Carmen mentioned the following links the other day.
The Amachi Mentoring Program
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Converted Everyday
By Anonymous
Be converted to love every day.
Change all your energies,
all your potential,
into selfless gifts for the other person.
Then you yourself will be changed from within
and through you
God’s kingdom will break into the world.
Source: Rule for a New Brother
Some tips on having a quiet time
I ran across this blog this morning. In four previous posts, the author talks about the what and the why of a quiet time, and in this post discusses the how. This is a great help for anyone who has struggled with setting aside a portion of each day to spend time with God. Here are some excerpts, as well as the link.
The essential elements of the quiet time are prayer to God and meditation on Scripture and this can take a number of different forms. After talking about what it is and why it is important I thought I would give some practical advice for those who want to start or reboot their quiet time.
While there are some exceptions to the rule, I am convinced that it works best for most people to set aside a particular time each day for private worship. So pick a time: in the morning before work, at work on your lunch break, or before you go to bed in the evening. These quiet times of worship before the face of God are an essential element to your spiritual health. Consider that time sacred. Guard it. Look forward to it for what it is - you are meeting with God!
People sometimes set good, if big, goals for themselves when beginning or restarting this discipline. Unfortunately, instead of building up to those goals they attempt to immediately master it all. My advice is, if you have been disengaged in this discipline for a while, start small. Pick an epistle, commit yourself to reading one paragraph a day, write down any thoughts you have on that passage. Pray for God’s blessing, provision, guidance, etc (more on prayer in a minute). This may wind up only being 10 to 15 minutes in length, but that’s fine. The important thing is to get this discipline going in your life. I have found that once you start it, it is easy to cultivate it and see it grow.
The essential elements of the quiet time are prayer to God and meditation on Scripture and this can take a number of different forms. After talking about what it is and why it is important I thought I would give some practical advice for those who want to start or reboot their quiet time.
While there are some exceptions to the rule, I am convinced that it works best for most people to set aside a particular time each day for private worship. So pick a time: in the morning before work, at work on your lunch break, or before you go to bed in the evening. These quiet times of worship before the face of God are an essential element to your spiritual health. Consider that time sacred. Guard it. Look forward to it for what it is - you are meeting with God!
People sometimes set good, if big, goals for themselves when beginning or restarting this discipline. Unfortunately, instead of building up to those goals they attempt to immediately master it all. My advice is, if you have been disengaged in this discipline for a while, start small. Pick an epistle, commit yourself to reading one paragraph a day, write down any thoughts you have on that passage. Pray for God’s blessing, provision, guidance, etc (more on prayer in a minute). This may wind up only being 10 to 15 minutes in length, but that’s fine. The important thing is to get this discipline going in your life. I have found that once you start it, it is easy to cultivate it and see it grow.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Rich-poor gap keeps widening
This article was in the Commercial Appeal on Monday. Here's an excerpt:
A McClatchy Newspapers analysis of 2005 census figures, the latest available, found that nearly 16 million Americans are living in deep or severe poverty. A family of four with two children and an annual income of less than $9,903 -- half the federal poverty line -- was considered severely poor in 2005. So were individuals who made less than $5,080 a year.
The McClatchy analysis found that the number of severely poor Americans grew by 26 percent from 2000 to 2005. That's 56 percent faster than the overall poverty population grew in the same period. McClatchy's review also found statistically significant increases in the percentage of the population in severe poverty in 65 of 215 large U.S. counties, and similar increases in 28 states. The review also suggested that the rise in severely poor residents isn't confined to large urban counties but extends to suburban and rural areas.
A McClatchy Newspapers analysis of 2005 census figures, the latest available, found that nearly 16 million Americans are living in deep or severe poverty. A family of four with two children and an annual income of less than $9,903 -- half the federal poverty line -- was considered severely poor in 2005. So were individuals who made less than $5,080 a year.
The McClatchy analysis found that the number of severely poor Americans grew by 26 percent from 2000 to 2005. That's 56 percent faster than the overall poverty population grew in the same period. McClatchy's review also found statistically significant increases in the percentage of the population in severe poverty in 65 of 215 large U.S. counties, and similar increases in 28 states. The review also suggested that the rise in severely poor residents isn't confined to large urban counties but extends to suburban and rural areas.
About one in three severely poor people are under age 17, and nearly two out of three are female. Female-headed families with children account for a large share of the severely poor.
According to census data, nearly two of three people in severe poverty are white (10.3 million) and 6.9 million are non-Hispanic whites. Severely poor blacks (4.3 million) are more than three times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be in deep poverty, while extremely poor Hispanics of any race (3.7 million) are more than twice as likely.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
An Evite with a Purpose
I'd like to invite you to consider this: 200 years ago this month slavery was abolished in Great Britain through the work and prayers of many, not the least, William Wilberforce. Sadly, it was too many years before abolition occurred in our beloved country. And believe it or not, it was relatively recent, that suffrage was given to African Americans, people loved, gifted, and created by God: people for whom Jesus died.
Yet, even today there are 27 million slaves in the world. I heard a statistic recently that says that around 10,000 people are brought into the United States as sex-workers. Women and young girls forced to sell themselves or be faced with severe bodily harm.
What I'd like to ask you to do is check this out( place your cursor over the link and CTRL + Click, if it doesn't automatically). Pray for and consider supporting this effort. The movie, Amazing Grace, which is about the tenacious efforts of William Wilberforce to cultivate a conscience within his people to such heinous treatment of others. We were invited to an early screening of the movie and I am still profoundly moved at its staggering truth and even more staggering implications for today. May God grant us such leaders for today.
Yet, even today there are 27 million slaves in the world. I heard a statistic recently that says that around 10,000 people are brought into the United States as sex-workers. Women and young girls forced to sell themselves or be faced with severe bodily harm.
What I'd like to ask you to do is check this out( place your cursor over the link and CTRL + Click, if it doesn't automatically). Pray for and consider supporting this effort. The movie, Amazing Grace, which is about the tenacious efforts of William Wilberforce to cultivate a conscience within his people to such heinous treatment of others. We were invited to an early screening of the movie and I am still profoundly moved at its staggering truth and even more staggering implications for today. May God grant us such leaders for today.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Persecution
Open Doors has compiled a list of 2007’s 50 worst countries for Christian persecution. Those considered to have severe limitations or worse are:
- North Korea :: severe persecution
- Saudi Arabia :: oppression
- Iran :: oppression
- Somalia :: oppression
- Maldives :: oppression
- Yemen :: oppression
- Bhutan :: oppression
- Vietnam :: oppression
- Laos :: severe limitations
- Afghanistan :: severe limitations
- Uzbekistan :: severe limitations
- China :: severe limitations
- Eritrea :: severe limitations
- Turkmenistan :: severe limitations
- Comoros :: severe limitations
- Chechnya :: severe limitations
- Pakistan :: severe limitations
- Egypt :: severe limitations
- Myanmar (Burma) :: severe limitations
- Sudan (North) :: severe limitations
- Iraq :: severe limitations
- Azerbaijan :: severe limitations
- Brunei :: severe limitations
- Cuba :: severe limitations
Ash Wednesday
Llast week I was looking through the Book of Common Prayer, which is jam-packed with truth, and I read the Ash Wednesday liturgy. Please indulge me as I write this extensive quote, which I think is a reminder and a call for all Christians. Let's see . . .
"After the sermon, all stand, and the Celebrant or Minister appointed invites teh people to the observance of a holy Lent, saying, 'Dear people of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
"I invite you, therefore, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer."
The minister then places ash in the form of a cross on the foreheads of those present reminding the people that we are mortals who will die, but that God is enduring and through Jesus Christ we can have life eternal.
I think the author and pastor, Randy Alcorn, had it correct when he wrote about the need for truth and grace. One without the other leads to a mess. Truth without grace leads to legalism. Grace without truth leads to license. We need both. I need both. I need to exhibit and freely give and receive both. It worries me sometimes the impressions people get of Christians and it worries me more the impressions that Christians give. I simply believe that when we get a grasp upon how broken we are and how devastatingly in need we are of Grace, then we are able to be useful truth givers. I think then we really begin to understand the need for and the significance of Jesus on the Cross, Jesus in the ground, Jesus resurrected.
"After the sermon, all stand, and the Celebrant or Minister appointed invites teh people to the observance of a holy Lent, saying, 'Dear people of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
"I invite you, therefore, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer."
The minister then places ash in the form of a cross on the foreheads of those present reminding the people that we are mortals who will die, but that God is enduring and through Jesus Christ we can have life eternal.
I think the author and pastor, Randy Alcorn, had it correct when he wrote about the need for truth and grace. One without the other leads to a mess. Truth without grace leads to legalism. Grace without truth leads to license. We need both. I need both. I need to exhibit and freely give and receive both. It worries me sometimes the impressions people get of Christians and it worries me more the impressions that Christians give. I simply believe that when we get a grasp upon how broken we are and how devastatingly in need we are of Grace, then we are able to be useful truth givers. I think then we really begin to understand the need for and the significance of Jesus on the Cross, Jesus in the ground, Jesus resurrected.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Articles worth reading
Over the last few weeks I've come across a couple of really good articles that I thought were worth linking to.
Living a Transformed Life Adequate to Our Calling, by Dallas Willard.
I was first exposed to Dallas Willard's writing about eight years ago. He's never been easy for me to understand (he teaches philosophy at USC). Still, I've attempted to read his books, and in doing so have been shaped by them. This is a 24-page article that seems to be his attempt at summarizing his previous works. If you've ever wanted to know more about the Kingdom of God, discipleship, or spiritual formation, this may be worth spending some time on.
We Aren't About Weekends, The Christian Vision Project's interview with Bob Roberts
Bob Roberts is the pastor at Northwood Church in Keller, TX. This church seems to truly understand why they exist. Roberts give a great explanation not only on the role of the church and its members, but also on the tasks of transformation and shaping culture.
Living a Transformed Life Adequate to Our Calling, by Dallas Willard.
I was first exposed to Dallas Willard's writing about eight years ago. He's never been easy for me to understand (he teaches philosophy at USC). Still, I've attempted to read his books, and in doing so have been shaped by them. This is a 24-page article that seems to be his attempt at summarizing his previous works. If you've ever wanted to know more about the Kingdom of God, discipleship, or spiritual formation, this may be worth spending some time on.
We Aren't About Weekends, The Christian Vision Project's interview with Bob Roberts
Bob Roberts is the pastor at Northwood Church in Keller, TX. This church seems to truly understand why they exist. Roberts give a great explanation not only on the role of the church and its members, but also on the tasks of transformation and shaping culture.
Friday, February 09, 2007
The Will of God
Of the many theological topics that interest me, high on the list is Discerning the Will of God. This started several years ago and has continued to grow. I love it because periodically I am able to sit down with friends and discuss it--not in theory but in practice. I have been with friends who were in this grueling process of trying to ascertain the will of God. It is challenging, enlightening, and absolutely invigorating to see how the Spirit of God is active in someone's life, even if they themselves do not see it. They don't see it because it is similar to the fog of war--you are so involved in the process that you no longer see objectively. I could go on and on.
This week I read an excellent treatment of a particular type of prayer, The Prayer of Relinquishment. I am reading through Richard Foster's book, Prayer, and it has truly taken me to some depths that I have not experienced in years. Truly, my readings, my conversations and other studies have been triangulated it seems, and The Prayer of Relinquishment spoke to me greatly. This topic is very complete, but let me try to explain just a piece of it.
The Prayer of Relinquishment is when we completely lay down our human will and say to God, "Not my will be done, but your will be done." However, if you are like me, there are about a 1,000 miles and 4,000 steps in the process of getting to that point of relinquishment. There are simply times in our lives where we sense that our will and the will of God are not in alignment. He is up to something. We sense it. We feel it in our soul. Sometimes this might be because of sin and then the answer is clear. However, there are times where we come to a cross roads and have to make a decision that not only impacts one little area of our life, but may in fact affect the entirety of the rest of our life. During this time we begin to seek God. We begin to ask questions, pray, and beg him to show us what to do. And, if you are like me, at times those prayers are selfish and manipulative and it seems like God simply doesn't answer as clearly as we would like. We don't necessarily despise the process because at least we are engaged with God in a dialogue, which is much better than feeling isolated and abandoned.
Have you ever gotten the impression that some people just know the will of God? They don't struggle and they seem to hear from God like he has their cell phone number and simply sends them a text message? Well, Abraham, Moses, David, Mary, Paul and, not the least, Jesus all struggled in prayer over the will of God for their life. Abraham struggled to give back to God his son, who was actually an answered prayer! Moses struggled over how God would choose to use him as a leader. David struggled as his infant son was dying. Mary, the Lord's mother, struggled to comprehend what the news meant as the angel gave her the news of who was inside her womb. Paul struggled with the thorn in the flesh. And then there is Jesus, who in the Garden of Gethsemane, was growing weary with the will of his Father: is this the only way? can't this be accomplish through another means?
[Short disclaimer: this is not to say that God always asks us to do things that we hate, late or don't want to do. I have many friends who absolutely wanted to live and work in a certain place and God obliged. ]
Jesus put into words what we each feel when life's decisions are difficult--let this cup pass. Surely this can't be the way you have chosen! You've got to be kidding! God would never ask that of me, would he? The blood-like sweat dropped to the ground, showing us that he was working hard to understand, to comprehend the mysterious ways of God. He wrestled, much like Jacob. Jacob had his hip torn; Jesus had his life taken.
It is okay to struggle. Relinquishment is not resignation--it is proactive, not passive. It is not simply letting go and saying, "God is sovereign; he'll work it out. He'll do it all." That is fatalistic. Relinquishment is letting go with hope. And it is not the obliteration of the will either. It is crucifying it with Jesus so that you may live a life of obedience to God just like Jesus did.
But there comes a time when we must Relinquish. This was true with Jesus and is no different with us, "Not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:39-46). For your benefit and mine, I will give an extended quote from Foster. He writes, " We do well to meditate often on this unparalleled expression of relinquishment. . .here we have the incarnate Son praying through his tears and not receiving what he asks. Jesus knew the burden of unanswered prayer. He really did want the cup to pass, and he asked that it would pass. 'If you are willing' was his questioning, his wondering. The Father's will was not yet absolutely clear to him. 'Is there any other way?' 'Can people be redeemed by some different means?' The answer--no! Andrew Murray writes, 'For our sins, He suffered beneath the burden of that unanswered prayer.'"
I am extremely challenged by this message and the example of Jesus. I have seen this truth in my life. For many years the will of God was presented by some in a way that disheartened me, thinking that everyone should "hear from God" so clearly and easily as they. But that is not my experience and perhaps it is not yours either. But how many times have I cried out to God and said, "I don't like your will! Why must you chose that hard way? This is much easier! This is what I think is right and good!" And yet he graciously waits patiently for me, for all of us, to come to the Garden and sit alongside Jesus and pray as he did, "Not my will but your will."
This week I read an excellent treatment of a particular type of prayer, The Prayer of Relinquishment. I am reading through Richard Foster's book, Prayer, and it has truly taken me to some depths that I have not experienced in years. Truly, my readings, my conversations and other studies have been triangulated it seems, and The Prayer of Relinquishment spoke to me greatly. This topic is very complete, but let me try to explain just a piece of it.
The Prayer of Relinquishment is when we completely lay down our human will and say to God, "Not my will be done, but your will be done." However, if you are like me, there are about a 1,000 miles and 4,000 steps in the process of getting to that point of relinquishment. There are simply times in our lives where we sense that our will and the will of God are not in alignment. He is up to something. We sense it. We feel it in our soul. Sometimes this might be because of sin and then the answer is clear. However, there are times where we come to a cross roads and have to make a decision that not only impacts one little area of our life, but may in fact affect the entirety of the rest of our life. During this time we begin to seek God. We begin to ask questions, pray, and beg him to show us what to do. And, if you are like me, at times those prayers are selfish and manipulative and it seems like God simply doesn't answer as clearly as we would like. We don't necessarily despise the process because at least we are engaged with God in a dialogue, which is much better than feeling isolated and abandoned.
Have you ever gotten the impression that some people just know the will of God? They don't struggle and they seem to hear from God like he has their cell phone number and simply sends them a text message? Well, Abraham, Moses, David, Mary, Paul and, not the least, Jesus all struggled in prayer over the will of God for their life. Abraham struggled to give back to God his son, who was actually an answered prayer! Moses struggled over how God would choose to use him as a leader. David struggled as his infant son was dying. Mary, the Lord's mother, struggled to comprehend what the news meant as the angel gave her the news of who was inside her womb. Paul struggled with the thorn in the flesh. And then there is Jesus, who in the Garden of Gethsemane, was growing weary with the will of his Father: is this the only way? can't this be accomplish through another means?
[Short disclaimer: this is not to say that God always asks us to do things that we hate, late or don't want to do. I have many friends who absolutely wanted to live and work in a certain place and God obliged. ]
Jesus put into words what we each feel when life's decisions are difficult--let this cup pass. Surely this can't be the way you have chosen! You've got to be kidding! God would never ask that of me, would he? The blood-like sweat dropped to the ground, showing us that he was working hard to understand, to comprehend the mysterious ways of God. He wrestled, much like Jacob. Jacob had his hip torn; Jesus had his life taken.
It is okay to struggle. Relinquishment is not resignation--it is proactive, not passive. It is not simply letting go and saying, "God is sovereign; he'll work it out. He'll do it all." That is fatalistic. Relinquishment is letting go with hope. And it is not the obliteration of the will either. It is crucifying it with Jesus so that you may live a life of obedience to God just like Jesus did.
But there comes a time when we must Relinquish. This was true with Jesus and is no different with us, "Not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:39-46). For your benefit and mine, I will give an extended quote from Foster. He writes, " We do well to meditate often on this unparalleled expression of relinquishment. . .here we have the incarnate Son praying through his tears and not receiving what he asks. Jesus knew the burden of unanswered prayer. He really did want the cup to pass, and he asked that it would pass. 'If you are willing' was his questioning, his wondering. The Father's will was not yet absolutely clear to him. 'Is there any other way?' 'Can people be redeemed by some different means?' The answer--no! Andrew Murray writes, 'For our sins, He suffered beneath the burden of that unanswered prayer.'"
I am extremely challenged by this message and the example of Jesus. I have seen this truth in my life. For many years the will of God was presented by some in a way that disheartened me, thinking that everyone should "hear from God" so clearly and easily as they. But that is not my experience and perhaps it is not yours either. But how many times have I cried out to God and said, "I don't like your will! Why must you chose that hard way? This is much easier! This is what I think is right and good!" And yet he graciously waits patiently for me, for all of us, to come to the Garden and sit alongside Jesus and pray as he did, "Not my will but your will."
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Scientists issue new statement on global warming
Some excerpts...
"The observed widespread warming of the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing, and very likely that is not due to known natural causes alone," said the 20-page report.
The phrase "very likely" translates to a more than 90 percent certainty that global warming is caused by man.
Here's the entire article.
"The observed widespread warming of the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing, and very likely that is not due to known natural causes alone," said the 20-page report.
The phrase "very likely" translates to a more than 90 percent certainty that global warming is caused by man.
Here's the entire article.
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