I am very inspired by the kindness of this man. I believe he is very close to Christianity and just needs someone to share with him the truth of Jesus. He truly defines what it means to be missional, and if we could just change our thinking as pastors and lay leaders in the church, we would make such a greater impact. This video reflects what we want to do at our charity The Joseph House. As church planters, we've decided to take a "back-door" approach to our plant. While there are many methods in church planting, we believe this is the truest way to engage our community and world. It is natural,organic and genuine.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
meaning of missional by Frank Viola
the following was posted on a blog site called futuristguy
1. What does “missional” mean to you?
I found the link on The Blind Beggar and came over here to see what was happening. The post and comments generated a lot of thinking … thanks for an opportunity to synthesize some of what I’d already been pondering for a long time.
After thinking about the meaning of “missional” for at least a year, I think I’m finally getting a handle on the “what,” “so what,” and “now what” of it all. And as it turns out, it’s a much bigger picture than I realized!
To me, “missional” means everyday discipleship that brings our personal presence into all venues where we have influence. This is both individual and corporate – living out and the character of Christ as individuals and Kingdom culture as a community of sojourners among our neighbors and neighborhoods. There will always be a dynamic tension or paradox between missional individuals and community. We cannot sustain being missional on our own, but if we are not being missional individually we cannot sustain being mission-shaped corporately.
Being missional involves being both contextual (relevant in our engagement with these cultures) and countercultural (resistant and challenging to the anti-biblical aspects of these cultures). It neither colonizes (attempts to control the culture or make it conform externally) nor syncretizes (lets the culture control us). Mission-shaped engagement with our neighbors and our/their cultures calls forth expectancy, creativity, and responsibility. It also challenges us to advocate for those who have been victimized, to call out those who perpetrate evil and injustice, and to be present with people in the midst of the mundane moments, pains, and joys of their life.
Living this kind of intentional, mission-shaped life requires us to practice regularly the disciplines of:
GIVING (sharing, blessing, praying),
RECEIVING (listening, asking, thanking), and
PERCEIVING (Who/What did I notice that was a surprise? What do I wish I’d done differently/more Christlike just now? How was the Triune God providentially at work in it?)
Persevering in these disciplines develops our missional consciousness and our conscience.
The practices of giving, receiving, and perceiving help transform us from religious consumers into spiritual-cultural producers. Missional attitudes and actions make an incremental difference in the lives of ourselves and others over time, as we root ourselves into the locales and spheres of influence God providentially graces us with. As Tolstoy said, “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” So, being missional is about living out an incarnational life of gradual changes in the commonplace activities of each day together. It is about sacrificial obedience that costs, not seeking for super-spiritual or super-supernatural or self-serving experiences that we think will pay off.
2. Do you feel that this is a good word – why or why not?
“Missional” is a fairly good word to use … when applied with understanding of it as a term of spiritual production, not religious consumption. However, many now seem to want to USE the term WITHOUT LIVING by the terms of the term. I have to wonder if their name-it-and-claim-it approach relates more to marketing promotion than to missional paradigms. If they don’t want to use the word appropriately, then they should not use it at all.
This misapplication is very naughty behavior, even if driven by sincere desires to reach people for Christ. Purveyors of missional emptiness ought to be sent to theological time-out until they have repented of their dilution of the term’s terms, meanings, and methods!
3. To your mind, what is the difference between a “missional church” and a “non-missional” church? Give examples if you like.
Oh, oh …now there’s The Big Question: differences between missional church and non-missional church. I’m a researcher on paradigms and cultural systems, so I’ve got a lot of technical blah-blah-blah ideas and reasons on that subject. Let me say the relatively non-technical stuff here, and leave the rest for my blog or somewhere else, sometime else.
I like what Brother Maynard said in his summary of the Missional SynchroBlog in June 2008: “Live your faith. Share your life.” That keeps things integrated and holistic – and that’s the essence of the missional paradigm. The reverse: “Live your life. Share your faith” is reductionist. The essence of non-missional is compartmentalizing – it divides evangelism and missions and discipleship and etc. away from the rest of life.
I’ve blogged about the differences this way:
What makes mission and missional different? Mission requires “incursion” – people commute into the community, and then return to their home turf when they are finished. Missional requires “incarnation” – people root into the community, because that is their home and they never finish.
I also think a key difference lies in the realm of being collaborative producers instead of passive consumers. In non-missional churches, there are deep-level paradigm assumptions that set up surface-level operating systems that block people from being discipled as spiritual producers; they keep people immature religious consumers. And while creativity is definitely a reflection of God’s image in us, I’ve yet to figure out what aspect of God’s personhood or character consumption reflects
1. What does “missional” mean to you?
I found the link on The Blind Beggar and came over here to see what was happening. The post and comments generated a lot of thinking … thanks for an opportunity to synthesize some of what I’d already been pondering for a long time.
After thinking about the meaning of “missional” for at least a year, I think I’m finally getting a handle on the “what,” “so what,” and “now what” of it all. And as it turns out, it’s a much bigger picture than I realized!
To me, “missional” means everyday discipleship that brings our personal presence into all venues where we have influence. This is both individual and corporate – living out and the character of Christ as individuals and Kingdom culture as a community of sojourners among our neighbors and neighborhoods. There will always be a dynamic tension or paradox between missional individuals and community. We cannot sustain being missional on our own, but if we are not being missional individually we cannot sustain being mission-shaped corporately.
Being missional involves being both contextual (relevant in our engagement with these cultures) and countercultural (resistant and challenging to the anti-biblical aspects of these cultures). It neither colonizes (attempts to control the culture or make it conform externally) nor syncretizes (lets the culture control us). Mission-shaped engagement with our neighbors and our/their cultures calls forth expectancy, creativity, and responsibility. It also challenges us to advocate for those who have been victimized, to call out those who perpetrate evil and injustice, and to be present with people in the midst of the mundane moments, pains, and joys of their life.
Living this kind of intentional, mission-shaped life requires us to practice regularly the disciplines of:
GIVING (sharing, blessing, praying),
RECEIVING (listening, asking, thanking), and
PERCEIVING (Who/What did I notice that was a surprise? What do I wish I’d done differently/more Christlike just now? How was the Triune God providentially at work in it?)
Persevering in these disciplines develops our missional consciousness and our conscience.
The practices of giving, receiving, and perceiving help transform us from religious consumers into spiritual-cultural producers. Missional attitudes and actions make an incremental difference in the lives of ourselves and others over time, as we root ourselves into the locales and spheres of influence God providentially graces us with. As Tolstoy said, “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” So, being missional is about living out an incarnational life of gradual changes in the commonplace activities of each day together. It is about sacrificial obedience that costs, not seeking for super-spiritual or super-supernatural or self-serving experiences that we think will pay off.
2. Do you feel that this is a good word – why or why not?
“Missional” is a fairly good word to use … when applied with understanding of it as a term of spiritual production, not religious consumption. However, many now seem to want to USE the term WITHOUT LIVING by the terms of the term. I have to wonder if their name-it-and-claim-it approach relates more to marketing promotion than to missional paradigms. If they don’t want to use the word appropriately, then they should not use it at all.
This misapplication is very naughty behavior, even if driven by sincere desires to reach people for Christ. Purveyors of missional emptiness ought to be sent to theological time-out until they have repented of their dilution of the term’s terms, meanings, and methods!
3. To your mind, what is the difference between a “missional church” and a “non-missional” church? Give examples if you like.
Oh, oh …now there’s The Big Question: differences between missional church and non-missional church. I’m a researcher on paradigms and cultural systems, so I’ve got a lot of technical blah-blah-blah ideas and reasons on that subject. Let me say the relatively non-technical stuff here, and leave the rest for my blog or somewhere else, sometime else.
I like what Brother Maynard said in his summary of the Missional SynchroBlog in June 2008: “Live your faith. Share your life.” That keeps things integrated and holistic – and that’s the essence of the missional paradigm. The reverse: “Live your life. Share your faith” is reductionist. The essence of non-missional is compartmentalizing – it divides evangelism and missions and discipleship and etc. away from the rest of life.
I’ve blogged about the differences this way:
What makes mission and missional different? Mission requires “incursion” – people commute into the community, and then return to their home turf when they are finished. Missional requires “incarnation” – people root into the community, because that is their home and they never finish.
I also think a key difference lies in the realm of being collaborative producers instead of passive consumers. In non-missional churches, there are deep-level paradigm assumptions that set up surface-level operating systems that block people from being discipled as spiritual producers; they keep people immature religious consumers. And while creativity is definitely a reflection of God’s image in us, I’ve yet to figure out what aspect of God’s personhood or character consumption reflects
distinctions by topher
IHA and ADH
IHA
INCARNATIONAL An incarnational community cooperatively goes into cultures that already exist, and become like them to reach them. They believe that God is already present in these cultures and therefore, their role as missionaries is not to bring God into that group, or take that group out of the culture into a sacred space, but they help others to see how God is already working in and around them in the ordinary as well as the miraculous.
HOLISTIC A holistic community sees God's hand in the ordinary situations of life. They are able to see and understand the prevenient grace of God at work in places that have not been reached by the church. Rather than relying on programs and services to proclaim the gospel, they are able to show the gospel lived out in their ordinary lives and in ordinary situations. People then see a spirituality that is holistic, meaningful, and relevant to their yearnings for an almighty God that meets them where they are at and a church that meets them in the same way- where they are, as they are.
APOSTOLIC An apostolic community recognizes the responsibility that each believer has been given to play a role in the kingdom. Each member is a leader. As each member is living by the two-fold practice of LISTEN & OBEY, they are simultaneously learning how to feed themselves spiritually and be accountable and communal. They therefore, become less reliant on community for spiritual nourishment, while choosing to be involved in community out of obedience, love, accountability, friendship, worship, wisdom, and co-labor-ship. The apostolic community typically shares a common set of "missionary practices." These are spiritual disciplines that provide common ground for the community as well as a means for the members of the community to LISTEN & OBEY. As the members of the community gather, these lifestyle disciplines provide an informal liturgy for the community, with much to share, and much reason to worship the Lord together.
ADH
ATTRACTIONAL An attractional organization seeks to create a spiritually comfortable and sanctified place within a culture that can serve as it's community's hub. They then attempt to invite people into this space, with the hopes of extracting them out of their old community and transplanting them into the new christian community. The focus is on providing alternative 3rd places so that people can meet new friends, and find new clubs, and new activities to be involved with during the week. This type of organization is also sometimes referred to as "EXTRACTIONAL."
DUALISTIC A dualistic paradigm sees the world as divided between the sacred and the ordinary. Although God is in both places, we are expected to encounter him more fully and deeply in the sacred spaces than in the ordinary. This is because sacred spaces are designed for an encounter with God. Through the use of architecture, lighting, artwork, alters, ceremonies, music, etc... these spaces are also protected against unnecessary distractions or possible stumbling blocks that could hinder someone from making a connection with God or with another believer in fellowship.
HIERARCHICAL A hierarchical organization is an organization that is characterized by the separation of clergy and laity. The laity entrust the work of the kingdom to the few qualified leaders, who then provide vision for the laity and the steps necessary to achieve that vision. The clergy (or staff) provide services to the laity which include: the sacred space to meet, a vision for the organization's role in the Kingdom, teaching (in the form of a sunday message, and often classes offered during the week), small group coordination and management, mission trips, counseling, etc...
IHA
INCARNATIONAL An incarnational community cooperatively goes into cultures that already exist, and become like them to reach them. They believe that God is already present in these cultures and therefore, their role as missionaries is not to bring God into that group, or take that group out of the culture into a sacred space, but they help others to see how God is already working in and around them in the ordinary as well as the miraculous.
HOLISTIC A holistic community sees God's hand in the ordinary situations of life. They are able to see and understand the prevenient grace of God at work in places that have not been reached by the church. Rather than relying on programs and services to proclaim the gospel, they are able to show the gospel lived out in their ordinary lives and in ordinary situations. People then see a spirituality that is holistic, meaningful, and relevant to their yearnings for an almighty God that meets them where they are at and a church that meets them in the same way- where they are, as they are.
APOSTOLIC An apostolic community recognizes the responsibility that each believer has been given to play a role in the kingdom. Each member is a leader. As each member is living by the two-fold practice of LISTEN & OBEY, they are simultaneously learning how to feed themselves spiritually and be accountable and communal. They therefore, become less reliant on community for spiritual nourishment, while choosing to be involved in community out of obedience, love, accountability, friendship, worship, wisdom, and co-labor-ship. The apostolic community typically shares a common set of "missionary practices." These are spiritual disciplines that provide common ground for the community as well as a means for the members of the community to LISTEN & OBEY. As the members of the community gather, these lifestyle disciplines provide an informal liturgy for the community, with much to share, and much reason to worship the Lord together.
ADH
ATTRACTIONAL An attractional organization seeks to create a spiritually comfortable and sanctified place within a culture that can serve as it's community's hub. They then attempt to invite people into this space, with the hopes of extracting them out of their old community and transplanting them into the new christian community. The focus is on providing alternative 3rd places so that people can meet new friends, and find new clubs, and new activities to be involved with during the week. This type of organization is also sometimes referred to as "EXTRACTIONAL."
DUALISTIC A dualistic paradigm sees the world as divided between the sacred and the ordinary. Although God is in both places, we are expected to encounter him more fully and deeply in the sacred spaces than in the ordinary. This is because sacred spaces are designed for an encounter with God. Through the use of architecture, lighting, artwork, alters, ceremonies, music, etc... these spaces are also protected against unnecessary distractions or possible stumbling blocks that could hinder someone from making a connection with God or with another believer in fellowship.
HIERARCHICAL A hierarchical organization is an organization that is characterized by the separation of clergy and laity. The laity entrust the work of the kingdom to the few qualified leaders, who then provide vision for the laity and the steps necessary to achieve that vision. The clergy (or staff) provide services to the laity which include: the sacred space to meet, a vision for the organization's role in the Kingdom, teaching (in the form of a sunday message, and often classes offered during the week), small group coordination and management, mission trips, counseling, etc...
Thursday, November 11, 2010
I recently attended a local Acts 29 workshop for Pastors and church planters. The guest speaker was a guy by the name of Jonathon Dodson. He was a very intelligent dude in his 30's, who brought a huge amount of info to the thirty men sitting. I was able to take some notes and have decided to post his outline while I await the MP3.
The premise (for those in attendance) was to "deconstruct' the way we think and/or do church.
I. Missional Church
What is it?
-Not a church with a mission
All churches have a mission i.e. doctrine, social
A missional church is a church AS a mission, not a church WITH a mission.
So then we must make a conceptual shift between old church and missional church
Vocation
Church WITH a Mission
•what you do
•extraordinary (elitist)
•project forums - event driven
Natural
Church As a mission
•who you are
•optional • essential core
ordinary people
people focus (disciple)
Three things need to happen for shift
•correctional (head)
•practical reorient life back into mission
•effectual
This is not a dichotomy!
Missio dei means the God sender. Mission is an attribute of God, and is not something God does! We must have a better understanding of theology proper. If you want to have a church you must start right now!
Three ways not to be missional
•event driven (consumeristic)
•evangelism driven (soul winning at expense of social renewal)
This has also become answer driven; right spiritual answer, ticket to glory. The right answer does not mean salvation; believing right fact, brings no discernable evidence
• social driven
Missiology syncretized
Syncretistic missiology
•institutional church- forced
•intuitive missional church - natural
Gives example of "gospel conversion" using Colossians 1:3 as proof text.
•Christ
•church
•mission
When planting, you actually don't launch a church, you really launch a service, because doing church as a mission means you are the church already doing the church work in the context of your own life.
You cannot be missional inviting people to hear a sermon 1.5 hrs per week
Quote- 'You are saved into full time ministry, not to go into ministry" Jonathon Dodson
(At this point he gives an example of communal commands. Not necessary to publish this ex.)
Session II.
institutional
pulpit- (all you know)
adopts programs of mission
intuitive missional not rely on teaching preaching alone
repent of old stuff
create a culture of prayer
discern missional leadership patterns bible
Finally, ends session talking about ways to be intuitive in your descriptions of sin and the need for repentance as it relates to our post mod culture.
Quote- ''biblical exegesis is like underwear, it holds everything up"
'' people will complain because their idols are being removed"
(on implementing Missional concept in your church)
I asked who his mentors were? He responds by asking, dead or alive? I say, both.
•John Piper
•Tim Chester
•Abraham Kiper
Recommended Books
•You can change by Tim Chester
•Future of faith by Harvey Hex
•Praying life by Paul Miller
The premise (for those in attendance) was to "deconstruct' the way we think and/or do church.
I. Missional Church
What is it?
-Not a church with a mission
All churches have a mission i.e. doctrine, social
A missional church is a church AS a mission, not a church WITH a mission.
So then we must make a conceptual shift between old church and missional church
Vocation
Church WITH a Mission
•what you do
•extraordinary (elitist)
•project forums - event driven
Natural
Church As a mission
•who you are
•optional • essential core
ordinary people
people focus (disciple)
Three things need to happen for shift
•correctional (head)
•practical reorient life back into mission
•effectual
This is not a dichotomy!
Missio dei means the God sender. Mission is an attribute of God, and is not something God does! We must have a better understanding of theology proper. If you want to have a church you must start right now!
Three ways not to be missional
•event driven (consumeristic)
•evangelism driven (soul winning at expense of social renewal)
This has also become answer driven; right spiritual answer, ticket to glory. The right answer does not mean salvation; believing right fact, brings no discernable evidence
• social driven
Missiology syncretized
Syncretistic missiology
•institutional church- forced
•intuitive missional church - natural
Gives example of "gospel conversion" using Colossians 1:3 as proof text.
•Christ
•church
•mission
When planting, you actually don't launch a church, you really launch a service, because doing church as a mission means you are the church already doing the church work in the context of your own life.
You cannot be missional inviting people to hear a sermon 1.5 hrs per week
Quote- 'You are saved into full time ministry, not to go into ministry" Jonathon Dodson
(At this point he gives an example of communal commands. Not necessary to publish this ex.)
Session II.
institutional
pulpit- (all you know)
adopts programs of mission
intuitive missional not rely on teaching preaching alone
repent of old stuff
create a culture of prayer
discern missional leadership patterns bible
Finally, ends session talking about ways to be intuitive in your descriptions of sin and the need for repentance as it relates to our post mod culture.
Quote- ''biblical exegesis is like underwear, it holds everything up"
'' people will complain because their idols are being removed"
(on implementing Missional concept in your church)
I asked who his mentors were? He responds by asking, dead or alive? I say, both.
•John Piper
•Tim Chester
•Abraham Kiper
Recommended Books
•You can change by Tim Chester
•Future of faith by Harvey Hex
•Praying life by Paul Miller
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Evening Prayer
I pray tonight, for all those sorts and conditions of men to whom Jesus gave special thought and care;
For those lacking food or drink or raiment (clothing),
For the sick and all who are wasted by disease,
For the blind,
For the maimed and lame,
For lepers,
For prisoners,
For those oppressed by an injustice,
For the lost sheep of our human society,
For fallen women,
For all lonely strangers within our gates,
For the worried and anxious,
For those who are living faithful lives in obscurity,
For those who are fighting bravely in unpopular causes,
For all whoa re laboring diligently in Your vineyard.
Grant, O Father, that Your loving kindness in causing my own lines to fall in pleasant places may not make me less sensitive to the needs of others less privileged, but rather more incline me to lay their burdens upon my own heart. And if any adversity should befall myself, then let me not brood upon my own sorrows, as if I alone in the world were suffering, but rather let me busy myself in the compassionate service of all who need my help. Thus let the power of my Lord Christ be strong within me and His peace invade my spirit. Amen
Evening Prayer from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie, 1949
For those lacking food or drink or raiment (clothing),
For the sick and all who are wasted by disease,
For the blind,
For the maimed and lame,
For lepers,
For prisoners,
For those oppressed by an injustice,
For the lost sheep of our human society,
For fallen women,
For all lonely strangers within our gates,
For the worried and anxious,
For those who are living faithful lives in obscurity,
For those who are fighting bravely in unpopular causes,
For all whoa re laboring diligently in Your vineyard.
Grant, O Father, that Your loving kindness in causing my own lines to fall in pleasant places may not make me less sensitive to the needs of others less privileged, but rather more incline me to lay their burdens upon my own heart. And if any adversity should befall myself, then let me not brood upon my own sorrows, as if I alone in the world were suffering, but rather let me busy myself in the compassionate service of all who need my help. Thus let the power of my Lord Christ be strong within me and His peace invade my spirit. Amen
Evening Prayer from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie, 1949
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Litany of Humility
Oh Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Written by Rafael Cardinal Merry Del Val
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Written by Rafael Cardinal Merry Del Val
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Another beggar illustration Acts 3
I am amazed once again this week as I study yet another account of God's providential hand on the life of a single beggar.
This week our text lays out a perfect illustration of the mercy, purpose and most importantly, the supremacy of God over all things. Even a debilitating disease such as lameness.
What fascinates me about this passage is that if we would be honest with ourselves we should be willing to admit that we are truly no different than this beggar sitting at the gate beautiful.
So many times in life’s journey we find ourselves desperate for God. There are points where I have discovered an endless sense of frustration and hopelessness unless Christ be not for me.
The thought of never being able to contribute to God's Kingdom due to past mistakes is a killer. Then we know there are many a people struggling with guilt and shame.
Perhaps you find yourself in a situation that is to secretive to announce, lest everything around you fall apart? Or maybe the marriage that has consumed your entire life has only become worse as the years press on and you feel stuck without hope?
Just maybe you are one with a disease and you're having to hold on to family and friends and to whatever shimmer of hope someone has given you?
Think with me a moment..
Was this beggars inability to help feed himself, or work and contribute to society out of God's sovereign control? Did this beggar somehow find himself off heavens radar for 40 years to just now be noticed?
God had a plan for him though it never ever seemed to have come to pass, until suddenly on a normal day of begging, God showed up.
We see several elements of the healing here that we can apply to our spiritual, emotional and physical infirmities and afflictions.
First, he had to be broken and humble. Next, he needed to be a willing participant to God's moving.(some of us find ourselves bitter or angry and resentful and unfortunately we will remain as we are with no hope in sight)
Then this beggar needed to look with expectancy, and finally, he needed to appropriate a measure of faith given to him from God to obey the Apostles orders to take hold of, and to rise.
(Never exercising muscles you have not used for years or even know about takes a tremendous amount of determination and trust in God.)
The result- he leaped up for joy and shouted praises to God! He became free and liberated.
If you are in a position of being pressed down hard upon the floor of your circumstance, show some contrition before God. Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.
Just as He did for this beggar...so He shall do for you.
Do you believe this?
This week our text lays out a perfect illustration of the mercy, purpose and most importantly, the supremacy of God over all things. Even a debilitating disease such as lameness.
What fascinates me about this passage is that if we would be honest with ourselves we should be willing to admit that we are truly no different than this beggar sitting at the gate beautiful.
So many times in life’s journey we find ourselves desperate for God. There are points where I have discovered an endless sense of frustration and hopelessness unless Christ be not for me.
The thought of never being able to contribute to God's Kingdom due to past mistakes is a killer. Then we know there are many a people struggling with guilt and shame.
Perhaps you find yourself in a situation that is to secretive to announce, lest everything around you fall apart? Or maybe the marriage that has consumed your entire life has only become worse as the years press on and you feel stuck without hope?
Just maybe you are one with a disease and you're having to hold on to family and friends and to whatever shimmer of hope someone has given you?
Think with me a moment..
Was this beggars inability to help feed himself, or work and contribute to society out of God's sovereign control? Did this beggar somehow find himself off heavens radar for 40 years to just now be noticed?
God had a plan for him though it never ever seemed to have come to pass, until suddenly on a normal day of begging, God showed up.
We see several elements of the healing here that we can apply to our spiritual, emotional and physical infirmities and afflictions.
First, he had to be broken and humble. Next, he needed to be a willing participant to God's moving.(some of us find ourselves bitter or angry and resentful and unfortunately we will remain as we are with no hope in sight)
Then this beggar needed to look with expectancy, and finally, he needed to appropriate a measure of faith given to him from God to obey the Apostles orders to take hold of, and to rise.
(Never exercising muscles you have not used for years or even know about takes a tremendous amount of determination and trust in God.)
The result- he leaped up for joy and shouted praises to God! He became free and liberated.
If you are in a position of being pressed down hard upon the floor of your circumstance, show some contrition before God. Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.
Just as He did for this beggar...so He shall do for you.
Do you believe this?
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