An online base for prayer and encouragement
Good afternoon on a sunny Monday to you all...
Wasn't last night a wonderful time of worship together? We were truly blessed to see our brother, Kevin Blue, take one more step into the calling God has placed on his life when he preached the Word at Theophany. Everyone with whom I spoke was so proud of Kevin, and I know that the Holy Spirit used Kevin to speak to my heart and life as well.
I thought that the blog would be a wonderful place for us to pass along support and love to Kevin for the Word he preached to us last night. We celebrate the gifts of the Spirit as a community, and I hope that we can extend that support across this blog.
I've also been thinking about how this blog might be useful for the upbuilding of our people and God's kingdom this week. It occurred to me that not every post need be a conversation about the Scriptures or theological subjects. Maybe this can be a place where prayer requests are given, where members of our community can drop in and include the requests listed here in their personal prayer lives.
As we begin posting the prayers we would lift as a community, I would encourage to pray "kingdom prayers." Indeed we are commanded to pray for the sick, the grieving, and the hurting; still, we often forget to pray for God's kingdom to come; to pray that non-Christian family members and friends would accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Consider what prayers are important to the heart of JEsus and offer these as a response to this posting. Let's see what God will do in the lives of his people when we commit ourselves to pray.
Jack
Wasn't last night a wonderful time of worship together? We were truly blessed to see our brother, Kevin Blue, take one more step into the calling God has placed on his life when he preached the Word at Theophany. Everyone with whom I spoke was so proud of Kevin, and I know that the Holy Spirit used Kevin to speak to my heart and life as well.
I thought that the blog would be a wonderful place for us to pass along support and love to Kevin for the Word he preached to us last night. We celebrate the gifts of the Spirit as a community, and I hope that we can extend that support across this blog.
I've also been thinking about how this blog might be useful for the upbuilding of our people and God's kingdom this week. It occurred to me that not every post need be a conversation about the Scriptures or theological subjects. Maybe this can be a place where prayer requests are given, where members of our community can drop in and include the requests listed here in their personal prayer lives.
As we begin posting the prayers we would lift as a community, I would encourage to pray "kingdom prayers." Indeed we are commanded to pray for the sick, the grieving, and the hurting; still, we often forget to pray for God's kingdom to come; to pray that non-Christian family members and friends would accept Christ as Savior and Lord. Consider what prayers are important to the heart of JEsus and offer these as a response to this posting. Let's see what God will do in the lives of his people when we commit ourselves to pray.
Jack
posted by Theophany@Church Street | 12:50 PM
4 Comments:
It was a great service. Kevin is definately annointed! The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong Sunday night. Can't wait to hear him again.
Kevin, I am truly sorry I missed your first sermon because I was driving back from Bristol. If it's any consolation, I also sorrowfully missed Prince's halftime appearance at the superbowl, but missing a first sermon is a much much bigger disappointment. So exciting to be around a person newly experiencing a call! My own calling (not into pastoral ministry but legal child advocacy) has been quite an exciting ride, and I look forward to getting to know you and your wife.
Jack,
Your sermon on Feb. 18th was quite provocative for me. Among other things, your imagery of being released from the darkness of our own entombment was so powerful, I thought I might have to go outside and get some air. Yes, that is indeed what spiritual aimlessness and ensuing depression (among other things) can feel like!
More troubling for me, because more current, was your suggestion of questioning whether we really deeply believe in the Resurrection. On that issue specifically, I don't really struggle as my conception of God and his Creation would be that as his (scientific) laws are a blessing, so is his "overruling" of those laws when he chooses. BUT, I do still struggle with whether Jesus' death was THE plan for redemption from the beginning. My questioning that could be seen to somehow weaken my apparently fervent belief that it was his death that accomplished my redemption and that of all creation. In my heart, I don't and can't question that belief. My wonder at the "fit" of it all overcomes any intellectual quibbling. But when I become aware of some intellectual weak links in my beliefs, pursuing them is usually spiritually rewarding.
Don't fret over addressing this right away. Just wanted to share some of what your sermon provoked. And this is probably just a part of my continuing obsession with open theism.
Shauna,
Thanks for posting some comments and thoughts on our blog. It's good to have you join the conversation.
I'm aware of some of the thinking that has been going on in open theism, but not particularly well-versed in it myself. Personally, this is one of those doctrines (the plan of redemption) that I take on faith without complete understanding. I know there are a lot of new voices that are writing about these things, but I appeal to the history of theology when newer modes of thinking emerge. For example, I think some early church fathers like Irenaeus of Lyons address this question, "why does God lead humanity through salvation history? why did Jesus not come right after Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden?" It's an extended discussion about his response (which is wonderful), and he's one of many in history who asks questions like the one you're asking.
More importantly, though, is that the Lord was speaking the resurrection reality right into your heart and life in worship. Encountering Jesus risen from the dead in our own lives helps us understand how and what questions to ask that continue swimming in our minds.
Thanks again for the post!
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