The Thrill of Defeat

Sports commentators are good at using this well-known phrase: "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." It is supposed to bring to mind how amazing and "thrilling" it is to win and be victorious. On the other hand, it brings to mind how horrible and "agonizing" it is to be defeated and lose.

I have made an observation this summer about the seeming "thrill of defeat" many Christians seem to live in. What do I mean? Well, I have noticed among some Christian circles that is a popular theme of some gatherings for them to focus on their sins and failings. At times they will be asked to write them down so that later they can burn them in a ceremonial fire or even nail them to a cross in a closing-of-the-service altar call. Other times they will simply discuss their problems in small groups and try to "hold one another accountable." I have even seen where they will be given a check-off list of things considered to be sins and asked to check them off.

Why do we do this? It seems to me that if a person who didn't know about Jesus came upon a gathering of Christians when things like this were going on, he or she would see a group of defeated people. No where in Scripture do we see Jesus or the apostles telling people to focus on their sins. Quite the contrary. We see Jesus reminding people that he is life and truth. We see the apostles reminding people of the victory we have in Jesus. We see disciples walking in victory, not living in defeat.

Please let me encourage all followers of Jesus to keep a healthy perspective on your life. You ARE a sinner, but you ARE a new creation in Jesus. You have been made a co-heir with Jesus. You have been assigned a spot in eternity as a disciple of Jesus. You are not living under the condemnation of sin any longer. You have been set FREE. Rather than having pity parties that bring up the agony of defeat, let us experience the thrill of victory in Jesus.

Simply,
Jason

Unexpected Baptism

Few things in life are as satisfying as witnessing a baptism into Jesus. Well, today was quite satisfying!

Yesterday I received an email from someone I didn't know who wanted to know about the Way and who was interested in coming to one of our gatherings. I returned his email and asked him to call me. When he called me, we chatted about our respective journeys and he mentioned that he was interested in being baptized. 

Well, Chris (that's his name) came to Chad & Kristen's house tonight for our gathering. He turned out to be a fascinating person and I was so very blessed to have him eat dinner with us. He had been sprinkled as a teenager, but only within the past couple of years had he really grown to love Jesus. Through his personal study, he came to the conclusion that he needed to be baptized. So in his desire to be baptized, he found us--a group willing to assist him in this most special event.

As dinner progressed, Chris revealed that he was ready to be baptized now. Right now. He said that he, like the Ethiopian eunuch from the book of Acts, saw water and wondered what would keep him from being baptized. So we all loaded up in our cars, drove over to the lake, and watched as our brother Chad baptized our new brother Chris into Jesus. WOW! What an unexpected blessing for all of us.

Simply,

Jason

Being Tepid

Here's a great thought from Mickey over in Paris (TN). Enjoy!

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Hello everyone,

 

No blogging or newsletters have escaped the Mooney household over the last couple of weeks. Fact is, I have had this unrelenting flu/cold bug. You know the stuff....cough, chills, fever, aches, etc... Each time I think I am over the hump, it comes roaring back. (ladies....men need babying when they are sick!).

Now here is the point. It is amazing how little it takes to disrupt our "will" to be productive. You can shift into netural so easily. I think it has something to do with the law of entropy (2nd law of thermodynamics). To over simplify, everything winds down without a outside infusion of energy! (cold water becomes tepid, hot water becomes tepid, etc). Everything moves toward a preset norm. There must be some energy source to move the object beyound its stagnat norm and keep it there. (all students of science please forgive my butchering of the above...) Given our natural "fallenness" our preset norm can be a disburbing place to be!

Even knuckleheads like me understand the need for our outside energy source. It is God who empowers us and takes us above our fallen norm. Cares of the world, decietfulness of riches, or the desire for other things can disconnect us (at our end only) from listening to and responding to the Holy Spirit who empowers us. We then, absent of this infusion of power, slowly become "tepid water" in things of the Spirit. I guess when we need Him the most we tend to seek Him less.....duh....

just thinking,

mickey mooney
www.networkvine.org

What Would Jesus Do?

If you've watched any news in the last week you know about the Victoria Osteen story. The purpose of this entry is not to assign blame, I'm in no position to do that, however listening to the back and forth banter I have to ask the question, What would Jesus do?

Jesus wasn't guilty of anything yet he accepted the punishment ordered by men. Whether Mrs. Osteen is guilty or not is completely irrelevant, is she behaving how Jesus would in the same circumstance?

I have spoken to several people who have lost all respect for her and her husband. Right or wrong that's how they feel. They believe the Osteens are protecting the money, which belongs to Father in the first place. I happen to agree. Watching the continuing saga will be interesting.

phil

Forgiveness Quickly

During prayer time at our gathering tonight I prayed for something I believe Jesus has and that's the ability to forgive quickly. Jesus was wronged his whole life yet he didn't focus on that junk, he forgave and went on about his business, very important business.

You think about times when others have wronged you, you probably forgave them eventually but only after spending (wasting) time being mad or upset about the situation when neither would do any good or bring any relief. The sooner we forgive the sooner we move on and the less energy we spend (waste) fretting over something we can do nothing about.

I challenge everyone to think about this concept. Forgiving quickly is for our benefit, our relief.

phil