The Last Addiction - Sharon A. Hersh

So I have been trying to get an understanding of addictions (and yes, I do believe we all have them in some form or another). This book jumped out at me at the store and I am really getting into it. I only have two chapters done but it is honest and harsh and the author has a personal perspective that aligns with my understanding of what the bottom line is in addictions of any kind. This little piece of the second chapter tells me where it is going and I like it.....

My fascination with this....totally personal....totally what the desire of my heart for ministry at some place and time....His choosing...and I don't know where that leads .... He does. Listen to this...

"The gift of getting caught is that we might come face to face with Love - a Love greater than human love - that knows us, knows our horrible struggles, knows our hidden struggles, and loves us and longs to forgive us. God loves us. That's why He's always watching.

"For just a moment now, allow yourself to sit here and be caught - in all your secrets and goodness, your failings and achievements. Canyou allow Love to look deeply into your soul, see Love stoop before you and read what Love is writing?

I believe there is one word.

Beloved.

Not addict. Not alcoholic, hopeless, relapser, gambler or compulsive.....

Beloved.

The gift of getting caught....

The Giver longs for us to receive this gift. As Richard Foster wrote, "Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to Him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence.

The surprising and oh-so-relieving gift of getting caught is that Love simply longs for our presence, when we are too weak and wounded to do anything to make ourselves lovable."

This is not the answer to addiction the author is quick to note.....but being caught by Love opens the heart.....more to come.

Him in me, me in Him

From Tozer Today....

I like this analogy....maybe because the ocean is so big and the bottle is so small...God is bigger than the ocean and that thought alone can cause me to wander and ponder all day. Christ in us and us in Him. Pastor Frank has a good analogy of this as well....I like this one better though, and I am sure he knows this as he lead me to A. B. Simpson.....but when we can see things with good mental pictures......it illuminates just how this Life that is Christ in us and us in Him can possibly be. Second thought is how big is His Love? As big as He is. Awesome!

"Dr. A. B. Simpson used an illustration which was about as good as any I ever heard. He said, "Being filled with the fullness of God is like a bottle in the ocean. You take the cork out of the bottle and sink it in the ocean, and you have the bottle completely full of ocean. The bottle is in the ocean, and the ocean is in the bottle. The ocean contains the bottle, but the bottle contains only a little bit of the ocean. So it is with the Christian."

"We are filled unto the fullness of God, but, of course, we cannot contain all of God because God contains us; but we can have all of God that we can contain. If we only knew it, we could enlarge our vessel. The vessel gets bigger as we go on with God."

Whatever You're Doing - Something Heavenly

Last post was an old favourite and this is a brand new favourite. Sanctus Real's new album - "We Need Each Other".... hmmm how appropriate...what I have "really" heard so far.... I know this song, I love.



It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...

(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

It's All About You Jesus

Afflatus

I love to learn new words....so many words ....who knew? This will help one interpret the next post. Tozer used some great words....that is not what made his thoughts so inspired but this word probably had something to do with that.

Word of the Day

1) "miraculous communication of supernatural knowledge," 1665, from L. afflatus "a breathing upon, blast," from pp. stem of afflare "to blow upon," from ad- "to" + flare "to blow".

2) A strong creative impulse, especially as a result of divine inspiration.

3) inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within.

4) divine communication of knowledge.

Power

From Tozer

The only power God recognizes in His church is the power of His Spirit whereas the only power actually recognized today by the majority of evangelicals is the power of man. God does His work by the operation of the Spirit, while Christian leaders attempt to do theirs by the power of trained and devoted intellect. Bright personality has taken the place of the divine afflatus.

"O Lord, work powerfully, creatively; move in majesty. Send the divine afflatus to overshadow our intellect and personalities. Come in power, for Jesus' sake. Amen."

In The Remembering

One of the ways I needed to get out of God’s way today (seems to be a theme in my life), was to come to the Lord's table. I did this alone today. I wish there had been others. It was not meant to be today. It is here, at His Table, that I was able to remember once again who I was and whose I am. It is here that I remembered whose Life is lived in and through me and why and when that happened and just how much I am loved as Jesus sacrificed His life, for me and not just me but everyone. It is here where I remember the Resurrection as well and what He is so pleased to begin to see in me because it comes from Him.... Life. Love. Mercy. Justice. Peace. Patience. Acceptance. And so much more. There is a lot of other stuff that maybe He sees in me....but He does not focus on that...He sees my perfection in Him. The Lord's Table today....a powerful place to be.

Knit Together With Jesus - Cool

1 Samuel 18: 1-4

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David: and Jonathan loved him as his own soul ... Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.

Taken from His Victorious Indwelling

".....Thus it should be with us and the true David. Love delights to strip itself for its object.

Oh! for more of this spirit of humility! May our hearts be drawn out and knit, more and more, to Christ, in this day of hollow profession, and empty, religious formality! May we be so filled with the Holy Spirit, that wit purpose of heart we may cleave unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!"

C. H. Mackintosh

Always a mess in the process

I am stepping out. Fleeing isolation and running to community. We all need the accountability and balance that our brothers and sisters in Christ give us. Isolation can breed destruction and self-deception. Community lends itself to balanced self-appraisal (Rom. 12:3).

I had to deal with a troublesome, reoccurring, family issue today that really stretched me and honestly stressed me. I have so much pride and I am not sure whether it is false pride or just good old-fashioned nasty pride. I know the things that I have done and I became increasingly and uncomfortably aware that I was being prideful in the situation that God had graciously allowed me to be in. There was a reason for this. I was getting in the way again. He leads, He is teaching me, He directs and He prompts me. The reason I share this....God lovingly and graciously allowed me to see this and fall on my face, and then He gently reminded me...that I dare not own what He does through me.



An article by Fr. Jack McArdle

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30-31


A stretch-limo pulled up in front of a retirement home one day, and a young man, full of his own importance, stepped out of it and began walking towards the entrance. It was a beautiful sunny day and many of the old folks were sitting out front, complete with straw hats and sunglasses.

The visitor was a famous pop-star and he was used to commotion and excitement wherever he went. On this occasion, however, nobody seemed to notice him, or to pay any heed to him. Bewildered—and affronted—by the singular lack of response, he finally stood in front of one old lady and said: "Do you know who I am?"

She didn't even lift her head as she replied, "No, but if you go in to the girl at the Reception, she should be able to tell you!"


Whatever we are and whatever we become is because of God's grace and blessings in our lives. Do you acknowledge this, or do you believe that it is solely your efforts that has made you who and what you are?

His Perfect Love

I was going to leave a post about how much I dislike Valentine's Day, redness and hearts and lace and materialism and having to have a reason to show love, and how disappointing so many Valentine's Days have been and chocolates...oh I do love the chocolate thing, but as all things must fade away so did chocolate.....but instead, He showed me something this morning.....and I know it is so true for you too.......Have a day full of Love.

"May you always know that you are smack dab in the middle of His Love and Purpose."

The Church - Relationship

From The Shack (pg, 177 - 179 in part ) by William P. Young

"...Our final destiny is not the picture of Heaven that you have stuck in your head - you know, the image of pearly gates and streets of gold. Instead it's a new cleansing of this universe, so it will indeed look a lot like here."

"Then what's with the pearly gates and gold stuff?"

"That stuff, my brother," Jesus began, lying back on the dock and closing his eyea against the warmth and brightness of the day, "is a picture of me and the woman I'm in love with."

..."It is a picture of my bride, the Church: individuals who together form a spiritual city with a living river flowing through the middle, and on both shores trees growing with fruit that will heal the hurt and sorrows of the nations. And this city is always open, and each gate into it is made of a single pearl...." He opened one eye and looked at Mack. "That would be me!" ..."Pearls, Mack. The only precious stone made by pain, suffering and - finally - death."

...."You're talking about the church as this woman you're in love with; I'm pretty sure I haven't met her"..... "She's not the place I go on Sundays," Mack said more to himself,...."

"Mack, that's because you're only seeing the institution, a man-made system. That's not what I came to build. What I see are people and their lives, a living breathing community of all those who love me, not buildings and programs."

..."It's simple, Mack. It's all about relationships and simply sharing life. What we are doing right now - just doing this - and being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people and life is all about relationships. You can't build it. It's my job and I'm actually pretty good at," Jesus said with a chuckle.

For Mack these words were like a breath of fresh air! Simple. Not a bunch of exhausting work and long list of demands, and not the sitting in endless meetings staring at the backs of people's heads, people he really didn't even know. Just sharing life. "But, wait -"......

..."Mack, you don't need to have it all figured out. Just be with me......"

..."I don't create institutions - never have, never will."

"What about the institution of marriage?"

"Marriage in not an institution. It's a relationship."

A Ragamuffin's Ramblings

Speaking of Brennan Manning.......

Well, I know I have been in process and still am and you know what? I am only perfect in Him...I could tell you stories of my flesh life that (well, let's not go there today) ......this blog reminds me that God loves all who love Him.....and even those who don't, to be perfectly honest. I love this post...it stretches my thinking about grace and Jesus who is Grace and Love and Perfect in both and if I have His Life within me....I love with His love.....whatever, whoever..... How comfortable are you in this place?

Check the full article pictures et al....and the blog here....

http://ragarambler.blogspot.com/


Room at the table for everyone

Jesus started off with 12 people. Twelve misfits, following a Messiah who said impossible things like "love your neighbor" and "blessed are the meek" and "I am come that you might have life - and have it abundantly!" We know what they did...

This weekend, I watched what the Spirit of God did with two hundred eighty-five gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Christians. In the mix were at least a half-dozen gay pastors who have been thrown out of mainline churches, and about a dozen gay music directors and worship leaders (although some would say "gay music directors" is repetitious...).

Imagine Christians who have been shunned by the rest of the Church world, who still have a heart for Jesus Christ - persecuted, shut out, rejected, ignored. And then take 285 voices who can't say enough about Jesus - and just imagine what it would sound like worshiping with them. Every session began with GLBT people worshiping - in some cases, participating in worship for the first time since they had been asked to leave their church. Worshiping out of every tradition - Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant of every variety, and no tradition at all.

The theme of the conference was set to the tune of the praise song "How Great Is Our God." But this was not a group of Johnny-One-Notes - we sang praise music, the great hymns, even Taize' chant. Songs that I hadn't sung since my days as a worship team leader at Faith Lutheran in 2001 poured out of me. Sunday's worship set included the wonderful Taize' song Ubi Caritas, How Great Is Our God, Amazing Grace, I Love You Lord, Holy Holy Holy, How Great Thou Art, I Am A Friend of God, Beautiful Savior, and wrapping up with an amazingly synthesized pipe organ belting out A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.

As the last note of that mighty hymn floated away, one of the liturgists (a young Southern guy who is well-known in the group as a deeply devout Catholic) came up to pray. Surveying the crowd, he smiled and said, "If anyone doubts the inclusiveness of this organization, just think that this ol' Catholic boy is coming up here to pray after singing Martin Luther's hymn!

"It was electrifying. And the speakers...we managed to miss JR Finney Friday morning, but Kelly Fryer's presentation Saturday morning was incredible. Kelly, a former Lutheran pastor who resigned before the church removed her, wrote the Christian beginner's book No Experience Necessary and a wonderful little volume for the Lutheran (ELCA) Church called Reclaiming The "L" Word - Renewing the Church from It's Lutheran Core. (The humor of the author of Reclaiming the "L" Word having to resign because of the other L-word was not lost on the crowd...). She poured affirming Scripture over the conference - telling each of us, "There is nothing more that you need for ministry; no permission slip, no special blessing! You have already received everything needed....ministry isn't a "right" than an institution can give you (or take away from you)!"

Jay Bakker, pastor of Revolution Church NYC and son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, shared the incredibly powerful witness of a straight man with a heart for the amazing unconditional love of Christ. His message of affirmation, and his memories of his mom (Tammy Faye, who died this last year, had a great heart for the GLBT community). But more than that, he gently addressed several of the so-called "clobber" passages that the church uses to try to exclude us, and pointed us back, every time, to the Cross.That was the message, time and time again. Look to the Cross, no matter what the world, or the Church, or anyone tells us. The same Savior who welcomed the good thief into Paradise welcomes us, as well. The world needs what we have to offer, regardless whether the Church wants it or not. There is a place at the Table for us, our partners, and our families - we only have to step up and claim it. As my partner and I left the conference, arm in arm, the chorus of one praise song kept echoing in my ears...

I am a friend of God
He calls me "Friend"...

Steve

Thanks Steve....for your openness and your honesty and your blog which sheds a little light on the hugeness of God and those who love Him.

A Brennan Manning Kind of Day

The Wisdom of Tenderness

“When religion replaces the actual experience of the living Jesus, when we lose the authority of personal knowing and rely on the authority of books, institutions, and leaders, when we let religion interpose between us and the primary experience of Jesus as the Christ, we lose the very reality that religion itself describes as ultimate.”

Brennan Manning

The Wisdom of Tenderness

"Why, then, is there so much unfreedom in religious circles today? The sad truth is that many Christians fear the responsibility of being free. It's often easier to let others make the decisions or to rely exclusively on the letter of the law. Some men and women want to be slaves."

Brennan Manning

Really? (Prophets and Lovers)

"It is symptomatic that in the Western world... the mass of people still pass Christianity by. Why? Because the visible presence of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit in Christians as a whole, apart from a few individuals, is no longer present."

Brennan Manning

Do you see it, my brother, my sister?

Romans 8:28

KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Amplified
We are assured and know that [ God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

NASB
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.


Do you love Him?

Play Ball

I watched Star Trek years and years ago and never once ever considered myself a Trekkie.... now my son sent me this link and there is something about this clip....maybe I should have continued watching. Enjoy! There has to be some kind of moral....I guess I would say that it reminds me that there is joy in all things (to me that comes from Him)....even if the world (or in this case.....other worlds, I guess....see you as a loser).

New Ideas?

Pioneering New Church Territory:

'We have intimated that behind this ministry, and largely as the occasion and venue of it, there is a company of the Lord's people who regularly meet at Honor Oak, London. We believe that "order" of gathering, procedure, and ministry are as near to what the Apostles sought to have as our present light permits. We do not claim to have "yet attained," neither do we account ourselves as "yet perfect," but being open to the Lord we are adjustable to any further leadings of the Holy Spirit.
We have never followed a pattern discovered on earth. Either we were in culpable blissful blindness, or providential innocence, but we knew not the same order obtaining already. So as we were concerned it seemed as though the Lord was beginning us at zero. Neither had we studied the New Testament with the object of trying to formulate a New Testament church or its order. We have since come to believe that the New Testament does not give a full and final patter for reproduction and imitation.
Thus, having set aside all the formal system of organized Christianity, we committed ourselves to the principle to the organic. No "order" was "set up," no officers or ministries were appointed. We left it with the Lord to make manifest by "gift" and anointing who were chosen of Him for oversight and ministry. The one-man ministry has never emerged. The "overseers" have never been chosen by vote or selection, and certainly not by the expressed desire of any leader. No committees or official bodies have ever existed in any part of the work. Things in the main have issued from prayer.'
Sparks, March 1956


This is sounding a little closer to "The Gate Seldom Found".... that I still yearn for. He will give us the desires of our hearts if they are the desires of His. Check the date of Sparks quote. Wonder if this was his "Gate"?

Doesn't it just sound right?

What? Like Now?

Tozer

The Holy Spirit: Some Other Time

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
John 14:12

"You will receive power" (Acts 1:8a). "Eagerly desire the greater gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31a).

Anything that God has ever done for a soul He will do for anyone else, if the conditions are met. The Lord who blessed these men that I spoke about, and the thousands who followed them but whose names are not known, is willing to do the same for us as He did for them.

Unbelief says: Some other time, but not now; some other place, but not here; some other people, but not us. Faith says: Anything He did anywhere else He will do here; anything He did any other time He is willing to do now; anything He ever did for other people He is willing to do for us! With our feet on the ground, and our head cool, but with our heart ablaze with the love of God, we walk out in this fullness of the Spirit, if we will yield and obey. God wants to work through you!

The Counselor has come, and He doesn't care about the limits of locality, geography, time or nationality. The Body of Christ is bigger than all of these.

Our secret ministry

"Unless we have invested a great deal of time in our secret ministry to the Lord then the shallowness of our public ministry will be very evident. Today it is abundantly clear that not enough time is spent ministering to the Lord, and way too much time is spent ministering to people; hence, most of what is done in the name of ministry is performed in a fleshly, human way which never bears any lasting fruit."

Chip Brogden