GREENE STREET LETTERS: A Day To Myself

Saturday, May 9, 2009

A Day To Myself

Wow! No message to prepare (at least for today).
No Worship set to work up.
No setting up for a meeting tonight.
The guys are going to Covenant Christian Church tonight for a special night of food and worship.
Blessings on the meeting tonight.
But today....
I have a semi-day off.
I am going to study. Currently in Isaiah and loving it. Seeing and reading and understanding in a new way. That is cool...
I will be available to talk and counsel anyone who wanders down the hall and into my office.
So I'm looking forward to what lies ahead.

For whatever reason, I have been focused on Jesus' return. I'm not going to get into whether you believe in Pre-trib, Mid-trib or post-trib rapture....the fact matters that Jesus is coming back. I have tried to wrap my head around what it will look like, what it will feel like, and sound like. To no avail, even my best Hollywood special F/x can't seem to draw a picture. In my heart of hearts I know that He will return. There is a selfish part of me that wants it to happen while I am alive. I would love to see it. Like I said, that is pretty selfish on my part.
I have been watching and reading and listening to several different teachers and pastor/preachers and each one seems to speak confidently on what they believe concerning end times. I seem to be one who holds it all loosely, waiting and watching. Sometimes our confidence will cause us to look foolish. I have a book in my library that I purchased earlier this year titled JESUS' RETURN IN 1994. Needless to say, this teacher/author missed it. I do not know when, but I don't think His return will be much longer.

The Christianity I see today is very self centered and shallow.
We don't talk about sin.
We refuse to teach on hell.
We water down the gospel in order to get people to come to church.
We focus on the felt-needs of others through programs and events to get people to attend.
Instead of STANDING ON THE PROMISES, we seem to be SITTING ON THE PREMISES.
I do not lift myself to any standard or say, "Look at me...Be like me." No! I say walk in a manner worthy of the calling, that each who claim the name of Jesus will carry the calling out.
Be the body.
Do the works of Christ.
Be the body.

Verse of the Day:
Isaiah 12:2
Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid; For Yah, the LORD, is my strength and song. He also has become my salvation.

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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.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

A Day To Myself

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD