Grac*e-mail for 06/21/10 got grace?

Grac*e-mail for 06/21/10
got grace?

Missed last week with my trip to Norfolk for the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. You can see on little comment on my time there below.

John()_:-) Every time you see this angel, remember that God loves you!

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Prov 30:5-6

5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

NKJV

Rev 22:18-19

For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

NKJV

Last Tuesday, I sat in Norfolk Scope for our Virginia Annual Conference meeting. As a part of our morning session, we had worship. This is how the Daily News describes it –
http://www.vaumc.org/Page.aspx?pid=1627

“The audience prepared for worship with Vance Ross that is featuring Voices of Youth, celebrating 25 years of ministry.

Ross read Scripture from Acts. In the text they see how people acted after the Spirit moved them. He spoke on "Awesome-Building." He talked about attending conferences in churches, colleges, smaller venues. And now he's at the Norfolk Scope, an "awesome building." After the Holy Spirit visited, different people lived together, spoke together, held all things in common. "Nobody was cut out because they didn't go to Duke or Candler or Wesley, Iliff, Boston," Ross said. "They built people, they built a movement. They built what we are."

What is does not report is that Rev. Ross – a member of the Baltimore/Washington Conference and serves as Deputy General Secretary of the General Board of Discipleship – went on to tell us that the 1st c. church in Jerusalem did not discriminate based on a person’s sexual orientation. You may ask, “What proof did he offer?” This is it – “IT’S NOT IN THERE THAT THEY DID!”

For the record, I did not listen to the rest of the sermon… I got up and walked out. But I did talk to folks who stayed and he did not offer any other proof.

Now, back to last Tuesday, here is the problem I have with the statements made by Rev. Ross: this is an argument from negative evidence ( similar to the Argument From Ignorance, also known by its Latin name argumentum ad ignorantiam, is the fallacy of assuming something is false if not proven to be true. )

This is my favorite example of the argument from negative evidence – the disciples and Jesus never went to the bathroom. How do I know? “It can’t be found in the Gospels!”

I can make a strong argument that the Early Church in Jerusalem cared about the sexual orientation of its Jewish membership. Just look at what happens when the Jewish-Christian Paul runs into incest and homosexuality in the Corinthian Church. He does not tell them to embrace the Roman culture – rather he encourages them to flee from it.

I believe that Rev. Ross should be more careful in what he tells a few thousand folks in Virginia, but it also made me look at what I had told my congregation. This Summer I am preaching on the Power given to the Church following the Pentecost Experience in Acts 2. Two weeks ago I was preaching on the Healing Power manifest in the healing of the lame man in Acts 3. I mentioned that many commentaries make much of this man not going to them for healing – but I made a case for this man going to God over and over again in his 40 years of life. And I also made a case for his family and friends interceding on his behalf over and over again.

Did I make the same mistake? I think not because daily and weekly prayer times in Jewish homes included prayer for the sick. They prayed for God to heal – they prayed to Jehovah Rapha to touch those who were in need. Do I have proof they prayed for the man who got up and leaped? (btw – if that man leaped, his healing was complete) No, but it is a very safe assumption that God answered prayers for healing then; even as He does today.

I hope this will open up some conversation – see the Grac*e-mail Facebook page or the blog to make comments.


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Grac*e-mail now has a page on Facebook… so send your friends an invitation to enjoy!

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Got this link from Doug and Mary Jones ( it was good to see them at the Evangelical Fellowship Luncheon lat week!)…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXut0HxncvY

You can check out more videos at
http://www.skitguys.com/

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Pastor Danny Holdren sent this one…

Can't remember if I told you, but I have moved out from Beggars Alley, located at the corner of Poverty Lane and Down and Out Circle

MY NEW ADDRESS as of today.

is Living Well on 231 Abundance Terrace , located at the corner of Blessings Drive and Prosperity Peak , It's in the God Can neighborhood.

No longer will I allow myself to travel on Begging Peter to Pay Paul Route, located at the dead end intersection called I Don't Have, which connects with Borrowers Junction! I no longer hang out at Failure's Place near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Point.

I've moved to an upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to succeed. I can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me!

Life is good because God is good! Care to change your address? There are many vacancies!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS Oh LORD! I AM WELL BLESSED, in spite of temporary circumstances!!!!!! (AND SO ARE YOU)

DON'T TELL GOD HOW BIG YOUR STORMS ARE; TELL YOUR STORMS HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS!!

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Got these from “Pun of the Day”. You can subscribe at
http://www.punoftheday.com/

The dessert chef was very smart. He had graduated Pie Baker Kappa.

My friend came around for dinner. We ate for 20 minutes, then he fainted again.

Why was the snake mad at the jewel thief? Because he wanted his diamondback.

We've missed our favorite tea at the Chinese restaurant where we often dine, but we've been getting oolong.

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This ministry will provide free digital audio players preloaded with the Bible in any language for missionary teams…
Every Church Every Village, a church partnership ministry of Faith Comes By Hearing, is funded by donors with a heart to reach the nations with God’s Word. Through this program, church teams, ministries, and individuals can take FREE Proclaimers – available in more than 430 languages – on their mission trips.
Here is what one missions team experienced when they took Proclaimers to Rwanda.
This area is still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives following the 1994 genocide. There is a heavy spirit that reflects deep hurts still being processed. When it came time to present the Proclaimers®, this group of non-expressive women gave the most unexpected sound. There was an 'AAHH!!!' that swept through the gathering. For them to hear God's Word being spoken to them in Kinyarwanda was a response that was something to behold.
To get your free Proclaimers, please call us at 800-545-6552 or send an email to missions@FaithComesByHearing.com at least 2-3 weeks before your trip to let us know what languages you will need.
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I missed sending out anything for Father’s Day last week, but here it is (just a little late)…
Father's Day was nearing when I brought my three-year-old son, Tyler, to the card store. Inside, I showed him all the cards to choose for Dad and asked him to pick one.
When I looked back, I saw Tyler picking up card after card, opening it up and immediately putting it back in the rack.
"Tyler, what are you doing?" I asked. "Can't you find a card for Daddy?"
"No," he replied, "I'm looking for one with money in it."
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How Fathers Were Created

When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame. A female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping. And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child-size, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a father's hands, they were large and sinewy. The angel shook her head sadly and said, "Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on ponytails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats." And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day, yet small enough to cup a child's face."

And then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do you realize you just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?" And God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?" And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at the summer cabin or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."

God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words but a firm, authoritive voice and eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"

The angel shutteth up.

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Got this from the “Pearls” mailing list. To receive, just sent Larry Burrows a request at larryb1939@sbcglobal.net

There is no place where God is not. God is there in a thousand wonders, upholding rocky barriers, filling the buttercups with their perfume and refreshing the lonely pines with the breath of His mouth. Descend into the lowest depths of the ocean, where undisturbed water sleeps, and the very sand is motion- less in unbroken quiet, but the glory of the Lord is there, revealing its excellence in the silent palace of the sea. Borrow the wings of the morning and fly to the uttermost parts of the sea, but God is there. --Charles Spurgeon

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Rev 2:1-7
"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:2 "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place -- unless you repent.6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

NKJV

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Grace & peace –
John A. Bright
Pastor, Walmsley Boulevard UMC in Richmond, Virginia
johnlynnbright@gmail.com
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..."