Working at “living what I’m learning” . . .

These days my “dialogue with the Divine” is more on the listening side, than the talking-side. It’s not that I am “all talked out” . . . it is that my theology of God caught up with me a while back. I’m growing in knowing ...

Knowing . . . He reads my heart, knows my innermost thoughts, my resting and my rising. He’s all understanding and wise; yet He graces me by gifting His Spirit into my heart’s inner most chambers.  He, though knowing all about me is devoted to me . . .

I seek to listen to His words with humility and intent … my main prayer’s for grace; grace to live in the grace He is, and provides . . .

Church is functioning, not perfect community . . .

Paul’s statement of the local (or located) church’s reality is a universally relevant declaration of the church’s nature as community:

• “You will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

As community, the church is not merely the repository of correct doctrines, and exemplar of divinely desired human behaviors, it is a family of incarnation, interaction, and fallibility. She does not only hold to Spirit and scripture revealed truth, she realizes truth through interactive relationships which build up the life of Christ within an environment of community.

• “Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15-16.).

Church is functioning, not perfect community—being perfected, yes; perfected, not yet folks! How can I say that? Easy, I’m still in it, and so are you . . . cheers - JD

Don’t confine your worship . . .

Life is too short to not seek to love, worship and respond to God in all life situations.  Don’t confine your worship of “enjoying God” to services or rituals … worship God anywhere. 

• As we get older we need to shift the focus from hard work to God-work. 

• Slow down, enjoy God; some things in life are really not that important.  

• However, giving time for God and His goodness is not one of the aspects of any "cut-down list”.  

He’s not saying less church, he’s saying – more God in the common places of life. 

Don’t forget how close God is . . .