The Signature of Jesus

""The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very act of existence is an act of rebellion." There is nothing more maddening to the world than a free man or woman in Christ Jesus. People must not look to the church to reinforce the values of their culture, or to dust off on Sunday morning the idols they have been living by during the week.

The early church was built on small groups of people who came together to support one another in a whole new way of life. These primitive communities were visable evidence of an alternative to the status quo of their culture. Today we need small bands of people who take the gospel at face value, who realize God is doing, and who are living proof of being in the world but not of the world. These "base" communities or neighborhood churches should be small enough for intimacy, kindred enough enough for acceptance, and gentle enough for criticism. Gathered in the name of Jesus, the community empowers us to incarnate in our lives what we believe in our hearts and proclaim with our lips."

-Brennan Manning The signature of Jesus

A silent Satan, A shouting God

I think our perceptions of God's voice (generally speaking of course) are due to a volume receptor in our brains that is hovering ever so slightly above mute.

Let me restate.

I think we have this backwards idea of interactions with God and antiGod in our day to day lives.

We are so quick to notice evil and so slow to notice God.

I see God yelling, not whispering. We just take his glory for less than it is, and for good reason: there is an Evil that is covertly distracting us.

Distraction is Satans largest tool in battling the people of God.

Money, clothes, sex, appearances, cars, houses, sports, video games, movies, etc... the "normal" stuff.

A different reallity is proposed. A new normal.

What about creation? What about the wind and the stars? The sky and the trees? The flowers and the bees? A human face? A puppy face? These are normal, these are glory, these show off God himself. These represent a master artist. These are normal. God wants to show us his glory, it's all around me. Look! God is not silent. We are not listening for the right voice.

Satan is quiet. He is lurking. He is waiting. He is stealthily distracting. Without being noticed he turns our eyes to lusting, our hearts to greed, our emotions to depression...

and we are lost because we think God is being silent

No.

He's screaming out goodness and glory to you.

He gives and gives.

He is good.

He is constant.

God's love never fails.

Watch the sunset tonight. Feel the breeze. Talk to God. Be still. Listen.

Kendall

Violinist.

The music was creating space for worshiping God last night. The Holy Ghost was moving powerfully.

Amidst the full sound of a large and well practiced band was a distinctive, beautiful sound. A violinist. The melody and passion were mixing together from her instrument and in turn blessing the people in the room.

As she drew her bow across the strings with masterful skill I began to tear up, God began to speak. He showed me how beautiful the sound was to him. He told me how much he was blessed by her music. This woman of God was stunningly beautiful; and the praise that came from her heart through her violin was breathtaking.

She looked to be about eighty-five.

The two electric guitars, full drum set, bassist, keys, and the vocalists had begun building the sound. Louder and louder came the praise to God. More energy.

The violinist fell into God's arms and played with the passion and vigor of someone a quarter of her age. Quick and sharp arm movements with agile fingers created a melody that brought memories to life.

Her music invoked memories from long ago in me.

Here's the thing though: They weren't my memories. They were hers. I just got to see them.

I saw a beautiful Woman, young and graceful laying in a meadow thanking God for his love. The violinist was laughing with joy at her Father who loved her so much.

As the melody changed to a somber key filled with minors, I saw her tears running down her cheeks while she stood on a hill and asked God why the pain was so prevailing.

Again the music changed to harmony that was delightfully agreeing with the larger band. The sound was beautiful and inspiring. I saw the men in her past finding such inspiration in this violinist. Her beauty extended far beyond the surface and her freedom was contagious to these men. They would fight for her. They would protect her.

Her open worship and God's blessing together let me see into her life and my tears of joy are the only expression worthy of the encounter.

Kendall