tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20641455034047894702024-03-13T10:31:57.823-07:00Tamara BuchanTamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.comBlogger560125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-88907727917805363602012-09-13T09:55:00.001-07:002012-09-13T10:07:44.657-07:00The Fairy Circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrNqmCrcUlSyfmNZUnegU-GJv043r4m5xq3wUFGEr7wdzIeWpQk0OxgbuZZmhDWFg3oRzoKBjD94ors6hOTFjk28nHHxkxI22qulEmNzHoAcFN_LBjwmKME3JNoaShfG4wXs97tKkZEg/s1600/redwood+fairy+circle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrNqmCrcUlSyfmNZUnegU-GJv043r4m5xq3wUFGEr7wdzIeWpQk0OxgbuZZmhDWFg3oRzoKBjD94ors6hOTFjk28nHHxkxI22qulEmNzHoAcFN_LBjwmKME3JNoaShfG4wXs97tKkZEg/s400/redwood+fairy+circle2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>"Truly, I tell you unless a seed of grain falls to the earth and dies, it remains a single seed. But, if it dies, it creates a great big harvest." Jesus, John 12:24</o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVz87oN1daljxts02EpJunNfEE9NeTygTnQUsM3lPlFkVn8RVdzcObAzRM8YuK-55kb4SJCi11wYHK8XozJBuMzgwTo78fszZ9idpIEd6Pr5tEB4ihKnX38P47mC0thpTrGU-rSegOhs/s1600/redwood+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVz87oN1daljxts02EpJunNfEE9NeTygTnQUsM3lPlFkVn8RVdzcObAzRM8YuK-55kb4SJCi11wYHK8XozJBuMzgwTo78fszZ9idpIEd6Pr5tEB4ihKnX38P47mC0thpTrGU-rSegOhs/s320/redwood+trees.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairy Circle: a circle of new trees created from the death of a parent tree</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week our family went to Armstrong Woods to see a vast
forest of giant redwood trees. One of the reasons redwoods can become so tall
(some 330 feet) is because their roots systems intertwine underground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read about fairy circles in the forest, discovering a fairy circle comes from a parent tree which dies. In the
process it sends out redwood shoots in a circle which result in the birth of
many new trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I observed these
fairy circles, I sensed the Lord say to me, <em><strong>“This is the picture of what is
taking place in Missio Lux. The parent tree must die, but in the process the
shoots will thrive and continue to significantly impact my kingdom.”<o:p></o:p></strong></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Missio Lux has created a root system that is deep and wide
through the foundation of faith reflected in the people of Missio Lux, as well
as the transformational ministry taking place through our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may be reading this blog because in some
way, whether big or small, your life and faith has joined in its root system.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is with deep sadness, and yet a sense of gratefulness and
joy over the many shoots created through Missio Lux’ ministry, that Missio Lux
as an organization will cease operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, in the death of the organization, we recognize we have been
impacted by the relationships and the sense of family created in Missio
Lux.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just as we gather to grieve the death of a loved
one, and in the midst of the grief, we have joy as we recall the stories. Please take some time to write your reflection in the comments section of how your life has been impacted by Missio Lux. Together we can celebrate the fairy circle of strong, inpenetrable redwoods God has created within his people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-32864247040038211972012-01-25T11:39:00.001-08:002012-01-25T11:43:19.393-08:00Turning our D's into P's<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">D’s and P’s</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">. They keep rolling around my head as the smaller letters: <span style="color: #7030a0;">d and p. </span>When you look at them it’s easy to see that they are direct opposites. But, when you turn a <span style="color: #7030a0;">d </span>around it becomes a <span style="color: #7030a0;">p.</span> Why is this important? It’s not the letters themselves but the words they represent that alert me to a reality of direct opposites, yet when the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d </span>is turned around, it becomes a <span style="color: #7030a0;">p</span>!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Think about it, the letter d begins the name of our enemy: <span style="color: #7030a0;">Devil. </span>The letter p’s points us to our Savior<span style="color: #7030a0;">: Prince of Peace</span>. I realize the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’s</span> start words such as <span style="color: #7030a0;">doubt, despair, destruction, disabled, discouragement, and depression which lead to death. </span>The <span style="color: #7030a0;">p’s</span> lead me into <span style="color: #7030a0;">life: peace, protection, provision, promise, power and perseverance. </span>Who is the author of the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d </span>words? Of course, the Devil himself. Who is the creator of <span style="color: #7030a0;">the life giving p </span>words? Our <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace</span>, the Son of the Living God.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I’ve been considering the reality of our ability to take a <span style="color: #7030a0;">d </span>in our life and to turn and face the Prince of Peace to partner with him to make the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’</span>s our <span style="color: #7030a0;">p’</span>s. Two of the most devastating realities for people in the 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> century is depression and despair. When the Devil gets us to believe that life will never change, we are chained into a prison of despair, no hope exists for breakthrough, we often find ourselves sinking into depression. But, when we take our despair and depression and bring it before the Prince of Peace, we are able to experience the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’</span>s becoming <span style="color: #7030a0;">p’s of peace and promise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">George Barna has a study out regarding how people progress in their journey with the Prince of Peace in his new book <u>Maximum Faith: Live a life like Jesus</u>. He writes:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The transformation journey has ten stops en route to wholeness and freedom. Most Americans, according to the research, never get beyond <i><span style="color: #7030a0;">stop three</span></i><b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span></b>(awareness and concern about sin and its effects, but not cooperating with Christ to alleviate that problem). Among those who become “born again Christians,” most never move <i><span style="color: #7030a0;">past stop five</span></i><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>(i.e., having invited Christ to be their savior and then engaging in a lot of religious activity). In other words, a majority of the American public <i><span style="color: #7030a0;">never reaches the second half of the stops on the journey to wholeness.</span></i><span style="color: #7030a0;">”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The research actually indicates that only <span style="color: #7030a0;">2% of Jesus followers </span>ever get to <span style="color: #7030a0;">stop 9 and 10; </span>the place where people live in peace, productivity and power, rather than doubt, despair and destruction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">How can this be?</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> I spend a lot of time thinking about it because following Jesus is my life passion and pursuit. I am also privileged enough to also engage pursuit and passionate work helping others live a life of peace, protection, provision, promise, pleasure, passion, perseverance and power partnering with the Prince of Peace.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The question I wonder is, <span style="color: #7030a0;">which life do you want? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> Doubt, despair, depression, destruction, disablement, discouragement </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> or </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> Peace, power, perseverance, provision, protection, passion, pleasure and promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Missio Lux is committed to equipping people through intentional discipleship to change our <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’s into p’s</span>. We regularly ask ourselves and one another, “What is God saying to you? How are you responding to his invitation?” We walk through a Learning Circle (<a href="http://www.weare3dm.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.weare3dm.com</span></a>) in huddle; a small group of 6 to 8 people meeting intentionally to discover how to follow the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>in the life of <span style="color: #7030a0;">p’s</span>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When we discover that our focus has been on the author of the d’s, or living in a d place of destruction, despair, depression and doubt, we take time to observe, reflect and discuss the root of the <span style="color: #7030a0;">d, </span>and the ability to turn it around so that it becomes a <span style="color: #7030a0;">p </span>in our life. This is called “<span style="color: #7030a0;">repentance” which only means to turn around and go another direction</span>. The <span style="color: #7030a0;">d </span>becomes a <span style="color: #7030a0;">p </span>as we turn it around….it faces another direction.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The good news about the turn of <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’s to p’s </span>in Missio Lux is that we don’t do it alone. We have the power of the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace</span> to make it happen and the support of a loving community. It happens through yet another life giving word: <span style="color: #7030a0;">prayer.</span> Prayer is our communion with the One who loved us so much he couldn’t live without us. Prayer is the place where our body, our mind and our emotions come into peace. Prayer is what reminds us we are protected and provided for; prayer brings us passion and pleasure, as we persevere through the challenge of d’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The d’s and p’s come with both invitation and challenge. </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> The invitation comes through the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>who came to earth to experience life as a human so we would know he cares about every aspect of our lives. Hebrews 4:15-16 state:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">“This High Priest of ours, <i>the Prince of Peace</i>, understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The challenge is whether we want the life Jesus came to give us enough to fight for it. Will we do the work to repent, or change our direction? Will we seek out a loving community who will walk with us in our journey from the d’s to the p’s? Will we share what we are experiencing with others, so they can live in freedom too? Will we pray often, setting aside sacred time with the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace</span>, so that our minds become <span style="color: #7030a0;">permeated, another p, with his presence and power?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Here’s my challenge to you:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> Make an intentional decision to set aside three days to do a mental audit of your thoughts. Carry around a notebook or a recorder so when a thought pops up, you can decide, “is this a d thought or a life thought?” when you decide, record it as a <span style="color: #7030a0;">d or p.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">At the end of the three days, count up how many <span style="color: #7030a0;">d’s and p’s </span>you have. Are they equal in number, or way out of balance?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Ask yourself if they are equal, Is this the life I want to live, or are too many of my thoughts dominated by the prince of death? If they are way out of balance on the d side, take immediate action and find a Celebrate Recovery or a Healing Prayer ministry, <a href="http://www.missiolux.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.missiolux.org</span></a> where you can find others who are intentionally facing their d’s head on and partnering with <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>to turn them into p’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Celebrate if you have a disproportion of <span style="color: #7030a0;">p’s.</span> This indicates you are living a life the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>invites you to live. It also means you have the privilege and responsibility to take your life and multiply it into others. Jesus told us in John 15:7-8:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 1in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, <i>that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It is when we share our p’s with others, we live as a disciple. A disciple is one who patterns their life with their leader and multiplies their lifestyle. In our case, we want to pattern our lives with the <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>who teaches us how to live in such a way that our fruit spills out wherever we go because we are sharing the <span style="color: #7030a0;">life of p’s with a world focused on d’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When we intentionally commit ourselves to partner with <span style="color: #7030a0;">Prince of Peace </span>to help support, encourage and equip others, the Father is filled with pleasure and in return, releases his pleasure into us. I dream of a world where the d’s have no more power because the p’s are so filled with life which entices us to live the life Jesus came to give us.<o:p></o:p></span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-36534908805342439132012-01-18T12:42:00.000-08:002012-01-18T12:42:15.168-08:00Reflections on "The Father's Delight"<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I remember when our daughters were younger and full of curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It pleased me so much to do something special for them because of their joy filled response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My gifts were simple: an ice cream cone, a stop at the park for 10 minutes of swing time, sitting down to create a treasure out of playdough, hanging their picture on the frig.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My simple “yes” to their desire made parenting them as young children an enjoyable experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">As I’ve grown in my identity as a beloved child of my Heavenly Father, I’ve begun to realize my interaction with my young children mirrors the interaction I have with my heavenly daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He, too, delights to please me because of the joy it gives me to experience his answer. </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s cylical too:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the more I express my delight, the more he loves to give me his gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This reality is even in Scripture when Jesus expresses, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how much more will your Father in heaven <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">give good gifts</b> to those who ask him”</i> (Matthew 7:11)<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I’ve been praying a Scripture out of 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Timothy 6 that almost always causes my spirit to leap up, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment!”</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There it is in print: our heavenly father richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Do we believe this? <o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Do I believe this?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think for a long time my view of the Heavenly Father was one of withholding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought he would withhold from me because it was good for my character, or I had disappointed him, or someone else deserved it more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s taken me time to move into the mindset where I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">firmly believe</i> he wants to please me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just wants to please me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, this makes my relationship with my heavenly father a lot more enjoyable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like my time with my young daughters; it was more enjoyable for me when I was telling them “yes, I want to please you,” rather than a “no” or “come back later” or “just a minute.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I often wonder why it is such a struggle to stay on the side of believing our heavenly father wants to please us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, when I take time to explore it, I remember Adam and Eve and their interaction with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The serpent so brilliantly planted the seed of doubt in their minds:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your God doesn’t want to please you, he’s holding out on you by telling you not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He caused Adam and Eve to begin to mistrust God’s good intentions for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His strategy worked so well, he’s been using it on the rest of humanity ever since!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">So, you may ask, how do we begin to experience our heavenly father showering us with good gifts provided for our enjoyment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">First, experience his love through getting to know him better as your daddy</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spend time in Psalms 103, Romans 8, 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> John and Psalm 139.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to a location where you feel most alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you love to be in nature, take a hike and meditate on one of the passages along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are contemplative, put on some soothing music and read the Scriptures slowly, letting God’s love pour over you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are an activist, consider how you can convey God’s character to those around you who need to hear “good news.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Second, begin to pray.</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, don’t just make it a long laundry list you spout out occasionally at God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #990000;">begin to be very specific, consistent</span> <span style="color: #990000;">and unified in your prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #990000;">These three concepts will literally begin to unfold God’s delight in answering our heart’s desires.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">When I pray, I often set timelines for when I’d like God to answer. Some people have commented they think it’s demanding to ask this way, but I disagree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we pray <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">specifically </i>with timelines, we can be even more positive it’s God’s answer. When we are in the process of discovering God’s delight in answering, it helps to build our faith and to recognize his work amongst us.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I love this example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our house was on the market in preparation for our move to California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our new house was set to close on November 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, so I prayed for a contract in hand by Nov 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> before we closed on our new loan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole week leading up to November 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, not one person came to look at our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept telling God, “It’s getting close, don’t you want to bring a new person to look?” I like to say, “God is the God of just in time” because he often likes to wait until the last minute just to make his answer even more tangible and dramatic.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Well, it turns out that we didn’t get just one offer on November 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, we got 4!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One offer came from traveler in China who got up in the middle of the night to call their realtor. When we signed a contract for purchase of our present home in our kitchen at 3:25 on November 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and literally walked around the corner to our living room at 3:30 to close the loan on our new house, I was fully aware of God’s smile as he looked at me and said, “See, you didn’t need to worry, the answer was always on its way.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Pray Specifically!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Pray Consistently.</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continue to encourage those around me to set their alarms to go off at 10:02 a.m. every day. The reason?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus taught his 72 friends to pray for harvesters because the harvest is ready in Luke 10:2. Luke 10:1 tells us Jesus’ strategy was to send his friends out two by two to the places he intended to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the same with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sends us out in prayer to prepare the way for where he wants to show up and show off!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The third aspect to discover God’s delight in answering our prayers is to do it with others in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">unity and community.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we make a decision to pray together at the same time, wherever we are, when the alarm goes off, we know we aren’t on this journey alone, but we have fellow travelers who are praying with us for God’s answers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we get a spectacular answer like the one we received for the contract on our house, it’s so much to share it with our friends who are praying too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just like Jesus sending us out two by two to prepare the way for his coming.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Jesus told us “When two or three are gathered together, I am in their midst.” This promise applies to us even if we aren’t literally in the same location. When we are gathered through our commitment to pray at 10:02, Jesus is there, preparing the answers for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Last week my sister came to help me unpack our new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the alarm went off at 10:02 she cried out, “Time to pray for the harvest.” Even though she doesn’t live by me, she knew about the prayer because she had just been with her son who also prays at 10:02.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stopped our unpacking for a couple of minutes, prayed for a harvest in my new neighborhood, and then went back to work.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The father’s invitation is here for you to know him as a generous and loving Papa who wants to please us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put my challenge to pray specifically, consistently and in unity and community to the test!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Start the challenge through considering what would fulfill your heart’s desire</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it a visit to see your grown children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trip with your family? A promotion at work? A meaningful conversation with a neighbor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A medical issue healed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing is too big for our heavenly father.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Next, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">set your alarm to go off at 10:02 every day</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the alarm goes off, pray your specific prayer, every day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Invite your friends or family to pray with you at 10:02.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are with others at 10:02, stop and invite them to pray with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are in a business meeting or in a place where it isn’t appropriate to stop and pray out loud, take a moment in your mind and pray; then, re-engage what you were doing.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I can’t wait to hear your answers to prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post them on the blog, or send them to me at </span><a href="mailto:tamara@missiolux.org"><span style="color: #990000;">tamara@missiolux.org</span></a><span style="color: #990000;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a heavenly father who can’t wait to hear from us!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-17836227702516476352011-12-21T09:02:00.000-08:002011-12-21T09:02:57.281-08:00Advent Reflections: God with us: the Rest of the Story<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">One of my favorite Christmas carols is “Emmanuel.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My family will tell you that I have one version that I blast around the house during the month of December. They are spared this year since we are moving and I haven’t gotten the CD out; I think they are grateful!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Emmanuel means <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“God with us.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>We sing about this reality, we celebrate it at Christmas, we reflect on what it means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there is so much more to the story . . .it spans all of history as well as pointing us to eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe our Heavenly Father wants us to stop with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“God with us.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>He has so much more for us; so if you are willing to accept the mission…read on!<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God Present to One Person:<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Abraham is one who experienced God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had several encounters with God; the first being told to go “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">to an unknown land which I will show you.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Imagine having to go home to Sarah to tell her the news:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“we are moving….where? ….not sure yet, we have to pack up and start moving and then we will know.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably wasn’t the best conversation in the world!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abraham’s next encounter involved being told he would have a son in his old age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared and created a covenant with him; he would become the father of a multitude of nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, his last encounter with God came with great sacrifice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abraham was to take his long awaited son and put him on the altar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">All together Abraham personally experienced God’s presence four times in his long life.</span></i><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">In this period of time, out of all humanity, one man experienced God four times in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God Present to a Nation:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God was present in a cloud and fire to the Israelites after they are delivered from Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so, only Moses and Joshua were able to go up the mountain to meet with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Tabernacle was built, God’s specific instruction was for one priest to meet him in the Holy of Holies one time per year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His presence to the whole nation was still limited.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Emmanuel: God with Us:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Almost five hundred years later, Israel’s long awaited Messiah appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus, the baby born in a manger in Bethlehem, came in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“Look!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The virgin will conceive a child!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will give birth to a son and name him Emmanuel:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God with us.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>Is 7:14.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When Jesus was about to be crucified, he told his disciples, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“It is best for me to go away because when I do, the counselor, the Holy Spirit will come.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>(author’s paraphrase: John 16:7)<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Jesus was God in flesh living amongst humanity.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The Rest of the Story:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">If the story stopped at this point, we still have much to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there is much more to God’s story with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heavenly Father sent Jesus to model for us how we live on earth in a human body, but with the realization it is no longer just <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">God with us</span></b>, but it is now <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">God in us.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God in us</span></i></b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">is the mystery kept hidden for all history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Pentecost, everything changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, their bodies instantly becoming the Holy of Holies, the place reserved for one priest to enter one time per year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Imagine this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>throughout the ages, God was present with one man, he was present with a nation, he was even present through his son on earth, but today <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">he is present in us.</span></b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We carry the living God with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are tabernacles which brightly reflect the glory of the Lord:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when the angels rejoice in the heavens at Jesus’ birth, they were a prophetic sign for our present reality:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">God in us.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We celebrate Jesus birth because he came to show us how to live as God in us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He taught us how to see and hear the Father’s voice and direction (John 5:19).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He modeled for us the rhythmic pattern of life through moving between abiding and bearing fruit (John 15).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He equipped us to go and do the things he did. He sent us to go and proclaim the kingdom of God is near (Luke 9:1-2).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He taught us the road of sacrifice through his willingness to lay down his life so others, this includes us, could have life through his death (John 12:32).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We have everything we need to live as Jesus did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lives in us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, this Christmas season as you sing <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“Emmanuel”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>and celebrate <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">God with us</span></b>, remember our true reality is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“God in us.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ephesians 1:13b-14<span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> who lives in you and was given to </span>you by God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 Cor 6:19<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> ju</span>st as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:18<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-12220873707209454812011-12-09T15:06:00.000-08:002011-12-09T15:07:46.615-08:00Advent Reflections: "Saying Yes to the Unknown"<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">It happens to all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We go through our daily life, moving in our regular routine, when all of the sudden God breaks through and changes our direction: sometimes so dramatically it leaves us breathless and in great awe as we ponder what God is doing in our midst.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">This is called a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“Kairos Moment.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Kairos is the Greek word for when time stands still and God breaks through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of our Bible heroes experienced them:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abraham did when God told him to go to a "land which I will show you."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses did when he experienced the burning bush and a call to return to Pharaoh’s palace to set the Israelites free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David did when he was called out of shepherding sheep into leading a nation as king. The prophet Ezekiel did when the Lord called him to speak to a valley of dead bones which became an army of living people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Mary, mother of Jesus, also experienced a kairos moment when the angel Gabriel met her in her village of Nazareth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was most likely in the barn milking the cows, or tending to the sheep, when Angel Gabriel showed up and said, “Greetings, favored woman!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord is with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Mary was confused and disturbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t consider herself a woman yet; she was most likely 14 or 15 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had no clue she was favored:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she saw herself as from the lower class of life as she was poor, a woman, and part of the Israelite culture oppressed by the Romans for decades.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">But, God isn’t concerned with our viewpoints of ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He identifies us through the lense as his beloved children with a purpose to help redeem all of creation in the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Angel Gabriel spoke out God’s identity for Mary:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>one who was favored to conceive, carry through pregnancy, and birth the Messiah to the world for all time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Mary was never the same when she entered into the land of the unknown by agreeing to God’s outrageous plan. It didn’t come without a cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had to face shame and rejection by her fiancé, her family and her village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a matter of fact, I believe the reason there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn was because her reputation as an unwed pregnant woman had preceded their arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">So, instead of a birthing room or a hospital, the baby Messiah was born in a smelly stable amidst the animals he had created in the beginning of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a picture of God’s upside down priorities. He takes the least likely situation and makes it extraordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I am currently living in the space of the unknown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I experienced a kairos moment late this summer when Bill’s company told us we needed to consolidate our two locations of Seattle and San Francisco into one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told us we had some time to make the move, however, so when I prayed I expected to hear God say we should move at the end of the ministry year next June.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">But, instead, I heard him say, <span style="color: #741b47;"><strong>“Go now<span style="background-color: white;">.”</span></strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, like Mary who responded with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "May it be to you as you have said," so in other words, YES!, I did the same. I told God, "Yes, I will do what you asked." When I gave him my yes, I was given great peace and joy and a day where everything in life seemed multiplied with goodness.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The next day w</span>e put everything in motion; telling our daughters and Missio Lux, putting our house on the market, and coming to California to discern our new location.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Kairos moments are not usually easy to walk out. <strong>They take courage and determination to follow God into the unknown.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now, I am sitting in Bill’s apartment in San Francisco, waiting to go up to our new home 50 miles north in Santa Rosa, while we continue to make arrangements to leave our home in Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I vacillate between feeling great sadness in leaving my middle daughter, our wonderful house, and our friends in Missio Lux and the community, with the anticipation of what God is going to do with us through our new life in California.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Where are you experiencing a kairos moment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where are you observing something unexpected happening? Where is God surprising you with a direction you didn’t expect to go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where are you being challenged to live into the unknown?<br />
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How are you responding?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it with a “yes God,” or is it with fear and doubt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just returned from the 3dm Learning Community which equips leaders to lead integrated lives of discipleship and mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we invited people into the journey of discovering a lifestyle of integrated discipleship, I saw many present responding with a lot of apprehension about the shift it would involve for their churches and their leadership. As I processed their kairos invitation, I realized once again the cost to following Jesus versus the cost of staying in the familiar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">It’s hard to leave the world of the known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are often tempted to stay in the place of the familiar, even when deep down we know it really isn’t working for us, but it seems too hard to move into the land of disequilibrium to change it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">However, if we want to become one of God’s heroes for this particular segment of history, we MUST pay attention when we experience a kairos moment which takes us into the land of the unknown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must courageously walk toward the burning bush, observe what is taking place, reflect on what it means and talk to those we trust in relationship about how to respond.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">When we do this, we can lead lives like Moses, who had the opportunity to lead an entire nation of millions of people out of slavery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be like David who led a nation into times of peace and prosperity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can be like Ezekiel who saw dead bones come to life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can become like Mary who received the greatest invitation to partner with God to birth his son Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I anticipate becoming one of God’s heroes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am willing to make the adjustments to God’s kairos moments in my life, so I can live fully aligned with his purposes for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know fully what the next segment of my life will include, but I have confidence that if I follow the Shepherds voice (John 10), I will have the opportunity to discover the abundant life Jesus promises.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I also think God considers the people of Missio Lux Seattle heroes as they follow God into the unknown over and over again, as he continues to surprise us with his unique ways and purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These faith filled people continue the journey of the unknown because they don’t want to miss anything Jesus intends for them to experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Please pray for our family as we move to Santa Rosa, CA right after Christmas and for Missio Lux Seattle as we make the faith filled adjustment to living life together in different locations.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">My prayer for you is for you to observe your kairos moments and to have the courage to take the next step to discover the invitation God is giving you within it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, consider God’s heroes and how they partnered with God for some of the biggest opportunities throughout the history of the world</span>.</span></span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-17971612145169040422011-11-22T11:41:00.000-08:002011-11-22T11:41:22.242-08:00Seek first his Kingdom: a Posture of Thankfulness<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s fun to see all the facebook postings of “thankfulness messages” this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the season we are reminded to stop and give thanks for the blessings we experience in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good to have this season, but I wonder, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">what would the world be if everyone of us followed Paul’s admonition to live a life of thanksgiving</span></i><span style="color: #7030a0;">.? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How does a posture of thanksgiving for all things change us, and the atmosphere around us?<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Thessalonians 5:16: <span style="color: #7030a0;">“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Three short phrases. Simple, really: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Be joyful.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pray continually<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Give thanks for everything.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I memorized this Scripture as a child, so I’ve known it for a long time. But, I am only recently learning to live it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am discovering knowing how to recite it and walking it out in daily life are two very different realities!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The first phrase <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“be joyful</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;">” </span>can only be done in relationship with our Heavenly Father.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Joy is something we can’t manufacture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can create happiness through our circumstances, but joy comes from the inner place of our spirit when all is right with the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you ever have those moments when you just know that joy is present? I had one a couple of days ago when I was editing my book. As I listened to moving music and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>anticipated how God would use the book, I felt my heart burst with joy over the privilege of participating with God in conveying his message of “good news” to his people about our true identity.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The second phrase <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“pray continually”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>is a posture of how we live our days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I used to get so hung up on this thinking “there’s no way I can pray all the time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am realizing, however, it’s more about how we live our days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are we relying on ourselves and our own abilities to get things done?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, are we committing what we are doing at this moment to the Lord and inviting him into it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to get overwhelmed when I started writing today, and when I realized it, I stopped and invited Jesus into the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I did this, he joined me and my writing became much more joyful and fulfilling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s no longer something to rush through in order to finish my list on this short work week, it’s a journey with my friend who is delighted with the message<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The final phrase <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“give thanks for everything”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>ends with a qualifier <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“for this is God’s will for those who are in Christ Jesus.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">A couple of things here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the first is I used to think that everything that happens to us is the “God’s will for us”….but that thought doesn’t line up with tragedy, destruction, illness, war, poverty, those things that definitely aren’t found in heaven, so it’s not God’s will for earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">What I now understand is the “God’s will for us” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is to live in the posture of thankfulness, which leads us to continual prayer, and results in joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Thankfulness brings us freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I wrote earlier about the challenges we hit regarding the purchase of our new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the impossibility of the situation, when I started thanking God for them, I was freed up emotionally and able to pray in faith, which resulted in God’s tangible presence which brought me joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never forget the power of that day. When everything fell apart around us, we were given peace and joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Romans 14:17 tells us “<span style="color: #7030a0;">the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The eating and drinking represent our earthly needs….paradoxically when we look heavenward, we find peace and joy despite what is taking place around us on earth!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I want to conclude with a story I heard Mike Breen (<a href="http://www.weare3dm.co/"><span style="color: blue;">www.weare3dm.co</span></a>) tell at a Learning Community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a trip to Africa, he found himself very ill in a small village far away from any hospitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike was so sick the doctor told him he was going to die. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he laid on a cot two feet too short for him, far away from any family, he heard the Lord tell him to “thank him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike asked him what to thank God for in his situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard God say, “Start with the nurse taking care of you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">So, Mike began to thank God for the nurse, for the hut, for the short bed, for the village, for anything he could think of in his very sick state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about an hour of thanking God, he realized his fever had broken. Within a few hours, they were able to feed him some broth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within 24 hours, he was completely well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">One day he was dying all alone in an African village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day he was totally healed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">How did this happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It came about through the posture of thankfulness, which caused him to pray continually, which brought not just his spirit joy, but his body health.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">How about you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">What are you thankful for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s a good time to get started in living a posture of thankfulness as we see it all around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My next door neighbor, Nancy, is celebrating her birthday with a month of 50 random acts of kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is learning the posture of thankfulness, which leads to peace and joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is also inspiring those around her to learn the joy of a life shared freely with others.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Take some time this week to make a list of everything you can think of as you thank your loving Heavenly Father</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Repeat the list out loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do it again the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I encourage you to do this for 40 days throughout the entire holiday season.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">At the end, ask yourself, <span style="color: #7030a0;">“Was I able to live this holiday season with greater joy, peace and connection with my Father?” </span>My guess is that the answer is yes because when we align with the way we were created to live, the outcome is God’s supernatural gifts of peace, joy, hope and love!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I think I will start now….<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">1. I am thankful for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happy Thanksgiving!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-63561312229039663522011-11-17T08:05:00.000-08:002011-11-17T08:05:15.060-08:00Raise Up Your Staff: Missio Lux Moves Forward!In many ways, it feels as if Missio Lux is pressed up against the water's edge, just like the Israelites after they were miraculously delivered from Egypt! They literally had nowhere to go, but instead of being defeated, they walked through a sea which supernaturally parted for their crossing.<br />
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We have a moving date now; we are moving at the end of December! Watch for my future blog where I describe the miraculous way God has moved to answer our prayers for our home to continue to be a beacon of light, welcome and hospitality for his kingdom!<br />
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When I asked the Lord to show me the most important things to do before I move, he was clear to show me we needed to do a process of discernment and prayer. So, we set two nights to gather, discern and pray. <br />
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Our first was Sunday when we asked the Lord to show an areas where we needed to repent, open entry points where the thief is able to sneak through a door, and sins made against us. We took communion and prayed for repentance for the areas we discerned through the evening.<br />
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Last night many of us gathered to pray specifically for repentence and breakthrough. It was exciting to me to see how we humbled ourselves, prayed and sought God's face, as we trusted him to hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land (2nd Chronicles 7:14).<br />
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It was also good for us to gather from our different missio communities to come together to pray. The unity in the room was palpable; the desire for God to do more amongst us increasing as our prayers of faith rose up to believe God to part the waters so we can walk through, and our enemy the thief, is drowned in the sea.<br />
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When people hear I am moving to another state, their first question is "What's going to happen to Missio Lux?" However, instead of distress, we hear the Lord saying, "This is my finest hour. Watch and see what I do...."<br />
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We are expectant. We are watching, waiting and listening...as we raise up our staff like Moses for the sea to part.Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-91974742651704978222011-11-15T16:50:00.000-08:002011-11-15T16:50:54.192-08:00Seek first his Kingdom: the Treasure of a Good Foundation<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">It’s been interesting to watch the<span style="background-color: white;"> “Occupy Movement.” </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been fascinated by how quickly it has spread, as well as their passion and the organization they have for the simple tasks of living:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cooking, trash removal, and . . . protesting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Occupy Movement is highlighting an inequity that exists between the wealthy and the poor, as we slowly watch the middle class disappear.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Jesus spoke to crowds who also experienced the vast difference between the wealthy and the poor. . .no middle class existed in his day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wealthy had power; the poor were powerless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was brilliant in his ability turn things upside down….and money and power were one of his favorite topics as he revealed how shallow they truly are in comparison to his kingdom come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Remember, in his message about priorities Jesus told us to “seek first God’s kingdom and to set things right, and then everything else would fall into place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The apostle Paul heard Jesus right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote a moving letter to his disciple Timothy where he concludes the letter with a passage about priorities in finances:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Tim 6:17-19:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“As for those who in this present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many times a day do we receive the message that if we “get a better job,” we will have a better life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, if we buy the latest car, outfit, cell phone or computer, we will have a better life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have these messages coming at us over and over all day long, especially now when we are so connected to technology.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Paul tells us not to focus on the uncertainty of riches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a great message for today as we watch the stock market jump all around and the selling price of our homes continue to plunge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul encourages us to “set out hopes on God who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I guess I wonder if we really believe that God wants to provide things for our enjoyment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find that when I dig with people, we often have a mindset which believes God wants us to take less, to be less content in life, that suffering is where he wants us to focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is teaching me, however, that he <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">does like to surprise his children with gifts</span></i></b>….just as we like to do for our own children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Today we are signing the loan papers on our new house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a big faith leap for us in trusting God’s provision to do this before our own house is sold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My prayer for weeks has been for us to have a contract in hand before we signed the papers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week not one person looked at our house….so the circumstances didn’t point towards getting a contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, God is the God of surprises, and last night our realtor called with news of a contract for our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>God is a God of “just in time”</strong> because today we signed the offer papers in our kitchen with our realtor and immediately walked into our living room to sign our loan papers for our new home in California!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">While I was writing this reflection, Brad called me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has been out of work for awhile…and in his time of reflection, he realized that he was no longer content to continue to the status quo; he knew he wanted to give his life to something greater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is pursuing a position with World Vision where he would help retail stores carry their message of provision to a hurting world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“I’ve made a conscious decision to give my life to a cause where I am helping serve people, making a difference in the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Brad is listening to Jesus’ priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has discovered that when he aligns his life to “seek first God’s kingdom, and his righteousness, the all things comes into place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read him the 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Timothy passage which ends with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“taking hold of the life that really is life.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Brad agreed with it; saying his time of unemployment had helped to clarify his true heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Retreat does that. When we take steps away from our regular life and listen, being quiet and in solitude, we hear God’s heart more clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His desire is for us <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“to live the life that really is life.”</span> </b>I love that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">From the beginning of time, our enemy has lied to us that God is holding out on us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He twists the truth to make us think that the fruit on another tree is better for us, when in reality, the Tree of Life stands before us, beckoning us to eat from it each and every day.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">When we remove ourselves from the tempting messages, we begin to get clarity on what’s truly important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus tells us “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">to love God and others, and then to go and multiply God’s message to others”, </span></b>resulting in disciples who go and do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul tells us in 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Timothy when we set our hopes on God who richly provides everything for our enjoyment, we are able <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">to “do good, be rich in good works, generous and ready to share.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">When we move in rhythm with how we were created, to follow after God’s ways, we are building a foundation of the hidden treasure which enables us to take hold of the life that really is life.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">So, how about you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Where are you tempted to follow the way of the world? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Where are you misaligned in your priorities?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Where do you find yourselves frustrated and iscontent?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The answers to these questions will start you on the journey of discovery on how to build your life on the foundation of the life which is truly life:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a life spent pursuing seeking God’s kingdom, his righteousness and trusting him for the “all things” to fall into place.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I encourage you to find some space for some retreat, a time of solitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sit down and journal your answers to the questions above, and meditate on Paul’s words to Timothy; his clues for a life worth living!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
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</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-28974852642924285922011-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:002011-11-12T20:10:47.457-08:00Experiencing the Egyptian Aftermath of the Massacre October 9thLaurie is one of the major leaders in Missio Lux. She has been my vision partner since the inception of Missio Lux; meaning that we meet together weekly to dream about the future and plan for the present. Laurie is extremely gifted and intelligent. She currently attends Bakke Graduate University, <a href="http://www.bgu.edu/">http://www.bgu.edu/</a>, whose mission is to "Develop Christ centered leaders who change global cities." <br />
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As part of their curriculum, they require students to go on an intensive trip in some of the most challenging locations on the globe. Laurie chose to go to the Middle East this October. She began to get nervous as the date for departure drew near; especially with all the volatility in the Middle East this year.<br />
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She had reason to be wary. The groups' first stop was in Cairo, Egypt right in the middle of the massacre October 9th.<br />
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Her group of Bakke students actually ended up staying in the Coptic Christian Bishop's home, as well as being present at a meeting with the Coptic Pope where the families of the Copts who were killed came and vented their grief and outrage.<br />
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It is often hard to get reliable press coverage; leaving us wondering what to believe at times. Take a few minutes to watch this short (1:22) video and read the text that accompanies it. It is important to know how our fellow brothers and sisters around the world are being treated.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/oct/16/massacre-cairo/">http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/oct/16/massacre-cairo/</a><br />
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Laurie has many stories to tell about her trip, including sharing about Jesus followers who risk their lives to share God's love by serving their communities. I will make sure to link all her blog posts to this sight so we don't miss out on her observations and reflections.<br />
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Take a moment now to pray for the Coptic Christians in Egypt; for their protection, courage, perseverance and wisdom. Amen.Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-85324410301311823002011-11-08T11:38:00.000-08:002011-11-08T11:39:58.168-08:00Seek first his Kingdom: Raise Up Your Staff"<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Last week we heard some very discouraging news regarding our move to California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the finances we were counting on disappeared; and the time to move forward with the new house was immediate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to pray; to ask the Lord to show us what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s taken place has been one of the greatest faith lessons of our lives.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The next day, I heard the words <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“pressed up against the water’s edge</span></b>” out of the blue. I knew the Lord was directing me to the passage in Exodus 14 about the Israelites, recently released into freedom from Egypt, in the desert as they watched the Egyptian army chase them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were trapped on both sides:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Red Sea and the Egyptian army.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The Israelites cried out to Moses in accusation: “Did you just bring us out to this desert to become a cemetery of death?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses, being strong in his identity as a representative for God, calmly told them, “<strong><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Do not be afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stand firm and today you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">After Moses made his declaration, it’s implied that Moses then turned around and said pretty much the Israelites message to the Lord. But, the Lord told him, “Stop crying out to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Raise up your staff over the waters so they divide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Israelites can walk through on dry ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so they go in after them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I will gain glory, so that everyone knows that I am the Lord!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Raise up your staff</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does this mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can we translate it to our own lives?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God gave Moses the staff when he called him at the burning bush to go and confront Pharaoh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff was important to Moses’ life as a shepherd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when God gave it back to him, it was something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">It was meant for his role as one who reigns with God, and has his authority to call forth God’s will and his supernatural power to reign over nature.</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Over and over we hear of the plagues that were released through Moses into Egypt to bring them into a place of humility to God’s plan and purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God replaced Moses’ identity as a shepherd and told him that “I AM” is with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because ‘I AM’ is with you; you are my representative to seek first my kingdom. My ways will come forth for the people of my heart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses was being called not to hide in a desert in fear any longer, but to go and fight for the freedom of God’s beloved people, the Israelites.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We are to do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to go and fight for the people God created; keeping our back to the enemy so we don’t back down in fear, our eyes focused on our Deliverer, who has the power to part the water!<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">How did we practically walk out the challenge before us?<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">First, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">we didn’t back out of our contract to buy the house in CA</span></i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believe God led us to this house and he wants it for our new life together and for his kingdom purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We kept our eyes on the Deliverer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We asked people to pray for us. </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We didn’t try to walk through the battle alone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We began to thank God for the challenges</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite all the chaos swirling around us, as soon as we started thanking God, peace came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the peace that is clearly supernatural and not defined by our circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We raised our staff by praying in the spiritual authority given to us by Jesus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">. We followed the pattern of the Lord’s prayer by praying for “God’s will to be done on earth as it is heaven.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We also called the angelic army to go and fight the battle for us.</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"> </span></i><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God is always the God of just in time; so just hours before we had to wire a substantial sum of money for escrow, we got word that we would have enough finances to move forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">We moved forward in faith</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t have all the answers then, and we don’t have all the answers now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do have, however, the confirmation of Exodus 14 five different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over and over in the anxious days of waiting, we were given this word from the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came in various ways:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through the words out of the blue, “pressed up against the water’s edge,”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an email from an intercessor with a teaching of Exodus 14, prayers prayed by two young women who saw the waters and the army coming after us,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a daily Scriptural reading, and finally my Bible falling open to it when I picked it up.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Coincidence?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, as we begin to know the language God speaks to us by, we begin to recognize that repitition is one of his greatest ways to show us his plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Was it easy?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, it was very hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking in faith is truly living “sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hebrews 11:6<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Was it worth it?</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Yes, because we are now walking in a greater level of faith which gives us confidence for the next test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a testimony now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can tell the stories over and over how God parted the waters for us to walk through to the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Let’s remember our theme for the year, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all things shall be added to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">To seek first God’s kingdom is align our lives with his heavenly kingdom reigning on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not a cool Sunday School story, this involves real life action to which we have the ability to respond with a “yes, I am in, “or a “no, too hard, I am out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">God’s righteousness is to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“partner with him to set things right.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Moses partnered with God to set right the Israelites freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We partnered with God to set things right regarding our next stage of life and ministry.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And, all things shall be added onto you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we align our lives to seek first God’s kingdom, we can trust his promise to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“provide the necessary aspects of our lives,” which includes food to eat, clothes to wear, and houses to live in.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Where are you pressed up against the water’s edge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get out your staff and begin to experience the power which flows from it as you trust the Deliverer to see your faith and to part the waters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Victory is yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The King is calling you as his kingdom partner to help set his beloved people free from their slavery.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-38298252304207480742011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:002011-10-27T05:00:00.350-07:00Seek first his Kingdom: Choosing between Faith and Fear<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The Buchan family has a lot happening right now:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we are seeking to move to a new location in Santa Rosa, California so that Bill can stop commuting weekly from Seattle to San Francisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our daughters live in Seattle, Chicago and London so this adds another location to our already very spread out life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am leading Missio Lux through an important transition as together we discover how to continue to be faithful in God’s call for us to be a “dispersed faith community.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am also getting close to finishing the editing process of the Identity Book I wrote earlier this year; it should be out in print in early December.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I went through a period a few weeks ago where I was so overwhelmed I could barely get up in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt fearful, stressed out and anxious about how I was going to be able to do all that was in front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I began to ask myself, however, how I could walk out the very thing I was encouraging you to do:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“to seek first God’s kingdom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord was faithful to show me the way to do this and I’d like to share it with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope it will be helpful to an area of your life where you feel overwhelmed, or out of balance.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The first step is to examine priorities.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s more important?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you worshiping Jesus or the problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, what’s occupying more of your thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the challenge or the answer to the challenge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make a decision to focus your thoughts on God’s ability to do the impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angel told Mary that “nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes a lot of repetition to change your brain pattern but over time you will find it much easier to find the right focus:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on the Provider not the problem!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The second step is to incorporate a posture of celebration and thankfulness.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Be joyful always, pray all the time, and give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we make a decision from our will to thank God for the challenges, it takes us out of our place of worry and fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our decision to trust God with our problem actually frees God up to move to answer our dilemma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find the more that I thank God for the challenges, the sooner I get to peace!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">We found an amazing house in Santa Rosa. We felt confident that we be able to buy the house as there had been very little activity on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were sad to discover that another buyer came in and bid for it the same day we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got so stressed thinking the house may not be ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until a couple of anxious days later as we waited to hear their decision that I decided to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">come outside my emotions,</b> and with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">my will </b>thank God for the challenge. When I did, everything changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazingly, the timing of my decision to thank God and the owners choice was at the same time! The owners picked us saying, “We know they are the ones meant to have this house.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The next step after examining our priorities and developing a posture of life full of thankfulness is to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">follow Scripture.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul outlined an excellent process to the church of Philippi in the fourth chapter:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. <span style="font-size: small;"><sup id="en-NLT-29409">7</sup> Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Phil 4:6-7<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">There it is: <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Don’t worry:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pray instead:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the priority!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Focus on the provider rather than the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Tell God your needs and thank him for the challenge, developing your life of faith as you wait for God to bring the answer. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Remember the ways God has worked in the past and speak them to others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will build your faith and remove all fear from your thoughts!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Develop your life of testimony:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>review the ways in which God has been faithful to you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a testimony now about our future house in Santa Rosa; if we wouldn’t have walked through the challenge, we wouldn’t have known that it truly was the house God intended for us to have.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The outcome:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">peace which goes beyond any circumstance</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word guard here means to “prevent hostile invasion.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord guards our heart from the hostile invasion from the thief who comes to rob, steal and destroy us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God does the opposite:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he gives us the life of heaven that we were meant to experience in the Garden before the fall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">The valuable outcome of this process is that our life of faith is built so that the next challenge becomes less daunting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am able to say that I am at rest and peace right now despite all that is happening around me because I have a list of testimonies for how God has worked in other impossible situations to bring about my best; and his best, the kingdom come!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Romans 14:17 says this, <strong>“For the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy!”</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Righteousness:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>things being set right as we are in right relationship, peace and joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">There it is again, the priority:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s not about acquiring the needs the Father already knows we need:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it’s about seeking first his kingdom; which gives us righteousness, peace and joy. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">It’s the treasure the whole world is seeking!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
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</div></span><span style="color: black;"> </span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-38983480157847498352011-10-25T10:50:00.000-07:002011-10-25T14:10:59.905-07:00Vision for "Identity Crisis: Reclaim the True You!"<span style="color: #990000;">Now that <strong>"Identity Crisis: Reclaim the True You"</strong> is written, what are the different options for how it can be used to help pull people out of an identity crisis and into the place of walking in fulfillment of God's plan for our lives?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">The possibilities are quite endless!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>"Identity Crisis: Reclaim the True You</strong>" is an interesting read, and will open up minds to a way to a different lifestyle. However, just reading it will only go so far in helping change a lifetime of thinking and behavior. The book will be most effective in bringing peace and joy and a fulfilling life when the material in the book is interacted with, both individually and in groups.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Therefore, I have designed a variety of ways to interact with the book:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">1. Each chapter ends with both <strong>reflection questions </strong>and<strong> experiences</strong> to reinforce the themes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> 2. The reader will be directed to an <strong>interactive website</strong> where the questions and experiences will be accompanied with opportunities for online conversation and support. (QR codes in the book will take those with iPhones directly to the website.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> 3. <strong> Identity Crisis</strong> is designed to be a <strong>powerful book study</strong> which takes place over 10 weeks or more; readers can assemble their own groups to work through it, or existing groups may adopt it as their present study. The Scriptures, stories, reflections and experiences are transformational when explored in community.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> 4. Some readers may find the book most effective as they <strong>work through the content individually </strong>at a pace that gives them time to fully integrate the themes found in the book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">5. I am also available to lead groups through the material in a variety of ways:</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> a. <strong>Weekend Retreats</strong> are excellent in taking "set apart time" to process the themes in the book and to process it in community with others. These retreats can be either gender focused or done with both men and women.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> b. <strong>Identity Workshops</strong> are one day gatherings which will focus on the two main themes found in Romans 8:14-17: we are beloved adopted children of God, and our inheritance of being co-heirs to Christ as we partner with him to bring his kingdom purposes to earth.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> c. <strong>One topic talks</strong> from the 10 different identity concepts presented in the book: these talks can be sermons, one time presentations, or presented at conferences or seminars.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> d. <strong>Book studies</strong> done over a series of weeks in locations convenient to where I live.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I am also developing a <strong>blog, facebook page </strong>and<strong> twitter</strong> to communicate the themes of Identity Crisis on an ongoing basis! Watch for all of this to come out in the next few weeks as we prepare for the first printing of the book coming out in early December! (the book will make great Christmas presents)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">What are my dreams for how this book will make a difference?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I envision a scenario much like we find in Ezekiel 37. The Lord took Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones and he told Ezekiel what to say so the dry bones became a living, breathing army. We, as people, have become a valley of dry bones as we let the world define our identity. As we engage the truth of our god given identity, we begin to breathe again and find our destiny, the unique reason for our life on earth. As we reclaim our true identity from the wasteland of the dry bones, we discover our life on earth is fulfilling, joyful and full of peace!</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-57527713565375364012011-10-23T11:04:00.000-07:002011-10-23T11:04:29.012-07:00Writing "Identity Crisis: Reclaim the True You!"<span style="color: #990000;">Last January on one of my prayer days, I sensed the Lord calling me to write a book about identity. Within 30 minutes, I had an outline, a personal story, Scriptures, illustrations and biblical stories for every chapter. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I started to write it in mid-March, even though the only time that I could carve out for it as two to three hours on Friday morning. However, I made great progress, finishing half the book by mid June. My plan was to go to San Francisco for the month of July in hopes of finishing the whole book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Amazingly, at the end of the three weeks that I stayed in San Francisco, I finished the manuscript. When I added up the amount of hours that I spent writing the book, I realized that I had written it in less than 100 hours. Wow! I knew I could only have written it through being empowered by God's Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">We don't often get to experience something so powerful in the Spirit, but I can honestly say that writing this book has been one of the most thrilling experiences in my life. Some days I felt like Jesus was right next to me, giving me the words to write, as well as expressing his pleasure about its progress.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Before I left San Francisco, I sensed the Lord urging me to work towards getting it published by the end of 2011. I gulped and thought that timeline seemed a bit impossible. I know people spend years seeking to get their books published.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Once again, the Lord was present showing the way. When I asked those who committed to pray for me to pray for direction for a publisher, my parents gave me a name. When I prayed about it, I sensed the Lord's pleasure on it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">When I approached them about it, <a href="http://www.tendrilpress.com/">www.tendrilpress.com</a>, they were willing to by pass the submission process and take it on. They agreed to have it published by early December.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Wow! I got the call to write the book in January, started working on it in March, finished writing in July, and now am moving towards the first printing in November.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">When I asked the question about the rapid way that this book came together, I sensed the Lord respond, "My people are discouraged and distracted because they don't know the truth about who they are, what I created them to do, and how to walk out their true identity that I gave them."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">In other words, we are in an identity crisis: letting the world or our own thoughts define our identity. The word "reclaim" means to take back that which has been wasteland and make it productive again. This is what God wants to do in our lives: to reclaim the wasteland of our identity and to make it reflect the true glory that he deposited into us; his beloved children!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Read my next blog for ways that "Identity Crisis: Reclaim the True You" can be used to help us all live into the places for which we were created!</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-81943154933653429482011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:002011-10-20T05:00:05.316-07:00Reflections on the Kingdom of God: What are We Working For?<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Our daughter, Molly, was home from Chicago this weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way home from the airport, she brought up the “Occupy” movement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wondered why there was so little press about what was taking place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems pretty important to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Seattle has had pretty extensive press because we are a city that likes our freedom to express ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a history of demonstrations, the one in 1999 with the World Trade Organization as perhaps most famous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even our mayor seems in sympathy with those gathered at Westlake; it seems he has even given up wanting to arrest them for violating the park permit of no sleep overs!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I find it interesting that even those walking into their buildings on Wall Street seem sympathetic with the protesters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if they are sympathetic, who are the oppressors?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">I am once again reminded that the Bible is a timeless book and that nothing new comes under the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read Haggai today and felt like the prophet Haggai could be here today giving the same message to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, what is it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="color: #990000;">Let’s read most of the first chapter from the Message:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: 3pt;"><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: "The people procrastinate. They say this isn't the right time to rebuild my Temple, the Temple of God." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3-4</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: "How is it that it's the 'right time' for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, God's Temple, is in ruins?" <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5-6</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And then a little later, God-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">"Take a good, hard look at your life. <br />
Think it over.<br />
You have spent a lot of money, <br />
but you haven't much to show for it.<br />
You keep filling your plates, <br />
but you never get filled up.<br />
You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, <br />
but you're always thirsty.<br />
You put on layer after layer of clothes, <br />
but you can't get warm.<br />
And the people who work for you, <br />
what are they getting out of it?<br />
Not much— <br />
a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that's what. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That's why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said: <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">"Take a good, hard look at your life. <br />
Think it over." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">8-9</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then God said: <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">"Here's what I want you to do: <br />
Climb into the hills and cut some timber.<br />
Bring it down and rebuild the Temple. <br />
Do it just for me. Honor me.<br />
You've had great ambitions for yourselves, <br />
but nothing has come of it.<br />
The little you have brought to my Temple <br />
I've blown away—there was nothing to it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #990000;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">9-11</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"And why?" (This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) "Because while you've run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins. That's why. Because of your stinginess. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so I've given you a dry summer and a skimpy crop. I've matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing—not man or woman, not animal or crop—is going to thrive." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">This message from God, through the Prophet Haggai, is about priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people that returned from exile to Babylon made their priority about taking care of themselves first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They forgot about their identity as redeemed chosen people, and they focused on meeting their own needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the process, they worked hard but they had so little to show for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">According to God, they were working, working, working but they only had a leaky, rusty bucket to show for it (verse 6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems they were going in circles, never getting to their desired destination because they were on the wrong path.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">They were experiencing extreme frustration because they were “taking care of their own houses while they forgot about building God’s house.” This was the very reason that they were given permission to come back to Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How quickly they forgot their unique call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they continued their futile pursuit, God reminded them that “he’s matched their tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season or drought:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>nothing, not man or woman, not animal or crop, is going to thrive” (verses 9-11).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Don’t you think that this sounds familiar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of us worked hard to save money only to see it wiped away in a day or two in the stock market?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of us put gas in our cars, only to see our hard earned money disappear at an alarming rate in our engines?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many of us went to college to be trained for a vocation, only to find ourselves working at a job meant for a high school student? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">We are going in circles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are in a futile pursuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are exhausted and confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why can’t we get ahead?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Are we asking the right question?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Maybe a better question to ask is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“What are our priorities?”</b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Jesus spent a good deal of time in his time on earth challenging priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sermon on the Mount is all about priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ended his teaching with a challenge:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Will we build our house on the rock or on a sandy beach where any storm can take it down?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Sound familiar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear an echo of God’s word through Haggai.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">The words “Seek first My Kingdom and my righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” come to my mind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">There it is again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we prioritize building God’s house, our own houses stand on a firm foundation that can’t be wiped away by any storm that comes our way.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">So, what does it mean to build God’s house?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">I like to think of it as the difference between a circle and a brick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we have a circle of life and Jesus is in it, we have a house build on a sandy beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we have a brick; the rock of Jesus Christ on which everything else is built, we have a house standing on the firm foundation that will never fall.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What’s the difference between a life with Jesus in it and a life built on the rock?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">It’s about priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is Jesus first, or is he one of many priorities in our life?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Here’s my idea to find out where you stand. Spend a day or two being an observer or your thoughts and decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recognize what you think about in those moments where your mind is allowed to wander: in traffic, or on the subway, or doing dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you thinking about how to get ahead or are you communing with your Creator? What are your first thoughts when you wake up or when you go to sleep?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">Pay attention to your small decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the big ones, but the small ones. What will you do with the extra five minutes before your kids get home from school? Do you turn to the internet or to prayer or God’s word? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many times do you hit the snooze bar on the alarm before you get up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has all your quiet time of reflection in the morning been eaten up so you face another day in a frenzy? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #990000;">After you do your work of observation, read through the book of Haggai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask yourself the question, “Where is my priority?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I building God’s house or my own house?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your answer is my own house, spending time reflecting on the promise Jesus gives us in Matthew 6:33.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we seek first his kingdom and set things right within our relationship with him, all the “other things” are provided to us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #990000;">Then follow the way of God’s direction in Haggai.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go up into the hills and cut down some trees….which translated for the 21<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>st</sup> century is “Take a step.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do something to give to the kingdom, to build up God’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give your time, your money, your precious energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, as you do it, prepare yourself for the blessing that comes from building God’s</span></span> </span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-69306102499053788042011-10-18T11:00:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:02:16.932-07:00Occupy: Is it a Spider or a Starfish?<span style="color: #990000;">I am not sure if you have read the book <strong>"<u>The Starfish and the Spider: the Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations."</u></strong> The basic premise of the book is that if you cut the head of a spider, it will die, but if you cut off a leg of a starfish, it will grow back. It's quite an interesting concept, one that many terrorists cells have made good use of....</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I have been watching the movement of "<strong>Occupy"</strong> with great interest. Yesterday, there was an article in the Seattle Times entitled, <strong>"Can Occupy protests last without leaders?"</strong> People debated back and forth as their opinions ranged from comments from a country sheriff in Minneapolis who wonders why each day the leaders are different people, and the protesters themselves who say that the decentralization is deliberate and this is how other movements have started up.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">The academics are studying it and noting that leaderless organizations allow for people with very different backgrounds to to come together in a broad message without having to agree with a lot of fine details and sticking points.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Observations at the different camps are that the protesters have organized "work crews" and that people are demonstrating leadership, without needing to carry the title.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I find all this refreshing. I long for more of this movement in the church. We've had a lot of spiders, but not nearly enough starfishes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I wonder what it would be like for people to gather because they KNOW their message of Jesus' redemptive work and resulting outcome of kingdom activity of healing, deliverance, provision, peace and unity is worth giving their lives to. <em><strong>How would this change the landscape of life and faith?</strong></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I wonder if we have trained Jesus followers to <strong>"wait for the leader to show us the way."</strong> And, in the waiting, we get bored and allow other life things to distract us and fill up our time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I wonder how much we have abdicated the role that God gave to Adam. He told Adam "to go forth and multiply; and to rule over the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and the animals on the ground." That sounds like pretty exciting work to me: important, vital and fulfilling.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">As the Lord spoke to Adam, he speaks to us. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">We are to do the same. We are to go forth and multiply and bless the world. We are to find solutions to the challenges on the earth, and to do it in partnership with the One who Created the earth!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Missio Lux stands on the precipice of a new day. I am being moved to California away from the people who have given their lives to help build Missio Lux. Increasingly, I am understanding that I need to be removed geographically because God created Missio Lux to be a <strong>Starfish</strong>....one that replicates out of the life that is being walked in partnership with God for his kingdom.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">How do I feel about this? Excited....I anticipate that as we walk out this shift, we will see the presence of starfishes become much more prevalent!</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-66343762875614866262011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T05:00:00.706-07:00Seek first his Kingdom: What's Righteousness?<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bella Donna"; font-size: 18pt;">“</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bella Donna"; font-size: 22pt;">Seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and all things will be given unto you as well.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 6:33</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">Righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a familiar term in Christian circles, but what does it really mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been asking people what they think it means and I am getting a lot of different responses:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>living rightly, wearing God’s righteous robe, self -justification, the work Jesus did on the cross, judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get the idea:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>everyone has an opinion, but today let’s look at God’s definition of righteousness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Hebrew and Greek definition of “righteousness” mean “action in conformity with an accepted and approved standard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Bible, this usage is God’s standard, which is God himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His nature is holy, so righteousness is living by God’s holy standard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">In the Old Testament, this standard was the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the Israelites knew that they couldn’t live up to the requirement of the law so they sacrificed animals to make themselves right with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They knew that the blood of the animal brought God’s forgiveness so they could continue to live in relationship with the holy God they served.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">In the New Testament, the Pharisees organized themselves to help their Jewish culture live into the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Israelites hadn’t heard from God for over 400 years and they continued to live in exile in the sense that they had governments ruling over them, they were not the ones ruling over the other countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the Pharisees mission was to help purify the Jews that the long awaited Messiah would come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">And, the long awaited Messiah did come, but they missed him because the “righteous standard” he brought didn’t involve a long list of rules for how to keep the Sabbath, but how to connect with the God of the Sabbath through belief and relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">Jesus continued to frustrate and infuriate the Pharisees through breaking their laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He healed people on the Sabbath, which in their mind constituted working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">He hung out with people of poor reputation, which to them was defiling his body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">He crossed their purity boundaries by talking to and taking water from a Samaritan woman; both big no-no’s to the Pharisees and their rules.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">It seems that Jesus pointed us to the reality that it is through our faith in his identity that we are made righteous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">When we acknowledge that he is God’s Son, we literally receive righteousness by the reality of Holy Spirit entering into our body to seal us for salvation and to give us power to live a “righteous life.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">I was at the Pastor’s retreat last week and had the privilege of hearing former Covenant seminary president Jay Phelan speak on the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He defined righteousness as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“making things right.”</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">Jesus came to be God’s instrument for setting things right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His blood shed and death set things right for us to be in relationship with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no longer a need for animal sacrifice as Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled God’s righteous requirement for humanity.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">So, we are given God’s righteousness, but the call of Matthew 6:33 is for us to seek first Gods’ kingdom and his righteousness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">Once we receive it from God, how do we then go and bring it to the world?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">Paul tells us in Romans 6 that we are to “offer our bodies to God as instrument as righteousness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">Our faith is to translate to action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">James tells us that faith without action is dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to act; we are to bring righteousness to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to bring justice, compassion, mercy and love into situations that are void of God’s presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to be about bringing heaven to earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">As we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, we are to discover the ways that he has created us, gifted and equipped us to go as his kingdom representatives to set things right on earth, just as they exist in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">So, what does that mean for you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">Where do you walk out your vocation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #990000;">Is it in business?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you set things right in your garden, the place where God has given you presence and responsibility?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many ways, the “Occupy” movement is about just this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they want to see the American financial system set right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">Are you in education?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you set things right by teaching children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps you are bringing kingdom principles into your classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it equipping parents to raise their children up with godly characteristics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps it is writing a book that opens up our thinking on how to live as an instrument of righteousness.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">Are you raising your children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can you structure your family life so that your focus is on God’s ways, rather than the ways of our competitive culture?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps it is inviting other children into your family life so they experience the heart of God in action.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">It doesn’t matter where we are; it only matters that we set our priorities to “seek first God’s kingdom on earth as we offer our bodies as instruments of righteousness that set things right.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won’t be easy, the thief will try to thwart our movement in this direction, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but it will be important.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #990000;">We each have a special place on earth; it is to bring God’s heart, his life and his priorities to the world around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we take these steps, we discover that his promise of the all things comes true as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #990000;"> <span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12pt;">I challenge you this week to ask God to show you how his righteousness in you can be brought to your world in tangible ways that help “set things right as the ways of heaven become the way of the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-18923856187451541682011-10-11T10:13:00.000-07:002011-10-11T10:13:56.290-07:00Missio Lux in Transition<span style="color: #990000;">I haven't blogged for a long time. The reason for this is that at the beginning of September, everything in our lives changed, as we announced that Bill and I are moving to California. He has been commuting back and forth to San Francisco for 4 1/2 years, and it was time to make a change.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">I stayed at Bill's apartment in San Francisco during the month of July and it was then that we knew that the supernatural grace that God has given us to be apart during the week was being withdrawn. So, we began to pray and ask God to show us what to do.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">We got a very clear answer when Bill's company said they wanted us to be in California; they no longer wanted to support his apartment in the city. They gave us some time to make the transition, and I thought that we would finish out the next ministry year and go next summer, but when I asked the Lord about it, I heard him say, "Go now!"</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">So, we began to tell Missio Lux our plan. The response shows the great maturity of the people within Missio Lux. Their first statement was "We are so happy for you and Bill, we want you to be together." Some of them even said, "I knew that you would be moving, the Lord has been preparing me."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">This blessing is huge for giving us the confidence to move into the next stage of Missio Lux's life and ministry. We understand that God continues to spread us out and that my next stage is to be present in California. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><strong>What does this mean for Missio Lux in Seattle?</strong> They are ready to do the work of ministry without my presence. Most have even said that they recognize that they will step into their full calling as I go. I will continue to huddle, our intentional discipleship, and train them from afar with conference calls and skype, as well as occasional visits.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Our most challenging aspect in Missio Lux has been the center core. We have attracted people that are interested in the missional aspect of ministry, not the nuts and bolts that sustain the rest. So, we have decided to look for a person who will commit themself to doing this work... we won't call it an employee because we are a family, but one that will receive financial support to be freed up enough to do the work.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">My work will shift from being an implementer of ministry to one who equips, trains and disciples the ministry implementers. I am excited about this new stage of life. It will allow me to work with the catalysts that God is identifying in different locations, as well as those in Seattle.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">We covet your prayers during this very important time in Missio Lux' development. We are relying on the Lord to continue to show us his path to walk. We recognize that the Lord very supernatually birthed this ministry and he will continue to bring his heavenly solutions to our earthly challenges.</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-65394610942437268232011-09-27T11:54:00.000-07:002011-09-27T11:54:57.750-07:00Seek first his Kingdom: What's a Kingdom?<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">A couple of months ago I watched Queen Elizabeth’s coronation which took place in 1953.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she was crowned, they read off the names of the different commonwealths that were connected to England. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite a formidable list stretching across many different continents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>India, South Africa, Australia, Canada, as well as many others. The reality was that at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, England ruled much of the known world.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When we think of the word<span style="background-color: white;"> "kingdom" our</span> minds often go to the earthly kings and their rule. It’s easy to do; from Princess Diana to Kate and William, we are a curious people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, at the end of the day, they are just regular people like the rest of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The power that they rule with is an earthly power that has only limited authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is still something so much bigger that can capture our attention and totally change our life if we pay attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">That something bigger is the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Kingdom of God.</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>When Jesus came to earth, he spent his first few weeks telling people, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">“The Kingdom of God is near.”</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>In fact, after his baptism and his time in the desert immediately following it, the next thing he did was go to his region of Galilee and begin to exclaim, “The time has come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Kingdom of God</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>is near.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It was in that initial proclamation that he found his first four disciples; three of them becoming the key disciples that he drew nearest to himself:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter, John and James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess my question is, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">What was so compelling that they were willing to get up and walk away from their daily life to follow Jesus?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Their following wasn’t a long drawn out discernment process, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark tells us that Peter and his brother Andrew left their nets “at once” and followed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continues that John and James literally left their father and the hired men in the boat and followed Jesus. Can you just picture the scene?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just got up and left. . ..leaving the people behind them scratching their head wondering what just happened.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Mark doesn’t make us wait long to find out what they were being called to discover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next part of the story involves Jesus taking his new friends to a synagogue in Capernaum where a demonic spirit confronted Jesus right in the middle of the church service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t you just see it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He yells out, “What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Jesus tells him, “Be Quiet!” (after all don’t you know we are in the middle of the church service!) and Come out of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Needless to say, that wasn’t any old church service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It created quite a buzz and soon people all over the region had heard about this new person named Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Right after the rather exciting church service they went to Peter’s house where he was hosting a party for his friends to meet his new friend Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, when they got there, it turned out that the cook of the party was sick with a very high fever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, Jesus took Peter and Andrew into her room and when he touched her, the fever left immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was well enough to get up and cook the dinner.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Within hours, the line of people to see Jesus was intense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People came from all over to bring their sick and demon possessed family and friends to see Jesus. They had heard about his power to cast out demons and heal the sick, so they came running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It’s at this point, that I want to stop and ask the question, “Is this our regular experience?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When we engage our life with Jesus, is it typical to see displays of God’s power taking place?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Do we leave our experiences so breathless with wonder that we can’t but help tell those around us about it?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I can tell you that the times in my life that I have been most excited about sharing Jesus with others is when I saw the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Kingdom of God</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it revolves around healing, other times it is through times of worship where we sense that Jesus is literally right there, other times it comes through being part of something that is so beyond myself and those that I am with, that I know that God had to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I love to remember the time that we were at Occidental Square hosting a party for the poor and disenfranchised that live in the area, or spend their time hanging out on the Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That morning when I was praying and asking the Lord how we were to prepare for the day, I sensed him tell me, “Go to the four corners and anoint them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Declare that the Square is mine and remind the devil that he has not part in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my holy sanctuary.”<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I took a couple of people with me to do just that when we arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, then things got busy and I basically forgot about what we had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not too long after we started, my nephew and his wife came and told me that there was a Satan worshipper present and he told them that he was there to win souls for Satan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted to pray him off the property, but I suggested that we pray for his salvation instead.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">They did it rather reluctantly and skeptically, but we prayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazingly, a Russian evangelist showed up and began to preach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he gave an invitation to meet Jesus, David the Satan Worshipper went forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kept telling us that he was in shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He believed he would die for his choice, but not only didn’t he die but by the time we met him the next morning at 7 a.m., he had brought two people to meet Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">He told us that morning, “The strangest thing happened when I walked on the Square. I didn’t have my powers.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">There is it: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">the Rule and Reign of the Kingdom of God in action.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">When the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Kingdom of God</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0;"> </span>is present, all the earthly and demonic powers are bound and they have no room to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That which is heavenly comes to earth, very often with stunning displays of power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, however, it comes invisibly and affects an area almost by surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hardly know what is happening until one day we realize that change has come and the area is different; it is filled with life and health.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">But, if it comes in great power or in silent ways, the reality is that it comes as we partner with God to see it come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder what would have happened that day at Occidental Square if I had ignored the Lord’s direction and not anointed the four corners and declared it was God’s territory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Would David the Satan worshipper turned Jesus follower?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I wonder what would happen if we hadn’t established a healing prayer ministry where headaches, back problems, cancer and relational challenges get healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I wonder if people would continue to get healing from their hurts, habits and hang-ups if we didn’t commit ourselves in Missio Lux to showing up weekly to host a recovery ministry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">I wonder if the people in the nursing home and assisted living would sleep as well or be as healthy if we didn’t go there on a regular basis and provide worship experiences combined with prayer for healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Here’s the important thing we need to remember. When Jesus began to display the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0;">Kingdom of God</span></b> in action, he didn’t do it alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t do a single miracle or teach a single lesson until he had recruited at least four friends to do it with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">It hasn’t changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus came to bring the kingdom of God, but he came to do it in a partnership with his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, he tells us in John that “we are his friends if we do what he tells us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, since we are his friends, he tells us everything he learned from his father, and teaches us to do them too.” (John 15:14-16)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Seek first his kingdom.</span></b><span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">That’s a core teaching of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps us to set the priority to live life in the great adventure with him, both in the big displays of power and in the simple acts of life that impact the world with his rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, when we do live from the kingdom first priority, we discover that everything else in our lives works, all the worries and cares of life fade into the background because suddenly we have a new, compelling priority from which to live.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">So, how do we get started?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Read the Gospels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start with Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love how many times he uses the word, “immediately,” there isn’t a lot of waiting around wondering what’s going to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Come to the first Identity Seminar on October 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> where I will be teaching, leading experiences and praying for identity breakthroughs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Continue to open your eyes and ask God to show you his kingdom at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watch and listen attentively to where he may be asking you to be the one that he is calling you to partner with him to bring it forth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Set your alarm to go off at 10:02* and pray with other kingdom minded people for God to raise up the harvesters to harvest the harvest!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus tells us “Open up your eyes for the fields are ripe and ready.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Oh, I need to go now, I see some fields that need some attention . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">*Jesus’ call to pray:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 10:02<o:p></o:p></span></div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-68602833762781891462011-09-20T12:23:00.000-07:002011-09-20T12:24:20.413-07:00Seeking the Treasure<span style="color: #660000;">Do you remember the epic movie “The Titanic?” It took the box office by storm; some people seeing it up to 9 to 10 times. Why? What was the attraction of that movie? First, it was a wonderful romantic story of the underdog winning the heart affection of the rich and beautiful woman. But, layered on top of that story is the current day story of the search for the treasure at the bottom of the sea.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Layered on top of the romance is the search of the Titanic, people investing millions of their own capital to find the Titanic that lies on the bottom of the ocean. Why? Because they know that a treasure awaited them. They were looking for the jewel that Cal gave to his finance, Rose. It was called the Heart of the Ocean. But, even more they were looking for the hidden stories of the ship: desiring to know that which was currently hidden from them. They realized down below was a treasure that they were willing to invest their life in discovering.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">If Jesus was telling stories today, I believe he would also talk about the Titantic. He was a great teacher who knew how to take that which was culturally relevant to the people and make a spiritual concept simple yet profound. The culture was primarily agricultural so Jesus used a lot of farming illustrations in his teaching. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Matthew, one of his disciples, wrote down a lot of Jesus’ teachings and called them the Sermon on the Mount. He also dispersed teaching on the Kingdom of God (or Heaven) throughout his book. One of those teachings is this:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all that he had and bought the field.” Matthew 13:44</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Jesus first invitation to us is to “Seek first his Kingdom….” What does it mean to seek? As I’ve delved deeper into the meaning of the word, I’ve realized that it is just this story about the treasure in the field. To seek is to search with everything we have to find the treasure. To seek is to search relentlessly until we find it. To seek is to give our whole lives to find it. And, to seek is to know that when we’ve found it, we will continue to give everything we have to live enjoying the treasure.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">This is the challenge I see in our ability to seek first God’s Kingdom. The world is structured in such a way to take us in the exact opposite of that pursuit. We become consumed with the last line of Matthew 6:33: “and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you look at the context of the sixth chapter of Matthew, we find that the “all things” are about our earthly needs: verse 25 says “Do not worry about your life what you will eat or drink.” Verse 28 speaks of our clothes, telling us not to worry about what we will wear.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">Before the theme of not worrying comes up, Jesus tells us that no one can serve two masters: either we will store up treasures in heaven or we will store up treasures on earth. It seems that Jesus tells us that we can’t serve two masters: if we do, we are divided people that will continue to live a frustrated life.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">I think I know what you are going to say now: Jesus just doesn’t know how your life is right now. It’s hard to navigate searching for the treasure of the kingdom when you have so many demands on your time between your spouse, your children, your employer, your venders….it goes on and on. Besides the fact that we are never really able to get away from the demands because our cell phones, emails, texts keep us connected 24/7.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">But, in reality, in comes down to the choice. Our choice. What’s more important to us? Where do we put our belief system? Who really provides for us? Is it our employer or is it our Heavenly Father? Bill and I have had the reality check 7 times that our employer is a fickle boss: with one decision, a company can be sold and our lives and the lives of all the other employees instantly becomes different. It helps us to remember who provides for us when our earthly boss changes course so easily.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">If we choose to believe that our Heavenly Father is our provider, it changes our perspective. Suddenly, we understand that he has a different priority for us than our employers. He wants to lead us to the life worth living, the abundant life that Jesus speaks of. And, as we establish his priorities first, then he provides for our physical and earthly needs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">It seems simple, but it takes an intentional decision to change our mind on who leads us. I think that most of us want to believe that we do follow our heavenly Father first, but if we dig deep, we find that our behavior speaks differently.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Take this simple test:</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"> 1. When you prioritize your day, is there time for your own space to let down and time to give God your full attention?</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">2. On your day off, if you are faced with an important email to write or spending time reading your Bible, which one do you choose?</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">3. If you get a text or a phone call during your time with the Lord, do you ignore it or do you check it and contact them back?</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">4. If your friend, neighbor, family member, calls or comes over unexpectantly and needs help, how do you respond?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;">I could write on and on, but you get the idea. <strong>Who’s got your attention?</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
<strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Pay attention this week to your thought patterns, your choices and your behavior. Filter it through the lense of the “Seek” word that means “Search for it like a treasure buried in a field,” something worth giving everything we have to obtain.</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;">And, then decide: what are you seeking? What are you giving the “everything you have to?” Is it worth it?</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-55195806831213076012011-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:002011-09-06T11:45:47.501-07:00Reflections on the Kingdom of God: the Adventure Begins"<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Over and over this summer, the Lord has brought me back to the invitation to “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be given to me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus taught this principle in the very famous Sermon on the Mount, which is found in the fifth through seventh chapter of Matthew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This verse is found at the end of the sixth chapter, in the middle of the whole teaching (Matt 6:33).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In seminary they used to say, <i>“You are reading someone else’s mail”</i> when you read the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they were describing is the necessity to understand the historical and cultural contexts of what we read to get the full picture of what is taking place.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last night I found a letter written from Bill’s Mom to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I read it, I looked for a date on it because I wanted to understand the context in which she was writing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it right after we were married, or was it several years later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I found the date, I knew, it was the first letter that she wrote me after we got married, and we were seeking to form a relationship for the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is also how we need to approach Jesus’ teachings on the Sermon of the Mount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can ask questions, such as:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was his audience? Where is it placed in Matthew’s Gospel?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is this placement important?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Beginnings and endings are also important because they indicate a greater importance of attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When themes are repeated this should also cause us to give greater focus to it as it is there to emphasize the seriousness in which Jesus wants us to hear his thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you remember, John the Baptist came before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent his life calling people to repentance through an act of baptism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The regular Jewish people were responding, the soil of their inner lives were being prepared to receive Jesus and to hear what he had to say. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, my guess is that when Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, he had a lot of seeking Jewish people in his audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Most commentators believe that the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of the teaching that Jesus often taught, it wasn’t a one time event).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also had a number of the Jewish leaders:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Pharisees and the Sadducees, in the audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps he even had a few Gentile seekers, although their numbers would be sparse because of the open hostilities between the two groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew is very intentional for where he places the Sermon on the Mount in his writings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first four chapters involve a lot of action: they start with the geneology of Jesus’ family line, his prophesied birth and Mary’s trip to Bethlehem where Jesus was born, the visit from the Wise Men, the family’s escape to Egypt and their eventual return to Nazareth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third chapter opens with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus’ coming by calling out, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day, John was visited by Jesus where he asked John to baptize him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John was surprised by the request, but when he baptized Jesus, the heavens opened and the dove descended on Jesus while everyone heard the Father’s pronouncement: “This is my beloved son in whom I delight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Father, Son and Spirit all present at one time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Immediately, Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the Devil for 40 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is through Jesus spoken word of Scripture that he was able to defeat the enemy’s scheme to lead him into sin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Father was pleased and after the Devil’s final defeat, Jesus left and began to proclaim, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This was the message of both John the Baptist and Jesus, their key idea that they continued to proclaim throughout their entire ministries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sermon on the Mount is the teaching for how we are live out Jesus’ call to us, as his disciples, to <br />
“seek his kingdom first!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Since both Jesus’ and John the Baptist told the people to “repent, “ I think it’s important for us to be clear on what repentance is and how we walk it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Repenting is a process of turning around and going another direction with our lives:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to understand that God has a way that is best and to make the decision to live in alignment with his way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Repentance involves first and foremost, a changing of our mind about how we live. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more that we align our lives with God’s way, the more that we experience his kingdom operating through us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, what exactly is God’s kingdom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it an actual place with a castle and a throne?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not exactly, it is wherever God’s rule and reign operates:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so if we are living with God as our king and following his rule in us, the kingdom is present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a sense, it is the very thing that Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done, on earth as it already is in heaven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have the opportunity to see heaven come to earth as we seek first God’s kingdom in our lives.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am going to spend the better part of this year exploring the theme of the kingdom of God and how we can follow Jesus’ invitation to “Seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness, and seeing all the other cares of life come into right alignment as a result.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I look forward to the journey, I hope you will come along with me as together we discover the treasure of life in God’s kingdom!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-78469995751130382822011-09-02T05:00:00.000-07:002011-09-02T05:00:09.473-07:00“Walking through Disappointment and Uncertainty with Hope”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Have you ever encountered a situation where there doesn’t seem to be a good way through it?</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever felt disoriented about a direction that life seems to be going that it causes you to feel like you are losing your solid footing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever been disappointed about a relationship or a job or a dream that seemed to be leading one way but suddenly turned around and went the opposite direction?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I hope that you can answer yes to at least one of these questions, although I suspect that most of us can say yes to all three of them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Many of us want to run from situations that cause these questions, but I am finding that if we can embrace the challenge, we are given the opportunity to know God’s heart for us.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">We experience his faithfulness in the midst of confusion and the reality of miraculous breakthroughs that leave us in awe and wonder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">The Bible over and over tells us to walk in hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The love chapter 1<sup>st</sup> Corinthians 13 ends with this statement:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Three things remain:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>faith, hope and love.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Romans 12:12 calls us to “<span class="apple-style-span">Be joyful in</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b>hope</b>, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Romans 15:13 prays, “May the God of</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b>hope</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with <b>hope</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">by the power of the Holy Spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">So, what is hope and how it is different than faith?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The definition of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">faith </b>is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">The definition of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hope</b> is to cherish a desire </span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">of anticipation and to desire with expectation of obtainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope is a continuing desire and expectation that God is trustworthy and he will bring forth the breakthrough of his purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">In a nutshell, faith leads us to belief in God and hope leads us to trust in God and his character! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">We start with faith, a foundation of belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When times of uncertainty and disappointment come forth, this is the time to hold onto hope:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>continuing to desire the breakthrough with an expectation that it will come in God’s perfect timing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">I have found two Scriptures to be helpful in the reality of walking out a life of hopefulness, despite the uncertainty of the circumstances surrounding me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is from the Old Testament:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a Psalm written by David when he had been captured by the Philistines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anybody needed hope, David did in that moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">This is what he wrote:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Psalm 56)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh Most High, when I am afraid, 3: I put my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">trust </b>in you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">In God, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">whose word I praise</b>, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can mere people do to me?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">8: You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in a bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are they not in your record?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">9: Then my enemies will retreat in the day that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I call</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I know</b> that God is for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">10: In God, whose <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">word I praise</b>, in the Lord, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">whose word I praise.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">11: In God I trust; I am not afraid, what can mere people do to me?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">12: My vows to you I must perform, Oh God, I will render <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">thank offerings</b> to you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">13: For you have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling</b>, that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I may walk before God </b>in the light of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The second passage is from the New Testament:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a letter written by the Apostle Paul, who knew much about hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lived daily in hope, knowing that God had the ability and desire to fulfill his promises to Paul.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Romans 5:1-5:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Therefore, since we have been <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">justified through faith</i>, we<b><sup>[</sup></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=rom%205:1-5&version=NIV;NLT;MSG;NASB;NKJV#fen-NIV-28049a" title="See footnote a"><b><sup>a</sup></b></a><span class="apple-style-span"><b><sup>]</sup></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">peace </b>with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><sup>2</sup></b>through whom we have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">gained access by faith</b> into this grace in which we now stand. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">And we<b><sup> </sup></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">boast in the hope</b> of the glory of God.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><sup><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">3</span></sup></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Not only so, but we<b><sup> </sup></b>also <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">glory in our sufferings</b>, because we know that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">suffering produces perseverance;</b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><sup><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">4</span></sup></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">perseverance, character; and character, hope.<sup><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">5</span></sup></span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">And hope does not put us to shame, because <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">God’s love has been poured out into our hearts </b>through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">These two Scriptures give us direction on how to maintain hope in the midst of uncertainty, suffering, and disappointment, as well as warfare:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Call </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">on God—put your attention on God and not the challenge before us<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Out of the discipline of your will, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">thank</b> him for the challenge (this causes the enemy to run from us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Psalm 56:9)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Remember </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">what he has done in the past and speak it out loud<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Praise God</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> for his trustworthy character and his continual love for you (Romans 5:5 is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">continual ongoing pouring of his love</i> that never stops, even for a second)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Speak out</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> his promises from his Word<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Call out prophetic words</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">and promises</b> spoken over us<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="apple-style-span"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Persevere in hope</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">, keeping your focus on Jesus and his ability and desire to bring the breakthrough<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">If you look at these two Scriptures we realize that God is responsible for his part and we are responsible for our part.</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s part is to bring forth the breakthrough, in David’s case, to break out from the Philistines, and in Paul’s case it is to save him as he is let down a wall through a basket to escape his enemies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our part is to take a posture of faith and hope, and to develop a mindset that is focused on God’s character and power to bring us through the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also have the invitation to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">experience God’s love</i></b> through every trial we encounter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">So, take a moment and think about a challenge that you are walking through right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your thoughts surrounding it? Do you find yourself creating different scenarios of how it could play out, or are you focusing on God’s ability to bring the hopeful answer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your answer to this question will tell you much about where your trust lies:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is it in God or an earthly solution?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The thing is that we serve a God who is in the business of bringing heavenly solutions to earthly dilemmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best way that we build our faith and hope muscles is to actually walk out challenges that are inevitable in life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Here is a prayer that Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today it is my prayer for you:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><b><sup><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">20-21</span></sup></b><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.<span class="apple-converted-space"> Amen.</span><span class="apple-style-span"> (Ephesians 3:14-21)</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></span></div><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When we choose to live a life of intentional faith and hope, we are given the prize:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the experience of the fullness of the Father’s love for his beloved children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can life be any better than that?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Three things remain:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>faith, hope and love. But, the greatest of these is love!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-60537361114713681902011-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:002011-08-31T05:00:08.827-07:00Missio Lux has a Special VIsitor from India<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDDQaAk-WjnUaljr0ZKtzH2yYW3tDKKm5ENv8QU-mpwzfgVeESbFZ2_xf6vKB-yYtgVM3_TQT2PzMUCTCvhFAr4SxNUlKUgNVv0A1ObZ7ETlmDSqwufij-Y6ki875UfFxVUdQwybglzI/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDDQaAk-WjnUaljr0ZKtzH2yYW3tDKKm5ENv8QU-mpwzfgVeESbFZ2_xf6vKB-yYtgVM3_TQT2PzMUCTCvhFAr4SxNUlKUgNVv0A1ObZ7ETlmDSqwufij-Y6ki875UfFxVUdQwybglzI/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke Lewis, Pastor Prince, and Tamara after the Gathering</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Sometimes life surprises us. We think that we are meeting one person and it turns out that God sends us a <b>spiritual giant</b>....this happened at Missio Lux last night.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Luke is the man who is trying to go to India to lead a training for the Sunday School teachers from 85 different churches....he hasn't been able to go because the government hasn't granted him the required visa to go. So, he waits. We all wait and pray, as we know that God has big plans for what he is going to do in India through Luke's presence.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Meanwhile, Luke supports two orphan children in India through Immanuel Fellowship Ministries. The leader of IFM is Pastor Prince Thomas. He was our surprise visitor last night!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Pastor Prince told us one amazing story after another. He spoke of being a regular man in India until one day he had a visitation from Jesus who called him to go to an Indian state where there is not even one Christian. He went almost immediately, with no job or plan for support. For three years, he witnessed to the power of Jesus, but not one person turned to follow him.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">He was very discouraged and wanted to quit, but one day he sensed the Lord say to him, "Prayer walk around the city and bind up the demons. After you do that, declare that their eyes are opened and their hearts are softened to follow me." So, Pastor Prince did just that.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">He also found the command in Luke 10 to pray for the harvesters and look for the Person of Peace. The Person of Peace is one that welcomes you, listens to you and serves you. They are ones that God is preparing to bring forth a harvest--through their spheres of influence. Because once a Person of Peace meets Jesus, they tell everyone they know and they usually have a LOT of friends!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">God brought a Person of Peace into Prince's life and the man gave Pastor Prince an invitation to pray for his bedridden mother in law. She had been in bed for 15 years paralyzed but after Prince prayed for her she got up healed! This brought a storm of people into their house to see what had happened and Pastor Prince was able to share the good news of Jesus, who saves us not just for salvation in heaven, but also protection, salvation, healing and deliverance, and provision today! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">That day almost 30 people gave their lives to Jesus and the first house church was born. It hasn't stopped since....just a little over 10 years later, the Indian State of Haryana, which previously didn't have one Christian follower, now has 265 house churches in villages all over Haryana!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">This is what God can do with the power of the Gospel displayed through signs, wonders and miracles, and a man who believes in a God who can do the impossible and a great replication strategy! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Those of us who were able to spend time with Pastor Prince last night were deeply moved and realized what a gift that God had brought him into our midst! We can learn from him in Missio Lux and are happy that he is now our new friend!</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-4513937379042418802011-08-28T14:57:00.000-07:002011-08-28T14:57:26.016-07:00Celebrate Recovery Team goes to the Summit<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_YoJ8JB3p8k8HOj1r9Vjtvn-krFWK-C1VgI81CL94WEd1y_FCDSdsIGxJUSwsjYH43qaduxexYAR4YyTHr-NVP-YkLbdIu6XDpBMISkw8-rZo5u1_xJzZmbpec5S76N6-P1d-lCENCc/s1600/CR+picture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_YoJ8JB3p8k8HOj1r9Vjtvn-krFWK-C1VgI81CL94WEd1y_FCDSdsIGxJUSwsjYH43qaduxexYAR4YyTHr-NVP-YkLbdIu6XDpBMISkw8-rZo5u1_xJzZmbpec5S76N6-P1d-lCENCc/s400/CR+picture.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Celebrate Recovery Team at the CR Summit </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Last week six members of the Celebrate Recovery Ministry, shared jointly by Missio Lux and our parent church, Pine Lake Covenant, went to the CR Summit at Saddleback Church in Orange County. The amazing thing about their visit is that all of the trip was paid for through their missio community funds. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Missio Lux' 75/25% split for finances is intentional: 75% goes to support their community in their area of mission, and 25% goes to support the whole, which consists mostly of administrative costs.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">We keep our administrative costs for website, supplies, resources, and costs for leadership to a minimum so that each missio community has their funds freed up to do their work of mission. In Celebrate Recovery's case, to support their work to help people heal from their hurts, habits and hang-ups through Christian 12 step.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">This is the first time that a significant number of the team has gone to the Summit. It's been good timing as CR has ministered faithfully, week after week, for almost four years. That's a long time to show up each week to put on a BBQ and then a worship and open meeting where either a testimony or a teaching is given. After the large group time, men and women divide up into open share groups where they are each given a few minutes to share what is taking place in their lives as they seek to walk a lifestyle of recovery.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When I asked the CR leaders why they do continue to show up each week, their answer is usually along the lines of "I get so inspired by seeing people make valuable changes in their lives, it keeps me going," or "It keeps me accountable to live a 12 step lifestyle, which I know honors Jesus."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The final aspect of Celebrate Recovery is 12 Step Groups. These are also divided up by gender, and are the most serious aspect of the CR ministry. They are the vehicle where the participants dig deep to discover where they have experienced hurts, habits and hang-ups which has kept them from a living a healthy lifestyle that would please God. Those that do the hard work in 12 step are able to reach out and help others: it is the cycle of giving back for the help that they have received!</span><br />
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</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-9443609161362157712011-08-18T11:38:00.000-07:002011-08-18T11:38:46.990-07:00Have you seen the Movie, "The Help?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6PsQuMSVXzV049JjnvcnL23EB1Jfjk5LD3e5hyphenhyphenzrozLjv5hsE3iD8m_2tP_hbI8uPWMJIdGDlW_7zanrzO1HRSkLW3e7m7YjxI77nifzbyzyW5cdVQmy8Y0JVo1kOdecyWr78Fjc38M/s1600/logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6PsQuMSVXzV049JjnvcnL23EB1Jfjk5LD3e5hyphenhyphenzrozLjv5hsE3iD8m_2tP_hbI8uPWMJIdGDlW_7zanrzO1HRSkLW3e7m7YjxI77nifzbyzyW5cdVQmy8Y0JVo1kOdecyWr78Fjc38M/s200/logo.png" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Last night, my daughters and I went to see the movie, "The Help." It's a wonderful story about a young college graduate from Jackson, Mississippi, who ended up convincing a black maid to tell her the stories of what it is like to work for white women. Of course, this maid works for one of Skeeter;s, as the author is nicknamed, friends.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The story speaks of courage on both ends of the spectrum. The first is, of course, the first maid and the many others who follows her lead. The risk they took involved losing their job, getting arrested, and having their reputation disparaged. But, they took those risks because the pain of living life the same way as they had been, seemed more painful than walking through persecution to a life of freedom.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Interestingly, Skeeter, also needed courage. She was basically going against every social and cultural norm to befriend the maids, and to tell their stories. She had to open her eyes to the injustice that was all around her, in blinding red lights, even though for much of her life she had accepted it as normal. She lost much in the process, even losing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> the love of her life because he couldn't accept her choice to write the book. In the end, however, what she in her awakening became such a part of her that she was willing to stay in Jackson to live out the persecution with the maids. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">She had to go against the wishes of her friends and even make an "accidental error" in the society newsletter that created a yard full of "commodes" in her childhood best friend's yard. This is quite humorous because her friend was pressuring her to highlight the initiative to get everyone to put a "colored" bathroom in their homes. Skeeter was so appalled by this initiative that she found many ways to go around putting it in the newsletter.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">This movie profoundly affected me last night because I see parallels to my own life in this story. I have also <i>written a book</i> on Identity, and know that the publication of it will be life changing to me. I know that I will receive criticism about it as it challenges some of the social and cultural norms of the Church, things that I always took for granted as being right, but as I've gone deeper in my study of the Scripture and deeper in my spirit life with Christ, I am being awakened, like Skeeter, to a whole reality that I didn't know existed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">It's taking courage for me to open my eyes and walk this new lifestyle that the Lord has called me to walk with him; and it will take courage, like the black maids, for those who read it to make the pivotal changes that the book will awaken within them. My hope is that the reader's choice of living status quo seems much more painful than the choice to join the journey of discovering the truth about our identity and walking it out.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Keep your eyes posted for the publication of the book, whose working title is Identity Crisis: It's Time to Reclaim the Truth of Who We Are! Hopefully, it will be coming out around the first of the year....and together we can courageously walk in the new awareness of what it means to be a beloved child of the King of the Universe!</span><br />
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</span>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2064145503404789470.post-29466411842752131022011-08-10T21:14:00.000-07:002011-08-14T21:53:53.963-07:00Jesus Comes to Oprah's BallGod is blowing a new wind. It's a wind that is crossing all kinds of barriers that have been erected through the years; our differences becoming more important to us than our unity in knowing that we are people loved by our Creator who desires to have a relationship with us.<br />
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Remember <u>the Shack? </u> That book pointed countless numbers of people to Jesus, and yet, the criticism leveled against it was thick and unyielding.<br />
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A long time ago, when I was at the start of this whole adventurous journey that I've been invited to join, I was sitting, broken hearted in a church service, having come out of a painful ministry situation that almost broke me. As I was sitting there, I suddenly saw a box, and then I heard the words, "You've had me in a box, and I want to removed your boxes," as I saw one side after another ripped down.<br />
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This is what my Creator Creative God has done for the past 15 years. He has shown me sides of himself that surprise and stun me. And, I have to wonder, would this Creative Creator rather be at an Oprah's ball where he gets to surprise people, or would he rather be in a stuffy church service that is timed down to the minute?<br />
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Watch this 5 minute video and see for yourself which choice he makes. Listen to Diane Sawyer as she says, "This was the most transcendent experience that I will probably ever have." Watch those that lift their hands in praise, almost because they can't help themselves. Consider the words at the end of how one man is going to choose to live after he experienced the holy invading the ordinary. He's going to dream bigger: this is the God of hope at work in his creative way.<br />
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Let's keep our eyes open for more divine appointments to come....<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp-ZM0kCVQQ">Click here</a>Tamara Buchanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08343657459994091712noreply@blogger.com0