Our news and subsequent discussion comes to us from zman (not to be confused with zzpuck) in Missouri.
It seems our good friends in Christ have come up with another unique angle.
Oh the possibilities.
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I woke up early Sunday morning (earlier than normal) because I wanted to pray through my message and get the main thoughts in my head.
It turned out as I was praying through the already written message that unrelated thoughts (the already written message) began to pour out on paper.
45 minutes later I found myself with another message.
The dilemma? I was uncertain if I was supposed to deliver the new message or stick with the previously planned message.
The solution? I shared both messages.
What’s a preacher type to do in such situations?
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ZOE Fresno was a breath of fresh air. Truthfully, I was actually surprised by this. I don’t say this as something disrespectful or unkind. We all know the reality of going to a major conference (on a larger scale) and attending the same conference in a different venue (on a smaller scale). While there are things lost in translation there are some great things about the new language and the new cultural setting.
The smaller venue allowed for greater interaction between class teachers and students. And yes, it might surprise you to learn that I attended all but one of the class sessions. Wait a minute. When I attend a conference with Greg I don’t attend classes. When I attend a conference with Beth I attend classes. What could this possibly mean?
Taking Beth’s lead we sat in on a class (there were three of us in the class) and it was without out a doubt a God moment. The class session gave us direction and insight into our youth ministry here at Central. We both went away knowing that whatever other good the ZOE conference did (and there was much more) God met us in the classroom and we heard him speak.
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Thurman8er suggested we should live blog during the ZOE conference. What do you think?
Something like . . .
7:05 – Mike welcomes everyone. Praying for avocados. Telling stories about arriving.
7:06 – Crowd laughs
7:07 – Congregational reading from Psalm 71
7:08 – Beth is telling me to stop – she says people are staring.
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Off to Fresno Zoe today with the family.
I hear rumors of lavish meals for the singers and speakers. These meals take place in the home of my in-laws. Hopefully the will let me in.
Looking forward to seeing Thurman8er and Sandra.
Oh, and there is a guitar center in Fresno!
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It’s risky.
I realize the implications of sharing my opinions.
Some of you will agree.
Some of you will strongly disagree.
Some of you will even tease and taunt.
My latest CD order came in the mail yesterday and within the box I found gold, pure gold.
Pure ABBA gold in Spanish!
That’s right ABBA ORO Grandes Exitos. Canciones populares del grupo famoso.
- Fernando (which is Spanish for Fernando)
- Chiquita
- Gracias por la Musica
- La Reina del Baile
- El Andar
- Dame, Dame, Dame
- Estoy Soñando
- Mamma Mia
- Hasta Mañana
- Conociendome, Conociendote
It just doesn’t get any better than a 1970’s Swedish pop group singing in Spanish.
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Looking for that next church campaign for 2007?
Been there, done that with 40 days or more?
Can’t remember the five purposes anymore?
Have I got a church campaign idea for you!
Click here to check it out but make sure you come back and let me know what you think.
Who knows what other movies we could mine for spiritual truth?
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Those who equate truth with doctrine and dogma insist that Jesus is making a reference to a right way to worship and a wrong way to worship. This viewpoint is partially correct. There is a right way to worship God and wrong way to worship God.
Those who equate truth with doctrine and dogma insist that the right way to worship God is in accordance with an acceptable form of worship. This acceptable form of worship is defined by a list of what you can or can’t do in a worship assembly.
What you can or can’t do in a worship assembly is defined by the tradition and experience of those who made decisions based on their own reading of the Bible. Thus, acceptable worship, worship in spirit and in truth is defined by the accepted doctrine or dogma. But is that what Jesus is really saying in this passage? I would say no.
According to the context of this passage, the conversation between Jesus and this Samaritan woman, the issue in question is where God can be worshiped not how should God be worshipped.
John 4:20 (NCV) Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that Jerusalem is the place where people must worship.
Scholars have noted that this question “where to worship God” was one of the most critical issues between Jews and Samaritans.
It all started back when God spoke about where to worship.Deuteronomy 12:13-14 (NCV) Be careful that you don’t sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you please. Offer them only in the place the LORD will choose. He will choose a place in one of your tribes, and there you must do everything I am commanding you.
The where to worship (the place) seems to be important because God had previously singled out one mountain to be blessed and one mountain to be cursed.Deuteronomy 11:29-30 (NCV) When the LORD your God brings you into the land you will take as your own, you are to announce the blessings from Mount Gerizim and the curses from Mount Ebal. (These mountains are on the other side of the Jordan River, to the west, toward the sunset. They are near the great trees of Moreh in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Jordan Valley opposite Gilgal.)
Under the leadership of Moses the people carried out these instructions. The curses of Mount Ebal are found in Deuteronomy 27 and the blessings of Mount Gerizim are found in Deuteronomy 28.
Fast forward a few hundred years and the Jews are now worshipping in Jerusalem but the Samaritans continue to worship on Mount Gerazim as their copy of the Pentateuch instructed.
One of the earliest worship wars, therefore, had to do with where you worship.
Jesus comes along and says the where is not important. A lesson we perhaps have forgotten. We can certainly come to a church building to worship but worship is not confined to a church building.
Jesus is saying that God is looking for people who will worship him in a genuine matter. I am by no means suggesting that those with a different viewpoint are not worshiping in a genuine manner.
God, as the object of our worship, is spirit. Because God is Spirit he can only be worshipped in spirit. God, as the object of our worship, is truth. Because God is truth he can only be worshipped in truth.
The word truth, as used in this passage, specifically means to be truthful in words and conduct. It means sincerity or veracity. It denotes the kind of words or actions (specifically worship in this context) given with sincerity.
The person who worships God in spirit and in truth is the person who worships God with a sincere heart and sincere mind not merely with external rituals.
This word for truth (ALETHEIA) is contrasted in New Testament Greek by the word PSEUDOMETHA in reference to one who does not act in sincerity, one who by their actions is lying or acting in a hypocritical manner.
Remember the person with a beam in his eye who desires to remove the speck from the eye of a brother?
Luke 6:42 (NCV) How can you say to your friend, ‘Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye’ when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend’s eye.
This is the person who is not living in the truth so they cannot worship in truth. The further contrast between sincerity and insincerity is seen as this same word is used in the following contrasting passages.
1 John 1:8 (NCV) If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Thus, the person who refuses to acknowledge personal sin cannot worship God in spirit and in truth.1 John 2:4 (NCV) Anyone who says, "I know God, "but does not obey God’s commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
Thus, the person who does not seek to obey God cannot worship in spirit and in truth.1 John 3:18-19 (NCV) My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.
Thus, the person who does demonstrate love by actions and sincerity cannot worship God in spirit and in truth.1 John 5:6 (NCV) Jesus Christ is the One who came by water and blood. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit says that this is true, because the Spirit is the truth.
Thus, the person that does not believe that Jesus Christ is the One sent from God cannot worship God in spirit and in truth. We worship in spirit and in truth because the Spirit is the truth.Just like the command to love God with everything (Deuteronomy 6:5) means to not withhold anything from God so does the instruction to worship God in spirit and in truth means to put everything into your worship of God (heart, soul, mind, and strength).
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I like Peyton Manning. I don’t know Peyton Manning, have never met Peyton Manning, but from what I see, hear and read I like Peyton Manning. Repeat the following sentence and insert the name Tom Brady.
So it was with mixed feelings that we watched yesterday’s game. [Side note: We watched the last ten minutes of the fourth quarter during our praise team practice last night. This produced some interesting syllabic enunciation in certain songs.]
Though I would have been okay with the Patriots winning I was pulling for Peyton. Random thought: That might be a good title for a song (Pulling for Peyton) or perhaps an album?
I know some of you don’t get into football all that much. That’s okay. You may still be able to enter the pearly gates. It was a good game. A great comeback and a thrilling march down the field and score when you must with the game on the line moment.
Here is the quote that stands out from the articles I’ve read today from those sportswriters who covered the game:
"I said a little prayer on that last drive," Manning said. "I don’t know if you’re supposed to pray for stuff like that, but I said a little prayer."
We could talk, with great merit, about the futility of praying for a football game and how much God doesn’t care about football (tell that to the Dallas Cowboy fans) but don’t these words reveal the uncertainty, or humility, we bring to prayer in almost every other area of our life?
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Are the poor souls who embarrass themselves by their obvious lack of talent and freakish appearance paid to audition for AI or do they appear solely for the chance to be on television?
Because if AI were a serious audition and not a made for television event many of these people would never see the light of day.
Some of the people are so borderline it’s hard to tell if it is a serious audition or a made for television audition. I just cringe because I know the judges comments are the type of thing people who don’t measure up hear over and over again. It’s hard for me to watch.
I still say there should be a similar competition to find the next, big-time preacher. That’s right welcome to American Preaching "Thou Shalt Not Fashion An" Idol.
Wouldn’t you love to hear the judges comments?
Contestant – (after saying "in conclusion" 5 times finally wraps up with ) " . . . as we stand and sing!"
Randy (the other one) – "Dog, what happened? I was feeling it but you left me flat. You made no reference to giving and no reference to Sunday school attendance."
Paula – (gushing and blushing) "I’m not sure I’m allowed to say anything authoritative."
Simon – (you must imagine the accent) "It was horrible. The worst sermon I’ve ever heard. The plane took off but you couldn’t land it. And what’s with that awful three piece suit? It was like listening to an angry John Travolta!"
Contestant - "Ye shall be judged, prepare thineselves." (stomps out of the room headed for the door)
Randy, Paula, Simon – "Other door."
Anyone care to front the money as a producer? Anyone care to enter?
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- Oil Change, Fill Up, Wash, and Smog - sounds like my truck is enjoying a day at the Auto Spa. 1 week ago
- YM and I did a prayer walk around our closed Krispy Kreme today. Hey, you never know. 2 weeks ago
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Randy Wray