Socktober!!!

It's **SOCKTOBER** all you knitting fans! Get out those double point needles and get clicking!

My goal for Socktober is 3 socks (not 3 pairs). One pair was half finished upon entering this month, and I can happily report that this solo sock finally has its sole mate! Onto socks #2 & 3, a pair for my dear husband. He will be receiving this manly pair, called "Earl Grey," for his birthday this winter.

Anyone want to knit along?

In the breaking of the bread

Resurrection Day - 1 Cor 15:12-26

The 2 on the road to Emmaus were hoping that Jesus was going to redeem Israel…

Luke 24:30-31 - "Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him…. And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.”

Their hope had faded. They were going home, turning their backs on their expectation. But Jesus calls them back, explaining His suffering and death in the Word. Sitting down to bread with them. Notice he does the same thing in the same order as instituting the Lord’s Supper in the Upper Room during Passover. He took the bread, He blessed God, then broke it, as He gave it to them.

Jesus was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Let Christ be known to you in the breaking of the bread, in taking the cup

Let Jesus be known to you in His Word, dwelling in you richly

Let Jesus be known to you in your fellowship with one another

Let Jesus be known to your kids as you model His character for them

Let Jesus be known to your neighbors as you shine the light of the risen Jesus among them.

Let Jesus be known to the world, as you break and sacrifice yourselves for others, as Jesus did for you.

Let Jesus be known to the world, as you share the news of the great things Christ has done for you.

Let Jesus be known as you live His resurrection life.

Psalm 16:9-11: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Locate the source

Based on Matt 21:9-16; Palm Sunday

God calls us to proclaim Christ’s death at this table. When the disciples and the crowds sang Hosanna to Jesus, they were doing more than praising God. They were doing more than praising Jesus. Hosanna does not mean “praise.” Hosanna means “save.” The crowds were locating the source of their salvation as they laid down their palm branches and coats for him to ride on. We here at this table do the same thing. Besides first bringing an offering, at this table we locate the source of our salvation: it is the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross. As they looked to Jesus to save them, so do we. They didn’t see the cross coming, but they trusted the right Person for their salvation. We don’t see many of our trials coming, either, but we trust Christ to see us through them. He is your life, your bread. He is your joy, your wine. God provides His Son for You to abide in, daily bread from day to day, morning to evening. Find your forgiveness in Him. Find your fellowship in Him. Find your flavor and your light in Him. Find your joy in Him.

4/5/09

Toward them

Based on Colossians 4:5-6

Paul doesn’t tell us to walk in wisdom away from those outside in isolation from the world. He doesn’t tell us to walk with those outside, becoming worldly ourselves. We walk toward them. They are not of us, but we do not stay away from them.

We speak with grace, out of our joy and our longing for them to have that joy. We speak in a way that reveals the flavorful difference Christ makes. This calls for wisdom.

4/5/09

Calvinist TULIP

Here is a wonderful introduction to the 5 points of Calvinism, TULIP.

It's only the length of a short article. 3-5 sentences explaining each point; 2-3 verses that make the point.

Check it out!

Condemn others; repent yourself

You've heard of the Jeremiad.

How about the Nehemiad?

Debating End Times

Jesus, the blessed

From Matt 5:7-10

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Jesus extended mercy to us.

Isa 40:11 - He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.

John 8 – Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Jesus is pure, glorious holiness. He told us at the first communion table with the disciples, “the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” You sit at His table; the one who is pure, who gives you that purity, so that you too may see His Father, Your Father.

Blessed are the peacemakers. Jesus is the ultimate peacemaker. Eph 2:14-18.

3/22/09

Shredded heart

From Joel 2:12-14

It won’t do to say that Joel calls us to repent on the inside, not on the outside. He does say to rip our hearts, not our clothes. But in the verse before He says to turn to God with fasting, which is an outward practice. In the church year, we are currently in the season of Lent. And whatever you think of lent, Jesus certainly expected that we would be fasting and mourning for our sin regularly. Not by giving up coffee or soda for 40 days out of the year, but by ripping up our hearts about it. Are you undone knowing you have unclean lips and hearts? That is exactly how God will meet you and restore you. You cannot come to Him negotiating His favor toward you. You have nothing to bargain with. But that is all right. God is full of mercy, grace and kindness, and He will leave a blessing behind Him.

3/22/09

Let it work

Matt 13: 31-33, 44-48

3/15/09

This table is one of God’s really big signs He gives us to show and tell us that His Kingdom is near, and what His Kingdom is like. Even while there are still enemies among us, He sets a table for us. We come in from the field from working in His vineyard and we find our plate and cup full, our inheritance secure. God can multiply the loaves and fish to feed the world, as His kingdom expands. Find rest under the shade of His tree here. Let the leaven of His spirit permeate your spirit, purifying and sanctifying your desires and affections for Him. Let the Table do its sifting work, weeding out your sin, weeding out faithless sinners. Most of all, Let the Father show you the great treasure to be found in His Son here at this Table.

You have heard

From Matthew 4:12-25

3/15/09

Jesus rebukes Corazin, Bethsaiada and Capernaum, the 3 towns he visited most often during his ministry. They had the most opportunity to repent, having the most exposure to Jesus Himself. How much more is this true of us? We not only have the stories of Jesus’ ministry, but also of His death and resurrection, and the rest of the NT explaining, proclaiming and applying it all for us. We have Bibles galore, and many of us have heard the good news of the Gospel for years. The judgment is greater upon those who hear the call to repent, when they shrug their shoulders in response. When you come to church week after week, read your Bible day after day, it can become just the thing you do instead of the way God meets you and calls you to Himself. Don’t take this lightly. Anyone with more than 12 months exposure to Christ’s life and teaching is Capernaum. Although exalted for a time, it will be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah.

This reminds us of our need to confess our sins.

Dismembered; remembered

Communion Exhortation - 3/8/09

Rev 7:9-17

We proclaim the Lord’s death at this meal. Death brings division. Individually, body and soul are divided. Corporately, as the church, the body is divided between the church triumphant which we just read about, and the church militant, as we are on earth. Death divides. We soberly remember the punishment for our sin: separation from God. We gratefully remember that Jesus took it for us. He was the scapegoat, exiled from God’s presence. But the result of that exile was more life.

The result of Christ’s death is reunion, reconciliation. He has made the two into one new man, breaking down the separation at the cross. He was DIS-membered [cut off from fellowship, and forsaken by His Father], so we could get RE-membered into the body of Christ. Ultimately, we will see Him face to face without sad tears or fears, finally home. Countless thousands of us are there already. This table comes from that new world, to feed and nourish your faith, your sure hope that you will be there, too, still offering faithful, pure worship to Him, wherever you are.

Call to confession - 3/8/09

Malachi 1:9-11

We have a selfish tendency to save the best for ourselves, when God asks us to save the first and the best for Himself. The world tells us to treasure Friday night and Saturday night, because then your time is your own. God tells us to treasure Sunday morning as His day of worship and rest, time given to Him; God tells us to treasure Monday morning, in our calendar, as an opportunity to serve Him, to multiply the resources He has given us to steward. Instead of serving and giving, we are tempted to cling tighter in hard financial times, right when people have the most need.

But we know how to work the system. We know how to give to the right people so that it profits us. We know how to work hard for our own benefit, not God’s glory. We know how to dress up to impress the right people, forgetting that it is God’s favor toward us that counts.

This reminds us of our need to confess our sins to God.

Jack O Lantern Grins

Tooth #3 bites the dust. It HAD to go. It was a dangler; you could see it wiggle when he talked, giving my son a less-than-refined look. But he wouldn't let me touch it to "help" it come out...that is, until I told him he'd get two mini-snickers if he let me pull it and he didn't cry!

I'm not the type of mom who saves teeth, locks of hair, or all that. I wouldn't have taken a picture either, but he wanted Grandma to see his dashing new look.

Spontaneous Week

As hub and I sat talking over our paper-wrapped dinner out tonight, we commented on how quickly the week has gone by and how we can't really remember anything that happened.

Then I said "Oh yeah, that's right. We were spontaneous this week." Monday was "we're going to make Mycenaen pottery this week!" Tuesday the phone rang and we were off to the park within an hour. Wednesday: more ring-ring then out for dinner with friends. Today was It's-the-first-day-of-October-so-therefore-I-must-bake-endless-amounts-of-comfort-foods-NOW. I kinda like spontaneity. It fits my creative, shotgun approach to life.

The Left Brain half of us summarily ruled "From now on only one spontaneous event is allowed per week." Two seconds of silence, then I just about spewed Jamocha shake out my nose (but that's the kind of thing that wins his heart, so it'd be ok). So...should I put that on our weekly calendar honey?

We are such an odd couple sometimes! But I wouldn't have it any other way.