Smokin Hot Song by Justin Rosolino – Edges of Love

This is a song you must listen to.  I promise you’ll want to buy it when you hear it!

Edges of Love – Justin Rosolino

Via “Church Marketing Sucks”

This is a great article. I encourage you to visit their website here. They are helping redeem the culture by helping churches move out of their comfort zone.

So that Compassion blogging indie rocker Shaun Groves has a sarcastic little blog post about how church leaders in the developing world don’t get it. They’re doing goofy things like feeding the poor, job training and education (“stuff we Christians in America are savvy enough to get politicians and nonprofits to do for us”) and even filling up their church buildings on non-Sundays. That’s crazy.

It’s striking nerves and spreading across Twitter. So Groves followed up with a question: “Now what will you do about it?” He’s gathering responses and plans to share them next week.

I love the idea of churches being more than Sunday and churches doing more than a church service. We should be doing service, not just sitting through a service. How can your church begin to follow the example of leaders in the developing world (or how are you already doing it)?

Redemption Stories: Peter, Paul and Mary

I’m going to do a series of shorts on the lives of Peter, Paul and Mary from the Bible.  I see quite a bit of parallel in my own life.  I’ll try to keep these short and sweet.I’m going to do a series of blog posts at http://redemptivetobacco.wordpress.com on the lives of Peter, Paul and Mary.  I see a lot of parallels in our stories… not the “on this rock” part or writing a ton of the NT, but in their lives and the redemption seen in it.

Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.33 Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.34 Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me. Here is what I see…

1.  Simon, Simon.  The disciples had just got finished arguing over who was the greatest in the kingdom.  How often do we do that?  Then, just a few lines later, Jesus says “Simon, Simon”. **I hear him saying “Mike, Mike”.  It is the tone that strikes me.  It seems to be the one where you say to your kids — not in condemnation — but one where you are communicating “you just don’t get it.”

2.  Satan demanded to have you.  Jesus knew of Satan’s demands on everyone.  That was why he went to the cross.  As John Newton Put it, “to break the power of canceled sin.”  Jesus canceled Peter’s sin, on a cross where he bore his sin.  Peter stood, even before the denial a redeemed and forgiven child of God. ** The canceled sin still effects each of us, (me in a big way) but His power can break it. Satan has demanded me and Jesus has prayed that my faith would not fail.  However, my faith has fallen.  I, like Peter, have denied Christ in my own selfish ways.

3.  Jesus has already prayed for him.  Jesus wasn’t surprised.  Jesus knew this was going to happen.  He was calm and in full control.  At the same time, Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.  Here is where it gets interesting. ** Do I really think Jesus is surprised when I mess up?  Is he really taken off guard when I deny his leading and follow my own.  We are talking about the one the created the universe.  It confounds me, but God is not surprised when I fall, yet his Grace leads me on.  His grace and intercession makes sure that a “failure” is a step forward to an increased faith in His faithfulness.  Jesus knew I was going to fail.  Jesus knows I am going to fail.  But he also knows that the power of canceled sin (that He accomplished) is being broken and that my redeemed life will be an influence for his kingdom no matter what.  “God works all things for good.”  “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more”.

4.  And when you have “turned” again.  Jesus knew Peter was going to betray his friendship.  Jesus knew that Peter had his own “kiss” to avoid the harsh realities of being identified with Jesus.  Jesus told Peter that he would “deny” him three times.  Peter turned from Christ.  In spite of Jesus prayer, Peter turned…but Peter returned. ** How many times have I done this.  Many times we (I) live in denial of the realities of sin and how the remnants of that “canceled” sin still have power over me.  It frustrates me.  It makes me mad.  But even through the winds blow, even thought the ground shakes, even though I am afraid, even though I will turn at times… I WILL be able to say at the end of it all, “It is Well with My Soul.”

5.  And when you have re-turned, strengthen your brothers.  Through Peter’s denial, failings, rejection of the harsh reality of friendship with Christ…he was going to be uniquely able to reveal God’s grace to the others. **God knows His children will re-turn.  They will repent of their running away and run home like the prodigal son.  When I have re-turned to face Him and His forgiveness, it is then that my life will be an encouragement to others.  God uses our weaknesses to demonstrate his amazing power. 6.  Peter was awefully confident.  Oh, no Jesus.  I’d never deny you.  It will never happen. **There are many places in scripture that speak of this.  “Pride cometh before the fall.”  This isn’t a pride of wanting to “be” God like Satan, but a self-pride of saying that I am too strong to ever fail God.  I think much of my frustration and lack of growth comes because I used to be so confident and now I don’t know how to rest in God’s redemption of my failures.

I know this isn’t the most elegant of my “smokes”, but I hope it helped.  Just writing it has helped me.  May I be like Peter and re-turn every day that I may be an encouragement to others.  My next entry will be on Paul…what a redemption story he has.

Redemption Stories: John Newton (Amazing Grace)

This can be found on cyberhymnal, though it is common knowledge.

Newton’s mo­ther died when he was sev­en years old. At age 11, with but two years school­ing and on­ly a rud­i­men­tary know­ledge of Latin, John went to sea with his fa­ther. His life at sea was filled with won­der­ful es­capes, viv­id dreams, and a sail­or’s reck­less­ness. He grew into a god­less and aban­doned man. He was once flogged as a de­sert­er from the na­vy, and for 15 months lived, half starved and ill treated, as a slave in Africa.

A chance read­ing of Thom­as à Kemp­is sowed the seed of his con­ver­sion. It was ac­cel­er­at­ed by a night spent steer­ing a wa­ter­logged ship in the face of ap­par­ent death. He was then 23 years old. Over the next six years, dur­ing which he com­mand­ed a slave ship, his faith ma­tured. He spent the next nine years most­ly in Li­ver­pool, stu­dy­ing He­brew and Greek and ming­ling with White­field, Wes­ley, and the Non­con­form­ists. He was even­tu­al­ly or­dained, and be­came cur­ate at Ol­ney, Buck­ing­ham­shire, in 1764. It was at Ol­ney that he formed a life long friend­ship with Wil­liam Cow­per, and pro­duced the Ol­ney Hymns.

[You should read some of the hymns of William Cowper.  He suffered with severe depression.] <— my insert.