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Thin Places

Tuesday, February 28th, 2006

I can't help it.  I'm irresistably drawn to the contemplative.  Here's some thoughts from a friend's now-defunct-blog via onehouse.  Thanks, guys!

The Irish speak of a tradition of "thin places." It is believed among us…that there are sequestered, sacred spaces on earth where, if you listen very carefully, you can hear God more clearly and feel […]

Renovaré: Hurt vs. Harmed

Tuesday, February 21st, 2006

From the Renovaré website:

QUESTION: Explain to me the difference between being hurt while not being harmed?ANSWER: Spiritual people are of all people most susceptible to being hurt. This is because we are indeed the meek of the earth. We have turned away from the normal human means of protection: attack first, destroy your enemy before […]

Love is the Path to Holiness

Monday, February 20th, 2006

We're studying the book of I Thessalonians these days at our local gathering, and one little thing stuck out to me today.  In 3:12, Paul says that he hopes that the Lord will make you 'increase and abound in love to one another and to all (just like we do towards you),' but for the purpose of […]

Jesus and Extreme Environmentalism

Saturday, February 11th, 2006

This was the word of the day a while ago, and got me thinking:
ahimsa: The principle of refraining from harming any living being.
How much of what we would call an 'environmentalist' would Jesus be? It's a hard line for me to draw. Jesus certainly cares a great deal about his creation, his world. But […]

Only Two Responses

Monday, February 6th, 2006

Sunday morning, we discussed that there are only two possible responses to the understood Word of God.  You can either reject the message or receive it. 
Rejecting the Word of God (be it Scripture, Spirit, or from the body) is to decide to hold on to my own persuasions, choosing to believe a lie.  This […]

About My Father's Business

Monday, January 30th, 2006

Just a thought today — If God is the one who has decided that I need to be doing something, then why do I look to others for this sense of worth in doing it?  Has not God said it is for me to do, and does that not make it the most important thing […]

Just the Benediction I Want to Hear

Friday, January 27th, 2006

Usually after a gathering, we have someone declare a benediction for those present to end our meeting.  Usually, it's hard to find someone to volunteer, though a simple 'grace and peace' would be just fine.  Reading in I Peter today, I ran across this, which would certainly be a departure from the normal benedictions we […]

Epios means Kind, Meek, or Gentle

Thursday, January 26th, 2006

Here's a verse that I've been looking at the past few days.

And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong. (II […]

An Announcing People

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006

Last night, we talked about being an announcing people.  We talked about what this good news is that we are announcing, and how to announce it.  I think all of these are critical questions, and require immediate attention.
The good news (aka, the Gospel)has so many aspects, it's hard to pick a starting point.  But perhaps […]

What About Local Poverty

Tuesday, January 10th, 2006

An article by T David Gordon, called A Biblical Theology of Poverty and Almsgiving, gives us room to ask some questions about our approach towards the local poor.  I find it hard to balance the fact that the local poor are still somewhat rich compared to the global poor, but either way, his comments towards […]

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