tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121354222012-01-19T00:17:55.540-06:00GrowDeepMusings about Spiritual Formation, Spirituality, Creativity & Communication.Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.comBlogger6601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-35936873091725105872012-01-09T10:08:00.000-06:002012-01-09T10:08:53.179-06:00Through the Bible...I need a change.
Something fresh.
This pretty well summarized my thoughts as I began to reflect on various spiritual practices that I would engage going into 2012.
Over the years, there have been various ways of engaging Scripture that I've found helpful. For the past several years, I've targeted specific books of the Bible and/or passages to explore, ruminate and study. This year, the desire Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-20235565491302707452011-10-20T15:37:00.002-05:002011-10-20T15:42:13.653-05:00Guided Prayers
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Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-42517070242304740342011-10-18T10:53:00.001-05:002011-10-18T10:54:46.940-05:00Journaling ResourcesJournaling slows down the mind to the pace of the handso the soul can catch up to the speed of life.
Here are a few online resources to explore journaling...
Examen.me
This is a website that allows you to create a user profile and save all your reflections. It offers daily readings, prayers, etc. You can reflect on a passage, or engage a prayer of examen. You can search entries, as well as Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-13397712812424800112011-10-17T06:30:00.004-05:002011-10-17T06:30:03.155-05:00PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD :: PRAYER OF SURRENDERPRAYER OF SURRENDER
A prayer of surrender is simply a point early each day when you give your day and self over to God.
It could be as simple as, “Today, this is Your day… Today, I am Yours… May Your Spirit lead, guide and prompt me throughout my day… May I be sensitive to Your prompting and respond accordingly… Today, I surrender my life to You…
A longer prayer could be something like:Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-92055810201290485882011-10-15T06:35:00.001-05:002011-10-15T06:35:00.057-05:00PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD :: NAMES OF GODGod took the initiative in revealing himself to humankind. God showed himself to Moses in a burning bush and then told Moses his name – Yahweh – I AM WHO I AM. God’s name revealed the transcendent immediacy of a God who was present. Flippant or magical uses of God’s name was forbidden by the third commandment.
God revealed himself to Israel in a variety of names. In the bible, names carry Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-73066952366269132062011-10-14T16:22:00.000-05:002011-10-14T16:22:14.110-05:00RECOMMENDED READING :: ENGAGING SCRIPTURE :: MEDITATIONHere are a few books that you may find helpful in learning how to engage Scripture more reflectively.
Recommended Reading:
The Message Remix : Solo by Eugene Peterson
Life with God: Reading the Bible for Spiritual Transformation by Richard Foster
Eat this Book: a conversation in the art of spiritual reading by Eugene PetersonJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-37510869443097878082011-10-09T16:51:00.000-05:002011-10-09T16:51:05.346-05:00ENGAGING SCRIPTURE :: THE ART OF MEDITATION :: LECTIO DIVINAMarination, also known as marinating, is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. This is a technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat or harder vegetables. The process may last seconds or days.
During this process, the acid causes the tissue of meat to break down, allowing Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-9894596178487922712011-10-06T16:32:00.003-05:002011-10-06T16:33:39.109-05:00ENGAGING SCRIPTURE :: A Manifesto of Reading the Bible as ScriptureWe often read the Bible as a text to be mastered... Yet, perhaps we should read Scripture as a text to be mastered by. We attempt to get through-the-Bible, when in reality what we really need is the Bible to get-through-us. We have been seduced into an approach to the Bible that is very informational driven, when it seems that the essence of Scripture desires to bring about an in-formational Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-82789762228525537832011-10-05T15:04:00.002-05:002011-10-05T15:07:11.346-05:00Free Book :: Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of GodEach month Christianaudio.com offers a free book. This month's free audio book is John Piper's book
Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God. The following is a short trailer about the book.
Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-1634786385035111112011-09-30T13:36:00.000-05:002011-09-30T13:36:07.828-05:00ENGAGING SCRIPTURE :: EXPLORATION OF STUDY"What do I need to do to grow as a Christian?" This is a commonly asked question by sincere followers of Christ. And the response? Often is something to the effect of "read your bible and pray." On the surface this sounds like a solid answer. After all, who could go wrong with reading their bible or praying. Interestingly though, how many times does the bible actually tell us to "read" it...? Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-84617447362503633312011-09-28T22:15:00.005-05:002011-09-29T10:26:03.468-05:00ENGAGING SCRIPTURE :: THROUGH THE LENS OF HIS-STORYThere are a number of ways of engaging Scripture...
One is to engage it through the Lens of His-Story.
To look at engaging Scripture through the Lens of His-Story…
Stories are powerful. They shape how we see the world.
All of human life is shaped by some story.
I can only answer the question
“What am I to do?”
if I can answer the prior question
“Of what story do I find myself a part?”
(Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-60356423315739098682011-09-28T17:27:00.002-05:002011-09-29T13:27:10.350-05:00NEW SERIES :: SPIRITUAL PRACTICESPretty stoked about the new series we're kicking off at New Community tonight.
Four weeks dealing with a few central Spiritual Practices....Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-73356773112380831222011-09-09T22:37:00.000-05:002011-09-09T22:37:06.874-05:00Images of the CrossOften the phrase "Jesus died on the cross for my sins" is used to explain the purpose of Jesus' death. This is true, but it seems that this pat-answer is a bit flattened for what really transpired. Interestingly, the writers of the New Testament utilized a number of images, words and metaphors to communicate what happened on the cross. It's almost as if in each instance there were saying, "the Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-45231979486919833722011-08-23T20:06:00.000-05:002011-08-23T20:06:17.303-05:00The Voice in SilenceSilence your body to listen to your words...
Silence your tongue to listen to your thoughts...
Silence your thoughts to listen to your heart beating...
Silence your heart to listen to your spirit...
Silence your spirit you listen to His Spirit.
In silence you leave many and be with the One.
-Mama MaggieJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-81009659602573978212011-08-16T09:50:00.001-05:002011-08-16T17:00:55.118-05:00LIFT :: Leadership Institute for TransformationIt's easy to get caught up doing good stuff... All the while not realize the atrophy that's beginning to take place deep within one's soul.
Moreover, it can be challenging to find venues conducive for helping us to facilitate on-going learning and spiritual formation. The LIFT courses are a great way to be challenged as a leader, interact with others on the same journey and engage spiritual Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-75718998599544232812011-08-16T09:24:00.000-05:002011-08-16T09:24:37.125-05:00Jamaica :: Stories
Jamaica Missions Trip 2011 from Palm Valley Church on Vimeo.Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-6226790986597628602011-07-22T22:26:00.004-05:002011-08-16T16:58:34.437-05:00Jamaica :: Friday Wrap-upIt's amazing what can happen in just one week. Over the past several days, we've seen God begin to do some tremendous things within the lives of the young people who gathered from around the community of Greenvale, just outside the city of Mandeville, Jamaica.
We finished up with about 150 people (not including helpers/leaders) ranging from 2-years-old to seventy-something. While the majority Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-63972314661165049642011-07-20T22:43:00.004-05:002011-08-16T16:59:13.284-05:00Jamaica :: Wednesday
Today was another great day of ministry. More and more chairs are added as children keep coming. The entire tent is now full of chairs - which I have to admit is a beautiful sight. We have two more days in the mornings with the children.
Continue to pray for hearts to open up to the powerful message of the love of Christ and what it means to follow Him.
Thursday night, we minister at Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-32060274046259558472011-07-19T23:20:00.003-05:002011-08-16T16:59:37.562-05:00Jamaica :: Triple TuesdayTriple-Tuesday... There were about 55 children and young adults who joined us Monday. Today (Tuesday), we had over 130. Nearly tripled the number of kids in 24-hours. Crazy! What’s so exciting is how many of these are not Christ-followers or even know what that means, much less “go to church.”
Tonight, the team experienced a powerful time worship, prayer and sharing together. We feel that Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-41262317014174998612011-07-18T23:40:00.002-05:002011-08-16T17:00:11.470-05:00Ministry in Jamaica...It was just before 8:30 this morning.
Children begin trekking up dirt paths, crooked roads and step hills toward the site of this weeks Bible Camp in the small township of Greenvale (Jamaica).
For some, this was their first time stepping foot on the property of where this church gathers. The church meets on a small plot of property under a tent.
This morning we began just that, with Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-81613259106436815442011-07-08T18:37:00.000-05:002011-07-08T18:37:47.630-05:00New Series :: Road Trip :: Mapping out a Healthy Family CultureLooking forward to the new series at PVC :: Road Trip :: Mapping out a Healthy Family Culture. It launches this Sunday...
Roadtrip PROMO from Palm Valley Church on Vimeo.Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-69588437696829031272011-05-26T18:26:00.002-05:002011-05-26T18:27:08.805-05:00Engaging Scripture...How do you engage Scripture...?
Is it something you try to "read through" is some chronological, systematic, chapter-by-day manner?
Each of these have there place, but often it seems in our fervor to "get through" Scripture, we may not always experience Scripture "getting through" us.
What would it look like for us to read and engage Scripture in light of the following parable?
<!--
/* Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-66821995629236552462011-05-08T16:05:00.000-05:002011-05-08T16:05:57.130-05:00Daily Surrender "It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-3324820667937185512011-04-27T07:08:00.003-05:002011-04-27T10:37:12.061-05:00The Power of WordsMore often than not... It's not what we say... It's how we say it...
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (NKJ)
The right word at the right time
is like a custom-made piece of jewelry.
~Provers 25:11 MSG
Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-29347526241414044242011-04-24T20:45:00.000-05:002011-04-24T20:48:01.302-05:00Easter“I have seen the Lord!”
John 20:18
“The disciples had seen the strong hands of God twist the crown
of thorns into a crown of glory, and in hands as strong as that they
knew themselves safe . . .
They had expected a walkover, and they beheld a victory; they had expected an earthly Messiah,
and they beheld the Soul of Eternity.”
Dorothy L. Sayers
In the book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee said, “Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-22271579348221062942011-04-23T20:43:00.000-05:002011-04-24T20:45:07.252-05:00Day 40 of Lent :: Tombstone“Mary stood outside the tomb weeping.”
John 20:11
The disciples had left everything to follow Christ. Many had abandoned personal aspirations, hopes and dreams. They had placed all their trust in this Rabbi – Jesus. They believed He was about to establish a new kingdom, but now He lies lifeless within the tomb. “What will we do now?” they wondered. “I suppose I can go back to work with my Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-49330415289549049052011-04-22T09:06:00.002-05:002011-04-22T09:06:43.573-05:00Day 39 of Lent :: Good Friday“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,
‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’”
John 19:30
“Good Friday,” Virginia Stem Owens writes, “is the day when you can do nothing. Bewailing and lamenting your manifold sins does not in itself make up for them. Scouring your soul in a frenzy of spring cleaning only sterilizes it; it does not give it life. On Good Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-897029903476802172011-04-21T08:17:00.000-05:002011-04-21T08:17:26.207-05:00Day 38 of Lent :: History in the Making“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” (Acts 17:6)
“Not only countless individual lives but civilization itself was transformed by Jesus Christ.” These are the words of Dr. Paul Maier, professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University. Professor Maier continues,
In the ancient world, his (Jesus’) teachings elevated brutish standards of morality, halted Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-31381381230913673222011-04-20T08:11:00.002-05:002011-04-22T09:07:19.785-05:00Day 37 of Lent :: Unlikely CandidatesHe appointed twelve that they might be with Him
and that He might send them out to preach.
(Mark 3:14)
At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He spent all night in prayer, seeking God’s direction, and He then chose twelve individuals to be His disciples. Consider His perspective. As the Son of God, He was going to choose twelve men to carry on His mission on earth once He returned to the Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-49873686543140739462011-04-19T10:03:00.005-05:002011-04-19T10:04:31.262-05:00Day 36 of Lent :: Hope Deferred“But we were hoping…” (Luke 24:21)
The two disciples walking along the Road to Emmaus were confused and disillusioned. They had possessed great hope that Jesus was indeed the One Who was going to “redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21) But, that was before His arrest, the trial, the flogging, and, most notably, the crucifixion. After all, this was the “third day since all this took place.” Their hope Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-60760115809664392012011-04-18T10:00:00.000-05:002011-04-19T10:01:31.111-05:00Day 35 of Lent :: Roadside Reflections“What do you weep at, if you do not weep at this?”
(Dante Alighieri )
Reflection: Read the following passage from the Gospel of Luke. Read it slowly. Read it prayerfully. Read it responsively. As you read, listen to what the characters say. Feel what they feel. Imagine you are one of the disciples.
13Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-19682740620885938002011-04-17T09:52:00.000-05:002011-04-19T09:54:08.896-05:00Fasting Focus :: Week Six of Lent :: The Tomb & Beyond
Time
The Gospels are the narrative of the Eternal God stepping into time and space in the Person of Jesus Christ. This week, we will be reflecting on the time Jesus was in the Tomb.
We will be fasting time this week. Get up a half-hour or an hour earlier to read the Bible and pray. Spend your time serving others rather than indulging yourself. Make it a goal to bless someone through yourJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-71798512746715355572011-04-16T06:54:00.002-05:002011-04-16T06:54:00.543-05:00Day 34 of Lent :: Fish and BreadJesus said to them,
“Come and have breakfast.”
(John 21:12)Just before the arrest that would lead to His death, Jesus gathered His disciples together for a meal of preparation. Shortly afterwards, they all fled in fear and dismay. After Jesus rose from the dead, He gathered His friends together for another meal, this time for restoration. At this meal, they brought the fish, and He brought Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-54364822193306030432011-04-15T16:52:00.000-05:002011-04-15T17:00:18.563-05:00Day 33 of Lent :: At a Distance
“Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”
(Matthew 26:56)At Gethsemane, the angry crowd “seized Jesus and arrested Him.” (Matthew 26:50) Jesus, fully expecting the mob to come, did not put up a fight. In fact, Jesus said this had happened so that “the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” (Matthew 26:54) At His arrest, “all the disciples deserted Him and fled.” No one was closer to Jesus Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-62221765983314205012011-04-14T16:49:00.000-05:002011-04-15T17:00:41.245-05:00Day 32 of Lent :: Turning Back“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
(Luke 22:31-32)
Satan requested to sift Peter as wheat. Jesus did not deny that request. Instead, Jesus prayed for Peter. Jesus knew that Peter had to be sifted as wheat because He knew that Peter had his share of chaff that needed to be blown away. Peter was blinded by his Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-30208763811537259702011-04-13T15:18:00.000-05:002011-04-15T17:01:02.373-05:00Day 31 of Lent :: Satan's domain“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.”
(Luke 22:31)
As far as we know, Simon (also known as Peter) had not gone out and initiated a fight against Satan. Jesus indicated that in some form or fashion, Satan had initiated an attack, or at least had permission to do so against Peter. The Bible does not give us details of this exchange between Jesus and Satan. Jesus does not say thatJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-51693079265318608132011-04-12T15:08:00.000-05:002011-04-15T17:02:29.184-05:00Day 30 of Lent :: Sifting as Wheat“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
(Matthew 26:21)
Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him. More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing. He also announced that one of them would betray Him.
Can you imagine the feelings in theJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-19054812414193905942011-04-11T17:02:00.002-05:002011-04-15T17:04:51.416-05:00Day 29 of Lent :: cloud of Smoke“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
(Matthew 26:21)
Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him. More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing. He also announced that one of them would betray Him.
Can you imagine the feelings in theJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-11786355124718344292011-04-10T15:05:00.003-05:002011-04-15T15:06:38.993-05:00Fasting Focus :: Week Five of Lent :: The Disciple's Responses
Fifth Week of LentThe Disciples’ Responses
Social Media and Internet
This week, we will be exploring how the disciples responded to the events that surrounded Jesus’ death. Though they made bold claims to never deny Him, in the heat of the moment there were many other things clamoring for preeminence in their hearts.
We are surrounded by noise. Everything is saying, “Look over here,” Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-34381067498905158122011-04-09T15:02:00.002-05:002011-04-15T15:07:45.851-05:00Day 28 of Lent :: Place of the Skull“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull
(which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).”
(John 19:17)Jesus was lead outside of Jerusalem. This is where He was crucified. The events of Jesus death and resurrection are the most significant in all of history. While there is still some dispute over the actually spot Jesus was crucified, it is well documented that He indeed was. Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-54682197314496984492011-04-08T14:58:00.008-05:002011-04-15T15:07:28.249-05:00Day 27 of Lent :: Fountain of Life“On that day a fountain will be opened
to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”
(Zechariah 13:1)The eighteenth century poet, William Cowper penned the famous words to the poem, There is a Fountain Filled with Blood. In it, Cowper vividly captures what the prophet Zechariah spoke of some five hundred years before Jesus.
There is a fountain Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-91840108803066600582011-04-07T06:00:00.001-05:002011-04-07T06:00:13.801-05:00Day 26 :: Healing in the Wounds“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”
(1 Peter 2:24)
Christ died for the forgiveness of sins. He suffered for the healing of our own wounds. “At the head of the procession of life,” writes Earl Stanley Jones, “is a thorn-crowned Man, His pains healing our pains, His wounds answering Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-68830544141359568592011-04-06T09:02:00.005-05:002011-04-06T09:06:12.283-05:00Day 25 of Lent :: Suffering ServantChrist is to us just what his cross is.
All that Christ was in heaven or on earth was put into what he did there . . .
Christ, I repeat, is to us just what his cross is.
You do not understand Christ till you understand his cross. (P. T. Forsyth)
Jesus came to bring redemption and forgiveness of sins? But, why did Jesus suffer? In the Old Testament, a lamb was offered as a sacrifice for Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-76535244935963799382011-04-05T21:05:00.001-05:002011-04-05T21:05:45.476-05:00Day 24 of Lent :: Crucifixion“Pilate had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”
(Mark 15:15
The Romans didn’t invent crucifixion as a means of punishment, but they did all they could to perfect it. Crucifixion was designed to maximize pain and suffering. It wasn’t merely about killing someone— it was about killing someone in a cruel and excruciating way. Crucifixion was the most disgraceful form of executionJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-80744742593894430692011-04-04T09:22:00.000-05:002011-04-04T09:22:19.194-05:00Day 23 of Lent :: Against all Odds“This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet.” (John 12:38)
There has never been another human to walk the earth like Jesus. Even centuries before He was born, prophecies were spoken about Him. In fact, there are more than 300 messianic prophecies found throughout the pages of Scripture. There has never been another human on earth to which this has been the case.
A number years ago, Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-3337067875632956072011-04-03T09:17:00.000-05:002011-04-04T09:18:22.244-05:00Fasting Focus :: Week Four of Lent :: NailedFood and Meals Jesus is the ultimate example of what it looks like to abandon our will to the will of the Father. We have seen this in various degrees at each stop along the path of Christ’s journey. Abandonment always requires surrender. So, this week, as we reflect on what it was like for Christ to be nailed to the cross, we will physically be practicing abandonment and surrender by fasting Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-30360720691900440222011-04-02T09:08:00.000-05:002011-04-04T09:13:11.561-05:00Day 22 of Lent :: Unstoppable“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
(Revelation 12:11)
Many of us have never been ridiculed for our faith. Some of us have been called holy-rollers or have been looked at as old-fashioned or have experienced the rolling of eyes by a co-worker. This is a far cry from being abused Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-63653742366012986842011-04-01T14:24:00.001-05:002011-04-04T09:08:32.103-05:00Day 21 of Lent :: True Service“Learn the lesson, if you are to do the work of a prophet,
what you need is not a scepter but a hoe.”1
(Bernard of Clairvaux)
We learned in the Upper Room that the towel is a symbol of service. As Jesus was making His way toward the hill called Golgotha, we saw the cross as a symbol of submission. Jesus willingly accepted the cross, but the Bible tells us that Simon from Cyrene was “forced” Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-79756719416135415782011-03-31T10:28:00.000-05:002011-03-31T10:28:00.028-05:00Day 20 of Lent :: Accepting the Cross“A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,
was passing by on his way in from the country,
and they forced him to carry the cross.” (Mark 15:21)
We can only imagine the awful weight of the cross Jesus carried. It was not just the weight of beams of wood that pressed down upon Him. It was also the weight of the burden He carried for those whom He loved. He came toJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-5639484813931099392011-03-30T10:20:00.004-05:002011-03-30T10:23:18.902-05:00Day 19 of Lent :: Embracing the CrossThen He (Jesus) said to them all:
“Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and
take up their cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 TNIV)
Then He told them what they could expect for themselves:
“Anyone who intends to come with Me has to let Me lead.
You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.
Don’t run from suffering; embrace it.
Follow Me and I’ll show you how.”
(Luke 9:23 Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-2772104873918063512011-03-29T09:09:00.008-05:002011-03-29T09:11:25.345-05:00Day 18 of Lent :: A Different Kind of King
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Take Him away! Crucify Him!”
(John 19:15)
Prior to being murdered by crucifixion, Jesus spent the last few hours of His life in several places around Jerusalem. His evening began in the southwestern part of Jerusalem in the Upper Room. Here at the Last Supper, He told the disciples that His body and His blood were to be given for them. The intensity of His Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-8864185309860780742011-03-28T09:45:00.004-05:002011-03-28T09:51:43.473-05:00Fasting Focus :: Week Three of Lent :: Embracing the Cross
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@Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-57073615629367320222011-03-23T09:51:00.000-05:002011-03-23T09:51:53.417-05:00Day 13 of Lent :: Life's not Fair<!--StartFragment-->
“Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.” (Mark 14:61)Jesus, I wish You would speak! I wish You would tell them Who You are. I wish You would confront the angry, doubt-filled crowds and the arrogant cowardice of those in power. There must be someone who will speak up for You! Where are the lepers who were healed? Where are the blind who can now see? Where are all Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-91470408077711292282011-03-22T08:51:00.003-05:002011-03-22T08:52:39.017-05:00Day 12 of Lent :: Unwavering Trust
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Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-89843623405864254842011-03-21T20:23:00.003-05:002011-03-21T20:27:03.147-05:00Day 11 of Lent :: Like a Sheep
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Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-18080645237430688812011-03-20T09:04:00.003-05:002011-03-20T09:05:16.815-05:00Second Week of Lent :: Before Pilate
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@Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-30578459076713832062011-03-19T08:27:00.003-05:002011-03-19T10:21:48.382-05:00Day 10 of Lent :: Breath of LifeJesus knelt down and prayer, “Father…” (Luke:22:41-42)Many often approach God with a list of needs or requests. Certainly, our loving God desires to hear requests and tend to our needs, but that is not the best place to start. When Jesus came before God, His soul was in deep turmoil, yet the first words He expressed weren’t so much related to what He wanted and needed, but rather to Whom He was Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-46915164307239846622011-03-18T10:11:00.001-05:002011-03-18T10:15:04.323-05:00Day 9 of Lent :: Open HandsThen the LORD said,
“What is that in your hand?”
(Exodus 4:2)In the Bible, true faith was always accompanied by demonstration and actions. One’s spirituality cannot be separated from one’s physicality. As noted yesterday, worship was never merely words sung. Prayer was always more than words expressed. Particular body parts and physiological movements became associated with various attitudes Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-45099462604320295282011-03-17T09:40:00.003-05:002011-03-17T09:45:14.506-05:00Day 8 of Lent :: Learning to KneelHe (Jesus) withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed.
(Luke 22:41)Jesus “knelt and prayed.” Prayer is more than words, much more. The very act of kneeling was an integral part of Jesus’ praying. For in the kneeling, He was praying. Throughout the Bible, faith and body were always closely connected to one another. Worship was never merely words sung. Prayer was alwaysJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-56605300120949000942011-03-16T09:45:00.000-05:002011-03-17T09:48:45.611-05:00Day 7 of Lent :: Drops of Blood
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@Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-3179640818015126122011-03-15T09:32:00.001-05:002011-03-17T09:40:01.842-05:00Day 6 of Lent :: Crushed“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow.” (Mark 14:34)
Just as olives and grapes were crushed by a heavy slab of stone to release the oil or juice within them, Jesus experienced a similar crushing in His own soul. At Gethsemane, Jesus surrendered all that He was to the Father’s perfect will. This process of surrendering often produces in us what the Bible refers to as brokenness. Brokenness is Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-41385973345792706152011-03-14T09:12:00.005-05:002011-03-17T09:28:09.473-05:00Day 5 of Lent :: Under Pressure
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@Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-10373015204044318412011-03-13T06:14:00.000-05:002011-03-12T22:15:26.587-06:00Week One of Lent :: Fasting FocusFirst Week of LentGethsemane
Television, Music and Media This week, we will be fasting television, music and other media. Suggested ways of doing this is to not watch your usual television shows, or turn off the TV altogether. Drive without the radio. Leave the iPod at home.
Pay attention to the following: What is it like to increase the silence by decreasing the media inputs into your life?Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-42594141145743485302011-03-12T22:10:00.001-06:002011-03-12T22:10:55.174-06:00Day 4 of Lent :: Around the Table“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you.”
~Luke 22:15
If you were one of the disciples, where would you have seated yourself at the table? Would you have felt the freedom to rest your head intimately on Jesus as did John the Beloved? Or, would you have been inclined to sit at a distance from Him?
Do you believe that Jesus longs to be with you? He does — more than you could ever Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-58034827618493529892011-03-11T08:29:00.001-06:002011-03-11T08:30:46.737-06:00Day 3 of Lent :: The Last MealWhen the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table. And He said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
(Luke 22:14-16)
Of all the ways Jesus could have chosen to spend the last hours of His life with the disciples, He chose to eat a meal. Jesus Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-34799710910977055052011-03-10T09:20:00.005-06:002011-03-10T09:23:08.797-06:00Day 2 :: Redefining Greatness“Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet,
what you need is not a scepter but a hoe.”
~Bernard of ClairvauxJesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God. He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to washJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-73102346667892296372011-03-09T08:46:00.002-06:002011-03-09T08:59:38.895-06:00Day 1 :: Ash Wednesday :: The Greatest“When the hour came, Jesus and His apostles reclined at the table.” Luke 22:14
Imagine the scene. It is the last meal Jesus will share with His closest friends. In just a few days, He will find Himself gasping for His next breath as He hangs on the cross, bearing the sin and shame of all of humanity. If you were Jesus, what would you have shared with such dear companions at your last meal? Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-51528777859013197072011-03-08T12:27:00.001-06:002011-03-09T08:47:54.439-06:00The Path Lent DevotionalThis year, we developed a forty day devotional-journal to serve as a community guide through Lent. We had these published in booklet format and made available. Each day, I'll be posting the daily entries.
What is the devotional-journal for?
This devotional has been written to serve as a community guide during this Lenten season. There is a daily entry for the next forty days, excluding Sundays.Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-24829005635306542312011-03-08T05:53:00.002-06:002011-03-08T05:53:00.196-06:00Lent :: A Season of FastingWhy do we Fast during Lent?
Historically, people have chosen to fast during this season. There are two aspects to the Lenten fast: giving something up and picking something up. Fasting is a spiritual discipline designed to help us better focus on and connect with God. “Fasting is not a magical way to manipulate God into doing our will,” writes Adele Calhoun. “It’s not a way to get God to be an Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-23423661736647059272011-03-07T13:01:00.002-06:002011-03-17T16:40:22.370-05:00The Path: Walking with Jesus toward the CrossJesus lived thirty-three years.
He actively taught and ministered for three-and-a-half-years. The Gospels give account of His life, yet proportionately, a significant amount is dedicated to the events occurring during the last week, leading up to His piercing death upon the cross. Over the next several weeks, we will be Walking with Jesus toward the Cross. May His journey become our journey.
Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-31429463235250409522011-02-12T07:55:00.002-06:002011-02-12T07:55:00.387-06:00Marriage ConferenceWe are excited to be hosting our first ever marriage conference here at PVC. Whether you've been married four weeks or forty years there are fundamental principles that govern the marriage relationship. When these principles are practiced, a couple is positioned to fall in love. When they are not, couples often fall out of love.
These principles could be looked at similar to a path. As you Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-46530409137818364142011-02-11T05:42:00.006-06:002011-02-11T05:42:00.306-06:00The Journey Begins :: Marah :: part twoOver the last several weeks in New Community, we've been looking at the Israelite's journey from Egypt to the Promise Land. Interestingly, God choose to take them on a route other than the one that would have been the most direct.
Why? What was His purpose in doing so?
There were lessons He wanted them to learn, principles He wanted them to understand. He was forming them into the kind of Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-82864750433797318882011-02-10T06:05:00.000-06:002011-02-09T23:08:53.595-06:00The Journey Begins :: Marah :: part oneThough written centuries ago, it is as relevant today in our own lives, as it was thousands of years ago. I’m amazed, again and again at how rich passages of Scripture are and how much can be learned from them. Especially passages, like the passage in Exodus, where Israel journeys to Marah. The following are a few principles regarding spiritual formation and discipleship that we can learn from Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-3174693815101026262011-01-20T23:28:00.000-06:002011-01-20T23:28:26.022-06:00The Journey Begins...
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Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-90569463872353266842011-01-07T12:01:00.000-06:002011-01-07T12:01:00.918-06:00MAKING YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION STICKRecently I picked up Chip and Dan Heath's new book Switch: How to Change things When change is Hard. I really enjoyed their previous book Made to Stick, so I've been looking forward to reading Switch.
Switch is all about change. How companies change, or don't. How people change, or don't. What factors contribute to a person/organization becoming successful in actually changing. The God of the Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-34045758773165014322011-01-07T05:45:00.000-06:002011-01-07T05:45:00.444-06:00Reflection Precedes Resolutions...Why do people make New Year's Resolutions? What fuels such "solutions" that are often seeming infused with very little resolve. In fact, according to most studies and surveys, only about 8 percent of Americans successfully achieve and follow-through on their New Year's resolutions. An overwhelming (or rather 'underwhelming') 45 percent fail by the end of January!
Regardless of all the sub liningJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-28646637616519095592011-01-06T09:12:00.000-06:002011-01-06T09:12:16.059-06:00Listening to Past to Look to the FutureIn a world enchanted by facile slogans and fast food appetites, we are in need of something sacred.
In a time of exponential hurriedness, we are in need of a new sense of rhythm.
In our journey to explore human transformation and spiritual practices that will help us to engage God, expand our everyday lives and master the art of living in slow motion, we will need to be intentional about our Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-83158863875107354392010-12-31T17:22:00.001-06:002011-01-07T14:30:15.837-06:00A Fresh Look at Spiritual Formation & Ancient PracticesOver the past several years, the topic of spiritual formation and spiritual practices (or disciplines) have begun to get more and more air-time. A number of books deal with the ideal of being conformed into the image of Christ, while others leverage into to the practices themselves. No single volume could possibly begin to even scratch the surface.
Thomas Nelson Publishing, in this series Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-72831730153773418632010-12-23T15:15:00.000-06:002010-12-23T15:15:02.233-06:00Eliminating Digital Noise :: OmmwriterWe have to admit it. New technologies don’t exactly make concentrating any easier. Ichat, Skype, Twitter, Facebook, Messenger, Youtube... But it’s not just the programmes; when we work, we have loads of windows open at the same time. We’re busy writing emails, while finishing off a PowerPoint presentation, reading another email and drafting a complete document. Just like computers, people have Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-59003123752874372012010-12-19T17:50:00.002-06:002010-12-19T17:52:11.376-06:00A Social Network ChristmasJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-34018604895579876972010-12-19T17:42:00.001-06:002010-12-19T17:45:51.172-06:00Family Devotion and Activity :: Fourth Week of Advent :: LoveDevotion:
Light the candles of Hope, Light and Joy. Now light the fourth Advent candle, the candle of Love.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16 NLT)
As we pause today in heart-preparation for this season, we once again look at another characteristic of God - Love. God isJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-83010367269495603902010-12-15T05:54:00.005-06:002010-12-15T05:54:00.252-06:00Christmas TragedyChristmas, for many can serve to remind us of the tragic in our lives. Awkward family gathering, an estranged relationship, even the reminder of a lost loved one or ongoing crisis. It can become a long, dull and tiring string of gatherings and parties, not to mention the often self inflicted moments of guilt associated with gift-giving. To the extent that these realities are able crouch, they canJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-47591206478577243122010-12-12T22:47:00.000-06:002010-12-12T22:47:42.840-06:00Family Devotion and Activity :: Third Week of Advent :: Joy“At the birth of God’s Son heaven and earth danced. For heaven and earth embrace.” Richard Harries
Devotion:
Relight the candles of Hope and Light and now light today’s Advent candle, the candle of Joy. The Greek word for joy is chara, which means “rejoicing, gladness, enjoyment or bliss.” In many ways it means “to celebrate.” The birth of a new baby or the first sight of a new born seems toJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-3441815087076572622010-12-09T18:21:00.000-06:002010-12-09T18:21:43.586-06:00iPad Christmas SongJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-47312208711407996392010-12-09T13:03:00.000-06:002010-12-09T13:03:01.440-06:00An Online Advent DevotionalIf you're looking for something to help guide you through this Advent season, check out Following the Star :: a daily online advent devotional guide.Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-58927140327840798832010-12-05T06:51:00.000-06:002010-12-05T06:51:00.448-06:00Family Devotion and Activity :: Second Week of Advent :: Light Read: Luke 4:16-21 & 18:35-43
Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind. The Bible talks about two different kinds of blindness. Some people are physically blind. They are not able to see the beautiful colors and lights of Christmas. They cannot see the things of this life. The other kind of blindness that the Bible speaks about is spiritual blindness. Spiritual blindness is the worst sort of Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-76908921071779082892010-12-02T21:54:00.000-06:002010-12-02T21:54:11.279-06:00Learning How to ReadScripture never ceases to amaze me. I love how the Spirit of God can take a well worn passage and familiar story and bring it to life again - as if for the first time. This is the power of Scripture. Yet, there is a danger in coming to well worn and familiar portions of text. There is a tendency to come to the text as the teacher, rather than the student. If we are not careful, we can impose on Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-46391684474852899832010-12-01T05:47:00.000-06:002010-12-01T05:47:00.550-06:00do-it-yourself spirituality"Any spirituality that furnishes a do-it-yourself kit plants the seeds of discouragement and disappointment. And this flowers into a winter of discontent that blooms in gloom, cynicism, and a subtle form of despair...
...It is one thing to know Jesus Christ loves us and another thing to realize it. In prayer we slow down to a human tempo and make time to listen. In prayer we discover what we Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-7421364528677407582010-11-29T21:26:00.001-06:002010-11-30T22:35:13.485-06:00The Beginning of AdventIntroduction
Throughout history, various cultures and people have chosen to set aside a season designed especially to recapture the anticipation of the arrival of the Christ-Child. This season is called Advent. Advent is the Latin word that means, “a coming or arrival”. It’s a time where Christians (as families and community gatherings) prepare themselves in reflection and anticipation for the Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-25350023308180244392010-11-19T09:18:00.000-06:002010-11-19T09:18:00.412-06:00Lost in TranslationAll of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them… When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken…. we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:6 & 11)
It was the Holy Spirit that enabled the apostles to be understood in their own Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-58416779664837231902010-11-16T22:53:00.000-06:002010-11-16T22:53:27.993-06:00The Greatest ComplimentWho doesn't like a good compliment?
We all like a little affirmation here and there, it doesn't matter who you are. Unfortunately, it's easy to fall into the trap of living for the compliment or into the head-spin of asking yourself, what was wrong when you don't get your quota. But let's not kid ourselves, compliments, can at times be like Christmas presents to distant family members, it's Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-79975980324694536252010-11-10T09:18:00.000-06:002010-11-10T09:18:32.695-06:00Expectant Waiting & Extravagant Longing(This morning I found myself reading, reflecting and praying through Acts chapter one. The following are some thoughts that are challenging me from the text)
Jesus told the early disciples to “wait” for “the promise of the Father.” (Acts 1:4)
This wasn’t some hopeless waiting, for they had seen the Son risen with many “convincing proofs.” Now, the reality of what they had observed was about to Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-78922245366907030422010-11-05T08:30:00.000-05:002010-11-05T08:30:54.941-05:00The Hand Brings Understanding..."The LORD made me understand in writing,
by His hand upon me, all the details of these plans.” ~1 Chronicles 28:19 Over the years, time and time again, I have found this to be true. That as I write, my thoughts and feelings have a way of becoming disentangled. Clarity emerges. Perspective settles in. And, perhaps most importantly, there's a sense of divine connectedness and nearness, not to Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-22717733710914754852010-11-03T12:00:00.001-05:002010-11-03T12:37:52.547-05:00Praying in Color :: Images of PrayerWhen it comes to prayer, many of us can find ourselves word-weary or easily distracted. There's the struggle with a short attention span or a restless body. I'm looking forward to our new series on prayer called Praying in Color. In it, we're going be exploring some creative and engaging ways to connect with God in prayer. The life of prayer, may never be the same again.
Tonight, I'm Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-62226734121533321672010-11-01T09:58:00.000-05:002010-11-01T09:58:12.698-05:00Free Audio Book :: Don't Waste Your Life by John PiperDon't Waste Your Life by John Piper is available as a free ebook download at Christianaudio.com through the month of November.
Millions of people are wasting their lives pursuing dreams of happiness that don't rise above a good marriage, nice kids, a successful career, a nice car, fun vacations, nice friends, a fun retirement, a painless death, and (hopefully) no hell. John Piper calls this a Jerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12135422.post-34592547606277672592010-10-30T17:40:00.000-05:002010-10-30T17:40:34.679-05:00Atheist Song :: First Hymnal for AtheistsJerrell Jobehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330929283962451990noreply@blogger.com0