Psalm number 70 is not the Lords of the Rings of the Psalming community. And because it is so short, i thought it would be helpful to actually just meditate on the whole thing together: 1 Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me. 2 May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. 3 May those who say [...]
So hey, remember that King David guy and the 'man after God's own heart' moniker? Well, here is that guy going on a little enemy rant... 22 May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap. 23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever. 24 Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them. 25 May their place be deserted; let there [...]
So i think i have a different understanding and idea of church than a number of people i know. And my picture of what church is feels a lot bigger, rather than smaller, than some other peoples. i am not saying that the Sunday church local congregation vibe is not church, but i am suggesting that maybe it is more than that. One example for me has always been so-called 'para-church' organisations like Scripture Union and [...]
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. i'm not going to lie, i often don't quite know what to do with some of the anger and violence of the Old Testament. When i was young it was as black and white as an old A-team episode [google it, kids!] [...]
continuing with another excerpt from the most amazing poetry book i have ever read [and while this is a really small set of things, that doesn't diminish the amazingness of this book one bit] by my online friend, Michael Toy, titled 'Blame it on the Huehuetenango' and this poem in particular which he calls 'My First Last Day' being reminded that the subtitle of this book is 'Poetry for the Recovering Evangelical' and so specifically [...]
i am busy reading this poetry book which was a gift to me by a friend i have only met online and know through friends of friends but his gift of words and wielding them to weave and create and display and be creative is at the same time obvious and captivating here is a second one that really resonated with me [maybe cos i am all that kinds of crazy myself]: [from the book, [...]
"I'm not sure what God's will is for my life!" i hear this a lot, or some other version of it. And i have spoken about/written on this before, but feels like a good time to bring it up. YES, YOU NAILED IT, GOD WANTED THAT BABY TO GET SICK AND DIE possibly the worst scenario this plays out in is when someone gets an incurably disease or a person dies and somebody who is chatting [...]
yesterday i attended a baptism and family picnic that our church family, Re:Generation, holds twice a year... it is one of the highlights for us [and not just because of the quantity of fine meat they prepare - these okes know how to barbecue braai!] because of the feeling of family celebration and togetherness that tends to come out of it... and just a much less rushed time of being able to hang with church folks [...]
And s we witness the death of Jesus... which has a profound effect on the world around Him... not only on the Roman centurion who was stationed nearby... but even on the physical aspects of the temple as the curtain is ripped from top to bottom. Join me as i look at Mark 15 from verse 33 to 47 and share some thoughts on these things: [For links to the whole [...]
This is another extract from ‘Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion’ by Father Gregory Boyle which i am reading and thoroughly enjoying [and you should totally get and read] and this story i read tonite jumped out at me and begged to be shared. From a chapter titled, 'Compassion': The strategy of Jesus is not centered in taking the right stand on issues, but rather in standing in the right place - with [...]