Monday, 21 April 2008

  • :)

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
    I'm whispering "I was lost,
    Now I 'm found and forgiven."

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I don't speak of this with pride.
    I'm confessing that I stumble
    and need Christ to be my guide.

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I'm not trying to be strong.
    I'm professing that I'm weak
    And need His strength to carry on.

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I'm not bragging of success.
    I'm admitting I have failed
    And need God to clean my mess.

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I'm not claiming to be perfect,
    My flaws are far too visible
    But, God believes I am worth it.

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I still feel the sting of pain.
    I have my share of heartaches
    So I call upon His name.

    When I say... "I am a Christian"
    I'm not holier than thou,
    I'm just a simple sinner
    Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Wednesday, 26 September 2007

  • Two-blog day???!

    FutureSex/LoveSounds on ShowTime.  Hooray for movie channels.

     

    P.S. We have joined the civilized world, and now have TFC too. Wow.

     

    The End.

  • Geez.

     

    Let God Run Wild
    by Jon Walker

    “… God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)

    As my six-year-old tried to open a package, I sat patiently waiting for him to ask me for help. It was one of those protective, hard plastic packages that some manufacturers use – you know, the kind that are nearly impossible to open short of using a small explosive.

    I knew my son wouldn’t be able to open the package on his own, but I make it a general rule never to grab things out of my son’s hands – like one child might disrespectfully snatch something away from another. Sure, I’m bigger than him, and I could’ve taken it out of his hands, but I wanted him to make his own choice about whether or when he would ask me for help.

    It didn’t take long before he looked up at me, and I said, ‘Do you want me to help you?’ He said yes and handed me the package. I knew it would require more than my hands (or teeth) to open it, so I found some heavy scissors and squeezed hard to cut through the plastic.

    Today, you may be holding a package in your hand, and wrapped in its hard plastic shell is something Jesus called the “abundant life.” You’re straining to get inside the package, using all the means and schemes you can think of to break through the abundant life.

    God is patiently sitting next you you, waiting for you to abandon your independent attempts to create the abundant life, waiting for you to let him loose in your life, waiting for you to say, “I can’t, but, God, you can.”

    In that moment, God becomes your strength, “so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)

    What now?

    • Let God run wild – Accept the powerful love of God in your life and allow his grace to run free in your life.

    • Stop trying to open the package – Give the package to God and let him open the abundant life for you. Ask God to show you what package you’re struggling to open, and when he does, hand the package to him.

    • Trust God with your needs – God knows you need to open the package. What makes you think you have to open it on your own? Why do you believe that your efforts to open the package will produce a better life for you than if you allow God to open the package? (What is your behavior saying about your beliefs?)

    © 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Tuesday, 04 September 2007

  • Home sweet home.

    Tis great to be home! Looking forward to a year full of excitement, adventures, (LOTS of one-to-ones? Heehee.) in preparation for San Diego 2008!  Dallas/Austin/San Antonio 2007 is definitely one to remember! Yeehaw!

    Be ‘Un-conformed’
    by Jon Walker
    (Purpose-Driven Life Devotional, 28 August 07)

    “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 HCSB)

    Slowly read through this devotional as a prayer to God –

    Lord, help me and guide me so I am no longer conformed to this age. Move me in such a way, Lord, that I can un-conform to anything that is not a part of you or pleasing to you.

    Wash my mind with your spirit and wisdom. Renew my mind so I am transformed by your power – and not my limited ability to will it so. Develop my ability to discern your will – and energize me to do the things that will please you.

    Father, I pray this prayer for my family – that we will no longer be so well-adjusted to our culture that we fit into it without even thinking (Romans 12:2 MSG). We want to be God-adjusted within the culture as a whole and also God-adjusted within the culture of our home, neighborhood, and community.

    Lord, compel us to fix our attention on you, our God, the Holy One of Israel. Change us from the inside out. Help us to readily recognize what you want from us, so we can quickly respond to your command. Help us to drop any weapons of the flesh that we hold in our hands; instead picking up and wielding the weapons of the Spirit that you so wisely supply. Develop us into well-formed, mature Christians – sons and daughters of the King – fathers and mothers of the faith.

    So what does this mean?

    · God is in the details – Oswald Chambers writes, “We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover his divine designs anywhere and everywhere.”

    · Life circumstances – Where is God in the circumstances and details of your life?

    · See God’s hand – Looking back over this past year, can you see God’s hand in your life where you could not see it before?

    · Be ‘un-conformed’ – What area in your life needs to be “un-conformed” from the ways of the world?

    (Dundundunnn.)

Wednesday, 22 August 2007

  • The ‘Risk’ of Obedience
    by Mark Kelly (Nope.. no relation.. sorry. Heh.)

    Over the past few years, Mark Kelly has been graciously working behind the scenes to edit these devotionals, keeping them consistent and clear. Today, we offer a devotional from him. – jw

    “[Abraham] was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did – by his actions.” (James 2:22 NLT)

    To many Christians, “faith” means sincerely believing something is true when you don’t have any evidence. In fact, faith is acting on what you know full well is true: God is able to keep his promise and can be trusted to do it. Faith that is only theoretical conviction isn’t faith yet. Real faith – living faith, saving faith – does something about it.

    God had promised Abraham that Isaac would be the father of an entire nation. When the Lord commanded him to sacrifice his only son, faith wasn’t some abstract issue of believing without evidence. Faith meant taking the risk of obedience – frightening as it was – because Abraham knew God could keep the promise even if Isaac died. Raising a son from the dead is right down God’s alley!

    The life of faith is a life of taking risks that aren’t actually risky. When God puts a challenge before you – even one that seems crazy to your human nature – you can step out in confidence because you know God is able and faithful. When your faith and actions are working together, then your faith will be made complete.

    Prayer: “Lord, what you want from us is exciting – and a little frightening too. It would be a lot easier to just stay with our ‘business as usual’ lives, but you have something seriously amazing in store for us if we will match our beliefs with obedience. Please strengthen our confidence in your power and trustworthiness, and grant us the courage to step out in faith when you give us opportunities to prove how much we really trust you.” 

    Point to ponder: The life of faith is a life of taking risks that aren’t actually risky.

Monday, 20 August 2007

Wednesday, 01 August 2007

Sunday, 22 July 2007