GREENE STREET LETTERS: It's The Word

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

It's The Word

Mark 12:24
Jesus replied, "Your problem is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God."

Jesus does not mince words.
Jesus is not concerned about offending others, because in the offending, He is uncovering the truth of the heart. Here in Mark we have Jesus talking with the Sadducee's. They were part of the ruling council of the Temple. If you were to compare them to anyone today it would be the liberal side of Congress. They liked to ask Jesus questions,using such occasions to try and trip Him up. They wanted to uncover Jesus as a false prophet in order to protect their way of life and income that came to them.

Jesus goes right to the heart of every problem that comes up with religious debate. The problem is that you can read the Scriptures and still not know the Scriptures. Some today have a very shallow knowledge and understanding of the Bible. I'm not talking about an intellectual knowledge but rather a heart understanding. I cannot dissect Hebrew and Greek. I cannot uncover the deep mysteries of God that are in His word. But I can take the simple truth of the Word and let it percolate in my spirit and follow the mandate of the Kingdom.

I find it surprising that knowing the Word if followed by knowing the Power of God. We tend to get this backwards in some churches today. They discard study of the word in order to run and "Feel" the power of God. I think there is a reason that one follows the other. The Word gives us the foundation and stability to receive the Power. Without the foundation, we are like little children playing with dynamite.

In an age or time where "Experiencing" God has taken precedent over "Knowing" God...I find great comfort in immersing myself in the Word. I find solace and comfort in the words as the Spirit of God makes them come alive to me. I find light and direction as the Spirit of God directs me in what to do and how I am to act so as not to bring shame to His name.

I do love me some Bible!
I pray that you too will develop a hunger for the Word of God.
God on you today!

mb

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

It's The Word

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD