Time to go for a walk?

Some movies start at light speed. Case in point: Star Wars. From the opening scene to the end it barely lets you breathe. If you slipped out for popcorn you were sure to miss something important.

Some think that the way to maximize the movie-going experience is to be in your seat at least 20 minutes early. Never done that? Then next time you go to a movie look around and spot the person that is in the prime seat—dead middle, eye level with the center of the screen. That’s what 20 minutes early gets you. Popcorn and drink in hand, nothing will move this person from their secured spot for the duration of the movie.

That’s where you need to be for God’s story. Its opening scene also starts with a relentless pace that doesn’t let up. The first line reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”  (Genesis 1:1).

Right off the bat we find the main character in the story is not you or me. It’s God. And the rest of

The Story will unfold out of the nature and person of this character. Just ten words in and there is enough action to leave you breathless.

 

It doesn’t take long to find out what God’s great passion is. Birds? Nope. Animals? Not quite. Sun, moon or stars? Bright guess. No, in Genesis 3:8 we find that God is walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve in the “cool of the day.” Sounds nice if you are in a hot, humid climate, doesn’t it? And yet the “cool of the day” is not the focus.  God is...and he is near.  He is right with Adam and Eve. And he is right here with us. His simple vision for His creation was to spend time with them every day, to take a walk with them.  God's supreme passion is to be with us.

 

Some of you have lived your life with the idea that God is some kind of angry cosmic kill-joy who sits in the heavens and watches you, waiting for you to mess up so he can zap you. Or, you feel He is distant and doesn't care or has simply forgotten you altogether.

 

But from the beginning He has shown us this is not the case.  He wants to be with you.  He has not forgotten you. In fact, this might be the perfect time for you to go for a walk.

 

Church Ladies and Their Bikinis

Received this from my wife who received it from a good friend.  Please read the blog entry and watch the video.  I echo the sentiments here.

http://ryanvisconti.com/all-gods-daughters-wear-bikinis/

Keep the faith!

Me Monster

From the sermon last week, as promised.

Beware the me monster!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vymaDgJ7KLg

How It Is

Had a friend send this to me on Facebook and asked if I could relate.  I can on most of these.  There are a couple where I stray (I'm not a mama's boy and I do like watching a game), but there are many points on which I would say, "Yes, that's exactly how it is."  Maybe this will give some insight into the life of a minister.


http://marklovefurniture.com/blog/2013/07/06/eleven-things-you-might-not-understand-about-your-minister/

Good Question

When the Bible says we will be accountable for all of our actions, does that include sins that we've already been forgiven for?

Response is from RC Sproul.  Some deep thoughts here.

I think so. Some people will be quick to point out that the Bible says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us" and that he has cast them into the sea of forgetfulness. When God forgives us of our sins, he forgets them. He remembers them no more against us. So it would seem that we could conclude from those passages that once we are forgiven of a sin, that's the absolute end of it and we never have to be held accountable for it.

When we are forgiven by God for a sin, there are two things we have to understand. First of all, when the Bible speaks of God's forgetting our sins, we have to be careful how far we push that. That does not mean that suddenly the eternal God, very God of very God, who is omniscient and immutable, suddenly undergoes a memory lapse and that that which he once knew intimately he suddenly becomes ignorant of. If we push that, it would give us a ghastly view of God. Rather, the Bible is using this kind of language to say that he doesn't hold it against us anymore. He treats us without raising the issue in terms of delivering a punishment. The just punishment for any sin would be eternal separation from God. When we are forgiven, we are relieved of all eternal guilt and punishment so that we don't have to worry about going to hell because we have sinned.

At the same time, the New Testament tells us at least twenty-five times that the distribution of rewards in heaven will be done according to our relative degree of obedience or the works that we perform. We are told frequently by Jesus that on the last day all things will be brought into the light. Those things we have done in secret will be made manifest; every idle word will come into the judgment. I don't think that means that I'm going to be punished for those sins that I've confessed and have had forgiven. Those are covered by the righteousness of Christ and by my Mediator. But I will have to stand before God for a full and complete evaluation of my obedience as a Christian.

Whether or not at that time of evaluation he will mention the complete track record or just say, "Here's the bottom line, you'll get so many rewards"—I don't know how that's going to work. But I am going to be brought into a final accounting, and certainly in God's mind every detail of my life will be there. Even though I am forgiven and I am not punished, any sin still means that I will receive less reward than if I had been obedient.