" When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers[d] before the city authorities,[e]shouting, “These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also,"(Acts 17:6)
I've never been much of a protester. It is hard for me to imagine that I could lead something where people would fear the presence of the group I was leading. Maybe I'm selling myself short.
There are things that can happen to us where we feel our world is being turned upside down. Where things aren't as we are used to them being and the change happens so quickly that it is disorienting. And the natural reaction, regrettable as it may be, is to find someone to blame and let em have it.
Christians today, and I include myself here, have lost that passion for turning the world upside down. We have become comfortable in holding the status quo, but what happens to us when our world gets turned upside down? How will we respond? Do we look for a scape goat, or do we try to adjust to a new world view?
Blessings,
Ed
Friday, June 16, 2017
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Reflection for June 6, 2017
37 But Paul replied, “They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.”(Acts 16:37)
Have you ever been treated unfairly by someone? Most of us probably have. Sometimes the person who has wronged us feels bad about it and may summon the courage to apologize. But there are also times when they try to send that apology through a third party. Or perhaps that third party is trying to smooth things over by themselves.
Ultimately real apologies can only happen person to person. And if we are the person who has done the wrong we need to summon the courage to go and apologize to that person face to face.
Blessings,
Ed
Have you ever been treated unfairly by someone? Most of us probably have. Sometimes the person who has wronged us feels bad about it and may summon the courage to apologize. But there are also times when they try to send that apology through a third party. Or perhaps that third party is trying to smooth things over by themselves.
Ultimately real apologies can only happen person to person. And if we are the person who has done the wrong we need to summon the courage to go and apologize to that person face to face.
Blessings,
Ed
Reflection for June 5, 2017
"A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul."(Acts 16:14)
The notion of listening seems to be hard to do in our time. We seem more eager to speak than to listen. I learn more when I listen, but I can sometimes fall in love with the sound of my own voice.
To have open ears to be able to eagerly listen probably does begin with an open heart. I have to want to deeply hear. And with so much noise and rhetoric circulating it can be hard to hear what God really needs us to hear.
Blessings,
Ed
The notion of listening seems to be hard to do in our time. We seem more eager to speak than to listen. I learn more when I listen, but I can sometimes fall in love with the sound of my own voice.
To have open ears to be able to eagerly listen probably does begin with an open heart. I have to want to deeply hear. And with so much noise and rhetoric circulating it can be hard to hear what God really needs us to hear.
Blessings,
Ed
Friday, June 9, 2017
Reflection for June 4, 2017
" The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus." (Acts 15:39)
I try to stay out disagreements. I certainly have them from time to time but I try not to let them get to a place of having to end a relationship of any kind. Of course there are instances where the disagreement does go beyond the point of know return and we just have to go our separate ways.
That is never fun and especially if the relationship was deep and strong up to that point. A break up is not indicative of the depth of a relationship. But things can change along with our perspective on them and thus the disagreement begins. How we handle it determines whether we continue on with the other party.
The Bible has many points where people part company. Even St. Paul was not immune to this. While he didn't stay by himself, you have to wonder if he thought about Barnabas after this blow up. I know I will sometimes think about friends where a parting of ways occurs. And there are times that I wish reconciliation was possible.
Blessings,
Ed
I try to stay out disagreements. I certainly have them from time to time but I try not to let them get to a place of having to end a relationship of any kind. Of course there are instances where the disagreement does go beyond the point of know return and we just have to go our separate ways.
That is never fun and especially if the relationship was deep and strong up to that point. A break up is not indicative of the depth of a relationship. But things can change along with our perspective on them and thus the disagreement begins. How we handle it determines whether we continue on with the other party.
The Bible has many points where people part company. Even St. Paul was not immune to this. While he didn't stay by himself, you have to wonder if he thought about Barnabas after this blow up. I know I will sometimes think about friends where a parting of ways occurs. And there are times that I wish reconciliation was possible.
Blessings,
Ed
Reflection for June 3, 2017
"For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials:"(Acts 15:28)
You've heard that phrase getting back to the basics. There is truth in that the basics are the foundation by which we grow as people. Whatever skills we have there is a way that we learned it. Without the basics you don't have much of a foundation.
Another word for this might be essentials. The things you need to have for something to work, to be authentic. This is true of faith. The most essential part of being a Christian is of course believing in Jesus Christ. You can build off that essential.
In your life what is essential for you to be who you are?
Blessings,
Ed
You've heard that phrase getting back to the basics. There is truth in that the basics are the foundation by which we grow as people. Whatever skills we have there is a way that we learned it. Without the basics you don't have much of a foundation.
Another word for this might be essentials. The things you need to have for something to work, to be authentic. This is true of faith. The most essential part of being a Christian is of course believing in Jesus Christ. You can build off that essential.
In your life what is essential for you to be who you are?
Blessings,
Ed
Reflection for June 2, 2017
" Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?"(Acts 15:10)
I'm not a huge fan of hard fast rules. I do like guidelines and flexible boundaries however. The thing with most rules is that someone inevitably finds a way around them, or determines that they apply to everyone except them. Rules often handcuff us, and then we don't know what to do.
When rules become a burden and one to which no one seems to keep, it may be time to revisit, the who, what, where, when and why. For the early church it was about whether you had to be circumcised and keep the torah in order to be a Christian. The answer was ultimately no, but that's not to say that the torah isn't worth taking a look at and finding appropriate applications for ourselves. But we are not bound by it.
I'm glad that the early church saw their dilemma and acted on it. I wish we could in today's church stay away from a legalism that doesn't actually help.
Blessings,
Ed
I'm not a huge fan of hard fast rules. I do like guidelines and flexible boundaries however. The thing with most rules is that someone inevitably finds a way around them, or determines that they apply to everyone except them. Rules often handcuff us, and then we don't know what to do.
When rules become a burden and one to which no one seems to keep, it may be time to revisit, the who, what, where, when and why. For the early church it was about whether you had to be circumcised and keep the torah in order to be a Christian. The answer was ultimately no, but that's not to say that the torah isn't worth taking a look at and finding appropriate applications for ourselves. But we are not bound by it.
I'm glad that the early church saw their dilemma and acted on it. I wish we could in today's church stay away from a legalism that doesn't actually help.
Blessings,
Ed
Monday, June 5, 2017
Reflection for June 1, 2017
"Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them."(Acts 14:18)
We live in a time where words fly around at warp speed. Thanks to social media people are able to impart there feelings quickly and often without thinking them through.
When are words aren't thought out as well as they might be we risk having them come across and interpreted in ways we might not like. Sometimes it is hard to get people to understand you even when you've thought it through.
We can from time to time encounter folks who no amount of words will stop them from doing what they want. Common sense is not received well sadly. And when we ourselves are overstimulated and moving on adrenaline and emotion we have a hard time stopping and pondering.
It's frustrating no matter which side you're on. But there are times that you do the best you can and try to ride it out.
Blessings,
Ed
We live in a time where words fly around at warp speed. Thanks to social media people are able to impart there feelings quickly and often without thinking them through.
When are words aren't thought out as well as they might be we risk having them come across and interpreted in ways we might not like. Sometimes it is hard to get people to understand you even when you've thought it through.
We can from time to time encounter folks who no amount of words will stop them from doing what they want. Common sense is not received well sadly. And when we ourselves are overstimulated and moving on adrenaline and emotion we have a hard time stopping and pondering.
It's frustrating no matter which side you're on. But there are times that you do the best you can and try to ride it out.
Blessings,
Ed
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