Papa's Home - The Tool Shed

Papa's Home - The Tool Shed Where we can find all the tools we need to do the weeding in our life.http://papashome.com/list.php?5Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:44:43 -0500 Phorum 5.2.15a http://papashome.com/read.php?5,2116,2116#msg-2116 Just pray (13 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,2116,2116#msg-2116
The situation was one of a typically religious group setting where a group of men had gathered, and one who had needs was to be the subject (victim?) of prayer. The man who was leading the group used this opportunity...started praying for the man, and then leading into "praying" for other things that were partially irrelevant, but which pushed his particular pet doctrines in order to manipulate the others present (in this case it was his view that alcohol should not be imbibed by Christians). "How typical," I thought, "how sad!" Then I distinctly heard Papa's voice in the words, "Just pray for him, don't dig theological rabbit warrens."

And so I have been dwelling upon what all this means this morning.

Do I have the focus of love towards others when I pray for them? Or do I try to manipulate them?

Do I "dig theological rabbit warrens" - create a theology and doctrine by digging holes in the earth...holes that can easily collapse...holes and tunnels that go off in all directions, that are by definition mine, yet I want others to live in them too?

I am sure that more can be said...but I've got to go for a drive with the family again :D]]> onyx The Tool ShedSat, 07 Aug 2010 07:18:08 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1995,1995#msg-1995 Silent God (headbang) (2 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1995,1995#msg-1995
Well, what do you do?

Have you faced a time of needing an answer desperately, and the heavens were sealed by iron gates?

Me thinks this is a ripe topic that needs to be plumbed. And no, I haven't got the answers...;)]]> onyx The Tool ShedThu, 27 May 2010 07:36:37 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1861,1861#msg-1861 So, what Bible do you use and why? (15 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1861,1861#msg-1861
It got me thinking about the Bibles I use, which in turn got me wondering if people really stopped to consider their choice of Bible, and whether they knew its hisory and origins etc.

The article I read does make some strong claims about a number of modern Bibles - but non the less It was still thought provocating enough to add to my list of things to research and study further.

In the meantime, I thought I would ask the following question:

What Bibles are you using and why are you using that particular version?

Look forward to some interesting discussion on and round the matter.

Mark]]> joshuacorp The Tool ShedSat, 24 Apr 2010 09:58:45 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1552,1552#msg-1552 Best Seller - Worst Reader (21 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1552,1552#msg-1552

Quote
Bible Society NZ
According to research undertaken by The Bible Society in New Zealand, 68% of all New Zealanders own a Bible, and yet only 23% of Bible owners pick it up and have a read at least once a month.

The research shows that 7% of Bible owners read it daily while 9% read it weekly. The survey also revealed that 46% of New Zealanders describe themselves as Christian. Among Christians, only 11% read the Bible daily and 13% read it weekly.

Results also showed that the Bible’s influence on peoples’ lives is low. 47% of Christians said that the Bible does influence their life, while 39% said it only sometimes influenced their life. 60% of Christians rarely or never discuss the Bible’s teachings with others. In fact, only 26% of Christians regularly discuss the Bible’s teachings with others (weekly or more frequently).

This research confirms the growing Bible engagement crisis happening in New Zealand and many other western nations. Despite the ready availability of Bibles in many different English versions, most New Zealand Christians do not see engaging with God through Bible reading as a priority.

“This is a serious crisis within the New Zealand church. If Christians continue to move away from engaging with the Bible, what will the future of the church in this country look like?” Bible Society CEO Mark Brown says.

And countering this, the Shack is still a best seller. Statistics are really not available to support the figures for NZ bible sales, and the Shack is listed on the NY Times best seller list (not yet a kiwi best seller).

So....I know this is controversial...but why is it that although the Bible sells a lot, very few are even read, yet the Shack is widely read and loved, yet does not purport to be a "doctrinal statement" or anything?

Is it even fair to compare the two books? Ironically, I know that some churches in the States are buying it and distributing it, even though it directly counters the need for a church building. Mind you, the Bible does too, but few see that.]]> onyx The Tool ShedThu, 18 Mar 2010 14:40:01 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1254,1254#msg-1254 Looking for Love in Mark (14 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1254,1254#msg-1254
No structure, no rules, you can jump in or out, skip days, quit entirely, no problem. We can talk about stuff from previous chapters, comment on what others have said even though the chart says we're on another chapter. We have 2 days to talk about a chapter, and that's flexible since USA time and other countries' is different. I don't know if this will work, but let's give it a try anyway.

We're taking a new chapter every odd day, which would work out to:
January 1 & 2 - Mark 1
January 3 & 4 - Mark 2
January 5 & 6 - Mark 3
January 7 & 8 - Mark 4
January 9 & 10 - Mark 5
January 11 & 12 - Mark 6
January 13 & 14 - Mark 7
January 15 & 16 - Mark 8
January 17 & 18 - Mark 9
January 19 & 20 - Mark 10
January 21 & 22 - Mark 11
January 23 & 24 - Mark 12
January 25 & 26 - Mark 13
January 27 & 28 - Mark 14
January 29 & 30 - Mark 15
January 31 - Mark 16

May our God who is Love, give us light as we walk together!]]> C Shell The Tool ShedMon, 18 Jan 2010 07:40:33 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1198,1198#msg-1198 Looking for Love in all the Right Places (13 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1198,1198#msg-1198
I've been wanting to read the Bible with the purpose of LOOKING FOR LOVE in every book, chapter & verse and especially between the lines. And I thought it would be more fun to do it with other people. While I was thinking about this, Toni posted her thread about reading the Bible (coincidence?) and Darin Hufford posted a MOST excellent blog entry which you can read here and I hope you will: Marrying Yourself to God-is-Love (another coincidence? i think not!)

So my idea is that for the month of January, I and anyone who wants to join me, would read a chapter in the book of Mark every other day. We would wear our "love lenses" and ask Papa to show us his love in that chapter. Any thoughts, comments, questions, insights, we could post here. We would take 2 days on each chapter. Anyone could jump in at any time, skip days, jump back out when 3D world gets busy -- there's no way you have to commit to every day in the month. In fact, seeing as how us out-of-boxers dislike structure, I want to emphasize there's none here. I would not be "leading"; anybody can just post something. I would probably be there to remind us what chapter we're on that day.

Any thoughts?]]> C Shell The Tool ShedSun, 27 Dec 2009 13:03:48 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1191,1191#msg-1191 Where to start..... (7 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,1191,1191#msg-1191I know that several on here are well versed in the Bible. So where, do you just pick something your interested in? I know I want to start but it is also kind of scary not knowing where to start. Any help would be appreciated

Thank Toni]]> dogwoodflwr The Tool ShedSat, 09 Jan 2010 17:44:53 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,972,972#msg-972 What is your measure? (5 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,972,972#msg-972
When I was in the institutional church, some of my measures were:
The number and types of activities I was involved in,
How much I “served”,
Did I have the right doctrine,
How much did I read my Bible and pray,
Did I follow all the “Godly Principles for a Righteous life”,
...and so on.

Now obviously, some of these were stupid, selfish, and evidence of my attempts to earn grace. But what about the “right doctrine” one? After all, we have to believe certain things in order to be saved, right? I mean we have to believe the basics, like “believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord”, don't we?

Well, what about a mentally disabled person? Do they have to meet this same standard of belief? Or are their different standards based on our mental capacity?
Or what about someone in a distant jungle who has never heard of Jesus? Do they have another standard for what they have to believe in order to be saved?
That just doesn't sound right.

Now, maybe there really is an answer; maybe there is a standard of trust that God requires and its just too complex for me to grasp or express here. But for the times and questions like these for which I have no answer, what can I hold onto? Well, answer or no answer, I know I can always hold onto one thing: the character of God. Doesn't that put your heart and mind at rest?

Everything else seems to change. My interpretation of Scripture, my opinions, other people's opinions, “right principles”... My paradigm has shifted so many times over the years, its dizzying. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken. So, what does NOT shake? What are we left with; what doesn't change?

All I've come up with is... The character of God.

WWJD? People ask “What Would Jesus Do?” But what most really want is a list of principles or rules (i.e. measures). Knowing ABOUT him from a book will give you principles, but to understand what he would do in the moment, we must know his character. This “knowing” can only happen in relationship; getting to know what he is really like, his heart, his love, his desires, his compassion, his true character, this will help us know WJWD.

Any good, right, noble, or praise-worthy concept or principle can distract us from knowing Jesus. As soon as we put an “ALWAYS TRUE” stamp on something (other than the character of God), it becomes an idol / a principle / a measure, and it takes the place of Jesus. -- At least for ME it does, and I've seen it happen with others, too.

A few years ago I met a group of people who seemed so free. They were free, but for ONE measure that ruined everything. Their measure? Living in Community. I don't think they even realized it, but living in community had become so important to them that they questioned the salvation of anyone who chose not to live in their commune. Living in Community, their measure, was their standard for judging a person's salvation.

Living in Community probably started out as a marvelous, Jesus'-Life-Affirming blessing to them. But it became too important. They forgot the Gracious Love of God which allows people to fall short of ALL standards. They forgot that the character of God sets the foundation for everything else – even the “good” stuff.

What “good” stuff should we hold higher than the character of God?
What if He challenges the “good” stuff we hold dear?
Then, what will you HOLD to?

Onyx's signature:
In necessariis unitas, (in essentials unity),
In dubiis libertas, (in doubtful things liberty),
In omnibus autem caritas. (but in all things love).
~Augustine of Hippo~

The more changes I go through and the more times my paradigm shifts, the more I believe that the TRUE “essential” is GOD himself. He has revealed himself (and IS revealing himself) to us in so many ways.

Thank you, Papa, that I can learn to KNOW and HOLD to you and who you are as my foundation. Even when I don't know the answers and I fall short, who you are never changes. Thanks.]]> Theresa7 The Tool ShedMon, 14 Dec 2009 18:34:57 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,861,861#msg-861 How much of it is up to me? (11 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,861,861#msg-861 Mountainash The Tool ShedTue, 01 Dec 2009 13:38:31 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,766,766#msg-766 Bonfire (2 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,766,766#msg-766There was a lot of good writing in those journals though. Only problem is, there was so much negative, painful expression mixed in with it. I definitely felt Papa saying to burn it, not to try wading through all of that to salvage the good thoughts. It would spin me back into a huge depression. If I undertook the huge task of sorting through all of that, I would have been doing it in my own strength. Scary thought. It was time to let it go. I hate to think of the hurt that would have been caused if I were to die and my loved ones found and read that stuff. I am feeling peace and relief tonight. It was a cleansing and I think some real soul ties to my past hurts were severed. Praise God.]]> Anonymous User The Tool ShedMon, 16 Nov 2009 22:19:40 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,614,614#msg-614 A Doubting Thomas (2 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,614,614#msg-614
Thomas's Pessimism and Courage

But Thomas is a pessimist. Some people rejoice to see a glass half full, but Thomas sees it half empty. Oh, he's full courage, but also possesses a streak of fatalism. Once, when Jesus and his disciples hear about their friend Lazarus's death near Jerusalem, the center of Jesus' opposition, Thomas comments darkly, "Yes, let's go there that we might die with him." His words are almost prophetic.

Soon, his world falls apart. Thomas sees his Master arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and he flees for his life. On Good Friday he watches at a distance as they spike his Friend to a cross on the Roman killing grounds of Golgotha. As Jesus' life drains away, so does Thomas's hope.

Shock and Disbelief

On Saturday he is in shock. On Sunday he is so disillusioned that he doesn't gather with his fellow disciples for an evening meal. Thomas is dazed, hurt, bitter -- and lashing out. Monday morning, the disciples go looking for Thomas and tell him what has happened in his absence.

"Thomas, we were in that upper room where we'd been meeting. We lock the doors for protection. Yet, all of a sudden, Jesus appears. 'Peace, Shalom,' he says. Then he shows us his hands. There are jagged holes where the nails had been. He pulls back his tunic and shows us where the spear penetrated his chest. But he isn't weak or sick or dying. He is alive, raised from the dead!"

Afraid to Believe

"I don't believe it," barks Thomas. "I don't believe a word of it. You're seeing what you want to see. Jesus is dead. I saw him die, and part of me died with him. But he's dead, and the sooner you accept that fact, the better off you'll be. Give it up!"

Peter pleads with him. "Thomas, I saw him myself, I tell you, and he was as real as you are!"

Thomas is cold, with an edge in his voice that cuts like ice. "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

But Thomas's anger cools, and by the next Sunday evening he is eating with his fellow disciples in the same locked room. Suddenly, Jesus stands among them once again and speaks -- "Shalom, peace be with you."

All the blood drains from Thomas' face. Jesus turns to him and speaks plainly, without any hint of rancor or sarcasm, "Put your finger here, see my hands." Jesus holds out his scarred hands for him to examine. Thomas recoils. Not out of fear, really, but from a mixture of amazement and revulsion.

Jesus begins to open his outer garment and says, "Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

My Lord and My God

Thomas is weeping now and then begins to sob out loud. Jesus reaches out and puts a hand on his shoulder. Then Thomas slips to his knees and says in awe, "My Lord and my God!"

Thomas, "Doubting Thomas," as he is sometimes called, is the first disciple to put into words the truth that Jesus is both Lord and God. "Doubting Thomas" utters the greatest confession of faith recorded anywhere in the Bible.

Jesus replies, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Preacher in the East

What happens to him? Doubting Thomas does not stay a doubter. When he sees the risen Jesus, all that Jesus has taught over the years now clicks in, and to his death Thomas is an outspoken advocate for his Lord.

Church tradition tells us that he preaches in ancient Babylon, near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where Iraq is today. He travels to Persia, present-day Iran, and continues to win disciples to the Christian faith.

Then he sails south to Malabar on the west coast of India in 52 AD. He preaches, establishes churches, and wins to Christ high caste Brahmins, as well as others. When the Portuguese land in India in the early 1600s, they find a group of Christians there -- the Mar Thoma Church established through Thomas' preaching a millennium and a half before.

Finally, Thomas travels to the east coast of India, preaching relentlessly. He is killed near Mylapore about 72 AD, near present-day Madras. Tradition tells us that he is thrown into a pit, then pierced through with a spear thrown by a Brahmin.

He who had so fervently proclaimed his unbelief carried the Christian message of love and forgiveness to the ends of the earth in his generation.

The Doubter Speaks Today

Thomas would speak to doubters today, to those of us who have seen our hopes and dreams destroyed. Doubting Thomas would tell his story of how Jesus' life had intercepted his own. He would tell us of his fears and his doubts. And then, with a radiant, joyful face, St. Thomas, Apostle to India, would recount his joy at seeing and knowing the risen Jesus himself. "My Lord and my God!" he would say. "My Lord and my God!"]]> joshuacorp The Tool ShedSat, 07 Nov 2009 09:42:13 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,574,574#msg-574 Look - The Door's Open! (8 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,574,574#msg-574
You have an opportunity. A golden opportunity. The chance to develop a serious relationship, or to marry. Or a job opening with generous pay and benefits. Or an invitation from your pastor to direct one of your church’s important ministries.

At first you’re euphoric, stunned at your good fortune, flattered that someone believes in you so strongly.

Then, with time and reflection, come the reality checks: The relationship is too high maintenance. The job doesn’t fit you well. The church position doesn’t match your spiritual gifts.

Still, the door is so wide open. How could you possibly turn your back on such a wonderful prospect?

We each face this dilemma from time to time. And while we welcome the problem on one level (it’s nice simply to have an open door), the agony of deciding can be extreme. The problem is great enough for anyone, regardless of their spiritual outlook. For the Christian, though, questions about God’s will can add to the confusion. “If Christ is in control of my life, shouldn’t I assume that a shining opportunity like this is from him? Isn’t he showing his intention through this open door? Aren’t I sinning if I turn away from it?”

Some of our most confusing struggles about God’s guidance concern the meaning of open doors. We wonder if respect for God’s providence (“God opened the door, so I must go through it”) should override stewardship of our life and common sense (“the opportunity doesn’t work for me, so I shouldn’t pursue it”).

Different Responses to Open Doors

There is no question that God uses circumstances to guide us. Paul placed important weight upon open doors in determining which regions God wanted him to visit during his missionary travels. “I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,” he writes, “for a wide door for effective work has opened to me” (1 Cor 16:8 RSV). Paul says nothing here about God’s giving him direct guidance to stay in Ephesus, but merely notes that the situation is ideal for him to minister. This example isn’t isolated. Paul based many a decision to stay in a certain area and evangelize on the fact that a prime opportunity for ministry was present.

Yet Paul turned away from good opportunities as well. “When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ,” he also writes, “a door was opened for me in the Lord; but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia” (2 Cor 2:12-13 RSV). Paul clearly perceived that God had opened this door for him in Troas, yet he also concluded that God didn’t want him going through it! His example shows graphically that God may provide us with an opportunity which he doesn’t wish us to accept. And this may be true even though we recognize that God himself has opened a particular door.

Jesus, like Paul, also responded to circumstances unpredictably. In general, he took open doors seriously. He healed every individual who asked for his help. And when it came to selecting his twelve disciples, he didn’t launch a world-wide search for the perfect dozen, but picked from those available in the small sector of the world where he had chosen to minister.

Yet he decided not to respond to certain beckoning opportunities as well. Once, when he was visiting Capernaum, his disciples reported to him, “Everyone is looking for you” (Mk 1:37 Phillips). They informed him that the situation in Capernaum was ripe for his ministry--that many were eager for his teaching and healing.

Jesus’ response? “Then we will go somewhere else, to the neighboring towns, so that I may give my message there too--that is why I have come” (Mk 1:38 Phillips).

What’s fascinating in this case is that the presence of a great opportunity to teach and heal helped Jesus resolve to go somewhere else! A significant opening for ministry in Capernaum helped him reaffirm his priority--that he was called to minister not just in one setting, but in a variety of them, during his brief earthly mission.

Not Jumping to Conclusions

The fact that both Jesus and Paul sometimes walked away from prime opportunities, after weighing them carefully, highlights a benefit of the open door that we seldom consider. When an opportunity to take a significant step with our life is actually present, we are able to interact with it, intellectually and emotionally, on a level not possible when we’re merely musing about it as a distant possibility. Having a real-life option to grapple with breaks us out of the realm of fantasy and focuses our thinking remarkably. We are able to gaze down the road, and grasp more realistically what it would be like to truly live out this role.

Even if we conclude that the opportunity isn’t right for us, we have still benefited greatly from its being present. This explains why God might open a door for us--even a wide one--yet not expect us to venture through it. This aspect of God’s guidance is immensely liberating, for it means we’re not obligated to any assumption about his will when a compelling option presents itself, but are free--indeed, expected--to weigh it along with other factors. While God gives us guidance through every open door we encounter, he means for us to accept the opportunity in one case, but to learn from it and turn away from it in another.

A friend of mine, Victor, entered college intent on becoming a physician. His father, a prominent surgeon, had long encouraged him to pursue a medical career. As a college senior, Victor applied to various med schools and, due partly to his father’s influence, was admitted to the one he most wished to attend.

Acceptance by any medical college is a cherished accomplishment for a pre-med student. And admission to your top choice is an extraordinary victory. Add to this the family pressure, and Victor had strong reasons to stay the course toward his longtime goal of becoming a doctor.

During his junior year of college, though, Victor had become a Christian. He became actively involved in a campus ministry and in a local church as well. By the time he was ready to graduate, he had discovered that he had significant gifts for ministry and a strong motivation to become a pastor. He found the courage to turn down the prestigious med school’s offer in favor of going to seminary. Though it was difficult to decline such a tantalizing prospect, the fact that it was available helped him resolve firmly that his self-understanding had changed, and that God had placed a new aspiration in his heart to which he must be faithful.

His is a good example to keep in mind, for we need all the reinforcement we can get in striving to think clearly about open doors. We easily default to thinking God wants us to proceed through them. It can be excruciating to decline a great opportunity, and the decision can be complicated further by our view of God's guidance. Yet even the best prospect may be God’s means of educating us and sharpening our vision for taking a different direction.

Remarkable Coincidences

If it’s natural to think that God is giving us a clear message through golden opportunities to go forward, it’s even more tempting to think so when circumstances are highly coincidental. I know of a man and woman who met each other while each was traveling separately in Europe. They enjoyed some time together, but returned to the United States not expecting to meet again. Later, they encountered each other unexpectedly in a large metropolitan church. They took this unlikely occurrence as God’s sign they should marry.

Tragically, the marriage lasted only six months. Theirs was a classic case of reading too much guidance into a coincidence. It was an exceptional coincidence, to be sure. They would have been justified in concluding that God was showing them something through this unusual occurrence--perhaps that they should get better acquainted. But they jumped to conclusions about his ultimate intention for their relationship, without doing the hard work of getting to know each other thoroughly.

Over the course of a lifetime--and by the law of averages--each of us will experience certain turns of event so unusual and coincidental that it appears for all the world that God is giving us special guidance through them. We should be extremely cautious of our conclusions at such times. God may be using a coincidence to get our attention in some way. But we should stay tentative about what he is prompting us to do until we’ve looked at all the related factors. Sometimes the conclusion we reach, after a deep breath and many second thoughts, defies our first assumption.

Confidence in Providence

While we can be too quick to jump to conclusions about God’s will when circumstances are favorable or coincidental, we can also be too slow to recognize when opportunities truly are right for us. This is the other challenge we face in weighing the significance of open doors. We need to be properly cautious in considering them; yet we also need to learn to see them with the eyes of faith. God provides us with many opportunities that are well suited for us, and that are his means of moving us forward. Yet they sometimes fall short of certain ideals or expectations we have, and so we fail to perceive them as God’s best alternatives.

The problem in this case is that fantasy is always more enticing than reality. God provides us with real-life options, which he sees as ideal for us. Yet the fact that they're available may keep us from appreciating them as fully as we should.

In his missionary travels, Paul often settled for opportunities to minister that fell short of his expectations. One night a man appeared to him in a dream, pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). In the morning, Paul and his companions concluded God was calling them to travel to Macedonia. They ventured forth to that city, surely expecting to find the man of Paul’s dream active in ministry there.

Instead, they found a Jewish woman, Lydia, leading a women’s prayer group by a river. Paul spent some time with these women, and through his influence Lydia committed her life to Christ. She then persuaded Paul and his team to lodge at her home, where a church soon blossomed (Acts 16:13-15).

Paul had come to Macedonia in response to a vision he had experienced--of a man active in ministry who was begging for his help. Yet to accommodate himself to the reality he found once in Macedonia, Paul was willing to modify his vision in two important ways: He accepted that the person he was to assist was a woman, not a man. And she wasn’t active in Christian ministry when Paul arrived, but had to be converted first!

Weighing Open Doors in Light of Our Priorities

Paul was able to adjust his expectations and to act decisively in this case because he had a keen sense of his priorities. His chief goal was to present the gospel in regions unfamiliar with Christ--a role that fit Paul’s gifts and motivational pattern extremely well. In light of this overriding intention, Paul simply looked for open doors. His confidence in God’s providence was so strong that he assumed a suitable opportunity to evangelize new territory was God’s will for him, unless proven otherwise. The chance to work with Lydia and her friends to launch a church in Macedonia was a good opportunity--and so even though it meant revising his initial assumptions about how he would evangelize this country, he chose to proceed.

On the other hand, Paul felt equal freedom to turn down a good opportunity to minister, if it didn’t fit his priorities well or presented significant obstacles to his being an effective icebreaker for the gospel. He chose to walk away from an open door in Troas, as we’ve seen, because a key associate--Titus--wasn’t present to assist him.

The most important lesson about guidance and circumstances that we learn from Paul’s experience is that we should evaluate open doors in light of clear priorities. We need, first and foremost, to come to grips with which of our gifts, talents and desires are the most significant and the ones that God most wants us to emphasize. We should keep this self-understanding in the forefront of our mind as we consider committing to various opportunities.

We should operate also with strong confidence in God’s providence--believing as a matter of faith that he will provide us with significant opportunities which allow us to realize our potential. We should carry a bias--that an option which matches our potential and interests reasonably well, and has had a fair chance to prove itself, is one that God wants us to accept. If we’re analytical by nature, we must be especially cautious not to write off a good opportunity because of its imperfections. In order to recognize God's best options for us, we will likely need to modify our expectations.

At the same time, we should remember that God brings along certain golden opportunities for their educational value, to help us better refine our vision for taking a different path. We aren’t obligated to go through an open door, and if a prospect truly fails to match our potential well, we are free to disregard it.

Take the case of Harrison. He is thirty and has long wished to be married. For three years he has dated Alicia, who longs to marry him. He has leaned toward marrying her for much of this time, too, and sees many strong points in their relationship. Yet he has also wavered at times, wondering whether he might find someone more perfectly suited for him if he waited longer. The fact that God has allowed him to tie up such a substantial portion of his life in this relationship, though, given his desire to be married, is significant in itself. He should put the burden of proof on why he shouldn’t marry Alicia, rather than on why he should; in other words, apart from a compelling reason not to marry, he should go ahead.

Suppose, though, that Harrison lacks the desire to be married to begin with, and is confident he would be happier staying single. No opportunity to marry--no matter how wonderful--should convince him to get married in this case.

Expectant Freedom

We have, in short, an extraordinary basis for confidence and hope as we pursue our goals and dreams, and weigh various alternatives that we face. If Christ is Lord of my life, I may assume he’ll be providing me with important opportunities to employ my gifts and to realize the desires he has placed in my heart. This conviction should add a note of anticipation to each day--that on any given day, options may arise that will forever affect my destiny in a positive way. My default assumption should be that a good opportunity is Christ’s provision for my needs and his way of prodding me ahead.

Yet I am also free to weigh each prospect that comes along, and am not obliged to any conclusion about God’s will until I’ve done so. In some cases, I’ll find that even an exceptional opportunity isn’t right for me, but is God’s way of helping me recognize that another option fits me better.

Call this perspective on open doors “expectant freedom,” if you will. It means good news for us as Christians, as we live each day and confront each opportunity.

More than anything, we should take great encouragement in knowing that God will enable us to resolve even our most difficult choices, when we ask for his direction. This is the most enlightening insight we learn from Jesus’ surprising decision to turn away from the harvest opportunity in Capernaum. He was praying, in the early morning, at that time; it was through prayer that he gained the clarity of mind to make this complicated choice (Mk 1:35). We’re reminded of our critical need to prayerfully seek God’s leading when we're facing a challenging decision. And we’re shown that he may be trusted fully to guide us when we do.

Our need for his guidance is never greater than on those occasions when we face golden opportunities that don’t seem quite right for us. Yet we may approach these decisions with unspeakable confidence that Christ will give us exactly the insight we need to resolve them successfully--when we open ourselves to his help.

To say it in the most positive possible way: His availability to guide us, and his willingness to do so, is unceasing. This is the best news. That door is always open.]]> joshuacorp The Tool ShedThu, 12 Nov 2009 12:20:46 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,460,460#msg-460 Button pushing... (28 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,460,460#msg-460 RainFields The Tool ShedFri, 06 Aug 2010 12:18:05 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,350,350#msg-350 Next Wave (1 reply)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,350,350#msg-350[www.the-next-wave-ezine.info]

Quote

Sometimes I wonder: If we were to compare ourselves with those Jesus came in contact with, who we would look more like? Would we look like the woman at the well, giving all she had willingly? Would we look like the whore at Jesus’ feet, waiting to be stoned by those who thought they were more holy while crying tears of regret? Would we be the ones holding the stones, waiting for the word to let it fly? Or maybe, just maybe, would it be possible that one of us actually looked like Jesus, in word and deed?

I’m ready to put down my stone. I want to love those who are unloved, show compassion on the compassion-less, and treat people the way Christ would, rather than just talk about it.

Church is not where people get saved. Get out of your seat, leave the Upper Room

]]> onyx The Tool ShedFri, 16 Oct 2009 17:49:21 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,289,289#msg-289 Is this weeding? (4 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,289,289#msg-289
I think this post is messed up, if you can understand it, wow...you are awesome. Because I didn't use real words for "things" and "stuff". (brainfart)]]> RainFields The Tool ShedSat, 06 Feb 2010 13:33:45 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,181,181#msg-181 Great Books to inspire (37 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,181,181#msg-181
Unequivocal YES
So you don't want to go to Church anymore - e-book [www.jakecolsen.com]
The Shack - book [www.theshackbook.com]
Transitions - audio series [www.lifestream.org]
The Fathers Affection - video [www.lifestream.org]
The God Journey - podcasts [www.thegodjourney.com]
Authentic Relationships Wayne Jacobsen [www.lifestream.org]
He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobsen [www.lifestream.org]
Dangerous Wonder by Mike Yaconelli
Divine Nobodies by Jim Palmer
What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancy
The Jesus Style, by Gayle Erwin (actually all the style books- Body, Spirit, Father)
Wide Open Spaces by Jim Palmer
God's Honest Truth by Darin Hufford

Other suggestions:
Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices - book. Sample chapter [www.paganchristianity.org]
The Naked Church - e-book
The Wonders of Scripture I and II - podcasts [www.thegodjourney.com] [www.thegodjourney.com]
The Rest of the Gospel by Dan Stone.
Repenting of Religion by Greg Boyd
Works of T. Austin-Sparks
Paul's Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Cultural Setting, Revised Edition
That They May All Be One, Even As We Are One - Volume 1 T Austin-Sparks [www.austin-sparks.net]
That They May All Be One, Even As We Are One - Volume 2 T Austin-Sparks [www.austin-sparks.net]
The School of Christ, T Austin-Sparks
Visual Bible's books of "Matthew" and "John"
God's lavish Grace - Virgo
Boundaries (series)- Safe People Cloud/Townsend
Under His Influence: Yielding to the Work of the Holy Spirit - Pulley
Case for Christ - Lee Strobel
Intra Muros/My Dream of Heaven by Rebecca Ruter Springer
Israel My Beloved by Kay Arthur
Rediscovering the Kingdom (series) by Dr. Myles Munroe
The Most Important Person on Earth by Dr. Myles Munroe
Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer/ Earthly License for Heavenly Interference Dr. Munroe
Jesus has left the Building by Paul Viera

In debate:
Going to the Root: Nine Proposals for Radical Church Renewal
Rethinking The Wineskin: The Practice of the New Testament Church
The Release of the Spirit
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community]]> onyx The Tool ShedSat, 19 Dec 2009 15:11:22 -0600 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,62,62#msg-62 The Three Gates (4 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,62,62#msg-62
We could prevent ourselves from harming others with our words by asking ourselves three questions before we speak:
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?

And if what we're about to say doesn't get a yes on all three, we keep our lips zipped.

It's not in the Bible or anything, but it makes a lot of sense. The advantage we're supposed to have as Papa's children, is the Holy Spirit, there to help us determine what true, kind and necessary are in any given situation.

What do you think? --does this common sense guideline have merit?]]> C Shell The Tool ShedSun, 27 Sep 2009 18:07:49 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,13,13#msg-13 Can you talk to Him about anything? (10 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,13,13#msg-13
Is there anything off limits?]]> Michael Collum The Tool ShedThu, 15 Oct 2009 16:48:57 -0500 http://papashome.com/read.php?5,12,12#msg-12 Do you Trust Him? (2 replies)http://papashome.com/read.php?5,12,12#msg-12
32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

33 "When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them."

(Christian New Covenant) James 2:14-19

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

(Qu'ran) Baqara 2:14

14. When they meet those who believe,
They say: "We believe;"
But when they are alone
With their evil ones,
They say: "We are really with you:
We (were) only jesting."

From Aladdin: Do you trust me?

The point of all the above media is the bring to your mind the question:

Do you really trust God?

And what does trust or faith mean to you?

May self reflection direct the discussion .]]> Michael Collum The Tool ShedSat, 05 Dec 2009 20:31:25 -0600