More wondering by this Old Man

Publish [G*d's] glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things [G*d] does.  ~ 1 Chronicles 16:24, NLT

This was today's K-Love radio verse of the day.  It made me wonder if we are good at "publishing the glorious deeds of G*d" in our own community, let alone among the nations!   I have to ask myself, as well as you good readers, what we are doing to get out to the people we know what G*d is doing in our life?  How much as we talking (publishing) what amazing things G*d is doing in our day to day life?

Let us make an effort to publish (talk about) G*d's deed in our life and tell about the amazing things G*d does for us.

Who's language do we speak?

Act 2:5-8 New Life Version (NLV) ⁵ There were many religious Jews staying in Jerusalem. They were from every country of the world. ⁶ When they heard this strange sound, they gathered together. They all listened! It was hard for them to believe they were hearing words in their own language. ⁷ They were surprised and wondered about it. They said to each other, “Are not these Galileans who are speaking? ⁸ How is it that each one of us can hear his own language?

These verses were part of Men's Group this evening.  The one I have made larger is one that hit me in the face as it was read.  It caused me to wonder if we as the Church are speaking in "the language" of those we are trying to meet.

I wonder if we use words that are a code for us insiders.  Not always as an attempt to keep the not-yet-christians or any other new comer in the dark but simply cause we have always used the terms; "born-again, second blessing, save, washed in the blood" to name a few.

I also wonder if we need to reach those that are not-yet-christians that are say under 45 years old and younger if we need to change our language?  How we present the gospel; both in words and also in other ways; which I,  as a 50 something former pastor turned hamburger flipper,  am not sure I can innumerate.  Change our time frame; both hour and day?  What makes Sunday between 9 a.m. and Noon the time for church?  Why not Friday at 7:52p.m. or Saturday afternoon or Tuesday evening?      Change our method of presentation?    Is there a way to do the sermon as a text or email that then can be discussed at the "worship time" (even that phrase "WORSHIP TIME" is our/my language.)  These and many other thoughts go wandering through my wondering mind this Wednesday evening between 6:00 p.m. and 7:29p.m. followed by Choir practice.

Another in a long line (whch will get longer) of old man's wondering.

9So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?
 Luke 6:46 NLT

Well?   What is your answer?

Just A Thought!!

Do not remember where on the net I found this (did so long ago) but it is a thought!!!!!

Interesting 2!!!!

Dan Edelen wrote a response to the Out of Ur article I looked at Friday 032212.  I love it when some one prove the left wrong!!!!!!

Interesting!?!

Interesting Out of Ur Article

I like Peter Berger idea it reminds me of a teaching in Matthew 7:13 & 14  ¹³ "Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate. ¹⁴ But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.

I wonder if practice what you preach is not the mantra of the younger set?  I see the Body of Christ at times being right in their thoughts but wrong in their actions.  Homosexuality and Abortion being the two that come to mind.  We have handled both as if they are Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit; unforgivable.  It is the one place we as the Body of Christ will allow hate speech; both from the pulpit and from the pew.  This cause the young folks to call Bull Manure alert and Rightfully so.  We need to look at Berger's, as well as Campbell and Putnam's, thinking and deal with the whys and hows of the matter.

Here is  Berger's full response

Just wondering

^1-3 "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
⁴"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
^5-8"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.   John 15:1-8 (The Message)

As I read this I wonder if there is a reason for the majority of churches in the United States not growing.  Especially, the first eight verses.  Just a thought.

God knows more than you think he knows!

Psalm 139 New Century Version (NCV)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ Lord, you have examined me and know all about me.
² You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them.
³ You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do.
⁴ Lord, even before I say a word, you already know it.
⁵ You are all around me—in front and in back— and have put your hand on me.
⁶ Your knowledge is amazing to me; it is more than I can understand.
⁷ Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run from you?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in the grave, you are there.
⁹ If I rise with the sun in the east and settle in the west beyond the sea,
¹⁰ even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me.
¹¹ I could say, "The darkness will hide me.  Let the light around me turn into night."
¹² But even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is as light as the day; darkness and light are the same to you.
¹³ You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother's body.
¹⁴ I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way.  What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.
¹⁵ You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, ¹⁶ you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me
were written in your book before I was one day old.
¹⁷ God, your thoughts are precious to me. They are so many!
¹⁸ If I could count them, they would be more than all the grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.
¹⁹ God, I wish you would kill the wicked! Get away from me, you murderers!
²⁰ They say evil things about you. Your enemies use your name thoughtlessly.
²¹ Lord, I hate those who hate you; I hate those who rise up against you.

 ²² I feel only hate for them; they are my enemies.
²³ God, examine me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any bad thing in me. Lead me on the road to everlasting life.

I have read this verse a number of times; never really saw waht I was shown during men's Bible Study.  The discussion that night showed me another way this passage canbe used.  It can be used as a way of pointing out to people that God already knows what you hve done. Not just us in the church but even not-yet-christians.  Those who say God cn't love me becasue I am TOO BAD A PERSON for God to love.  If they are willing to believe the Bible then Romans 5:8 (NCV)  "But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners." points out that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, at odds with God, and the Psalm 139 points out that knew EVERYTHING about us and the person we are speaking with WHEN CHRIST DIED FOR US!

To me the is the GREAT NEWS of the GOD NEWS!  God was willing to die for us knowing everything about us!!

GOD Cares for you!

Isaiah 43:1-7 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

¹The Lord created Jacob and formed Israel. Now, this is what the Lord says:

Do not be afraid, because I have reclaimed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
²When you go through the sea, I am with you.
When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away.
When you walk through fire, you will not be burned,
and the flames will not harm you.
³I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you.
Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you.
⁴Since you are precious to me, you are honored and I love you.
I will exchange others for you.
Nations will be the price I pay for your life.
⁵Do not be afraid, because I am with you.
I will bring your descendants from the east
and gather you from the west.
⁶I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not keep them.”
Bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the ends of the earth.
⁷Bring everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.

As I read this passage preparing for a Men's Bible Study I was impressed by the idea of how we are precious, honored and loved by God.  This in turn got me to thinking that those who yet to know God through Jesus are also precious, loved, and honored by God.  This lead me to think about who we God's children do not honor, love and find precious those who yet to know our Papa, our Abba, Baba, our Daddy, our Father.  We are God's children and God's Ambassadors; shouldn't we love, honor and find precious those he finds precious; who He loves and who He honors?

Just wondering!! No wandering involved!