John Piper, in a sermon, The New Commandment of Christ: Love One Another As I Have Loved You”:

If you are a follower of Jesus, a Christian, a child of God through faith in Christ, you are a person under authority. You are not your own. You do not call the shots any more. Jesus is more to you than Master of your life, but he is not less. He comes to you with more than commandments, but not less. You are a person whose life is defined by the will of another, namely, Jesus. What he wills you want.

And what he wills and commands in this verse is that we love each other—that his followers love each other. “A new commandment I give you”—not a new suggestion, or a new idea, or a new possibility, or a new life-option, but a new commandment.

What’s New About Jesus’ New Commandment?

The question that has guided all my focus in this message is What’s new about the commandment to love each other? “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.” I see two answers implied in this verse. The key to the answers is found in the words in the second half of the verse: “. . . just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” The newness of the command to love each other is found in the words “as I have loved you.”

I see two ways that the commandment to love each other is new in those words. First, the command is new because it is a command to live out the love of Jesus. Second, the command is new because it is a command to live on the love of Jesus. The words “as I have loved you” contain a pattern for our love for each other, and they contain a power for our love for each other.

Loving each other is not a new command per se. It was already there in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”). What’s new is that Jesus is now the pattern we live by and the power we live on. Let’s look at these two kinds of newness.

To read or listen to the rest of this sermon, click here:

November 25 

John 13:31-38 (ESV)

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Hej kära bloggläsare!

If your name is Gudrun or Rune, then today is your day! Grattis!

Weather is very windy and cold. The temp was not bad but oh, that wind!! And we had half an inch of rain overnite. Sunny but cold today.

I met John for lunch. I had some things to print for him and delivered them. We then went to see some things that are going to be on a sale. I selected a few that I was interested in. Hope I get them!!

Friends of ours just got back from Alaska and gave us some haddock they caught. So tonite we had fish for supper. It was excellent!!

‘An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry’.

«Ett gott skratt förlälnger livet!»

Go Sounders!!!

Create your own visitor map!

Julie-Ann den 24/11/09                      Hemlängtan för Sverige!

More than half the adult population in America say they believe they have at least one good book in them. No doubt, that many have been tempted by the dream of writing a great romance, historical, mystery, or perhaps a thriller. So … let’s say someone approached you. They ask — What does it take to become a writer?

 “I’d always loved to read – and come from a family of readers

Personally, I’m likely to answer that question with one or two of my own (don’t you hate people like me). The first – What do you read? And, probably, the most important one– How much do you read? The reason for these questions should be obvious. Inspiration.

“Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it.

Without real inspiration, the probability of a new writer realizing the dream isn’t very good. If you look into your own life, on any scale, chances are you’ve experienced this very thing. From your first pair of skates to the challenge of a double black diamond ski trail, you’ve probably found your inspiration by watching someone excel at their craft. Then, with inspiration, you immersed yourself into the nuts-n-bolts of it, until you also experienced the same exhilaration and pride in finding your own style and level of excellence.

My writing partners, Jenn, Candi, Marie-Claude and I, have all experienced that kind of exhilaration and pride as we strive to refine our skills, our voices, and our writing styles. It takes maturity and perseverance. We’ve certainly taken our spills and suffered the kind of bruising that only makes the taste of small victories sweeter by contrast. But we all have something in common that pushes us forward. The admiration of those who excel at this craft. Our inspiration. The written word. We READ, READ, READ…

So — Before The First Written Word – you’re assignment is to read. Not a bad gig, huh? There are no notes. No exams. Just read for the pleasure of it, while making a conscious effort to decipher, for yourself, the author’s rhyme and reason.

• How many words, paragraphs, or pages did it take for the story to grab you and pull you in?
• How clear were the visuals in the world the author has created?
• What made you want to keep turning pages after that last chapter?
• What was it about the next that pulled you in?
• Can you summarize conflict, what’s at stake, the goal of the characters? 
• What made the characters and dialogue real for you?
• Can you sense their emotion – how?
• Can you anticipate pinnacle points in the story? Were you surprised by a turning point? Can you find the clues that lead to these outcomes?
• What makes the story logical (or contrived)? Does the conclusion feel complete or unsatisfying – why?

And each time you set the book aside for a breather, imagine how you might plot your own direction for the story, then compare it to the author’s. Exercise a few skills you may have learned from the author. Look around the office while working, or the mall while shopping, or the park while jogging. All these worlds are yours to study character goal, motivation, conflict, and setting. What key elements would establish a readers visual and sensory feel for the setting? Then describe what would make your scene darker or more cheery.

“I want story, wit, music, wryness, color, and a sense of reality in what I read,

People around you tend to telegraph thoughts and emotion to the surface. What do you see in the precise shape of their mouth, the eyes, the posture? The selection and tone of their words? What makes the inflection and cadence of their dialogue unique from another woman or man. What message do they convey by the way they dress? Can you precisely define confidence, shyness, weakness and strength by their telling characteristics. What traits make someone appear a leader, a follower, or a drifter? Start now. Exercising skills that will soon have names, while, at the same time, planting the seeds of imagination for stories to come – your muse.

Lastly, but a most important discipline in writing – practice time management. No excuses, you must be disciplined enough to dedicate time to the craft. Both reading and writing are perishable skills. It’s the same with the muscles of your body, which will certainly atrophy with lack of use. The longer you stay away the craft, the less fit you’ll become. The more you exercise, however, the stronger and more balanced you’ll be. Start with your reading. Commit yourself to manageable hours each day. There’s nothing sexier that a man or woman reading a novel. Well, almost…

“No man should ever publish a book until

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

–John

Read John 14 (Click on the link to read it in NIV or select your prefered version when the window opens.)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

You hear it a lot today… “I’m a good person. I don’t need the church or all that Bible stuff. I’ve tried to live a good life like Jesus said we should. I’m not worried about the afterlife because I believe God will be okay with how I’ve lived my life.”

Others will ask, “How can God punish these ‘good’ people?”

I don’t believe God wants to punish people as much as people want to imply. That isn’t the problem at all. The problem is that God didn’t create a perfect and glorious place like heaven for people who don’t want him.

At the beginning of time God created the heavens and the earth. He brought mankind onto this earth, and he gave them the choice to accept or reject his commandments. Just as Adam and Eve rejected his first and only commandment in the Garden of Eden, man has continued to reject his commandments unto this day.

God gives us the opportunity to accept his forgiveness for our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. It was no small sacrifice for Jesus to endure the crucifixion and death on a cross to pay for our sins. The choice is ours. Do we want God or don’t we? If we choose Jesus we choose God. If we don’t choose Jesus we are saying we don’t want his Father, the God of all creation.

Those who don’t want God, have no right to expect him to open heaven’s doors to them when their time comes. By choosing not to follow God’s commandments people have messed up the earth already. The problems of humankind’s sins are escalating before our very eyes. Why should we expect God to allow this to happen to his glorious heaven as well?

So what about the punishment of hell? Do people who have tried to be good in their own strength but didn’t choose to accept Jesus have to be punished the same way as terrible criminals do? I won’t attempt to give an absolute answer here, only food for thought. If all the people who accepted Jesus go to heaven to be with God, Jesus, and all the heavenly angels; and only those who chose not to accept Jesus are left outside to fend for themselves with Satan and all his demons who are eager to offer their brand of spiritual help, what is it going to be like? 

The final word will be one of two: You wanted him and accepted him. {Or} You didn’t want him - you rejected him.

Father God, I pray for those who don’t understand, for those who are so willing to let themselves be fooled into believing their only measuring stick for entering heaven is how they measure up to the persons around them. Wake us all from our slumber and give us eyes to see who you really are. Show us your compassion.

Read the entire passage of John 14. It is so powerful.

© 2009 by Janice D. Green

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

This week is the week that we have set aside a day to be thankful for the blessings we have received.  I have to keep reminding my children that this is not “Turkey day”, but Thanksgiving. We are not celebrating the turkey, just the blessing of having the turkey (all 17 lbs worth in my house).

These past few years have been difficult on many- we have war, recession, unemployment, H1N1, foreclosures and many other things that impact our lives.  For some people, they might find it a struggle to smile, and give heartfelt thanks this year. Now you might say, “but aren’t we supposed to give thanks in all things”?  Well yes we are, but in the real world, with real hurt and real struggle, being truly thankful at times is not just a matter of obeying a command.  To be truly thankful we often have to move past hurt feelings, grief, disappointment, unfulfilled dreams, a drained bank account, wayward children, lost jobs, ….  and discover in the middle of this pile the nuggets of God’s work to focus our attention on. That is not always easy.

This year has been a tremendous mixed bag for me. God has been so faithful to us, but He has been faithful in the middle of very difficult year. I could easily take the rest of this blog to tell you of all my struggles and pain- the passing of my mom being the hardest things I have ever endured- but that is life. Life has bumps, hills, potholes, sinkholes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods- just stuff and lots of it.

I like the lyrics to a song by Darryl Worley “Sounds Like Life to Me“.  

Got a call last night from an old friend’s wife
Said I hate to bother you
Johnny Ray fell off the wagon
He’s been gone all afternoon
I know my buddy so I drove to Skully’s
And found him at the bar
I say hey man, what’s going on
He said I don’t know where to start

Sarah’s old car’s about to fall apart
And the washer quit last week
We had to put momma in the nursing home
And the baby’s cutting teeth
I didn’t get much work this week
And I got bills to pay
I said I know this ain’t what you wanna hear
But it’s what I’m gonna say

Sounds like life to me it ain’t no fantasy
It’s just a common case of everyday reality
Man I know it’s tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Well his face turned red and he shook his head
He said you don’t understand
Three kids and a wife depend on me
And I’m just one man
To top it off I just found out
That Sarah’s 2 months late
I said hey bartender set us up a round
We need to celebrate

Sounds like life to me plain old destiny
Yeah the only thing for certain is uncertainty
You gotta hold on tight just enjoy the ride
Get used to all this unpredictability
Sounds like life

I particularly like the last part- the only thing for certain is uncertainty, you have to hold on tight just enjoy the ride, get used to all this unpredictability, sounds like life to me.  Life is uncertain. Life is full of situations that we wish never would have happened. Life is full of times we wish we could go back and change. Life is also full of beautiful times, beautiful things and beautiful people. Life happens, but in the midst of life we have to find the beautiful things to feed our faith. This is not sappy optimism or stick your fingers in your ears and pretend like nothing is happening, this is a deliberate choice to choose to focus my attention upon God and His goodness rather than the evils and pains of this world. It’s not as if we are not acknowledging our pain, I just choose not to stay there.

When my mom passed away this past April, I was devastated. It has taken me a whole lot longer to move forward than I could have imagined. The hurt was deep. My mom has always been a source of strength for me and knew how to encourage me at just the right time in just the right way. She showed me how to live life, even in difficult times, with grace and resilience.  I not only lost my mom, but a great part of my support. I had the wonderful privilege of speaking at her service. As we closed the service in prayer these words flowed across my lips that I had no idea would come, but I will never forget. “Lord, I wished this day would never come. I would have wanted another day, another week, another year, another lifetime with my mom… but Lord I am so thankful today for every day that you gave me with her. My life is so much richer because you blessed me with her…”.  That is the one thought that has really helped me- “my life is so much richer because you blessed me with her”. 

No one promised us on this side of heaven that good things last forever, in fact the Bible tells us that this world, and all that is in it, including us, is passing away. But drawing from that well of pain emerged a beautiful thought, I have been blessed. I did not earn it, deserve it, work for it, God placed this beautiful and strong woman as my mother, and I am thankful. Now I could choose to focus on what I don’t have anymore, her presence with me, but death is unfortunately a part of life. I can fuss at the unfairness of it all. I could wallow in misery saying no one understands me. But my experience is not uncommon to the normal course of life. Death comes. It is a part of living in this world. If I would let it, the bad things of this life could drive me into depression, anger, sadness, helplessness… but that would not be living a life of faith. Faith focuses on God’s work, even when life seems dark and oppressive.

I suppose we could spend our short time here in misery and frustrated, like much of the world does, because it does not have enough, it can keep what is has and it can’t figure out how to maintain perfect happiness… or we can see that the world is an imperfect place, face our troubles, thumb our nose at the devil and give God thanks for what we have in this world and beyond.

Here is what I mean… my wife is not perfect, but I am eternally grateful that God has blessed me with her and her many ways of blessing me and encouraging me;  my kids aren’t perfect, but I am thankful for them and grateful God has given me the opportunity, and privilege, to parent them and see them grow into young men and women; my finances are far from perfect, but I am grateful for what i do have- we have not gone hungry a single day, the roof is over our head and the heat is on;  my health is not perfect, the pill bottles in the bathroom tell me so, but I am grateful I have the health to experience this life God has given me and serve Him; I am not where I wanted to be at my age, certainly not where I envisioned myself being, but I am grateful for what I look around and do see in my life; and mostly… I am not perfect, but God still chooses to love me, forgive me, have patience with me, comfort me…. yea, I could choose to be miserable because this world is an imperfect place (and by the way, one reason the world is imperfect is because you and I are in it), but I would rather look up and be thankful for all that I do have.

Can I maintain perfect happiness in this world- no, and Jesus even told me so…

John 16:33 (NLT)

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world

Notice the surety with which Jesus speaks- you will have trials and sorrows, not may have, could have, or it’s a possibility… you will have. This life is going to put it on all of us, so how we respond is an individual choice. In our hard times we can choose to throw our pity party, we can wallow in our PLOM syndrome (Poor Lil’ Ol’ Me), we can throw a temper tantrum and roll on the ground… or we can choose to rise above. Make the choice that Jesus made.  So where do we see Jesus giving thanks in His difficult times? Look at this verse…

Luke 22:19

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me”

As Jesus faced the cross and was, in His last moments, teaching His disciples about the meaning of His death, He gave thanks. Thanks for what? Thanks for the fulfillment of God’s plan. Thanks for the relationship that was going to be born through this pain. Thanks for the faith that many would show in Him. Thanks for the eternal difference that He was about to make… But that also meant that He was going to endure suffering, and He thanked the Father anyway.

Now you and I will probably never face a cross, but the example has been set for us. Even in the difficulties, find the places and pieces to be thankful for.  Our common human experience tells us that we all are going to experience difficulty, some maybe more than others, but as Christians we also share a common truth- God is good.  Take some time this week to journal or think about just how good God has been- not how difficult life is- and you will have a happier Thanksgiving. 

I pray that this holiday will be filled with blessings for you and your family and that as you reflect on the goodness of God in the midst of your life, that your faith will be lifted and your joy more full.

John, an apostle

Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore six. – “mark of beast,” BIBLE, recorded by John (Rev 13.18).

(John, born son of Zebedee, in Israel – died [tradition] at Ephesus, Asia-modern Turkey)

Converted to Christ, on shore of the Sea of Galilee

Sanctified, in Upper Room, Pentecost, Jerusalem

I must be honest, I heard this song and knew the lyrics months ago, but I kind of dismissed them.  I must give props to my brother in the Lord, he didn’t just let the issue linger.  He got right to it and made a passionate defense as to why Jay-Z was wrong.  I had an argument in my mind as to why it really wasn’t that big of a deal until he said something about “taking the glory from Jesus about what he chiefly came to do — which was save.”  He is right — to dismiss the fact that Jesus saves is to take the glory away from Jesus.  In fact, in the book of John, the crucifixion is referred to as his glorification.  (e.g. John 7:39, John 17:1). Jesus goes to the cross in order to atone for the sins of the world, so that anybody who would believe in his work on the cross would be saved.  He is the one and only Savior.  To say or imply otherwise would be to take the credit and glory that is due Him. What do you think?

I love those moments where Nathaniel does something that makes me smile and/or makes me proud.  But at the same time, I often find myself fighting back tears because John wasn’t here to witness the moment and share it with me.

Today, I gave kiddo an assortment of cheerios, puffs, and  crunchies and a sippy cup of milk while I fed the horses.  It was raining and chilly, so, he sat in the Jeep while I fed.  Then afterward we went inside and I gave him some more cheerios.

I put them in a bowl and put it on the floor so he could sit and munch.  I notice that he’s moved the bowl of cheerios to the chair.  This happens to be perfect standing table height for him.

Then he disappears for a moment and comes back with his toy fork.  He proceeds to do his best to eat using his baby fork.  He lucks out and spears a few cheerios that then make it to his mouth!  My little boy is growing up!!!!  I smiled and fought back tears… it was a moment that John would have enjoyed more than I did.  I can just see how proud he’d be and how we’d look at each other and smile.  It made me want to cry that he wasn’t here.

Maybe John has the best seat in the house and gets to see all of Nathaniel’s special moments.  I don’t know.

But I do know… he’s not here to share them with me.  So, I bite my lip, think of John and smile to Nathaniel and clap and congratulate him.  I don’t know if they’ll ever not be those moments that intertwine happiness and sadness.

Miss you, John.  Love you always.  You’d be so proud of your son.

The promise for the future spiritual blessings of our children does not depend on whether or not they have been baptized or dedicated as babies. God has made a special covenant with the par-ents who earnestly seek the Lord and turn from all transgression.

Isaiah 59: 20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says the LORD.

21 “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is my covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descend­ants, nor from the mouth of your descendant’s descendants,“ says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.”

No matter what may be happening now in the lives of your descendants, seek the Lord and turn from every transgression and God will work mightily in their lives. In time to come, sooner or later, they will speak His words and sing His praise in the Spirit. Even to your descendant’s descendants! Do not be discouraged

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring; they will spring up among the grass like willows by the watercourses.

Isaiah 54:13 All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. (John 6:45)

Psalms 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to ever­lasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children,

18 to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.

Psalms 37:26; Isaiah 66:22;65:23; Psalms 112:2; Proverbs 20:7; Joel 1:3; Malachi.4:6

And I include all who belong to me by marriage or adoption!

Back in the days, Glasgow art-pop band the Yummy Fur, had members like Alex Kapranos and Paul Thomson(Franz Ferdinand) and were led by Jackie McKeown(1990s) or John McKeown. The band existed seven years, from 1992 untill 1999.

But for the fans (I don’t count myself as one), good news! The band is getting back together for the first USA tour ever!

McKeown and Thomson will be in the band, Kapranos will be not. Also, a best-of compilation will be released.

Yummy Fur reunion dates:

Scripture:

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, before Abraham came into existence, I am!”

Observation:

Jesus’ declaration was the height of blasphemy to the ears of the Judeans.  In the long debate in John 8, Jesus and his nemeses were at odds on one main point – Who He was.  All the talk about the Law, about His teaching and lastly about His pre-existence (before Abraham) was all centered on His being accepted or rejected by the people as Messiah, God’s Son.  And this crowd had overwhelmingly rejected Him.  So He appealed to them, citing His relationship with the Father.  He described them as those who would murder Him, which was true.  And finally, He declares the terse statement in 8:58.  The “I AM” is the declaration “Yhwh” in Hebrew, the unutterable name of God.  It means “I am that I am”, signifying eternal existence.  The people knew exactly what He had said and proceeded to pick up stones to kill Him.

Application:

Jesus is God or a liar.  We must either bow before Him or pick up stones to throw and nail Him to the cross in cruelty as One who claimed to be something other than just the son of Mary and Joseph.  This is a turning point in one’s faith either way.   If Jesus be God, we need to treat Him as God, not as one with “just another voice” to be taken into account.  If He is not God, then maybe that is an honest reading of what He had to say.  The debate the Judeans had is still being had today though, and as believers we must be contending for the true identity of our Lord Immanuel (God with us).  He IS GOD, and He will prove it before the whole earth one day.  That’s the crux of our faith, holding to Jesus’ teaching and identity across the centuries.  God sent His Son to die in our place on the cross.  In that there is eternal life.  Pass it on.

Prayer:

Father, this is basic and it is primal.  Let us live for the Jesus Who died for us.  Let us live for Him as Your Son.  Let us speak up about Who He is and give You glory for all You have done.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

I have overcome the world!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.“ – Vs 33 NLT

In this chapter we have Jesus sharing some heavy and somewhat confusing news with His disciples. It is clear from the passage that they are having a hard time tracking with Him. They even say, “And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand” (Vs 18 NLT). Jesus has good news and bad news for them. The bad news is that the hour is coming when they will be considered outcasts from the synagogue. They’ll be excommunicated and unable to worship as they have all their lives. On top of that, they will be killed and those who do it will think they are doing God a favor. The good news is that Jesus assures them He is sending them a “helper.” They don’t know it yet, but this is a reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit. “And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (Vs 8 NLT). Jesus assures them that, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future” (Vs 13 NLT).

Then Jesus really confuses things by telling them, In just a little while I will be gone, and you won’t see me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see me again” (Vs 16 NLT). He also tells them that the coming events will leave them weeping and mourning while the world rejoices, but their grief will turn to joy. He is clearly foreshadowing His crucifixion and death, as well as His resurrection. Finally, He tells them that because of what He is about to go through, they will have new power available to them. They will be able to pray in the authority of His name and receive whatever they ask for. They will have direct access to the Father because of what Jesus is about to accomplish on their behalf. While Jesus is going to be leaving them and returning to the Father, His departure will provide them with a reconciled or renewed relationship with the Father.

But Jesus’ last statement in this chapter is the most impactful one. He tells His disciples that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows” (Vs 33 NLT). He basically assure them that the days ahead will not be easy ones – even after His resurrection. Yes, they will have access to the Father. Yes, they will have a divine Helper in the form of the Holy Spirit. Yes, they will be able to ask the Father for anything they need in Jesus’ name. But they will experience extreme pressure. That is what the Greek word used here for trials and sorrows means. It refers to “oppression, affliction, tribulation, and distress.” They are going to face some difficult days ahead. It is not going to be easy. And the book of Acts chronicles exactly what Jesus is prophesying. The apostle Paul testified to the reality of Jesus’ statement in his letter to the Romans: “Even the Scriptures say, ‘For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.’ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:36-37 NLT). John also testified to the truth of Jesus’ statement. “For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5 NLT).

Jesus has overcome the world. Even though He had not yet died or been resurrected, Jesus confidently asserted that what He was about to do was as good as done. He was going to finish what He had come to do. And He did. He overcame the world. And because of that we can have the same confidence that Paul and John had. Overwhelming victory is our through Christ. We can win the battle against the world because we believe that Jesus is the Son of God. We can win. It is going to be hard, but we can win! We WILL win, because He has already won.

Father, I want to live with a sense of victory, not defeat. I want to live as an overcomer, not an underdog. Keep me focused on the words of Jesus. He has overcome the world. He has won the victory. It is just a matter of time before He sets everything right, but it WILL happen. Help me not to lose sight of that reality. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

MG

John Piper, in a sermon, “The Sovereign Sacrifice: Foreknown, Foretold, for Faith”

What I want you to see in this verse is the connection between your faith, and Jesus’ foreknowledge. “I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.” [John 13:19]

In other words, Jesus is saying, “If you are struggling to believe that I am the promised Messiah, that I am the one who was in the beginning with God and was God (John 1:1), that I am the divine Son of God, who can forgive all your sins and give you eternal life and guide you on the path to heaven, then I want to help you believe. And one of the ways I am going to help you have well-grounded faith (you see it here in John 13:19!) is by telling you what is going to happen to me before it happens, so that when it happens, you will have good reason to believe in me.” (See the same structure of thought in John 14:29 and 16:4.)

Now there’s the principle. One way that God helps us believe in Jesus – foreknowing things that are going to happen to Jesus and foretelling things that are going to happen to Jesus – is for the purpose of awakening faith in Jesus for who he really is as the divine Son of God who can forgive you and take care of you forever.

November 24 

John 13:18-30 (ESV)

18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, [1] ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus, [2] 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus [3] of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

“How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?
There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.” Job 21:34

John Piper in a transcript from the radio program, “Ask Pastor John:”

The big picture of Job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in God’s sight. He was leading a basically upright life. And there is a reality called Satan who challenges God that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. God gives Satan permission to attack Job, and he does so first through his family and possessions, and then through sickness.

Then there is Job’s long illness, and his three friends come. At first they are quiet and offer some counsel, but then they begin to launch into an attack on Job that takes a true theology and distorts it all out of proportion.

Job has about about 29 chapters of misapplied theology in the middle. It’s very hard to navigate your way through those chapters and determine what is true and what is not, because these guys are mixing up truth and falsehood all over the place. I think you’re supposed to get the big picture that God was not happy with these three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.

And when Elihu shows up, he, I believe, begins to set it right. Finally God speaks and he sets it completely right.

Then there is the last chapter that puts the closure on the whole thing. There it says that God brought all of this upon Job; and Job proves in the end to be a better man than these other men, even though Job himself sinned and had to repent in dust and ashes.

The lesson from the big book of Job is 1) that God is sovereign over all our suffering; 2) he permits Satan to come into our lives and do horrible things to us; 3) he means to prove our faith and purify our lives through it; 4) in the end he will make it good, either in this life or in the life to come; and 5) Satan does not have the last word in the lives of God’s people.

The book has a long title that I don’t want to put in the title of this blog.  The full title is “Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867 – 1957″.  It is by Terry Toedtemeier and John Laursen and is a 6-year-long process of finding photos, digital editing them to restore them to an estimation of their original condition, and categorizing them in a book.  Before I talk about the book, I will talk about the event at the library.Last Tuesday, John Laursen talked about his book at the Harney County Library.  He talked about some of the research that went into the book.  Then he picked several pictures from the book and talked in depth about them.  It was very interesting.

There was also a few good questions asked about how the pair found information about the pictures.  I think part of the answer was sometimes it was luck because one album was for engineering purposes.  Therefore, the pictures were predominated with rock and supplies for building the road.  The very last picture in the album was one that the authors decided was worthy of entering into the book.

Then the co-author gave a book to the library.  There was also books for sell, but for 400 dollars!  And it was nonprofit too!  There was some organization that donated money so that they could donate a book to every library.  From what I’ve seen from the PowerPoint, I wanted to check it out.  With my mom being a librarian, I was able to get the library’s copy quickly.

The book has five different picture parts.  The first section is the best.  It is by Carleton Watkins, who is a very gifted photographer.  However, there are amazing photos throughout the book.  Perhaps the pictures that I didn’t enjoy as much were in section three, which featured Lily White and Sarah Ladd who had a houseboat.  They focused more on light and texture than particular things.  So some I really enjoyed and some I really didn’t enjoy as much.

The book has good notes on most but not all of the pictures.  Also, it has a general introduction and introductions to each section, which were both informative and interesting.  However, the acknowledgments are worth reading.  After I read it, I appreciate the book much more because the acknowledgments tell about all the work that others spent to make the book possible.  Sure I knew that the authors spent a lot of time gathering pictures, but I wasn’t aware of the Photoshop experts fixing the images to bring them to as close to their original beauty as possible.  I did think about the research of finding the location of each picture, but not of the cartographer who made the two custom-made maps in the book.  Obviously there are editors but the acknowledgments go on for a few pages!

This is an amazing book.  Maybe I should look at picture books more often.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

I got to thinking about this verse the other day, and wanted to say a few words about it.

Typically, the way we see this verse approached is the opposite of what I think is the real logic of Jesus’ statement.  Most often, I’ve seen commenters start with the latter clause, “keep my commandments,” and work backwards to the part about loving the Lord.  In other words, keeping His commandments is something we do, and from that, the fact that we love the Lord is shown.

Okay.  I can’t disagree with that line of reasoning, per se, though I do think the emphasis is a bit off.  After all, what Jesus did is make an if-then statement.  If you do one thing, then the other is shown.  The starting point is the love, not the keeping. 

The reason I am taking pains to make this point is because it is very easy for Christians to go from the backwards reasoning above, to a backwards outflowing in action.  Rather than worrying about heart attitude, simply “doing” the right things becomes the focus.  This was the same mistake that the Pharisees and the Jewish leadership made.  They thought that they were pleasing God merely by going through the motions externally.  For them, God’s law became 613 things you had to do just because.  Because somebody would stone you if you didn’t, or you’d be put out of the synagogue, or be a social outcast and not be able to support your family.  Loving God, as the Lord took pains to show when He confronted the Pharisees about their religion, was lost from the equation.

Now, this all being said, please understand that I am (emphatically) NOT criticising the things that, for instance, “young fundamentalists” and New Evangelicals will criticise when they talk about “love” versus “law.”  Instead, I encourage us to consider that Jesus was telling us that the person who truly loves the Lord will WANT to keep His law.  Not for salvation, but out of a heart-felt desire to please God.  This is because – as we should understand very simply – obeying God’s Word pleases Him, while breaking it angers and hurts Him.  It’s as simple as that.  And therefore, if we love Him – if our heart’s desire is truly to bring as much honour and glory and pleasure and blessing to our God as we typically say we do with our mouths, then we MUST obey God’s Word.  Anything less is a lack of love on our part.  This begins with the heart attitude of love and gratitude – and therefore approaches Jesus’ if-then statement from the proper direction.

“Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” (Psalm 119:24)

“Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.” (Psalm 119:40)

Is this your attitude toward God’s Word?  Is this my attitude?  If not, it ought to be. 

If it’s not, then we can’t say that we love God, because to love Him is to love His Word.  To love Him is to be willing to obey even the least command of His scripture.  To love Him and truly be submitted to Him is to be willing to accept that His commandments are not grievous.  It is to be willing to obey even those “legalistic” standards that evangelicals and young fundamentalists hate so much – things like standards of dress that affirm God’s distinction of the sexes, or accepting that He has promised to preserve His Word and therefore we don’t need unbelieving scholars to “reconstruct” 95% of it for us.  A person who is unwilling to heed the teaching of standards drawn from the application of God’s Word is a person who has already shown that they are not loving God in their heart attitude. 

In short, complaining about “legalism” and using that as an excuse for antinomianism is not loving God, and shows that it doesn’t understand what love for God is. 

Love for God is faithfulness with a purpose.  It doesn’t keep standards and doctrines unthinkingly and by rote, nor does it reject those standards and doctrines out of a desire to give itself an excuse to please itself.

Mr. John Safran, how are you sir?
John Safran: Well, I just spoke to someone from The Age who saw the first two episodes and said she thought the show was outrageous. Apparently she was really disturbed by it. It’s really weird.

Really? So you didn’t learn from the exorcism episode of your last series?
Clearly not. And this is a bit different to the last three shows which were on SBS, where people had to actively seek me out. Race Relations is going to be on the ABC in the middle of the week, which is kind of like nailing a billboard up in the city square. It’s a much more public space. It’s going to be interesting.

But your stuff is smart and funny. Have you felt compelled to make each series more controversial than the one before?
Not really. They just end up there. Race Relations actually started out as a book, which evolved into a TV show. While researching the book, I went out and did a few interviews, during which I obviously humiliated myself, and each time I was like, “Why aren’t I filming this?” For some reason when you’re being filmed it’s way less humiliating because people just assume you’re doing it for television. Whereas if you just have your notepad and you stand up at a public talk, people really think you have a screw loose. Anyway, when you start editing something like this, you kind of just have to go with the strong stuff. You know what I mean?

Surely that’s what people want to see. So, for this show you turned black, female, and elephant man. How did that go for you?
Well the black episode was one of the first things we filmed and we pulled it off so we were really excited for the rest of the show. When I was growing up and had my hip-hop posse, my friends used to tell me to stop acting black. The idea was to really experience what it’s really like to walk in someone else’s shoes so I go undercover in Barack Obama’s hometown, Chicago.

Were you a convincing black man?
Yeah, well, we realized pretty quickly that it’s pretty easy to make someone look black for camera but that it’s much more difficult to look black to another black person who’s standing five centimeters away from you. We tried everything from really low rent stuff, which didn’t work at all, so finally ended up with the guys who won the academy award for prosthetics on Benjamin Button. One of them flew to Australia and took a face cast and did his thing. It started off as a five-minute story but because it ended up being so expensive, we made a bigger deal of it and it became an entire episode. Which made it cheap.

Sounds great.
Yeah, well I actually failed. I think that’s probably why comedy is so screwed up – people who can’t be funny are trying to be funny and people who are actually funny are out there trying to prove what artists they are by being bleak and dark. With this show, I just wanted it to be funy – that’s it. As it turns out though there’re some really awkward moments and towards the end it kind of becomes unwatchable.

In one episode you get crucified, which is pretty insane.
Yeah, I was thinking that this is why I’m fucked in the head and never get anywhere. As most people get more successful and more shows, they use their leverage to try to get more money or a better deal or whatever. I, however use my leverage to try to do things they wouldn’t let me do last time. For example, I didn’t have the leverage in the town during Vs God to be nailed to a cross but now that I’m older and have my own production company, I can sit there and threaten people with not going with their network or whatever if they don’t let me do stuff on the show. It makes no sense. I use my leverage to fuck myself over.

But do you come to any grand realizations?
I’m not going to give that away but I do think that whatever shit goes down when it’s on air it’ll all ultimately be OK because it all leads to something. It’s actually full of pathos and might throw people around a bit but it’s all for a reason. The good thing is that I’m going to have a copy in my hand so regardless of what happens, I plan to get it out there.

As a Jewish guy, if you don’t marry a Jewish girl, what would your mum’s preference of partner be in terms of race, religion, and sex? A gay, non-Jewish guy presumably being at the bottom of the list.
Ha, yeah I guess after that would come a gay Jewish man, then Arab and Persian. I guess a non-Arab Muslim is probably better than an Arab Muslim. Then you get up to Asian. But then maybe it’s better just to go with someone who no one’s going to ask questions about. You could argue that at least an Arab girl could pass as Jewish, whereas if you bring an Asian into the room, you’re really making an announcement. Just watch the show maybe.

Is this going to make it easier for you to get girlfriends do you think?
No, not only will I not be able to get a girlfriend, I’m not going to be able to make eye contact at anyone at parties. It’s just going to be too embarrassing.

Cheers mate…..

thanks to the vibe crew for putting this together!

nP-

I had not been back in my own Country above an Hour when I received some Communication from my Wife of an Outbreak of the Plague which had so affrighted my Family and that it had been in my own House, which place she bade me not to return to, lest I also be taken with the Illness that afflicted her. Thus I determined to embark once again on the Ship that had only just Deposited me on the Shore, and to make a Passage to France, there to find some gainful Employment until such Time as that Plague had passed and I might return to my Home.

We had only a short Time been at Sea, when a vast Storm came upon us which forc’d us to abandon our Vessel to the mercy of the Waves, and to seek for our own Fortunes in a life-Boate. For some time we were quite toss’d about by the Storm, until a Billow of particular Violence forc’d our meager Skiff onto a protruding Rock, and we were abandoned all to the violence of the Storm, I clinging desperately to the Rock and praying most fervently for my own Deliverance and that of my Fellows of whom all were lost from my Sight and whom I until this Day never have seen again, but hope above All for their safe Conveyance back to their own Families and Homes.

Thus clinging I sate for some Time, when at Length the Tempest passing and the Dawn breaking in the East, I noted that the presence of some small Land, not more than an hundred Yards from my left Hand and determin’d that I would swim for it. Thus I let go my Rock and made my Way to the Shoar quite slowly and with much difficulty, for though the Storm had long pass’d, yet the Water was still quite disturb’d. At length, coming to the Edge of that Island–for such this Land was, and not a paeneinsula–I was much disappointed to find upon it no Sustenance or Nourishment of any Kind, for indeed the Island was quite bare, and cover’d all in Sand as far as my Eye could perceive. Thus disappointed, I collaps’d all in a Heap upon the Shore, certain that I should die of Hunger and never see my own Country again.

I sat thus for some Time, when at Length I heard a Sound behind me, and turned my Head so as to perceive the Object of that Sound but, finding nothing in Sight which could have made such a Noise or indeed a Noise of any Kind, I thought Nothing of it, until I heard the Sound once more, and recognized that it was no mere Noise, but was in fact some Form of Language: for indeed it spoke in many more Words this time, saying aralla  laombaba tallalla. But I, looking ’round and seeing no One was much confounded as to the Origin of this Noise, and Cried out who’s there in every Tongue that I at that Time knew, which is to say English, Spanish, Italian, French, and the lingua franca that was then in Use, but the Voice made me no Reply except to repeat again aralla laombaba tallalla, at which point I felt some Thing, as though an unseen Hand were Pressing upon my Shoulder, motioning that I should rise up, which Thing I most promptly did, for fear that my invisible Companion would grow angry and Strike me, and that then I should have to make Defence against a Foe whom I could not See or indeed have any Sense of except Sound and Touch, and that 0nly when he spoke or press’d upon my shoulder.

And so, rising, I felt him push me into another Direction, away from the Waters, and further Inland, at which I made Signs to demonstrate that I was deeply tired, and that I might not make a long Journey for fear of Starving, and at this the Voice started a Bit, as though bewildered by the very Thought of Hunger, and pressed upon my Shoulder once more, suggesting that I ought quickly to move, and saying in his Tongue allara llastale laramba. So presently, I gathered Wits and began to walk in that Way which he directed me, yet all the Time that we walked, I noted that the Landscape did not vary in the Least, except that the Shore withdrew further and further away from us.