Archive for the ‘ Reflections ’ Category

Common Goal

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-5

Our common goal was laid out right here; to keep the unity, be humble and gentle, patient, baring with one another in love….  There’s so much in this little passage!  Again, only the Holy Spirit can help us do all this.

Jesus’ prayer in John 17: 23I 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. 24“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. 25“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I 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.”

Jesus knew we would not be unified all the time.  We have to spend so much energy on this, it’s not easy, but with the Holy Spirit, He’ll make us one if we ask Him.

God bless everyone who wants this and give you strength.

2009
10/27
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Common Ground

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32

Leaders who are passionate about their people will work hard to follow this teaching.  I realize that, as people, we cannot do much of that by ourselves, but with the Holy Spirit in us, the passage says that we need to listen to Him.  ”Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” means to me that I should listen to Him and follow His prompting.  Trust me, I don’t do that all the time either!

Reconciliation is a grace gift that God has given us.  It comes from Christ’s redemption to us.  He has reconciled us first, and that’s the grace He’s given us.  I can’t imagine that God, who’s alive and loves us, who created us, reconciled to us.  But then, I think the reason is just that!  He’s alive, He created us, He loves us.

If I make a computer program, or setup a network, I want it to be alive and working!  I don’t want viruses all over it and see it crawling to death.  I will do everything to get it back to the vibrant life it was, when it was born.  I think God has reason to bring us back to life.  Why?  Because He’s alive and wants the relationship.  We always want our loved ones around us, especially when we’re sick or have problems.  We want the relationship, we don’t want to be alone.  God wants us to hang out with Him!

Finding common ground among Christ’s body is an important task we MUST work on.  We can’t go around spreading rumors about each other, or work independently of each other.  Leaders need to wake up and realize that time is not on their side.  Life is short, people die everyday and leaders must hold each others’ hands and work together for the common ground, taking care of people and growing the Church.  The more leaders connect on the common ground, the less rumors will be out there.  People will be together on the same team, which will make community grow and trust will be born out of that.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

2009
10/26
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Power

Ephesians 1:18-23

18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

When God gives us vision, His power is also available for implementation.  Energy is required to do anything, and He’s got that energy covered for us.  We just have to dream His dreams, and He will provide the vision, plan, people and the power!

2009
10/13
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Neither

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied… Joshua 5:13

Neither. When I read that, I realized that God is not the enemy of anyone! Whether we love Him or want to fight Him, we’re still not His enemy. When we commit to a relationship with Him, we get closer and closer to Him. We start dialogging with Him more and hear His voice. It’s amazing to realize that God doesn’t want to fight anyone, but wants us to all focus on Him. He’s the constant that will make us focus on Him and not fight with each other.

2009
08/17
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Globalization: Re-uniting the Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:9 tells us that “the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” He did that because their purpose was to make a name for themselves and not to accept that God is the One for them; being part of His Kingdom…

Starting in Acts 11:19, the Bible tells about the confused and multi-culture people who reunited in Christ. “The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.” So, Christ brought back the world to reconcile them to God, and as a result they reconciled to each other as one People who belong to God.

Like Willow Creek says, “Only God” can do that! The miracle of reconciling people together happened when Jesus was recognized as their Lord. It’s awesome to see how God can gather people from different languages, cultures and beliefs; to form one family that worships Him.

2009
03/23
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The Pencil of God

I was watching the movie “Mother Teresa” last night and it was very inspiring. The priest who came to check on her request to start a new congregation, orginally didn’t even want to step out of the Kalkata airport. He wasn’t interested in the vision Mother Teresa had, he didn’t see it. Even Mother Teresa told her pastor that she’d been living in the city for years, and it’s like this is her first day there!

God gave her a vision to help the poor, help the people she’s living with and not worry about her status. She believed that when she cares for them, she cared for Jesus Himself.

The Bible talks exactly about that. Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ” Matthew 25:34 (NIV)

When the priest finally met with her, he came out and said, “Who are we to stop the pencil of God?!” I love that! When God gives a vision, He will give the resources to get it done. He will also tell others that this vision is from Him. He will open the doors, as long as, we keep the faith that He wants us to do this, and that ‘it’s not about me’!!! It’s an excersice to always remind ourselves that it’s about God. The more we remember this, the more we give Him space to do His miracles.

I’m excited about using the pencil of God! Hold the pencil and watch Him write!

2009
03/09
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