The weekly Sabbath is a representation of entering into the Kingdom of God. Its very interesting that God has made the high point of the week, the focus on His Kingdom. But why does God want us to be reminded of this so often and so strongly? An interesting experiment called the âinvisible gorilla experimentâ by Daniel Simmons and Christopher Chabris will help us understand why. It is very important for followers of Christ to capture itâs meaning. In the experiment there were … [Read more...] about Focus on the Goal
Identity
Relationships within the Body of Christ
How important are relationships within the Body of Christ? This question is prompted by the state of affairs in what we broadly refer to as âthe world.â The world is a generic term for planet earth and all life on it, including human civilization. We use it generally to address our environment. Currently, much press is devoted to the subject of the rise of nationalism. Remember how globalization once held out the carrot of the world coming together in one big homogenization of nations and … [Read more...] about Relationships within the Body of Christ
Spiritual Equilibrium
Itâs difficult to maintain our spiritual equilibrium in the moral and ethical chaos of the world we live in. As followers of Christ, we are to have balanced relationships with those in the world. Jesus said that we are to be in the world but not be of the world. Weâre to live life as a positive example, not allowing the world to return to mold or shape us negatively. We are not to jump head-first into the worldâs value systems; however, we are not to withdraw into isolation … [Read more...] about Spiritual Equilibrium
Horses Show How to Be at Rest with God
There is a technique in horse breaking, or horse gentling called "joining up". It illuminates Godâs nature and shows us how we can obtain rest through an intimate relationship with God. Horses are special creatures to some of us; they are terrifying to others. They are big and magnificent. Imagine youâve been given the responsibility to get a green horse, unbroken or an inexperienced animal loaded onto a trailer. The horse rears back and snaps its halter. … [Read more...] about Horses Show How to Be at Rest with God
The Master Potter
The Hebrew word for clay is âchomerâ which means as bubbling up. That is of water, a wave, of earth, mire, or clay, like cement or mortar. Moses wrote that God formed man out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2.7) The Hebrew word for dust means clay, earth, mud, ashes, dust, ground, mortar, powder and, rubbish. Water is a factor since mud consists of water and clay. So even after God breathed life into Adam, he was and we are today, just living dirt and water. In Isaiah 64: 8 God … [Read more...] about The Master Potter
Expressions of Tribalism
It is difficult to escape the feeling that our world is becoming more divided by the day. For example, we are hearing more about political identity. While it has been quite customary to identify with some political party in terms of general policy, the term has now developed a sharper edge. Amy Chua writing in The Guardian newspaper notes: âWhen groups feel threatened, they retreat into tribalism. When groups feel mistreated and disrespected, they close ranks and become more insular, more … [Read more...] about Expressions of Tribalism
Psalm 133: The Dew of Hermon
Recently we discussed the concept of vertical unity. This is not a new or unique concept, but a way to picture the unity that flows from the Father, through His Son, and into the body. As each member of the body seeks to unify him or herself with God, that unity then allows the aligning of each member in relation to other members. As the Apostle John pointed out, âHe who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk just as He walkedâ (1 John 2:6). Unity is established vertically and is then … [Read more...] about Psalm 133: The Dew of Hermon