The stuff nightmares are made of

To whom does Marriage belong?

http://triathletewithacollar.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/a-response-to-marriage-isnt-for-you/

My response to the above linked blog...

I probably do qualify as the target Christian demographic for this response. I believe in Jesus as the one Messiah and Savior of sinful man, and I subscribe wholly to the Bible as God's True Word. BUT, I am driven crazy by those who claim "marriage" is somehow a Christian word being hijacked by a secular community. I do believe that my life and that the existence of all creation is for the purpose of glorifying God. But, marriage in itself is not about God. Marriage is about choosing to love with and live with another. Because of my personal convictions, my marriage (if one should occur) will be about loving God and loving my family. But, I find it ridiculous to expect that any other relationship has the same goals as mine. Marriage is word. An English word. Not a Christian word. A Christian marriage may look different from an atheist marriage. A heterosexual marriage may look different from a homosexual marriage. But none is any less a marriage.


Please leave your reply here. I appreciate this conversation.
-Mo

Choose Life

Tomorrow is my last day as a youth minister at Avondale Estates First Baptist Church. As I prayed tonight about what should be my final words to my students, I turned on my phone's recorder and just started talking. The words the Holy Spirit shared with me are worth sharing with you.
-mo
P.S. The Old Testament quote is from Deuteronomy 30.

maybe

Maybe... it's the one word i wrote down during last week's sermon. the subject was the return of Christ. i feel like we don't talk about this subject nearly as much as we did when i was a kid. on the other hand, our culture seems to be consumed with questions and fantasies about the end of the world. a ton of new books, tv shows, movies, etc. are set in a post-apocalyptic world. and, of course, everyone wants to know whether or not the world will survive the end of the Mayan calendar.

the Bible teaches that not even Jesus knows when Jesus will return. so, when i have been asked what i think about the mayan calendar thing, my answer has usually been something indicating that i don't put any stock in those types of predictions and that i don't believe anyone knows when the end will come.

those things are true, but perhaps a more appropriate answer to the question of whether the world will end before this year is maybe. it's the same answer but with emphasis on the importance of our readiness. what if the mayans were right? are we ready?
-mo

Ephesians 3:20

Treasuring God's Word

"I have gained perfect freedom by following your teachings, and I trust them so much that I tell them to kings. I love your commands! They bring me happiness." (Psalm 119.45-47)

smell like Jesus

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 ESV

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing

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reflecting God's radiance

Exodus 34.33-35 - "When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. [...]"


Acts 4.13 - "The officials were amazed to see how brave Peter and John were, and they knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated. The officials were certain that these men had been with Jesus."


I pray that my appearance, speech, emotions, and actions will be a reflection of God's radiant power and love, that although I am "only ordinary," others will be certain that I have been with Jesus.
-mo

spirit of adoption

i am so anxious for the day when i get to meet the child(ren) whom God has chosen to be mine. chances are, my child is alive today somewhere in the world. the thought of him/her without a family this christmas is tough. i know, though, that God will bring us together with perfect timing. i am grateful for God's plan of adoption and for His call on my life of sharing His love with children who so desperately need and so earnestly want to be loved. i am grateful that God's plan of adoption included His adopting me into His family.

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery ^[g]leading to fear again, but you have received ^[h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8.14-17)

big job

No one in my Sunday school class today could tell me what Easter is about. "Passover" was the closest answer I got.

On days like this, my job both astounds and overwhelms me. Every week, God trusts me to represent Him to teenagers who have only a slight clue who He is, much less what He is about. That's astounding. There is so much rich goodness to be taught from God's Word, and we can only tackle it one story, one topic, one Sunday at a time. That's overwhelming.

Love this job.

Eternally (literally) grateful for parents who taught me the stories of the Bible.

Eternally (literally) grateful for a loving God who is patient with my youth and me as we seek Him.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

It was pointed out to us last Wednesday by one individual that our children make too much noise during their regular Wednesday night activities. (This is my nice description of a ridiculously abrasive confrontation.)

My thoughts: Bologna! Noisy games are an avenue for sharing Jesus with children who do not hear about him elsewhere.

Jesus' thoughts:  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Mat19.14)

Israel

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God [...] and have overcome." (Gen32)

What does it mean to struggle with God and overcome? The man with whom Jacob struggled could not physically prevail. Did Jacob's blessing come from "overcoming" God? Am I blessed when I wrestle God down to the point of His giving in? Can I overcome God?

These questions could lead to a stimulating debate of free will and God's permissive will. But, tonight, God took this story in another direction for me:

As a Christ-follower, my goal, rather than to overcome God, should be to know God. God is perfectly good, perfectly perfect, perfectly eternal. He cannot be perfectly known by my imperfect humanity. Therefore, to attain my goal, I must struggle to know Him.

Paul writes of straining toward the goal of knowing God through Christ (Phil3.10-14).

Well, now Christianity just sounds like a whole bunch of struggling and straining. So, what's this talk of "overcoming?"

I may never know the fullness of God, but as I pursue Him, I know Him more. He promised Jeremiah, and He promises me: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer29.13).

When Jacob finally arrives at a place in his life where he is done trying to decide his own future - stealing birthrights, blessings, etc., he finds himself wrestling with God, begging for God's blessing, desiring God's plan for his life. In that moment of surrender, paradoxically, Jacob overcomes. Jacob seeks God, and he sees Him "face to face" (Gen32.30).

The struggle is not easy, and it leaves Jacob with a limp, but it also leaves him with a new name and a new destiny. Forever, Israel's offspring will be known as a nation of God's chosen people. Out of Israel's struggle comes Jesus Christ, through whom all may overcome.

My calling is to struggle, to grapple with scripture, to test and affirm or deny things I once held to be true. I may end up with a Jacobian limp, but when my struggle leads me to surrender, when it leads to a greater knowledge of who God is, then I have overcome. The victor's prize is God Himself.

-mo

Under Construction: about this blog

Since this blog has experienced a recent resurgence of author (that's me) activity, and since I finally have my first official "follower," I am in the process of updating the looks of things around here.

I'm keeping the dandelion background. Dandelions remind me of the days when simple things, like blowing those little seeds everywhere, were all it took to vanquish my cares. Also, one of my favorite cheesy education posters has a background of dandelions and says, "Dandelions are my favorite flowers because they refuse to stop growing." I loved making fun of that poster on Mrs. Strickland's door in high school. Cracks me up. But, it's stuck with me, and I suppose some truth rings through the cheese.

New name: Moville was another throw-back to high school days. A missionary I met in Chicago called me Mo-lissa, and my SBC friends have called me Mo since. I like it. But, it doesn't perfectly describe my hopes for this blog. So, I'm keeping Mo but renaming Moville. (In case you're wondering about the web address, a couple of other guys we met in Chicago decided my name should be Cookee. No idea why, but that still makes me laugh.)

Gentle Whispers: In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is afraid and depressed and needs a savior. God meets him where he is and, with a gentle whisper, reminds Elijah of his worth, his value as a servant of God to his people. Those who know me well know I struggle like Elijah to stay out of that cave of despair. But, God is faithful to meet me there when I call. This blog has been and is a record of some of God's gentle whispers, reminders of his faithfulness, of my worth, and of life's incredible value. To any regular or random readers, I pray you hear God in these gentle, yet powerful, whispers of hope.
-mo

thoughtless

Control.
I feel so out of it. I know God is in it, but I do not know how to trust. (Proverbs 3.5-6)

Anxiety.
I feel so much of it. I know God does not desire it, but I do not know what to request. (Philippians 4.6)

Cares.
I feel so many of them. I know God wants them, but I do not know how to cast. (1 Peter 5.7)

Burdens.
I feel so weary of them. I know God wants to give me rest, but I do not know where to go. (Matthew 11.28)

Feelings.
They seem to be all I have anymore. The logic that used to own me has given way to unpredictable emotion. Well, maybe not so unpredictable. Predictably negative. Predictably sharp. Predictably overwhelming. Predictably powerful. Predictably controlling. Controlling my thoughts, my words, my actions. Controlling my pulse, my blood pressure. My emotional heart controlling my physical heart, my spiritual heart getting lost in the confusion. My head? Overpowered and useless. When my mind ruled my life, I prayed to be able to follow my heart. But, I do not follow; I am dragged mindlessly behind an unrelenting master. I am a slave to feeling.

Obedience.
I feel so far from it. I know freedom hinges on it, but I do not know what it looks like. (John 8.31-32)

Freedom.
I feel so close to breaking into it. I know it is mine in Christ, and I pray for boldness to stand firm in it. (Galatians 5.1)
-mo

Heartbreak

Following is an email i sent to Michael this morning. Seems an appropriate post here as somewhat of an update on the molding of my heart. -Mo
--------
mre-
Today, on my way to work, my eyes were opened, and my heart was broken. I looked around me on MARTA, looked into the eyes of my fellow passengers. The railcar was almost void of passion or excitement. One young man standing at the back of the car looked tired, but even in his smile-less face, I could sense a love for wherever he was going, an excitement about what the day held for him. His eyes and mine held all the passion in our car.
Other passengers - some dressed for high-paying office jobs, some dressed for minimum wage - stared blankly ahead or perused this morning's AJC. Their eyes were glazed with the reality that today began another passionless week of drudgery.
Many of those blank stares likely were the hopeless stares of those who desperately need a Savior. Others, no doubt, were the weighted stares of those who have eternal hope but who lack present excitement. Statistically, more than two Christians were in that car this morning. Sadly, I could not have identified them. If the Holy Spirit in me could not even recognize Himself in them, how will the world know He exists?
Michael, we cannot *not* find a way to spread excitement. The world needs to see a unified Church "[pressing] on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of [her]" (Philippians 3.12). We have a Biblical mandate, which is being confirmed through every other channel of divine communication.
Let's continue prayerfully to stretch boundaries as we follow through with the passions and visions He has given us and look forward to the day when every hopeless stare is met with the fiery glance and friendly "hello" of a passionate heart living life "to the full" (John 10.10).
-mrt

Consecration and Dedication

1 Kings 8.62-66
(v. 63) Solomon sacrificed thousands of animals to "[dedicate] the temple of the LORD."

(v. 64) Solomon sacrificed grain and leftovers from the previous sacrifices to "[consecrate] the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the LORD."

If I am "God's temple" (1 Cor. 3.16), then sacrifices I am called to make in life are part of the process of my being consecrated, dedicated to God.
-mo

Moville

Notes on Forgiveness

1-Remember how God has forgiven you.

2-Remember vengenace is the Lord's

3-Determine to let nobody get between you and God.
-Unforgiveness gets between you and God. Don't let anybody have that kind of power over your spiritual life.

4-Remember that full forgiveness is based on repentence.
Q: Is God's forgiveness unconditional?
A: Potentially. He offers forgiveness to all, but we must respond with repentence. Full forgiveness is a transaction between 2 parties; one must forgive and one must receive forgiveness. (Luke 17 - "If he repents, forgive him.")
-Even if they won't repent, we have to get rid of bitterness, turn things over to God to deal with our hearts. -not called forgiveness, though.
-When they repent, the ball's in our court. We must be merciful.

F.O.P.; SBC; 5/1/05
Moville

"A Biblical Response...

...to the Pro-Gay Movement"
http://www.exodus.to/content/view/129/35/
from the website of Exodus International

-mo
Moville

Counting the Cost

"But the king replied to Araunah, 'No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.' So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them." (2 Samuel 24.24 NIV, emphasis added)

If it costs me nothing, is it a sacrifice?
The difference between an offering and a sacrifice: cost.
-mo
Moville

Will the real Baptists please stand up!

Joy just got back from BCM (GBC's new name for BSU) leadership team retreat. Apparently, we are going to start advertising ourselves as "740" because the "leaders" think some people think Baptist is a cult.

That's the most ridiculous thing ever! Nobody thinks Baptist is a cult. People associate Baptist with the name of Jesus Christ. That is not an association of which we should be ashamed or from which we should hide. Why pretend we are not who we are? The Bible commands us to go tell the world who we are and Whom we serve. We are Baptists. As Baptists, we are followers of Christ. If people are scared away by that, let them run, but may we never be found hiding behind a facade, ashamed to be known as Baptists!
-mo
Moville