This is a quiet stretch for my blog. Between camps, mission trips, and my sister’s wedding, I’m at a computer barely enough to clear out my junk mail. I’ll be back as I find my feet back in Baton Rouge. Until then, check out this article that was passed to me. I think the author makes some great comments about the Church’s relationship to culture.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Jackson/nicholas4.htm
In HIM,
Blaine
And let’s face it, you probably don’t either.
(Stay with me…)
I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe we should follow it’s teachings as if God himself is telling us. I believe that what it says is true. It teaches me about Jesus, who he was, what he did, and the immediate effect it had on the world. I believe he was born of a virgin, performed miracles, was crucified, and was raised back to life.
I even believe God created the world, that He will one day destroy the world, and that the church is his kingdom on earth.
I belive all that radical stuff because I see it in Scripture. So what’s the problem?
When I’m honest with myself, I don’t fully believe God’s promises for me. I can accept the supernatural when Jesus is doing it, or when apostles are doing it and writing about it. I have a hard time swallowing what is meant for me.
I’ll give you some examples:
Mark 16:15-18 - He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Matthew 5:48 - Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luke 10:19 - I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
1 Corinthians 2:3-5 - I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Maybe some of those things weren’t intended for a modern audience. I would normally tell you these things are all true, but I often live out my life like they are not.
It leaves me to answer the question, “What do I REALLY believe?”
What do you REALLY believe?
Wow.
Once again I find my head reeling from what I have learned and experienced over a short week. We took a group to take part in JINO- Jesus In New Orleans this year. It’s a week-long work camp where we serve the city of New Orleans during the day, and have worship and lessons in the evening.
We were there all last week, Sunday through Sunday. Sorry that I didn’t tell you checked for new posts several times. (Thanks for coming back, though). We slept on the floor of a high school gym in Mandeville and traveled over the lake to New Orleans every day, since there wasn’t a place for us to stay in New Orleans.
To be honest, I started off the week with a bad attitude. I was frustrated I was going to have to spend another week away from my precious family. I was frustrated that I couldn’t get more teens to go or more parents behind it. It’s amazing how much opposition exists when I finally am doing something that is exactly what Christ intended for us to do. But, I got over that early on and focused on reaching out to those in need and taking care of the 5 teens that did come. They were joined by 300 others from all over the US.
We helped people gut out thier houses, a huge and nasty task considering they had water in them 9 months ago and many hadn’t been opened since then. We went door-to-door to the few people that were in the city and prayed with them. We picked up trash and cleaned up parks so kids would have a place to play. We helped at an outreach center and a food bank. God used those 300 teens in amazing ways.
It was a complete learning situation. They learned about Jesus intellectually at night, but learned about who he is during the day by being his hands and feet to the community. We were instruments of peace, hope, and compassion. It was complete, teaching the whole person and not just the intellect. Even more than that, it wasn’t about the teens. They knew it and we knew it. And it was powerful.
The theme was “Anointed” and we used this verse from Isaiah 61:1-6.
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
Jesus reads this same passage when he returns to Galilee in Luke 4.
Read it yourself. Have you been anointed?