February 19th - 22nd

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:34-40

This past week I was asked to come share my testimony for the first time. Given two nights at 15-30 minutes each, I found it almost impossible to place all my experience with cancer. Covering a topic as sensative as this, it wasn't easy to break free from my comfort. But as I began to speak the words fell from my mouth. It's amazing when you allow God to use you this way. The feeling of his hand pushing ideas and truths through your own lips. Even while I read this section from Matthew to the kids, I was teaching myself. God used me in a mighty way this week and it's great to see the reaping of what's been sown these past few years.

Divided and stale. Pt. 2

"If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." (2 Corinthians 2:5-11)

In this second letter to the church Paul addresses again, the manner of the body's interaction with each other. Satan's scheme of being deep in the body of Christ is working and most of the time we don't even realize it. He comes in the style of tension (conflict), apathy (boredom), disconsolation (hopelessness), and anything else that can cause separation.

Divided and stale; the Christian Church.

"I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." - (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

This quote is directly from the scriptures. So in saying that the Word is God, it is perfect; because God is flawless. If the word is flawless, then what is the idea of denominations in the Church?

Untitled, warmup by Travis

Hopeless-mas

Christmas is depressing for me. It's not for attention or satisfaction in being the oddman. God's given me the gift of sorrow. Whenever I hear the seasons cheerful music, it burns inside of me. I know God is a pure and holy source of hope, but how come this season is a tainted, shallow work of impersonal connection?

I am not talking about consumerism. I'm talking about how once the winter holidays begin we suddenly love each other and we're talking to strangers like their relatives. Shouldn't we be doing this anyway? Shouldn't we be connecting and 'sharpening' others? How come once Christmas is over I'll be treated like manure? Maybe we deserve it.

Now that my battle against cancer is over, I feel like the only real reason to be joyful is that God doesn't kill me where I am. We don't deserve anything He does for us; even if I feel his peace and love some of the time. Why only part of the time? Because we aren't doing our jobs.

Isn't it our jobs to communicate God's passion for mankind?

"I wanna be your hands,
I wanna be your feet.
I'll go where you send me." (Newsboys)

Growth

I met Bob » A young man (18-22) wearing the same brown sweatshirt I own. From what I could see he had tattoos on his hands.

* I wonder if they continue up his arms?

I asked Bob if he was hungry and he said yes. He said he wanted a sandwich. When I came back out he found a new place to sit, smoking a cigarette.

(loosely wrapped » * I wonder if he rolls his own?)

Since my goal was to buy water, I offered him some. My impulsiveness stirred me to give him the whole twenty-four pack. But why offer everything you have all at once? »

It leaves no opportunity for further relational growth.
So often I find myself frustrated with God. Why don't we understand him completely? Let alone, right away? In the same way, only giving Bob a small portion of what I had to offer, gives us the chance to grow. I can learn from Bob, and Bob from me.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Save us from ourselves, Lord.

"LATER ON there was a Jewish festival (feast) for which Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate. This pool in the Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches (alcoves, colonnades, doorways) In these lay a great number of sick folk--some blind, some crippled, and some paralyzed (shriveled up)--waiting for the bubbling up of the water. For an angel of the Lord went down at appointed seasons into the pool and moved and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was cured of whatever disease with which he was afflicted.

There was a certain man there who had suffered with a deep-seated and lingering disorder for thirty-eight years. When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you want to become well? [Are you really in earnest about getting well?] The invalid answered, Sir, I have nobody when the water is moving to put me into the pool; but while I am trying to come [into it] myself, somebody else steps down ahead of me. Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your bed (sleeping pad) and walk! Instantly the man became well and recovered his strength and picked up his bed and walked. But that happened on the Sabbath." (John 5:1-9)

I always thought this writing was bold. Here is this man who's been stuck for years and when asked gives Jesus a decent response. But with all actors our true selves can be hidden. In a way this man could be called a liar. He's lying to himself and to the others around him. How much longer can the excuse of "I need help" keep working? Is he attracted to the attention? Is the sorrow of his situation keeping him still?

"Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, 'See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.'" (John 5:14)

Was that a threat? What was the sin that caused him thirty-eight years of grief? Did Jesus really heal this man or soley motivate him out of laziness?
What do you think?

Sherwood