Accepted

Thanks be to God today...I have been accepted by faith in Jesus Christ. It is on this fact that I will base my worth and movement through this day. May I accept that I am accepted.

A few quotes for beginning my week...
"To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so--in proper measure."
Wm. R. Newell in Romans, Verse by Verse

"Often fear after a while produces only numbness, but love thrives on love. To promise a man the certainty of his destiny may seem, on the human level, like playing with fire; but this leaves God out of the picture. Those who have the deepest appreciation of grace do not continue in sin. Moreover, fear produces the obedience of slaves; love engenders the obedience of sons."
J.W. Sanderson, Jr.

According to 1 John 4:18, perfect love drives out fear. Fear does not belong/is not at home in a son or daughter of the Almighty Father. Jesus, by his love and radical acceptance, drives out any form of fear today. Not tomorrow...today. So, Jesus, in the same way that you drove out the things that did not belong in your temple...may you, today, drive out the fears that have invaded this living temple, your son. They do not belong. Yet, I have no power in myself to overcome and drive them out. I need you to come through. By your acceptance of me, my worth secured in you...I now live in perfect love.

Now, that is worth accepting!!!!

Blind Bartimaeus

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you."
Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
(Mark 10:51-52)

What do you want me to do for you?
Now that, my friend, is quite a question. Here you have a blind man begging by the side of the road. He hears that Jesus is coming and then throws off his cloak, jumps to his feet, and approaches Jesus. Now, it is pretty obvious that Bartimaeus is blind and in need. So, why does Jesus ask such an "obvious" question...What do you want me to do for you? Is Jesus wanting him to state his need and ask for help? Will Jesus heal him if he does not ask?

Rabbi, I want to see.
Bartimaeus states his need and desire quite simply. The man wants to see and he knows that Jesus has the power to do that. What if we framed this differently and viewed this as Bartimaeus' prayer? He asked/prayed/pleaded with Jesus to meet his need. I want/desire to see. What do I need Jesus to do for me today? Am I being specific with my prayers or just tossing out generalizations without much hope of an answer? Does God's activity in my life, in some way, hinge on my asking?

Go...your faith has healed you.
I have to be honest...this statement troubles me a little...Ok, a lot. Jesus healed him. We would all agree to that. But then he says "your faith has healed you." Jesus makes this declaration several times in the gospels. So, what role does my faith play in my healing? Dan Allender, in his book "To Be Told", refers to us as "coauthors" in the story that God is writing. What if we have so downplayed the role we play in faith and life, that we miss out on so much.

I think the part of this whole thing that really disturbs me (in a good way) is the tension between God being in control and the role of my faith. Do I really believe and live in such a way that the way I "faith" and trust plays a vital role in the unfolding of this day?

Something to consider...deeply consider...

a proud daddy...

Pic from last sunday with the boys on Easter. All I can say is that I am one proud daddy. God has blessed me with a beautiful, amazing family. I love these 2 little guys like crazy. May God grant me the courageous grace to pour into them and raise them up to be gentle warriors for the Kingdom.

Where are the sages???

tonight...i am pondering the question...where are the sages?
where are the ones who have gone before us?
is there anyone to look to who has great wisdom more than "know-it-allness"?
someone with humility rather than "i deserve this-ness"?
men with wrinkles and depth, instead of shallowness and pride?
men that make me say "I want what they have..."?
men who are more in love with Jesus than their 401k?
men who are more caught up in living than retiring?
where are the sages?

tonight, i emailed my dad...can't share all of the email. but here is just a piece of it...

"so, dad...receive this...i mean deep in your heart...receive this.
You are a father filled with light and courage. You have what it takes. You have walked down the road of brokenness and continue to receive healing. You have journeyed with many battle scars to show...yet come out with great freedom. Thanks for passing on the freedom and light to me.
You are now a sage...wisdom, longevity, experience, humility, and proven-ness are now your greatest weapons.
Keep fighting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I really love and admire my dad. He is far from perfect...but he truly "fills up" the word "DAD". Wisdom, longevity, experience, humility, and proven-ness...
NOW THAT'S A SAGE.

Humble Confidence

Great quote to soak on from Brennan Manning's Ruthless Trust:

Before you read, pause.....pause....slow down....now listen....

"The more guilt and shame that we have buried within ourselves, the more compelled we feel to seek relief through sin. As we fixate in our jaded motives and soiled conscience, our self-esteem sinks, and in a pernicious leap of logic, we think that we are finally learning humility.

On the contrary, a poor self-image reveals a lack of humility. Feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, inferiority, and self-hatred rivet our attention on ourselves. Humble men and women do not have a low opinion of themselves; they have no opinion of themselves, because they so rarely think about themselves. The heart of humility lies in undivided attention to God, a fascination with his beauty revealed in creation, a contemplative presence to each person who speaks to us, and a "de-selfing" of our plans, projects, ambitions, and soul. Humility is manifested in an indifference to our intellectual, emtional, and physical well-being and a carefree disregard of the image we present.

No longer concerned with appearing to be good, we can move freely in the mystery of who we really are, aware of the sovereignty of God and of our absolute insufficiency and yet moved by a spirit of radical self-acceptance without self-concern."

I think Paul Tillick said that faith is "accepting that you are accepted."

Let's live in the truth today!!!!

SIDENOTE: Encounter is hosting Brennan Manning next February, 2009...here in Birmingham. Mark your calendars...

life at the brook

4 or so years ago.
the mannequin in the window was dismembered.
my manufactured attempts were found futile.
my world collapsed.
the castle came a tumbling down.
and the brook dried up...

in the midst of ashes and manufactured parts,
i found a treasure within.
something i had been spending hundreds of hours praying and searching for.
like a sheep caught in a ravine, i was found.
acceptance was accepted.
identity was bestowed.
the journey began.

and now...much personal time is spent,
down by the brook.
continuing to be washed,
continuing to find the man reflected in the waters.
still thirsty, still hungry.
but being fed by the ravens.
nourished by new-found waters.

now, i look around, and see
others gathered at the water hole.
some i have led,
others i have not.
waiting...
thirsting...
feeding...
discovering...
resting.

There's within my heart a melody...

I am thankful because I have a wife who...

-buys mandarin oranges and laughs about my late night snacks.

-bought me the Christian Writers Guide because she really believes that the dream in 4th grade, of being a writer one day, is worth pursuing.

-encouraged me to attend Boot Camp in Colorado because she wants more for her man.

-daily transforms our house into home...a sanctuary from the hostile world.

-chose me when she didn't have to.

-knows I enjoy a warm bath and good book, and doesn't think I'm weird (atleast most of the time).

-thinks of me more than she thinks of herself.

-wants to spend time with me, not just because she has to.

-thinks I am funny...most of the time.

-is more in love with God than me.

-prayed for me when I put my head in her lap and said, "I'm confused and hurting."

-could live in the elaborate castles of this world but prefers to spend her days on the battlefield...fighting for my heart and others.

-respects and loves me.

I am thankful because I have a God who fills the pages of my life with Grace and Melody.