Putting new wine in old wineskins

Inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst. (Job 32:19 (NIV))

Joseph thought
what anguish this voice had brought.
Put the Law of Moses aside
and make Mary my bride.
“Oh Lord, forgive my doubt.
How is this going to turn out?”

Nicodemus thought
what anguish Jesus’ answer brought.
Put the Law of Moses aside
and let the new be born and the old denied
“Oh Lord, how can this be?
I thought only through the Law are we free.”

Peter thought
what anguish His Lord’s statement brought.
Putting Israel’s expectations aside
saying the Messiah will have to suffer and die.
“Oh Lord, You’re describing a pariah
not Israel’s Messiah.”

Thomas thought
what anguish their statements brought.
Putting all known science aside
saying that He is alive.
“Oh Lord, if this is true,
what is the world going to do?”

For the Sake of its Kingdom

Grace
is a gift
that causes a shift
of what the world requires
and what God desires.

The world uses sex for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace works in love for the sake of its kingdom.

The world exercises its power for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace humbly submits for the sake of its kingdom.

The world seeks peace for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace has the peace the world wants for the sake of its kingdom.

The world requires the books to be balanced and kept for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace takes pity and cancels the debt for the sake of its kingdom.

The world separates the haves and have-nots for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace invites all to celebrate for the sake of its kingdom.

The world writes off the one that is lost for the sake of its kingdom.
Grace goes after the one that is lost for the sake of its kingdom.

The world constructs the wide road for the sake of its kingdom.
and looks with contempt at Grace’s narrow path.

Amen.

O god of fantasy

O god of fantasy,
who watches over the casualties
caused by your fallacies.

A religion …
Where the truth is less than a lie
and
hate can be justified.

A belief of…
What my beloved doesn’t know won’t open up a can of worms.
and
where sacrifice can be done completely on my terms.

And a world that will bless
your culture of excess
with the goal to impress
you,
the god of fantasy
but fails
in the eyes of the
God of Reality.

Amen.

The business of grace

He goes to the file cabinet,
pulls out the oft used form
and fills in
today’s date and your name
and asks you to sign it.

You read it
and it dawns on you
it’s the same contract
every time.

Not a renewal,
nor a modification of terms,
or anything odd.
It reads:
You Shall be My People, and I Will be Your God.

So you sign it
and
push the paper across the desk.
He hands it to the Witness
who seals it in His blood
and tells you,
“Go, and sin no more.”

Amen.

What Image Might We Find?

To whom, then, can we compare God?
What image might we find to resemble him? Isaiah 40:18 (NLT)

Outside
on a beautiful fall day,
children scream their lungs out,
the mature meditate on a park bench.
Lovers walk hand in hand,
new parents push the buggy.
Smell of food on the grill,
dogs obey their masters,
girls are texting and giggling.
And
theologians inside their rooms
wonder about
man’s potential to be godly.

Inside
on a dreary winter day,
children have cabin fever
the mature have lost their patience.
Lovers are in hand to hand combat,
new parents can’t take another Disney DVD.
Microwave popcorn burning,
dogs forget who’s the alpha male,
girls text and moan.
And
theologians go outside
and wonder about
man’s potential to be godly.

Amen.

God

Throughout the night, He wrestles Jacob,
As well as enters into Joseph’s dreams.

He comes in the storm in Job,
and a whisper with Elijah.

He is the architect for Noah and Solomon.
The building inspector at Babel
and houses built on sand.

He sets the prisoners free.
Embraces the wayward prodigal.
Accepts Judas’ kiss,
along with the strike to the other cheek.

He is the Light of the world
and the fire at Pentecost.

He arrives in a manger
in Bethlehem.
Departs as a sacrifice
at Calvary.
And will return as Host of the First Supper
in New Jerusalem.

He is what our parents warned us about:
“You can’t be everything to all people.”

Amen.

Providence

Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Psalm 127:1)


Wherever you are,
I AM with you.
(but I want you to be nearer.)

Whatever you do,
I AM with you.
(but I want you to be no one else’s disciple.)

The times when you are sinsick,
I AM with you.
(I want you to remember who you really are.)

When you accept My grace,
I AM with you.
(I want you to remember who I AM.)

I AM never through with you.
because
I AM who I AM.

Amen.

The Sixth Day

He stands on the approach.
The Light is on.
He is ready.
In His mind,
He sees it.
An unrushed four step approach
stopping right before the foul (fair?) line
releasing a smooth roll.

This game of His creation seems a bit too easy.
Sky- STRIKE!
Land - STRIKE!
Seas-STRIKE!
Vegetation - STRIKE!
Sun- STRIKE!
Moon- STRIKE!
Birds - STRIKE!
Fish- STRIKE!
Animals- STRIKE!

The angels said:
“You’re en fuego, Almighty One!
What’s next?”

God said
“Let us create one more.
Creatures in our own image.
We’ll teach them how to play this game.”

Afterwards,
He thought,
“Oh, what a great day!”
as He looked at the innocents.
He told them:
“Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life!
Tomorrow, it will be just Me and you for the day.”

The clueless ones nodded
and wondered
when dinner would be served.

Creation

Job 41:11 “I'm in charge of all this—
I run this universe!” (Message)

Man made candles.
God created light.

Man made refrigerators.
God created glaciers.

Man made clocks.
God created eternity.

Man wrote books.
God composed the best seller.

Man rations his love each day.
God loves like there’s no tomorrow.

Man repeatedly attempts to save his world.
God sighs,
because its already been done.

This serious book

This book
tells
the story
of God.

A God who
just wanted
His people
to acknowledge
who He is.

This book
tells
the story
of His people.

A people who repeatedly
remembered and forgot
to acknowledge
who their God is.

This book
tells
of those who remember
will have Life.

This book
tells
of those who forget
will have Death.

And this book
tells
of a God that is so serious
He had man write it all down
and then He signed it in His own blood.

Amen.

Revelation

Why, O LORD, do you stand far off ?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1)

“Where are You, Lord?”
I cried out.

GOD replied,
“I AM in…..

The two ruined stone tablets
and
your brokenness.

The burning bush
and
your passion.

The Temple
and
your worship.

My feeding of the multitudes
and
your charity.

The empty tomb
and
your freedom.”

Then GOD laughed.
“Where am I?
Well, there will be one more way
you can see Me,
but for you
that time has not come.”

Creed

I believe
in a God
that created a world
to allow me to understand
what heaven and hell are like.

I believe
in a God
that sent His Son
to save me
from myself.

I believe
in a God
that sent His Spirit
to keep me
from being my old self.

I believe
in a God
that created a holy Church
in order that His
(and not my)
will be done.

I believe
in a God
that will judge the work
assigned to
all of His servants.

I believe
in a God
that will create a new world
where two languages are forever spoken -
Truth and Love.

Amen.

Jesus explains why your cross is small

Luke 9:23 "If anyone would come after me,
he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.

When you were alone,
I was with you 24/7/365.

When you were lonely,
I introduced you to other believers.

When you were weak,
I provided you with grace sufficient.

When you were still a sinner,
I still loved you.

When you were lost,
I walked you home.

When you tried to save the world,
I told you it’s already been done.

When you gave everything over to Me,
Your receipt is this little cross.

Satan says,
“It should be a lot bigger
for what you gave up.”

But he knows
(and you should too),
The main thing is not
your cross carrying
but to follow Me.