Comments for Listen. Learn. Get Involved. http://gracecommunion.com/blog Welcome to the Grace Community Blog Sat, 19 May 2012 23:04:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on Spiritual Seasons by Rae http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/15/spiritual-seasons/#comment-175 Rae Sat, 19 May 2012 23:04:15 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=613#comment-175 Knowing you Kim, I did not think self was the boast, but the power of Christ Jesus and The Work of The Holy Spirit. Psalm 34:2 1Corinthians 1:31 2Corinthians 10:1 That being said I appreciate the clarification. Knowing you Kim, I did not think self was the boast, but the power of Christ Jesus and The Work of The Holy Spirit.

Psalm 34:2

1Corinthians 1:31

2Corinthians 10:1

That being said I appreciate the clarification.

]]> Comment on Spiritual Seasons by kimt http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/15/spiritual-seasons/#comment-174 kimt Fri, 18 May 2012 16:03:22 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=613#comment-174 An addendum to yesterday's entry. The last sentence was intended to reflect the heart and mind of the foot soldier when motivated by scriptural expectations. As such, it should have been in quotes or prefaced in some way with such explanation. It was brought to my attention, that written as it was, it sounded as if I was stating my modus operandi and perhaps boasting. An addendum to yesterday’s entry.

The last sentence was intended to reflect the heart and mind of the foot soldier when motivated by scriptural expectations. As such, it should have been in quotes or prefaced in some way with such explanation.

It was brought to my attention, that written as it was, it sounded as if I was stating my modus operandi and perhaps boasting.

]]> Comment on Spiritual Seasons by kimt http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/15/spiritual-seasons/#comment-173 kimt Thu, 17 May 2012 16:26:18 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=613#comment-173 Two ideas have been much on my mind since Sunday's sermon. Both were touched on early on in the message. The first is: Our expectations need to be scriptural. The second idea was that we need to experience our natural life (existance) in terms of our spiritual life (existance). The two ideas go together. Our natural existance (life) is most naturally experienced as being our primary life with our spiritual life fitting into it or being an add-on to it or being subservient to it. For those in Christ, and only by His work in us, it is our spiritual life that is to be primary. This requires intentionality and ongoing self-examination. It involves much acknowledgement that we are bent toward the natural life. Sin (flesh driven self) is always crouching at our door and it seeks to rule us, and we must rule over it. It involves much humility and repentence, too. Living life primarily in terms of our spiritual existence is all about having scriptural expectations. When scriptural expectations are ruling the heart of the believer, he/she is ready to step up and do the work/life of a foot soldier of Christ, and to produce fruit regardless of the season. When His body requires something I step up. Two ideas have been much on my mind since Sunday’s sermon. Both were touched on early on in the message. The first is: Our expectations need to be scriptural. The second idea was that we need to experience our natural life (existance) in terms of our spiritual life (existance). The two ideas go together.

Our natural existance (life) is most naturally experienced as being our primary life with our spiritual life fitting into it or being an add-on to it or being subservient to it. For those in Christ, and only by His work in us, it is our spiritual life that is to be primary. This requires intentionality and ongoing self-examination. It involves much acknowledgement that we are bent toward the natural life. Sin (flesh driven self) is always crouching at our door and it seeks to rule us, and we must rule over it. It involves much humility and repentence, too.

Living life primarily in terms of our spiritual existence is all about having scriptural expectations.

When scriptural expectations are ruling the heart of the believer, he/she is ready to step up and do the work/life of a foot soldier of Christ, and to produce fruit regardless of the season. When His body requires something I step up.

]]> Comment on Spiritual Seasons by Rae http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/15/spiritual-seasons/#comment-172 Rae Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:38 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=613#comment-172 Mark 11:11 lept off the page at me yesterday, and as I understood it Jesus showed incredible patience waiting until the next day to clear the temple instead of acting immediately. This is the type of patience we should show to one another, especially being in different Seasons. God is working on us individually, as well as collectively, and seeking His will prayerfully, humbly, is our greatest weapon. Seasons bring forth a renewal, a cleansing that only a fierce storm surpasses. When the rains come rejoice! Isaiah 55:10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Deuteronomy 32:2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. Mark 11:11 lept off the page at me yesterday, and as I understood it Jesus showed incredible patience waiting until the next day to clear the temple instead of acting immediately. This is the type of patience we should show to one another, especially being in different Seasons. God is working on us individually, as well as collectively, and seeking His will prayerfully, humbly, is our greatest weapon.

Seasons bring forth a renewal, a cleansing that only a fierce storm surpasses. When the rains come rejoice!

Isaiah 55:10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Deuteronomy 32:2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

]]> Comment on The Golden Calling by glmcmanus http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/07/the-golden-calling/#comment-171 glmcmanus Thu, 10 May 2012 14:38:38 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=611#comment-171 I appreciated Carl Trueman's words this week. http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2012/05/honour-the-vanilla-men.php I appreciated Carl Trueman’s words this week.
http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2012/05/honour-the-vanilla-men.php

]]> Comment on The Golden Calling by glmcmanus http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/07/the-golden-calling/#comment-170 glmcmanus Thu, 10 May 2012 13:34:51 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=611#comment-170 Amen and well said indeed. Might it be said that the hammered gold imagery of Exodus 25 demands that we understand a softening that allows shaping, molding, and coming together despite our prior individual form and beauty? Amen and well said indeed.

Might it be said that the hammered gold imagery of Exodus 25 demands that we understand a softening that allows shaping, molding, and coming together despite our prior individual form and beauty?

]]> Comment on The Golden Calling by kimt http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/07/the-golden-calling/#comment-169 kimt Thu, 10 May 2012 12:10:45 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=611#comment-169 The first few times I read Lisa's post my thoughts were simply. Amen and well said. As time went on I wondered a lot as to how do we meet this challenge to be shaped into a unified God honoring and God glorifying church. I kept coming back to the truth that we can't do. It is the work of God's Spirit in His children. He does it. He alone is the light and the acting agent. We are told much in scripture as to how to recognize His work in His church. Col 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, Col 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Col 3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Rom 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. Rom 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 1Pe 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. The first few times I read Lisa’s post my thoughts were simply. Amen and well said. As time went on I wondered a lot as to how do we meet this challenge to be shaped into a unified God honoring and God glorifying church. I kept coming back to the truth that we can’t do. It is the work of God’s Spirit in His children. He does it. He alone is the light and the acting agent. We are told much in scripture as to how to recognize His work in His church.
Col 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Col 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Col 3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Rom 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Rom 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
1Pe 3:8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

]]> Comment on The Golden Calling by glmcmanus http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/05/07/the-golden-calling/#comment-168 glmcmanus Mon, 07 May 2012 12:49:28 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=611#comment-168 Awesome, I love the image! Oh to be such a utensil of worship. And the pure oil (Lev 24:2) of the Holy Spirit would gives off such bright light. Awesome, I love the image! Oh to be such a utensil of worship. And the pure oil (Lev 24:2) of the Holy Spirit would gives off such bright light.

]]> Comment on Church: the spiritual soup kitchen by glmcmanus http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/04/30/church-the-spiritual-soup-kitchen/#comment-167 glmcmanus Wed, 02 May 2012 15:14:49 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=607#comment-167 It seems to me that the root of this issue is our willingness to justify ourselves as to what we are doing and why we are doing it. Rather than taking every thought captive to Christ we try to hang god-like clothes on our own intentions: I’m helping others, I’m led by god to do this thing, or I’m not really forsaking the assembly… In each case we frame our dissent with a form of godliness all-the-while denying the means of his power. We are frighteningly able to be just like the Israelites of 1 Samuel 4. We tend to freestyle with what God has instituted and established, for our desert-like sojourning. It seems to me that the remedy to this issue can only be a frankness and honest assessment that leads to a humble and repentant attitude about our choices and failures. Because it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission—much too easy—perhaps the mature thing is to discuss one’s intentions and get a second opinion before writing a free pass to oneself. I can’t help but think, had the Israelites consulted the prophetic Word before they ran the ark out against the Philistines they may have been reminded that their agenda is never more important than God’s. It seems to me that the root of this issue is our willingness to justify ourselves as to what we are doing and why we are doing it. Rather than taking every thought captive to Christ we try to hang god-like clothes on our own intentions: I’m helping others, I’m led by god to do this thing, or I’m not really forsaking the assembly… In each case we frame our dissent with a form of godliness all-the-while denying the means of his power. We are frighteningly able to be just like the Israelites of 1 Samuel 4. We tend to freestyle with what God has instituted and established, for our desert-like sojourning.

It seems to me that the remedy to this issue can only be a frankness and honest assessment that leads to a humble and repentant attitude about our choices and failures. Because it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission—much too easy—perhaps the mature thing is to discuss one’s intentions and get a second opinion before writing a free pass to oneself. I can’t help but think, had the Israelites consulted the prophetic Word before they ran the ark out against the Philistines they may have been reminded that their agenda is never more important than God’s.

]]> Comment on Church: the spiritual soup kitchen by Rae http://gracecommunion.com/blog/2012/04/30/church-the-spiritual-soup-kitchen/#comment-166 Rae Wed, 02 May 2012 02:45:56 +0000 http://gracecommunion.com/blog/?p=607#comment-166 Amen. We can not take credit for anything, lest we boast...knowing that each time we meet it is because God ordained it, should send us to our knees in praise and thankfullness. We are by no means robots, but in fact expirience the blessings and curses of 'our' choices on a daily basis. Let us be sure to not just pay lip service to be in one anothers lives, but intentionally plan to be with one another, even if it's just on facebook. *wink* Amen. We can not take credit for anything, lest we boast…knowing that each time we meet it is because God ordained it, should send us to our knees in praise and thankfullness. We are by no means robots, but in fact expirience the blessings and curses of ‘our’ choices on a daily basis. Let us be sure to not just pay lip service to be in one anothers lives, but intentionally plan to be with one another, even if it’s just on facebook. *wink*

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