Tag: pursuit of Him

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The Crown of Thorns

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While at IHOP Kansas City I was able to join a session in the prayer room. It seemed fairly normal, but the Lord used the time and context to reveal something to me.  The revelation is about suffering and adversity. It came through the presence of the crown of thorns on the communion table I was standing near.

In my mind I could see the thorns as not only entanglements and resistance,  as one would equate with vines, yes these things, but more. The thorns represent resistance & entanglements with the addition of pain and suffering.  If you have ever traversed a briar patch, you know there is a constant evaluation of cost to benefit going through your mind. Thorns are a cost to the one who will not be stopped that is punctuated with every advancing step. Continue reading “The Crown of Thorns”

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This World Is Not Our Home

For the last few years I have used Mondays to fast and pray.  I try to set aside the first part of the day to focus on the Lord, perhaps reading the word, or praying specifically about something that is going on.  Some weeks I have done well to stick closely to my plan, and other weeks I have had to miss it all together due to a travel schedule, something that has come up, or sometimes for a pure lack of discipline.  Overall it has been pretty consistent though.

There are a lot of things that fasting does for us, but most of my early experiences with fasting were unsuccessful, and certainly unenlightened!  A little understanding goes a long way when it comes to things like this, things of a spiritual nature that go against what the body is used to or finds pleasure in. Continue reading “This World Is Not Our Home”

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What is life like without God?

What is life like without God?

This is a question I posed recently.  It has been on my mind since a recent trip to the town where I grew up.  I appreciate the feedback I got back from quite a few perspectives.  It's hard, but important I think, to have a mind open to someone else's point of view.  I need the perspective, really.  No one sees things the way they are, not completely.  That takes a lot of points of view, to see things from all sides.  Thanks those who responded and helped me expand my view.

I want to encourage you, and me, to take some time to deeply consider this question.

As I glanced around the internet for an image that would help me communicate this question, I got what they call in Texas an “eye full!”  There were a good number of points of view that I encountered there that went well beyond the direct feedback I received, and some strange ones at that.

 

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Continue reading “What is life like without God?”

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A Message You Need To Hear – Escape from Christendom

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Escape from Christendom
by Robert Burnell, 1980

The Journey

In my dream I see the lone figure of a man following a road. As the sun sets
beneath the hills, a city comes into view. Nearing it, the traveler sees what
appears to be a large group of churches. Spires and crosses pierce the
skyline. His pace quickens. Is this his destination? He passes an imposing
structure, a neon sign flashing “Cathedral of the Future.” Farther on a
floodlit stadium supports a billboard boasting that fifty thousand people
crowd into evangelistic meetings there three nights a week. Beyond this,
modest “New Testament” chapels and Hebrew Christian synagogues
cluster together on the street front.

“Is this the City of God?” I hear the traveler ask a woman at the information
booth in the central square.

“No this is Christian City, “she replies. Continue reading “A Message You Need To Hear – Escape from Christendom”