GREENE STREET LETTERS: What Do You Think?

Monday, September 8, 2008

What Do You Think?

Two words....

But when they come from the heart.....
When they come from the broken place...
When they are whispered, not in fear that someone might hear you, but in fear of who you are talking to....they are powerful.

What two words?

"THANK YOU"

Thank you for all the innumerable things that God has done for us.

Thank you for the very essence of life itself. Life and quality of life isn't measured by the absence of pain or the abundance of money. Life and its quality is measured by the love you give and the love you receive. Love from the Father poured out (Not wasted) on me. This in turn causes me to love in a like manner. I'm not there yet, but I am pointed in the right direction.

Over the past 4 weeks God has put Vicki and I in a place that we haven't been in a long time. One of loving and opening up our home. It has been wonderful to make our home available to people. We have needed this for some time and it has impacted the two of us in a tremendous way.

Thank you, Lord.

Sometimes the greatest lessons and examples of God's love is found in the very things we are uncomfortable doing. Love that puts us in a place of not being comfortable. We've never done this before or this isn't the way we would do it.

Thank you, Lord.

Practice using those 2 words today......Thank you.

You might be surprised when you talk with God.

2 comments:

Lane said...: Michael,
You guys 'walk it out' in an authentic manner ... I so often 'talk about the walk', but you are a true inspiration. I need you in my life...
Lane; September 8, 2008 at 8:57 PM
Greene Street Letters said...: Lane...
Isn't it funny how God keeps us from seeing ourselves in a true light. I think he knows that if I caught even a glimpse of what I look like to him, somehow my flesh would find a way to turn it into a self-gratifying, "look at me" moment.
I am blessed beyond measure to simply have a group of guys that I know and love (and you're one of them) to journey with.
It's kind of like when another pastor came to see John Wimber one day to ask him if he was going to the "Take your city for Jesus" Rally. John's reply? "I'm still trying to take me for Jesus."

mb; September 9, 2008 at 6:30 AM

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.

Monday, September 8, 2008

What Do You Think?

2 comments:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD