notes from lisa...

We have to value and highly esteem the same people that God does. His way is unnatural to our human nature and tendency. Since we seek to be elevated and attain status, the last thing we need to do is associate ourselves with the lowly. Actually, to impress God, that's exactly the way--be abased, "look on the things of others", decrease, and humble ourselves under the mighty Hand of God. It's the only way. It would seem, by the natural order of things that if you want to go higher you should surround yourself with with successful, driven, achievers right? Well, if you are a carnal man, you should; but a spiritual man lives by a different law and the carnal mind is enmity with God--it puts us in direct opposition to Him. Having a carnal mind really boils down to pride, at the root. A mind that chooses the laws of nature, and comfort opposes the supreme law of the Omnipotent God and is a mind consumed with pride. I admit, God's way makes no sense--it would seem to...

Mankind has always had free will--there has never been a time when man didn't have the right to choose. Along with the power is also responsibility. From the beginning, man struggled with the responsibility and the repercussions of having free will. We always enjoy the rights, and the privileges, but we tend to vacillate when it comes down to the brass tacks of our responsibilities and duties. Somehow, all kinds of rationalizations and justifications arise once the issue of obligation is raised.  And, it's amazing how we misuse Scripture to accomplish our goal of "building bigger barns" [Luke 12:15-18]. When God created man, He placed in the garden everything that was needed to sustain man; however once sin entered the picture, everything changed--no longer was everything readily available. Man now had to work to receive the things needed to live and thrive. Eventually, God gave His people the Law of Moses, and still, even under the Law, He always made provision ...

   Being stuck at home under the current circumstances; in my boredom, searching for movies on Netflix this afternoon, I came upon one called Joy Road . This movie depicted the inner city of Detroit. Physically-speaking, it was pretty dead-on, as Detroit is struggling against the odds the odds these days and it vividly portrayed it streets. However, I think it rather unfairly gave the impression that the people of Detroit have a more destructive (and self-destructive) mentality than the rest of our society; some of the warmest and best people I've come to know hail from Detroit's inner city. As I watched the movie, I kept thinking two things: one, a better name would have been Crabs in a Barrel   and two, what was depicted is a cancer that exists all over our society--including our churches. It is simply selfishness and greed manifested overtly and violently. In our churches and in politically correct settings, it is simply done by less obvious means, but the destructio...

The transforming power of the New Birth is an amazing thing. The people that Peter preached to on Pentecost were guilty of treachery--of the worst variety. However, conviction, repentance and the New Birth can create mind-boggling change. We really can become new creations. Peter reminded them of their acts: " Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain... Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.  (Acts 2:22,23,36). Peter, in his message also reminded them that He was their long-awaited Messiah, and everything that happened and was happening had been foretold by the prophets--they were aware of the t...