Our Father: Pt II

II. THE ANTICIPATION

Because of the freedom we have in Christ, the declaration “Our Father” should mean as much to us today as it did to the Jews under the tyranny of the Romans. It simultaneously recalls a past deliverance and looks forward in hope to a new era where Messiah sits on a throne in the here and now. But is this only a future reality?

This world suffers greatly from the tyranny of the Devil even though it is ultimately under the reign of God. We only need to open our papers, watch the CNN ticker, or read our RLS feeds to see that the Devil is alive, and well, and active in our midst. Recently I received word from a friend of mine in SE Asia that painfully reminded me how much this world needs the freedom of Christ. Every single day this man and his wife struggle against the powers of this age and the powers of darkness. The more I observe these forces (natural and supernatural) the more I see them working hand in hand, at least by default if not by design (cf. Is 14).

On the lips of a first century Palestinian Jew, “Our father” was the longing for a new and different world. For Christians behind the iron curtain it was a longing for the fall of a government that forbid the most basic expressions of faith. For Christians in China, it looks to a day when evangelical churches will be able to come out from the underground. To those in the Sudan and elsewhere, to a day of freedom from fear of their children’s lives being taken because of their faith. Likewise, the rulers of the ancient near east often referred to themselves as fathers, as benefactors, but at bottom they were tyrants. Jesus told his disciples that God was their Father, their benefactor. In “our father” we are reaching toward that Second Advent.

However, we must continue to declare “Our Father”, not as a child chanting to themselves, “I’m not afraid of the dark! I’m not afraid of the dark!”; but as a declaration into and against the darkness that “Help is not just on the way, but He is already here!” It is for us, and for all who have ears to hear. The Jews were looking forward to a final Exodus. We look to the Second Advent. This is when the Kingdom will come into its full inauguration. Heaven and Earth will become one with the New Jerusalem as its principle city. Tyranny of all kinds will flee and fall before the only true King.

“We live between advent and advent” The whole of the Christian life is lived in the tension between the first and the second coming. As we pray this prayer as believers, we look forward from the first advent to the paruosia, the Appearing. But until then, we beat back the darkness with the declaration of our adoption and hold out the hope of Christ to all who will receive the good news.

Our Father: Pt I

I. THE DECLARATION

First off, let me say that we must move beyond the sentimentality (or for some, the struggle) invoked by thinking of God as “Father” literally. Wright and others have noted the popularity of making more of the reference of abba as “daddy” than is necessary. True, we do serve a relational God, but He presents Himself as Father because we can “get that” and it helps us to get to a deeper layer of meaning. He relates to us, at times, in terms we can understand. However, we must beware of the temptation of attempting to bring God down to our level when what we intended to do was bring him nearer (think Lewis’ “senile grandfather” analogy). God is immense, far “bigger” than we could ever realize.

“[The Our Father] contains within it not just intimacy, but revolution. Not just familiarity; hope” (Wright, p.15). The first time God is referred to as “Father” is in the Exodus from Israel ( Ex 4:22-23) where He is calling slaves to be sons. When the Jew said “Our Father” they were coalescing their calling as an elect people and their testament of their deliverance from Egypt (Wright, p.14f). When we as Christians make this proclamation, we are stating recalling our adoption and our own Exodus from Egypt (the land of slavery/sin). The Jews were saved from slavery through Moses; and by this I mean Moses was the tool used of God. As Christians we were saved from slavery (think Galatians) by Jesus; and by this I mean by God Himself. Moses marched into Pharaoh’s court and said, “God says, let my people go!” Jesus stepped into this world and said, “You are free.” This call was for the Jew first and then for the Gentile (Rom 1:16).

It was true that Israel had been set free from Egypt, although they had been repeatedly enslaved over the centuries by other nations, but the declaration of freedom was not from the Romans, but from themselves and from the Devil (we will cover this more in the Kingdom Come next week). The people had a hope that was persistently frustrated by their circumstance. They were not able to see the work of God in their midst; not because it defied their expectations but because it did not meet them!

While religious Jews fasted in repentance, Jesus feasted. Jesus acted like the Kingdom had already come, and it had (more on that later). For the first hearers, and for us today, to say “Our Father” is a declaration that we have been freed from slavery by the very hand of God moving both in history and in human hearts. Once we have made this declaration, we can enter into an anticipation and the Our Father takes on even greater meaning.

Our Father : Forward

Okay, I know that it is not exactly customary to have a Forward to a blog, but this next series of posts represents something of an opus for me (hence the change in avatars . With the exception of the birth of my son; I may have learned more about myself and about God in the last few weeks than I have all year, all through reflecting on a prayer that most people have in their minds (memorized) but seldom have on their minds. I don't pretend to be an author, a theologian, or a scholar... just a journeyman trying to make sense out of the life that has been chosen for me and the God that I have given that life to. So read on if you will, and may God bless you.

'Our Father…” Mt 6:9a

What satisfaction must it be to learn from God himself, with what words, and in what manner, he would have us pray to him, so as not to pray in vain!

—Adam Clarke

According to Luke’s gospel, Jesus is seen praying by the Disciples and they ask, “Lord, can you teach us how to pray?” This question was expected. Many great teachers (rabbis) had encapsulated their core beliefs in a prayer. Jesus accommodates them, almost as if He has been anticipating the moment (most surely He had been) and the result we have is referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”. Yes, of course I know that “technically” the Lord’s Prayer is found in Jn 17, and that this is more properly called the “Disciple’s Prayer”. But that is not at all as important as people like to make it out to be. If anything, it makes us feel important that we can point out a technicality, and that makes us into Pharisees if we are not careful. But that is another sermon…

I will rely heavily over the next few weeks on the writing of NT Wright in his book The Lord and His Prayer. Wright’s book is insightful, helpful, and informative without being academic or resorting to the approach of spiritual junk food. If you have a chance to pick it up, I would recommend doing so.

Another note: these posts will be slim on the “how to” and will concentrate mostly on the spiritual posture we are to have before God and the implications of words that I myself said over and over again thoughtlessly and heartlessly but have recently acquired such a profound meaning to me that I am ashamed I have ever uttered them otherwise. It is my hope that as I try to convey what God is teaching me though this journey that you will be blessed as well. I do not offer what I consider to be the ultimate truth on the Lord’s Prayer, only what God has revealed to me through men more learned than myself, prayer warriors more fervent than I ever hope to be, and ultimately by the Spirit of God as I humble myself before the Almighty and ask Him to teach me how to pray.

An Audacious Claim

“We don’t have the right to say this prayer” because we do not fully believe it, and we are not likely to want to see its assertions realized. It is recited almost mindlessly without much consideration of the powerful connotations behind it. I can remember that for years growing up I would say the prayer with my mind on anything else but God. Maybe I was thinking about warp points on Mario Bros, how good looking the girl next to me in church was (who is now my wife!), what I would be having for lunch, or even asking myself questions like, “What the heck does ‘hallowed’ mean!?”

NT Wright notes that the declaration “Our Father” “represents the goal towards which we are working, rather than a starting point from which we are to set out.” (Wright, p.12). For me, that meant, and means, getting a clue that “Our Father” is a huge declaration. These two words are truly pregnant with significance. Within them, I now see these three things: a declaration, an anticipation, and a confession.

We will first deal with the declaration.

The Zombie Song

I wanna hide beneath the pretty paint
I wanna be okay with everything
I wanna be transformed and stay the same
I wanna be dry in the rain

-Cool Hand Luke: The Zombie Song

This Means War

Last night we had some kids go ape (cursing binge in my face included) during youth.

One of our kids ran away and was found this afternoon.

Two lost people were in a near fatal wreck on HWY 71.

Satan, you want a war, youvre got one.

Rev.
Eph 6

All I Can Say is WOW

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
And marked off the heavens by the span ,
And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?

Isaiah 40:12 (NASB)

ANGER Pt VI

VII. Righteous Indignation:

Although the scriptures do not teach that all anger is sinful or leads to sin, it also warns us that it risky business. The Bible places some “firewalls” on anger and insists that our life must not be characterized by anger and that we must be free from malice, fits of rage etc. But are there times when being angry might be a good thing? Can anger be a gift?

There are times when something needs doing and we won’t get around to it until we are angry. On a real “down to earth” level, I think about my garage. One day I head out to the garage and there is a tricycle out of place, or toolboxes I did not put away properly, maybe a box of old kids toys. I don’t think much about it. Another day I notice a few more items have cluttered the floor. Then finally, the day comes when I trip over the tricycle, stub my toe on the toolboxes and a box of kids toys falls on me. What follows (after a string of euphemisms, “Friggin! Shoot! Dangit!”) is what I like to refer to as a “cleaning rage”. We’ve all been there when taking a sweater out of the closet makes the rod fall out or the sink is so full of dishes that the plate we put in slides out and breaks on the floor (although we are mildly happy then because there is less to do!). In this instance, I get to cleaning, I throw away junk that I should have gotten rid of long ago, in the end if I play my cards right, my garage is better for it. My frustration led me into doing something worthwhile.

While in exile under Artaxerxes, Nehemiah hears the cry of oppression from his people. Not at the hands of the Persians, but indeed from their own kinsmen. The loan sharks have charged interest to their brothers (which is forbidden among the Jews by Ex 22:25, Lev 25:36, Dt 23:19-20) and this has caused both a spiritual and economic crisis. Read Nehemiah’s response:

⁶ Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. ⁷ I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, "You are exacting usury, each from his brother!" Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. ⁸ I said to them, "We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?" Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹ Again I said, "The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? ¹⁰ "And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. ¹¹ "Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them." ¹² Then they said, "We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say." So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. ¹³ I also shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise ; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise .

Nehemiah 5:6-13 (NASB)

In the gospels, there is the famous (and often misunderstood) account of Jesus turning over the tables of the moneychangers. I mention this reluctantly because I no longer see it as a holy temper tantrum, but I now see it as an act of retribution from the physical hand of God. Furthermore, I am not so sure than when the Bible describes God as angry, that it is anything like what we could really understand. I am suggesting that just as God is described as having a nose, and arm, wings, etc. he is also described as having emotions. God’s ‘feelings’ are a metaphor for something incomprehensible to us.

However, there as times when Jesus gets hacked off, this instance is very informative if not representative:

¹ He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. ² They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. ³ He said* to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward,!" ⁴ And He said* to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. ⁵ After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said* to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Mark 3:1-6 (NASB)

Notice, what makes Him mad? What makes Nehemiah mad? “What Ticks God Off” as Bruce & Stan so aptly have stated? Injustice. Injustice, and the hardness of mens’ hearts. Sure, God hates sin, he hates drunkenness, immorality, gossip, he hates both our respectable and our despicable sins but injustice chaps God’s hide. Jesus could not stand the fact that these men would seriously think it right to let a man suffer another day because it was the Sabbath.

So if that is what motivates God to anger, and that anger motivates him to action (although we can be sure, Jesus intended to heal the man before He was angry) then we have a compass for anger. Anger at injustice, which motivates us to action to advance the Kingdom agenda, is righteous anger. But we must exercise great care here because, as the church sign zinger states: “Anger is one letter away from D-ANGER”.

So that wraps up my posts on anger. Next up? We’ll see.

Jesus is the Question

"Jesus is the question to all your answers."
Dan Cochran

____________________________________

Final installments of Anger Monday and Tuesday.

ANGER Pt V

Solutions From Scripture & Common Sense:

· Pray and Praise: 2 Chr 20 (Jehosephat): When the people of Israel had their back to the wall, Jehosephat sent the praise team ahead of the army, and victory came. Often times anger is the result of being wrapped up in ourselves. Beware of becoming a spiritual Pollyanna; however, know that accentuating the posititve can make a huge difference. In this case, praise of God can chase away the Devil's scheme to submurge you into sulking anger. As Tony Evans aptly put it, "Praise is an allergen to the Enemy, he flees at the first sign of it!"

· Study the Word: Heb 4:12: There is nothing in life that the Bible does not deal with at some level. Turn to the word when you are angry, you might find comfort; you might even get more angry when you look in the mirror of God's word. But in the end, you will find solace there.

· Repent of your anger.

· Get a punching bag/ take a hike: It helps more than you might think. Pillows work too. :)

· Find something constructive to do: clean the garage, paint a fence, heck... build a fence, something to give you time to simmer down. You have all that adrenaline anyway, why not make use of it!

· Don’t Allow it to Fester: Eph 4:26: Do all that you can to resolve your frustrations in the day they happen. You may not be able to sqaure up with a person who has upset you, but you can square up with God on it. Do all you can not to go to bed angry.

· Talk it Out: Unresolved conflict hinders the ministry of the church: "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. Matt 18:15 (NASB) Do all in your power to reconcile, but know that sometimes you have to stand your ground. To quote Mark Morey, "When you're in the right, you're in the right..."

· Take it Easy: A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. Prov 12:16 (NIV): Sometimes, what has upset you was purely accidental. I recall innocently telling a joke that had deep racial connotations,; I really hurt someone but was completely oblivious to what I had done until someone told me that I had inadvertently used a racial slur. On the other hand, I have been 'certain' that someone was running me down when I was really misinterpreting them. Either way, getting bent out of shape over it is foolish. Try to give people the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.

· Starve It! Just like any sinful behavior you can starve it to death. Don’t feed it with angry music, or angry people etc… For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Prov 26:20 (NASB).

· Think Before You Speak! He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him. Prov 18:13 (NASB)

· Obey God: "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Gen 4:7: Anger lurks as a predator, but you can master it. If you are seeking God first, you are likely to find it easier to deal with the frustrations of life. It makes it more difficult for the Devil to find a foothold when you are on guard.

ANGER Pt IV

Sources of Anger:

· Pride: “They can’t do that to me!” It may be the case that all sinful expressions of anger have their root in the sin or pride. There is a perpetual tendency for most of us to think about ourselves before others. If we can change that, we will lessen our propensity toward anger.
· Injustice: either to us or others (see Righteous Anger, below). There are times when anger motivates us in positive ways, but all too often, when we react in anger, we do so rashly and cause more harm than good. An extreme example are cases of pro-life individuals murdering doctors who perform abortions. Way to get out the pro-life message folks...
· Favoritism: think Joseph (Gen 37 ff) Parents (as well as teachers, bosses, etc.) must always be on guard against favoritism. The end result is almost always resentment on the part of the less favored.
· Unresolved Issues (Transference): “Whoa! Where did that come from?”: "Can" your anger and you will be like a shaken soda can. You have to resolve issues in your past (be them recent or distant) or you will find yourself unloading on innocent people.
· Lack of fulfillment of Real (or Felt) Needs: First off, be careful to discern between real and felt needs. Then, if they are not being met, keep your cool and try to resolve the situation before you fly off the handle. Often times, people who are angry for these reasons have not even bothered to vocalize the need they are angry over. Many times when they do, they find the situation resolved.
On the other hand. In a situation such as employment, it is worth noting than inadequate compensation or workspaces, lack of encouragement or recognition, etc. can breed animosity. In other words, when someone is working for beans, they aren't likely to take much guff from you.
· Unrealistic Expectations: of your self or others: this ties in close the the point above. However, it can also be self-inflicted. If you often catch yourself being critical to your kids, or your mate, or yourself, maybe you just need to lower the bar a rung or two.
A good friend of mine once had a "first shirt", a general, who rose at dawn each day and put in something like 12-14 hours. He expected everyone in his command to do the same and would become downright irate with those who would not. This is an extreme example, but you may have given or received varying degrees of this attitude to/from others. The bottom line: cool off, and ask honestly, "Am I aiming too high?"
· Misplaced Priorities: “chasing the wind”: When we take our eyes off of God and put our efforts into seeking after material and temporal things, the end is most often frustration. God has "set eternity in our heart" and it is only in Him that we find true satisfaction.
· Lack of Reliance on God: Taking on things we weren’t meant to: Thinking back to the person who blows their top all the time that we cover for. There was a time in my life where my chivalry had me immersed in so many peoples' problems that I was no use to any of them. I found myself constantly frustrated with them, and myself. This is a good sign that I am operating on my own strength and or out of God's will. When you are in a situation like this, you might have to turn off your cell phone for a few days and prayerfully consider your investments. You can't help anyone if you are a wreck. Period.
· Life: Just living can put is in situations where we are angry: We just have to watch it. Life happens and there is very little we can do about it. Learn to let go and let God (possibly the ONLY evangelical platitude I still use, and only because it is right on).

Tomorrow: What to Do: Common Sense & Scripture
Friday: Righteous Indignation (A Dangerous Business)

Anger Pt III

V. Some of What the Bible Says About Anger:

1. Unchecked anger is one of the fruits or deeds of the flesh contrasted with the fruit of the Spirit:
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions…
Gal 5:19-20 (NASB) (cf. 2 Cor 12:20)

In other words, outbursts of anger are on the same list as sorcery and lusciviousness (lust).

2. It is forbidden by God:
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to
evildoing.
Psalm 37:8

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice
Eph 4:31 (NASB)

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Col 3:8 (NASB)

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
1 Tim 2:8 (NIV)

Paul urges us over and over to not allow anger to hinder the work of the Gospel. The solution? It is hard to strangle the guy next to you when you both have your hands raised in praise.

3. It causes us to act foolishly:
A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
Proverbs 14:17

Quite simply, you do things when you are mad that you would not normally do. This is why when you have a tiff with your spouse on the way to work, you get overly hacked that the water cooler is out of "wax coated sleeves". You don't really want to kill the intern (at least not for this). Its just that you were hovering at a "7" by the time you got there. Keep your cool.

4. It brings you into trouble:
A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty;
if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
Prov 19:19 (NIV)

There are times when you simply cannot help someone. When the Bible talks about "fools", it is useful to note that this designation is packed with more meaning than it is in the West. Someone who is a fool has abandoned all reason and chosen to deliberately walk a path that leaves destruction in its wake and ultimately will destroy them. They can be warned, but they may not be able to be helped.

As for us, we are told to warn folks in this situation (Ez 33, Prv 24:11), but eventually they have to choose to change their mind (repent).

This caution is espescially relavant to the friend or family member who is constantly making excuses for someone who can't keep their cool, "Oh, he's really a nice fellow... you just pushed his buttons... when he's not drunk..." and so on. This may be hard to hear; and I am not implying that this person is beyond redemption. I am simply saying that for some, they need to lay in the bed they have made. In so much as THEY become the one who receivies the brunt of their poor choices, perhaps then they will turn away from them.

5. It’s hard to watch your mouth when you’re angry: (ever said something when you were mad that you wish you could take back?)
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Prov 12:18 (NASB)

Unfortunately, words have staying power. Long after you have called someone 'stupid' that person is feeling the effects. You can apologize, you can backpeddal, but in the end you said what you said whether you meant it or not. The point is this, think before you speak. Your words can be either the thursts of a sword (destruction) or the incisions of a scalpel (healing).

May your words be soft and sweet, for tomorrow you may have to eat them.
-Navajo proverb.

6. It keeps us from the kind of life God desires:
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
James 1:19-20 (NIV)

As it has been aptly said, "God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reson."

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
Prov 16:32 (NASB)

If we let the context of this passage sink in, the effect is tremendous. The siege of a city was a lenghty and grueling ordeal. It was the art (if you will) of starving a city into submission or gradually driving its knees, or to the ground; whichever came first. The siege of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 AD would take six months, other sieges could last for years. To say that someone who keeps thier cool is greater than one who sieges a city is to say that they are better than the likes of Nebuchadnezzar, or in contemporary terms, Douglas MacArthur or "Stormin' Norman".

ANGER Pt II

III. It’s Killing Me
Not only can anger affect others around us, it can hurt us.

A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones.
Prov 14:30 (NASB)

In Hebrew, “passion” is qinah and is also translated as anger, envy, jealousy, rivalry, etc. Anyway you slice it, you can get in trouble.

Anatomical research has shown that our body is designed to release certain chemicals (i.e. adrenaline) en masse when we perceive that we are in peril. Anger releases similar chemicals in doses that can be harmful to our body when they are not “burned off” (like, by running away from a lion). A search on www.WebMD.com brought up 700+ articles dealing with anger. Research demonstrates that excessive or prolonged anger can have serious health effects and shorten your life span due to the stress it places on your body, esp. on blood pressure and the heart. Point of fact, I have witnessed someone nearly die from a heart attack during a fit of rage… they were unfortunately arguing with me.

IV. Backstabber or Stab-Backer?
Much anger in our lives stems from our inability to allow things to roll off. You don’t hold a grudge, a grudge holds you. The Bible urges us:

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Prov 12:16 (NIV)

Slowness to anger makes for a deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stock-piles stupidity.
Prov 14:29 The Message

A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Prov 19:11 (NIV)

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person quietly holds it back.”
Proverbs 29:11

But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matt 5:39 (KJV)

ANGER Part I

Over the next few days I will be posting my sermon notes from a message pertaining to the subject of anger. A subject I am regrettably all too familiar with (although forgiven, bless His name...). If you have anything to add, please feel free to do so.
Rev.

***********************

I. A Truly Deadly Sin

This past year, we have seen more than a few notable examples of the damaging and potentially deadly effects of anger in our society. This year alone, there have been TWENTY TWO student related school shootings in America. It seems that not a day goes by where a high profile homicide doesn’t come over the news. This wave of violence has stretched from coast to coast. It is present in our homes, our workplaces, schools, and even in our churches. Just this August, a shooting at a church in Neosho, MO resulted in the deaths of three people. The FBI reports that, over 17,000 people were murdered in America in 2006. 334 murders were committed in MO.

Love is arguably the most powerful force in the universe; therefore, anger may truly be the most destructive.

II. Cain & Abel

It is certainly worth noting that the first sin recorded after the fall was motivated by jealousy and anger:

… so Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. ⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."

Gen 4:5b-7 (NASB)

Jesus takes this to the next level, warning us that if we have hatred in our heart toward someone that we are in serious trouble:

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Matt 5:21-22 (NIV)

"Our Father..."

In his book The Lord and His Prayer , NT Wright asserts that the phrase "Our Father" (in Greek/Aramaic "father" is the very first word) is pregnant with theological and personal meaning. Far beyond sentiment, it is a declaration that God is one's Father, as in creator, authority, protector, and all that father-hood implies. It is also the proclamation of the progressively advancing eschatological reality of the "already/not yet" Kingdom of God.

That said, when you utter the phrase "Our Father" what does it mean to you?

Please share your reflections on what it means to call God Father.

Rev.

Were You There!?

Today my wife and I are celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary. Click the link below to see some of our wedding photos featuring vintage pictures of Jared, Darryl, Steve, Dr. Jones, and Cocoa (if you know who that is you are laughing!).

Vicki, I am so blessed to have spent these last eight years with you. I can't imagine life without you. God has added so much to me as a man and as a minister through you. As it has been said, "Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes..." Thank you for your love, support, patience, grace, and devotion, and for my four lovely children.

It's just going to keep getting better!

Love,
John-Paul (Your DH)

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd235/browilliams/

Could Jesus Have Failed?

Ah yes, the age old circular argument of Christology came up in my Bible study last night. When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, could he have failed?

Britney Spears Loses Custody of Children

That headline beat out terrorism, child rape, John McCain, Nazi war crimes, and scalped Hannah Montana tickets.

Glad to know Americans have a good sense of priorities.

End of line.

Rev.

Turkey

Only one thing stands between me and my Thanksgiving turkey.

October.

Mmmmmmmmmmm. Turkey.

Rev.