Booya, Sexy Artichokes!!!

We took the week off last week for a break from exam preparations and had some very nice pizza. (Except for Kyle's half that did not have artichoke). We didn't really get too deep at the pizza shop. I think the most in depth conversation we had was if artichoke was a more sexy vegetable than ... something else; now I can't even remember what the comparison
vegetable was. Anyway, I concluded that I was right, artichokes are a very sexy
vegetable, and to those of you that did not want them on your side of the
pizza, you missed out. So, if you where wondering what happened last week,
we ate pizza. Some of us had very sexy pizza with the sexist of all vegetable
toppings, the heart of the artichoke(now, to make that sound like it did in my
head, you must read it like Puss In Boots on Shrek 2). Enough, that has absolutely nothing to do with the post. I figured Booya, Sexy Artichokes was a catchy title, and that paragraph justified the title. Hope it was as fun to read as it was to write. Read on for
this Wednesday's thoughts.

Thought:

Because many on my campus are hopelessly seperated from God. I desire to magnify Him by sharing the life and love of Jesus where I live. As I share, I will earnestly pray for revival on my campus and in my world.

Prayer:

God, break my heart for those with whom I live.

The Word

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, or, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Romans 10:11-15 (NIV)

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:1-8 (NIV)

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Philippians 2:12-16 (NIV)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

There you go, the next installment of what has turned into our five week study. I must admit, I have enjoyed this little study. I am amazed at what God has shown us through this. It has been so incredibly simple. Simple thoughts, simple prayers, and these verses have come alive in our time together. I look forward to Wednesday hope you do too.

Questions Yo!

Who will be here next week, Wednesday May 3rd. I am working on making some plans about when and where we shall meet. Let me know.
Thanks

Wednesday April 26

No Nameless Thing This Week (its exam week)

Take a study break for supper. We will meet to eat at 8:30 at Three Guys From New York.
Map Is Here!

Passion 07, INFO IS HERE!!!

Hey, goto the Passion 07 page on the Parkway College site to see the details. There is (I hope) a link on the right side of the page reading Parkway Passion 07 Info (or just click that). If you have any question, feel free to post them here.

Wednesday April 19

Meet at la Casa de Kevin, the map link should still be to the left. We are apt. 30, first right after you enter the complex, first building on the left after the right. Go into door number 30. Until then, or even after for that matter, consider the following:

Because God is glorified greatly when believers love each other. I desire to magnify Him as I humbly yield to and pray towards unity among all Christians on my campus

God, give me a desire to lift up Your name above all other names.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
John 17:20-26 (NIV)

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:34-35 (NIV)

But for right now, friends, I'm completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I'll nurse you since you don't seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way? When one of you says, "I'm on Paul's side," and another says, "I'm for Apollos," aren't you being totally infantile?

Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us--servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working.

Or, to put it another way, you are God's house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn't, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won't be torn out; you'll survive--but just barely.

You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred--and you, remember, are the temple.

Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God's fool--that's the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It's written in Scripture,
He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls.

I don't want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else. Everything is already yours as a gift-- Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, the present, the future--all of it is yours, and you are privileged to be in union with Christ, who is in union with God.
1 Corinthians 3 (The Message)

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ--the Message--have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives--words, actions, whatever--be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3:12-17 (The Message)

There you go, more of the same stuff I got at Thirsty. If you have not noticed yet, this goes along with what we have been talking about at the nameless thing on Wednesday night. See you there.

Be consumed, get closer, and love much!

New Exciting Post Goes On The Blog, Woo Yo!
(Now Read It!!!)

The natural state and activity of a consumer is consuming. From a very early age we learn to consume. It is only natural. No consumption, no growth. If you do not consume you die, quite simply there is no alternative. You cannot ask a baby to produce milk, will not happen. All through life we refine our consumerist ways, we do milk for a while, move on to puréed apples and ham, then, for some reason, French fries, Baby Einstein, on the Best Buy, Olive Garden, Ford, a mortgage, and any number of other things that are much to numerous to go into. The fact is we consume. There is really not anything wrong with it. It sustains life. We must eat, we must get to work, we must have a place to live, and a computer or maybe an iPod are nice luxuries. We are, from the get go, consumers by nature.
Our whole conception of reality is based on our experience. Such that a change in understanding requires a paradigm shift. Paradigm shifts by their nature are illusive. It is easy for one to say, “Madam, we must have paradigm shifts! We must all have paradigm shifts forthwith! We must all think, and we must all have paradigm shifts, and think each and every one of us to the very best of his ability...” That may carry my thought to a silly extent, of course it was fun if you saw The Ladykillers. The fact is that paradigm shifts are difficult. Because, what we call a paradigm is simply a thought or mindset that is so engrained in the way we do things that we don’t even know it is there. A paradigm shift ends up being very similar to starting to remodel your house by removing the floor. It is difficult to understand exactly what needs to be done to fix whatever problem requires a change in our understanding on such a vast scale as a paradigm.
So, why all the talk about paradigm shifts? Well, because we are consumers by nature and for good reason. But, we are called to more. Consumerism just don’t cut it in relationships. We see it all the time. Marriages that last 2 or 3 years because the participants had mined the relationship for all it was worth. We see parents that lose their ability to parent because they are more interested in being their child’s friend than parent. Children using their parents as an ATM. Now, don’t hear me wrong, there is some good to being your child’s friend, and parents usually have more money than their children. But, it is safe to say there is the possibility to reduce the relationship to such a basic consumer level.
It can happen with God too. We carry our innate consumer mentality into our relationship with God. God wants to bless you with this or that. God loves you, He wants what is best for you, and it looks like a new house, a new car, a job promotion, I feel you probably get the gist by now. We can look in the bible and read stories that could be no further from that. For example, the Apostle Paul went through countless hardships in his life. Towards the end he said, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure(1 Timothy 4:6 NIV). Paul was giving out like crazy. He spent time in jail, he was “flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times [he] received …the forty lashes minus one. Three times [he] was beaten with rods, once [he] was stoned, three times [he] was shipwrecked, [he] spent a night and a day in the open sea (2 Corinthians 11:23 25 NIV).” He goes one to talk about how he was constantly on the move, in danger from rivers, bandits, his own countrymen, the gentiles, in cities, in the country, in the sea, and false brothers. He labored and toiled, went with out sleep, was hungry and thirsty, even cold and naked (2 Corinthians 11:26, 27). Brother had it bad. It is safe to say Paul was no consumer. That man was used up, poured out big time.
We also see the early follower of Christ named Stephen. He was out doing “great wonders and miraculous signs among the people(Acts 6:8 NIV).” Got the attention of a lot of people that did not like his wonders and miracles. Stephen ended up dead because of his life of surrender. He too was poured out, used up, consumed.
I urge you, be consumed. That is no easy way. It does not come natural. When you come and get together with other followers, when you go out from that get together, when you are in school, when you talk to your boss and coworkers, when you eat at Crispers, be a consumee. It will not likely be easy, it will very likely require some pain and sacrifice. And there is very likely no but to be had in the whole sentence. We cannot simply say, be consumed and make a sacrifice, but it will be ok because God will give you this or that. No, there may possibly be no reward, there could be a great reward, but there could just as easily be no reward. Of course, the good thing is, we have already won, (sounds like it may make a good song). Christ is glorified in the cross. His grace abounds and we are His. It is not merely our duty to serve, our consumption is not based on an obligation. Christ is glorified, He carries everything you could never be in grace and an ultimate God sized love that is worthy. I mean, He gave us a way out of our tangled little messes so that we can have a profound existence unequalled by our finite earthy imaginations. I mean come on, He created the universe, do you know how big that is?

Be consumed, get closer, and love much!

Wednesday April 12

This week we will meet at my house (Kevin). We will start at 9:00, we will end at 10:08pm. There is a link to a map to the right, see it there, it says directions to Kevin's house, it will tell you how to get there from the church. Take note, the map will get you to the apartment complex. You will see a sign that says Arbor Station. Go down the hill, to the gate which will open automatically, take the first right, my building is on the left after the first right.

Until then consider the following:

Think about this:
Because Christ established the church for God's glory, I desire to magnify God as I use the gifts He has given me to serve and build up the local church. I will pray for continued renewal in my church through the work and power of the Holy Spirit.
Pray something like this:
God, renew in me a love for Your Church, the Body of Christ.

Consider these verses:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:1-13(NIV)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Ephesians 5:25-27(NIV)

Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25(The Message)

That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Acts 2:41-47 (The Message)

There again, thanks Passion Resources, we are still working on some stuff I picked up at Thristy 06.

Be consumed, get closer, love much, see you Wednesday.

Worship

Because I was created by God and for his glory, I will magnify Him as I respond to His great love. My desire is to make knowing and enjoying God the passionate pursuit of my life

Colossians 1:16-18
6For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels--everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. 17He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. 18And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

He was supreme in the beginning and--leading the resurrection parade--he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone.

John 17:3
3And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

Revelation 3:20
20"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you.

Philippians 3:7-10
7The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash--along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. 8Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant--dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ 9and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ--God's righteousness.

10I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
23GOD's Message:
"Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom.
Don't let heroes brag of their exploits.
Don't let the rich brag of their riches.
24If you brag, brag of this and this only:
That you understand and know me.
I 'm GOD, and I act in loyal love.
I do what's right and set things right and fair,
and delight in those who do the same things.
These are my trademarks."
GOD's Decree.

Psalm 73:25-28
25You're all I want in heaven!
You're all I want on earth!
26When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,
GOD is rock-firm and faithful.
27Look! Those who left you are falling apart!
Deserters, they'll never be heard from again.
28But I'm in the very presence of God--
oh, how refreshing it is!
I've made Lord GOD my home.
God, I'm telling the world what you do!
An Asaph psalm

Psalm 16:11
11Now you've got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I'm on the right way.
A David prayer

Isaiah 43:7
7I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
yes, personally formed and made each one.'"


A little something I picked up at Thirsty, thanks Passion Resources.

Worship with all you have. Love the Lord your God with all your everything. Get closer!