one example page 35 Kevin is writing about God being knowable and he criticizes Brian McClaren and builds his case with an illustration of husband and wife. He says that he can't love his wife without knowing her and writes several paragraphs about how important knowledge of facts are to love. It is well written but logically weak. My children each were born with love for their mother and quickly developed love for me. They knew nothing about the facts of who I was/am. Even as they grew and learned minute details about me and "knew me" it was almost nothing of who I was and yet they still loved me.
I was disappointed with the hasty conclusions that if I can't love my wife without knowing her then I can't love God without knowing him. It is a logical fallacy that I have taught my children in elementary school.
Even if the conclusion is correct the logic is flawed. In just the introduction and first chapter I found repeated examples of this logic.
3. on page 40 He uses a quote from John Calvin and then builds a logical conclusion as if John Calvin is a final authority and there is no argument of legitimate opinion that disagrees with John Calvin.
My conclusion an interesting read. If you are reformed you will feel affirmed that you hold a great theology. If you are seeking for answers to emergent church and are not considering reformed theology you will be disappointed with the lack of substantive discussion.
I am not an academic scholar so just wanted to mention a couple of things to me.
The writers are very open about their strong reform theology.
1. In reading the book I believe that their contention with emergent/emerging church is that it is not reformed and does not hold to a reform definition of God's "sovereignty".
I believe that the post-modern emerging/emergent church is weak and desperately needs to find some help. It was/is built on its opposition to foundationalism but has not found any real meaning. I was hoping for a critique that offered something more than a defense of traditional reformed theology.
2. I found their critique of the emergent authors to be substantially lacking. one example page 35 Kevin is writing about God being knowable and he criticizes Brian McClaren and builds his case with an illustration of husband and wife. He says that he can't love his wife without knowing her and writes several paragraphs about how important knowledge of facts are to love. It is well written but logically weak. My children each were born with love for their mother and quickly developed love for me. They knew nothing about the facts of who I was/am. Even as they grew and learned minute details about me and "knew me" it was almost nothing of who I was and yet they still loved me.
I was disappointed with the hasty conclusions that if I can't love my wife without knowing her then I can't love God without knowing him. It is a logical fallacy that I have taught my children in elementary school.
Even if the conclusion is correct the logic is flawed. In just the introduction and first chapter I found repeated examples of this logic.
3. on page 40 He uses a quote from John Calvin and then builds a logical conclusion as if John Calvin is a final authority and there is no argument of legitimate opinion that disagrees with John Calvin.
My conclusion an interesting read. If you are reformed you will feel affirmed that you hold a great theology. If you are seeking for answers to emergent church and are not considering reformed theology you will be disappointed with the lack of substantive discussion.
for a friend
1. Alysen likes to drink wine
2. Alysen likes to take her dogs to the dog park
3. Alysen likes to watch movies with her friends
4. Alysen likes to do silly lists on facebook
5. Alysen likes to meander through art galleries
6. Alysen likes to play dominoes
7. Alysen likes to study breeding factors for goldendoodles
8. Alysen likes to cook gourmet meals with her husband (lol)
9. Alysen likes to tip cows
10. Alysen loves to watch sports of any kind all the time.
2. Alysen likes to take her dogs to the dog park
3. Alysen likes to watch movies with her friends
4. Alysen likes to do silly lists on facebook
5. Alysen likes to meander through art galleries
6. Alysen likes to play dominoes
7. Alysen likes to study breeding factors for goldendoodles
8. Alysen likes to cook gourmet meals with her husband (lol)
9. Alysen likes to tip cows
10. Alysen loves to watch sports of any kind all the time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
