God's Word, Not Ours

Do you think it would be possible to open our homes for weekly neighborhood prayer gatherings that are not restricted to "CHRISTIANS ONLY?" Can we or should we as followers of Jesus open our homes and our hearts to those who do not yet hear his voice?

And what if, instead of a pre-packaged study of God's Word, we chose to allow the Word to speak for itself through experiences like Lectio Divina?

The Challenge: Do we really believe that God is big enough to reveal himself to our neighbors through our open, loving lives or is it more important that our neighbors see the "edited" versions of ourselves so that they will be converted to look like us?

CROSS RHYTHMS

Ever heard of a "Christian" rave? Probably not. But Ictus Ichthus Productions (of which my daughter Crystal is a part) is a ministry determined to provide a drug-free, alcohol-free environment for those who love the rhythms of the Rave.

Cross Rhythms

When: Friday, May 2, 2003  - 7pm -2am

Where: Cedar Ridge Community Church, Spencerville, MD

Cost: $10

Ages: 15 years and older

Who's Spinning?:

Frankie Vibe (gospel house)  Stephen Christopher (progressive) 

Rapture Man (house/r & b)  Prism (tribal house) and Kai (drum and bass)

I'll be there, but I'll be incognito...check it out.

Parent Warrior

In January of 2000, while wringing my hands with worry over my oldest child's rebellion, i stumbled across a book in my church's bookstore: Parent Warrior by Karen Scalf Linamen. I devoured the pages (and the concept of praying the scriptures for my kids) and began a computer journal in which, over the last three years, i have typed many "personalized" verses. Praying the scripture for my children has helped me to hold out God's hope- far bigger than my own- on both the easy and difficult days of parenting.

THOUGHT: How can we entrust our kids to God if we can't imagine God loving them as much as we do? Do we dare believe that God's plan - not our plan- for our children is really the best plan for them?

WORD:

Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

DEED: Let's pray that God will enlarge our hearts to long for the future God has planned for our children.

I started in February 2000 with Ephesians 3: 14-19. By inserting each of my kid's names in the place of the word "you," i began to realize just how much God does love my children...with a love that knows their future and calls them into it if they will listen.

Ephesians 3: 14-19 personalized

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen [your child's name] with power through his Spirit in [your child's name] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [your child's name] heart through faith. And I pray that [your child's name], being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that [your child's name] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. [Amen]

If you would like more references of the scriptures that I have used in this exercise of faith, don't hesistate to post the request to the "Comments" link.