... ok, it's that time again when i ask for some "feedback" ...
no, i'm not insecure but i do want to know what your opinions are about this blog: favorite feature (chillyism, tozer, vocabulary, devos, etc), new title and format, and whatever else.
so, email me TODAY and shout out how you're feeling about it all: chillydog1@yahoo.com ~ c'mon, email me NOW and be specific!
love ya...
cC
:D
9.04.2003
TOZER TODAY:
"The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abandonment of all things. The blessed ones who possess the Kingdom are they who have banished every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the 'poor in spirit' " (The Pursuit of God, 23)
...so the only way to be "rich in Christ" is to be "poor in spirit" --- ahhhh, yes! I get it!!
"The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abandonment of all things. The blessed ones who possess the Kingdom are they who have banished every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the 'poor in spirit' " (The Pursuit of God, 23)
...so the only way to be "rich in Christ" is to be "poor in spirit" --- ahhhh, yes! I get it!!
9.03.2003
This Is The Place Where Jesus Is
by Ginny Olson
The destination was Bethlehem. As a child I imagined it was full of wood crèches resembling Swiss ski lodges in the middle of rolling hills, dotted with woolly sheep. But I’d already seen enough of Israel on this trip to know that it wouldn’t meet my Sunday school expectations. Though I was prepared for the cheap souvenirs and tourists shouldering video cameras, I was still enthusiastic about seeing firsthand the place where the God who created the universe became screaming, infant flesh.
Our group walked across the square to the church at Bethlehem. It was actually a patchwork of different churches pieced together over the centuries, each trying to claim a portion of the site by erecting wall or a doorway. We entered the darkened sanctuary on the Eastern Orthodox side of the church. Straight ahead were ornate silver artwork, hanging candles, and antique icons. Off in a corner, a priest paced back and forth in silence—our guide said he’d seen this priest in the same place doing the same thing on each of his 10 or so tours through the church.
We were herded down stone steps to a well-lit cave where the Orthodox say Jesus was born. Nuns in white and sky blue habits were one of the few signs that this was more than a museum stop. After a few minutes we continued our tour to another part of the church and were greeted with a 30-foot tinfoil dove erected for the Christmas season.
The Reynolds Wrap bird was the last straw. I was overwhelmed by the crush of tourists and the museum-like quality of this place. I’d come hoping for an encounter with God and instead encountered international church culture, complete with tinsel trimmings.
Then I noticed a stairway at the back of the sanctuary. As the rest of the crowd moved to the front to examine the aluminum bird, I escaped to the catacombs further below. I needed to get away and figure out what was going on in my soul. Amidst the ancient tombs, it was quiet at last. The cool darkness was pierced by only a few rays of light and an occasional prayer candle. I wandered the dimly lit maze of former graves and breathed in the ancient air.
Moving further into the depths, I turned a corner and stumbled into a monk.
It took me a minute to figure out who he was; instead of the stereotypical brown sackcloth, he’d donned worn work clothes and a faded green canvas apron covered with wax drippings. He’d just finished chipping away the melted wax from the candles that tourists and pilgrims had lit. He looked up and smiled as he wiped his hands on his apron. Grasping my hand gently between his two worn ones, he spoke softly in a deep French accent, "You are searching, aren’t you?" A little taken aback, I politely nodded my head. He held onto my hand and quietly said, "Follow me."
I was surprised at how his hand, so gnarled and weathered by years of labor, could be so gentle. I found myself trusting this stranger as he led me to the far end of the maze where no tourists were. We walked up a slight ramp to a door no bigger than four feet high and stopped. "You’re searching for Jesus, aren’t your?" I nodded. "This is it," he said, smiling and patting my hand like a pleased grandfather. "This is the place where Jesus is. I cannot let you in right now. The door is locked. But this is where he was born."
Joy was all over his face. The edges of his dark eyes crinkled as he smiled. He then turned and disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts. In the deserted tomb, beneath the patchwork of church culture, I was encountering God.
I dared not touch the little wooden door—I simply stood there, weeping silently. "Is this really the place where Jesus was born?" I wondered. "You’d never know it was here." Then after five minutes of solitude, I was touched with sense of peace I’d never felt before. Of course this is where Jesus was born. Its humble, secret quality was so opposite from the fanfare and clamor of the museum above me—and fitting for the birth of a poor carpenter’s child.
The monk—wherever he was—knew it, too. I thought about his gentleness. His hands. His kind, open touch that helped me trust his guidance and his words. This old monk gave me a flesh and bone connection to an otherwise impersonal, superficial experience.
And isn’t that the reason why Jesus came to earth? To let us touch, reach, and know the untouchable, unreachable, unknowable God?
As I ascended the winding stone staircase to join the rest of the group, I was far, far away. Part of me wanted to tell the others what had happened, but I couldn’t—it was too powerful and too precious to even articulate.
It was also in those moments that I learned that the essence of youth ministry happens in the catacombs of the soul, deep beneath tinfoil programs and calendars crammed with events and appointments. Youth ministry is about taking young people by the hand and leading them to the door where Jesus is.
We can’t unlock the door for them—they must make that decision alone. All we can do is lead them there.
Just like an old monk in a wax-stained smock did for me.
by Ginny Olson
The destination was Bethlehem. As a child I imagined it was full of wood crèches resembling Swiss ski lodges in the middle of rolling hills, dotted with woolly sheep. But I’d already seen enough of Israel on this trip to know that it wouldn’t meet my Sunday school expectations. Though I was prepared for the cheap souvenirs and tourists shouldering video cameras, I was still enthusiastic about seeing firsthand the place where the God who created the universe became screaming, infant flesh.
Our group walked across the square to the church at Bethlehem. It was actually a patchwork of different churches pieced together over the centuries, each trying to claim a portion of the site by erecting wall or a doorway. We entered the darkened sanctuary on the Eastern Orthodox side of the church. Straight ahead were ornate silver artwork, hanging candles, and antique icons. Off in a corner, a priest paced back and forth in silence—our guide said he’d seen this priest in the same place doing the same thing on each of his 10 or so tours through the church.
We were herded down stone steps to a well-lit cave where the Orthodox say Jesus was born. Nuns in white and sky blue habits were one of the few signs that this was more than a museum stop. After a few minutes we continued our tour to another part of the church and were greeted with a 30-foot tinfoil dove erected for the Christmas season.
The Reynolds Wrap bird was the last straw. I was overwhelmed by the crush of tourists and the museum-like quality of this place. I’d come hoping for an encounter with God and instead encountered international church culture, complete with tinsel trimmings.
Then I noticed a stairway at the back of the sanctuary. As the rest of the crowd moved to the front to examine the aluminum bird, I escaped to the catacombs further below. I needed to get away and figure out what was going on in my soul. Amidst the ancient tombs, it was quiet at last. The cool darkness was pierced by only a few rays of light and an occasional prayer candle. I wandered the dimly lit maze of former graves and breathed in the ancient air.
Moving further into the depths, I turned a corner and stumbled into a monk.
It took me a minute to figure out who he was; instead of the stereotypical brown sackcloth, he’d donned worn work clothes and a faded green canvas apron covered with wax drippings. He’d just finished chipping away the melted wax from the candles that tourists and pilgrims had lit. He looked up and smiled as he wiped his hands on his apron. Grasping my hand gently between his two worn ones, he spoke softly in a deep French accent, "You are searching, aren’t you?" A little taken aback, I politely nodded my head. He held onto my hand and quietly said, "Follow me."
I was surprised at how his hand, so gnarled and weathered by years of labor, could be so gentle. I found myself trusting this stranger as he led me to the far end of the maze where no tourists were. We walked up a slight ramp to a door no bigger than four feet high and stopped. "You’re searching for Jesus, aren’t your?" I nodded. "This is it," he said, smiling and patting my hand like a pleased grandfather. "This is the place where Jesus is. I cannot let you in right now. The door is locked. But this is where he was born."
Joy was all over his face. The edges of his dark eyes crinkled as he smiled. He then turned and disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts. In the deserted tomb, beneath the patchwork of church culture, I was encountering God.
I dared not touch the little wooden door—I simply stood there, weeping silently. "Is this really the place where Jesus was born?" I wondered. "You’d never know it was here." Then after five minutes of solitude, I was touched with sense of peace I’d never felt before. Of course this is where Jesus was born. Its humble, secret quality was so opposite from the fanfare and clamor of the museum above me—and fitting for the birth of a poor carpenter’s child.
The monk—wherever he was—knew it, too. I thought about his gentleness. His hands. His kind, open touch that helped me trust his guidance and his words. This old monk gave me a flesh and bone connection to an otherwise impersonal, superficial experience.
And isn’t that the reason why Jesus came to earth? To let us touch, reach, and know the untouchable, unreachable, unknowable God?
As I ascended the winding stone staircase to join the rest of the group, I was far, far away. Part of me wanted to tell the others what had happened, but I couldn’t—it was too powerful and too precious to even articulate.
It was also in those moments that I learned that the essence of youth ministry happens in the catacombs of the soul, deep beneath tinfoil programs and calendars crammed with events and appointments. Youth ministry is about taking young people by the hand and leading them to the door where Jesus is.
We can’t unlock the door for them—they must make that decision alone. All we can do is lead them there.
Just like an old monk in a wax-stained smock did for me.
word of the week
this week's word is...
NUMINOUS
numinous \NOO-min-us; NYOO-\, adjective:
Indicating or suggesting the presence of a god-- spiritual, divine; inspiring awe and reverence-- holy.
Sentence: there was a numinous atmosphere each night of boot camp this past weekend... (a very true statement).
yes! you're wiser!!
this week's word is...
NUMINOUS
numinous \NOO-min-us; NYOO-\, adjective:
Indicating or suggesting the presence of a god-- spiritual, divine; inspiring awe and reverence-- holy.
Sentence: there was a numinous atmosphere each night of boot camp this past weekend... (a very true statement).
yes! you're wiser!!
9.02.2003
so sorry that it's been a few days since my last post...
i was in the "woods" for Boot Camp ~ INCREDIBLE!!!
"I touched the Master, the Master touched me; I'M FREE"
TOZER said: "Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it. Haven fallen, man deserves only punishment and death. So if God answers prayer it's because God is good. From His goodness, His lovingkindness, His good-natured benevolence, God does it! That's the source of everything" (The Attributes of God, 47).
well, this past weekend, GOD DID IT!
now, i'm off to a real bed, in an alergy-free room without crickets!! :D
i was in the "woods" for Boot Camp ~ INCREDIBLE!!!
"I touched the Master, the Master touched me; I'M FREE"
TOZER said: "Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it. Haven fallen, man deserves only punishment and death. So if God answers prayer it's because God is good. From His goodness, His lovingkindness, His good-natured benevolence, God does it! That's the source of everything" (The Attributes of God, 47).
well, this past weekend, GOD DID IT!
now, i'm off to a real bed, in an alergy-free room without crickets!! :D
8.27.2003
i found this tight article that i had to throw your way... it compares the modern church (what most say they are today) with the emerging church (what i wish we were today & strive to be tomorrow). this looks specifically at evangelism - i'd love to get your feedback on this one... enjoy!
Modern Church
Evangelism is an event that you invite people to.
Evangelism is primarly concerned with getting people into heaven.
Evangelism is focused on pre-Christians.
Evangelism is done by evangelists.
Evangelism is something you do in addition to discipleship.
Evangelism is a message.
Evangelism uses reason and proofs for apologetics.
Missions is a department of the church.
Emerging Church
Evangelism is a process that occurs through relationships, trust, and example
Evangelism is concerned with people's experiencing the reality of living under the reign of his kingdom now
Evangelism is focused on post-Christians.
Evangelism is done by disciples.
Evangelism is part of being a disciple.
Evangelism is a conversation
Evangelism uses the church being the church as the primary apologetic.
The church is a mission.
(www.FutureMargins.com)
Modern Church
Evangelism is an event that you invite people to.
Evangelism is primarly concerned with getting people into heaven.
Evangelism is focused on pre-Christians.
Evangelism is done by evangelists.
Evangelism is something you do in addition to discipleship.
Evangelism is a message.
Evangelism uses reason and proofs for apologetics.
Missions is a department of the church.
Emerging Church
Evangelism is a process that occurs through relationships, trust, and example
Evangelism is concerned with people's experiencing the reality of living under the reign of his kingdom now
Evangelism is focused on post-Christians.
Evangelism is done by disciples.
Evangelism is part of being a disciple.
Evangelism is a conversation
Evangelism uses the church being the church as the primary apologetic.
The church is a mission.
(www.FutureMargins.com)
8.26.2003
8.25.2003
TOZER TODAY:
"The man that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there is no true faith present. To attempt the impossible God must give faith or there will be none, and He gives faith to the obedient heart only." (Man the Dwelling Place of God, 33).
define obedience: __________________________________________________________ .
now, OBEY! (...and faith will follow... )
l8'er
"The man that believes will obey; failure to obey is convincing proof that there is no true faith present. To attempt the impossible God must give faith or there will be none, and He gives faith to the obedient heart only." (Man the Dwelling Place of God, 33).
define obedience: __________________________________________________________ .
now, OBEY! (...and faith will follow... )
l8'er
8.23.2003
TOZER TODAY:
"The secret of saintliness is not the destruction of the will but the submergence of it in the will of God. The true saint is one who acknowledges that he possesses from God the gift of freedom. He knows that he will never be forced into obedience nor wheedled like a stubborn child into doing the will of God; he knows that these methods are unworthy both of God and of his own soul. He knows he is free to make any choice he will, and with that knowledge he chooses forever the blessed will of God."
"I am happy to do your will, O my God." Your teachings are deep within me" Psalm 40:8.
not that we're trying to be "saints" (including you, Luis) but rather to be fully submitted to God's perfect will... then, if HE calls us a saint for it... so be it!
:D>
"The secret of saintliness is not the destruction of the will but the submergence of it in the will of God. The true saint is one who acknowledges that he possesses from God the gift of freedom. He knows that he will never be forced into obedience nor wheedled like a stubborn child into doing the will of God; he knows that these methods are unworthy both of God and of his own soul. He knows he is free to make any choice he will, and with that knowledge he chooses forever the blessed will of God."
"I am happy to do your will, O my God." Your teachings are deep within me" Psalm 40:8.
not that we're trying to be "saints" (including you, Luis) but rather to be fully submitted to God's perfect will... then, if HE calls us a saint for it... so be it!
:D>
8.22.2003
happy FRIDAY everyone!
hey, i was recently putting together a "MUST READ" book list for my life & ministry and i thought i'd throw it your way... i recommend ANY/ALL of these titles:
BOOKS:
General -
Knowlege of the Holy & Pursuit of God - both by A.W. Tozer
Total Forgiveness - by R.T. Kendall
Waking the Dead - by John Eldridge
The Screwtape Letters - by C.S. Lewis
Fear and Trembling - by Soren Kierkegaard
Principles of Prayer - by Charles Finney
More Than a Carpenter - by Josh McDowell
The Prisoner in the Third Cell - by Gene Edwards
Youth & Postmodern -
The Message: Remix - by Eugene Peterson
God Whispers - by Margaret Feinberg
I AM RELEVANT - Various authors
Adventures in Missing the Point - by Brian D. McLaren & Tony Campolo
The Emerging Church - by Dan Kimball
The Post-Evangelical - by Dave Tomlinson
Postmodern Youth Ministry - by Tony Jones
hey, i was recently putting together a "MUST READ" book list for my life & ministry and i thought i'd throw it your way... i recommend ANY/ALL of these titles:
BOOKS:
General -
Knowlege of the Holy & Pursuit of God - both by A.W. Tozer
Total Forgiveness - by R.T. Kendall
Waking the Dead - by John Eldridge
The Screwtape Letters - by C.S. Lewis
Fear and Trembling - by Soren Kierkegaard
Principles of Prayer - by Charles Finney
More Than a Carpenter - by Josh McDowell
The Prisoner in the Third Cell - by Gene Edwards
Youth & Postmodern -
The Message: Remix - by Eugene Peterson
God Whispers - by Margaret Feinberg
I AM RELEVANT - Various authors
Adventures in Missing the Point - by Brian D. McLaren & Tony Campolo
The Emerging Church - by Dan Kimball
The Post-Evangelical - by Dave Tomlinson
Postmodern Youth Ministry - by Tony Jones
another new feature to the blogsite: word of the week
this week's word is...
IRREFRAGABLE
irrefragable \ih-REF-ruh-guh-buhl\, adjective:
Impossible to refute; incontestable; undeniable; as, an irrefragable argument; irrefragable evidence.
Sentence: the truth of God's Word is irregragable!
you're wiser today!
this week's word is...
IRREFRAGABLE
irrefragable \ih-REF-ruh-guh-buhl\, adjective:
Impossible to refute; incontestable; undeniable; as, an irrefragable argument; irrefragable evidence.
Sentence: the truth of God's Word is irregragable!
you're wiser today!
8.21.2003
TOZER TODAY:
"We must do something about the cross, and one of two things only we can do--flee it or die upon it"
(The Root of the Righteous, 63).
you all know that i love & do my best to live by Galatians 2:20. Check out how the Message captures the heart of this verse: "Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
again, enough said...
"We must do something about the cross, and one of two things only we can do--flee it or die upon it"
(The Root of the Righteous, 63).
you all know that i love & do my best to live by Galatians 2:20. Check out how the Message captures the heart of this verse: "Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
again, enough said...
8.20.2003
TOZER TODAY:
"Whatever a man wants badly and persistently enough will determine the man's character." (The Root of the Righteous, 116).
so, how bad do you want God?? more than your next breath? more than your next meal? do you IM Him more than anyone else on your "buddy list"? do you fall asleep talking to Him and wake up praising Him? do you find yourself daydreaming about Him? do you chat with him in the car, the shower, the hallway, the lunch-line, etc??
if such pursuit determines our character... we better step up the chase, huh?!?!
i'm runnin'...
"Whatever a man wants badly and persistently enough will determine the man's character." (The Root of the Righteous, 116).
so, how bad do you want God?? more than your next breath? more than your next meal? do you IM Him more than anyone else on your "buddy list"? do you fall asleep talking to Him and wake up praising Him? do you find yourself daydreaming about Him? do you chat with him in the car, the shower, the hallway, the lunch-line, etc??
if such pursuit determines our character... we better step up the chase, huh?!?!
i'm runnin'...
8.19.2003
Here's a quote that I stumbled upon tonight that really hit me hard...
"The problem with Christians today is that no one wants to kill them anymore." Soren Kierkegaard
... so, what effect does your "Christianity" have on humanity & hell? does hell even know your name? we don't seek to be hated ~ we SEEK JESUS! ... and for this, we gladly give our lives!
...
"The problem with Christians today is that no one wants to kill them anymore." Soren Kierkegaard
... so, what effect does your "Christianity" have on humanity & hell? does hell even know your name? we don't seek to be hated ~ we SEEK JESUS! ... and for this, we gladly give our lives!
...
TOZER TODAY:
"The character of God is the Christian's final ground of assurance and the solution of many, if not most, of his practical religious problems. Some persons, for instance, believe that God answered prayer in Bible times but will not do so today, and others hold that the miracles of olden days can never be repeated. To believe so is to deny or at least to ignore almost everything God has revealed about Himself. We must remember that God always acts like Himself. He has never at any time anywhere in the vast universe acted otherwise than in character with His infinite perfections. This knowledge should be a warning to the enemies of God, and it cannot but be an immense consolation to His friends."
God can & will do miracles today - it's His nature; His character - His Son proved this! "Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding his Son. " 1 John 5:10 (The Message)
Be confident of this truth and comforted by the reality the HE still is HE!! oh, yes!
smile!
"The character of God is the Christian's final ground of assurance and the solution of many, if not most, of his practical religious problems. Some persons, for instance, believe that God answered prayer in Bible times but will not do so today, and others hold that the miracles of olden days can never be repeated. To believe so is to deny or at least to ignore almost everything God has revealed about Himself. We must remember that God always acts like Himself. He has never at any time anywhere in the vast universe acted otherwise than in character with His infinite perfections. This knowledge should be a warning to the enemies of God, and it cannot but be an immense consolation to His friends."
God can & will do miracles today - it's His nature; His character - His Son proved this! "Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God's testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God's own testimony regarding his Son. " 1 John 5:10 (The Message)
Be confident of this truth and comforted by the reality the HE still is HE!! oh, yes!
smile!
8.18.2003
The Real Seven Wonders of the World
A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. The students cast the most votes for:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not turned in her paper yet. She asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.
The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. to love
hmmmm...
A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. The students cast the most votes for:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not turned in her paper yet. She asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list.
The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. to love
hmmmm...
8.16.2003
ok, it's late and maybe this is just a bad idea but we're starting a new feature on the blogspot... drum roll please...
CHILLYISMS (original thoughts, quotes, studies, etc ~ from, well, me... yeah, i know, i'm NO tozer ~ hey, but neither are you!! so, enjoy!!) ... here's chillyism #1:
"new church - old church - whatever...
new way - old way - who cares...
you and I are the church -- if we want a better church, we
should look at ourselves and change whatever looks like us
rather than HIM. that simple process can change the entire world."
process & apply ~ I believe we can make things better than better!!
...
CHILLYISMS (original thoughts, quotes, studies, etc ~ from, well, me... yeah, i know, i'm NO tozer ~ hey, but neither are you!! so, enjoy!!) ... here's chillyism #1:
"new church - old church - whatever...
new way - old way - who cares...
you and I are the church -- if we want a better church, we
should look at ourselves and change whatever looks like us
rather than HIM. that simple process can change the entire world."
process & apply ~ I believe we can make things better than better!!
...
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