Mission Faithwalk

                 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)             “Therefore, there is now no condemnation…” No condemnation. NO condemnation. Can you imagine that. I can’t, and when it comes down to it, I suspect none of us can really wrap our minds around it for more than a split second. When we do, it blows our minds. If there were nothing else to inspire our awe of God, that would be enough.           But while there may be no condemnation from God for those who are in Christ Jesus – and while that should be all that matters, we’re still stung by the condemnation of others and by our condemnation of ourselves. There’s an old condemnation leveled at Christians, that we cla...

                 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone . (Colossians 4:5-6)              Outsider: a person who does not belong to a particular group.              Opportunity: a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something .              Given the context, Paul’s meaning for outsiders is “non-Christians.” But, if we’re honest, there are those folks in some other denomination who are “ousiders.” And then there are the people who go to our own church, who are somehow not quite one of us. I tend to feel like I’m in that category. I found that within my own family, there are outsiders . In fact, when it comes down to it, anyone who isn’t you is an outsider you. I d...

                 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his  anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”                The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain. (Psalm 2:1-6)                  I am not fond of humor. It seems to me that most popular humor is all about making fun of and belittling someone. In other words, I see it as a sort of abuse. That’s why I’ve tended to be reluctant to deal with this psalm. The idea of God laughing in derision. Today, as I considered it, a slightly different picture came to mind...

                 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. (James 5:16)                  Confession? Like to a priest? Like a Maury Povich show? In front of the whole world? The answer to all these questions is “yes…no…not exactly…maybe…it depends…” First, as I think I’ve noted recently, confession has to do with stating your agreement with someone else that something is so. It doesn’t only have to do with sins, but that is the most frequent use.                Scripture teaches that we are to confess to those we’ve wrong (Matthew 5:23), even if we don’t think we’ve done something wrong but they do. In this case, confession is about getting our relationships with others back on the right track. And if the ...

                 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)                  Anxiety is a default emotional state for me. Everyone (including me) claims to want peace, but then they picture peace as sitting somewhere with a drink (even just water) in their hand, watching waves lap in on flat beaches, or children playing, or the clouds roll by. Peace seems to involve an emotional flat line… and when you flatline, you’re dead. On the other hand, anxiety can at least get you up out of your chair and doing something about something. Of course, that doesn’t apply to the hang-wringing version of anxiety in which we repeatedly whine, “What shall we do? What can we do?” That so...

                 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (I Corinthians 3:16-17)                  A temple is where a (supposed) god regularly meets man, a place of worship, sacrifice, judgment, and performance of duty. It’s also a place where others can see what the god associated with the temple is like – often because there is an image of the god there. What one generally doesn’t find there is anything that displeases the god. Jews used to burn human bones on altars to foreign gods so they couldn’t be used anymore. Other altars were set up in the temple in Jerusalem, and Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificed one or more pigs on the altar in Jerusalem, desecrating it.  ...

                 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,  each of us is to use them properly : if prophecy, in proportion to  one’s  faith;   if service, in the  act of  serving; or the one who teaches, in the  act of  teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the  work of  exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy with cheerfulness. (Romans 12: 6-8)                  I know, I know. Nowhere in Paul’s exhortation does he mention the terms manic, obsessive, or excessive, all of which have been mentioned in connection with me or my activities. That’s the end of the stick I need to work on. He also failed to mention that these activities are to be done if they don’t interfere with your favorite TV show...