i listened to a great sermon by Dallas and wanted to share some reflective snap shots.
"Power does not depend upon position."
"We need to learn love, not how to love."
"It is often suggested that we do the deeds of love. In a sense that is true. The deeds of love are only available of love.
John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
"Jesus always teaches contextually in the situations of real life."
Luke 6:28
"Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
This is apart of the life without fear. When fear is removed from your life by the experience of love these are the things you will do.
Luke 6:27-28 is what love will do. These are not a list of laws. People should not read this and go out with a big list of things to do in order to be loving. If you do that it will hurt you badly.
When you read these your heart should leap up in anticipation! One thing you realize after reading this, is that this is going to be a tremendous adventure.
Special thanks to Dallas Willard for preaching this sermon. I found on a website where you can get old tapes of his messages. If you are interested in getting the full version let me know.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Sabbath & the Body
"Sabbath is inseparable from worship, and indeed, genuine worship is Sabbath. The practical center of proper care for the body is Sabbath."
Dallas Willard
Dallas Willard
More on the Body & a Psalm
"The body must be properly cherished and cared for, not as our master, but as a servant."
Dallas Willard
"You are not your body."
JRB
Psalm 127:2
"It is in vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so he giveth his beloved sleep."
Dallas Willard
"You are not your body."
JRB
Psalm 127:2
"It is in vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so he giveth his beloved sleep."
Intent on One Purpose
Philippians 2:3-4
"3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."
Jesus,
My prayer today is that you would use the little things of my life to make me a servant. i want to be more gracious, loving, giving and kind. Show me at work and home how all of the details of life are the times when growth and practice are available. Fill me with your Spirit Jesus. Take away my pride. Give me the courage to take the more difficult path and to surrender to your will. May i today shine brightly in your kingdom. May your peace and strength be found in me as i work and play. i love you for loving me. i am honored and no way worthy to follow you.
Jon
"3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."
Jesus,
My prayer today is that you would use the little things of my life to make me a servant. i want to be more gracious, loving, giving and kind. Show me at work and home how all of the details of life are the times when growth and practice are available. Fill me with your Spirit Jesus. Take away my pride. Give me the courage to take the more difficult path and to surrender to your will. May i today shine brightly in your kingdom. May your peace and strength be found in me as i work and play. i love you for loving me. i am honored and no way worthy to follow you.
Jon
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Renovation of the Heart pg. 118
"No longer idolize your body. Human ruin comes from placing ourselves at the center of the Universe, in place of God. This leads to a worship of the body and a life of sensuality. Then our body becomes our primary source of gratification and the chief instrument for getting what we want. For most people their body governs their life."
"Bodily pleasure in itself is not a bad thing, but when it is exalted to a necessity and when we become dependent upon it, then we are slaves to our body and it's feelings. Only misery lies ahead."
Here is a bonus quote from an unknown author that has nothing to do with this post.
"I cannot work my soul to save, for that my Lord hath done, but I will work like any slave, for love of God's dear Son."
beautiful.
"Bodily pleasure in itself is not a bad thing, but when it is exalted to a necessity and when we become dependent upon it, then we are slaves to our body and it's feelings. Only misery lies ahead."
Here is a bonus quote from an unknown author that has nothing to do with this post.
"I cannot work my soul to save, for that my Lord hath done, but I will work like any slave, for love of God's dear Son."
beautiful.
Mystery Messiah
Mark 8:30
"and He warned them to tell no one about Him."
Why did Jesus not want people, the Jewish people, to know He was the Messiah? I think it is because they all had their own conceptions of who the Messiah was supposed to be and what He was supposed to do. He did not want them to look at Him with their lenses. Jesus wanted them to see Him for who He was. After they finally got to know Jesus and who He was, then He would reveal to the Jewish people who He truly was. The Messiah. The coming King. The Creator of the Universe.
Mark 8:31-33
"31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
As it is easy to see, the Jews had absolutely no conception of a suffering Messiah. It was not in their teaching. And so Jesus has to correct their teaching on death.
"and He warned them to tell no one about Him."
Why did Jesus not want people, the Jewish people, to know He was the Messiah? I think it is because they all had their own conceptions of who the Messiah was supposed to be and what He was supposed to do. He did not want them to look at Him with their lenses. Jesus wanted them to see Him for who He was. After they finally got to know Jesus and who He was, then He would reveal to the Jewish people who He truly was. The Messiah. The coming King. The Creator of the Universe.
Mark 8:31-33
"31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's."
As it is easy to see, the Jews had absolutely no conception of a suffering Messiah. It was not in their teaching. And so Jesus has to correct their teaching on death.
George Muller
"One asked George Muller the secret to his service, and he replied, 'There was a day when I died.' and as he spoke he bent lower until he touched the floor. Continuing he added, 'Died to George Muller, to his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will. Died to the world, its approval or censure. Died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends. And since then studied only to show myself approved of God."
The Heart of Man (Mark 7:14-23)
14After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
15there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.
16["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."]
17When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.
18And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,
19because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.)
20And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.
21"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
22deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
23"All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
Jesus cleanse me from within. Don't let me go on living life without your washing of the inside of my body. I need your cleansing power!
The Heart of Man (Mark 7:14-23)
14After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
15there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.
16["If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."]
17When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.
18And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,
19because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.)
20And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.
21"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
22deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
23"All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."
Jesus cleanse me from within. Don't let me go on living life without your washing of the inside of my body. I need your cleansing power!
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sacrifice & Vision
Quotes from Dallas Willard
"Sacrifice is something taken up in God."
"The vision of the kingdom is where Jesus started and where we must also start. He came announcing, manifesting and teaching the availability and nature of the kingdom of the heavens."
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