Where is God? What is faith? What is courage?

According to this Time Magazine article, There is an upcoming book on Mother Teresa's correspondence with confessors and superiors. It highlights her doubts and struggles over the years.

Even though her request was that her letters be destroyed, they are memorializing them.

Her expressed doubts and struggles of an absent God are going to be heralded as proof of atheism or proof of faith depending on the perspective.

If one were to look at Jesus prayer, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me" without looking at His resurrection, one would have the conclusion there was no God and this supposed God-man was a fake. I will assume, without reading her words yet, that Mother Teresa had many such prayers.

It all comes down to whether there was a resurrection or not. If there was no resurrection, Jesus was abandoned in the end and darkest times. If there was a resurrection, than there is a God that is merciful, just, and faithful beyond any of our wildest doubts and shame. Was God faithful? Is He? It is the crux of our faith in YHWH's salvation through Jesus

It reminds me of some words by Buechner regarding faith and courage (paraphrased b/c the book is in a box somewhere in this half-packed house):

Courage is not without fear. Courage is moving forward though feeling starkly naked by the fear that overwhelms us. Just as faith is not without doubt. Faith is not without reasons to believe or reasons to not believe. Rather faith is moving forward in belief despite the starkly naked fealing of our overwhelming failure to eliminate doubt.

(II Timothy 2:11-13, The Message)
If we die with him, we'll live with him;
If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;

If we give up on him, he does not give up—
for there's no way he can be false to himself.

(It puts more meaning to this video)

Awesome video!

You've got to see this through to the end. It is awesome!

For Men Only

This article came to me and I liked it. Are we really living like this or just dreaming of it?

http://thedirtyshame.blogspot.com/2007/08/world-needs-mans-heart.html

Where is Jesus? Is He the least of these?

Do we notice the "least of these?"

I have always thought that the least of these was our children or that the phrase only meant children. As I watched the movie "Thin Red Line" last week and saw the terror and fear on almost all of the faces, I remembered that we are called God's children. And there are so many lost children. Their faces are everywhere in our worlds if we just look at them.

Look at the faces. Can you see the fear? People do not know where they are going. Maybe even you will admit a little or a lot of fear. Maybe you are not really following Jesus and you are lost. Like Peter Pan's children, many, many are captured by Captain Hook. If we are following Jesus we are sent to rescue the lost. We cannot save them but we run and get them and take them to Jesus.

Acts 10:38 in the message says, "Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him."
Who are they....really?

Matthew 25:40 Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me.'

Matthew 25:45

"Then He will answer them, `Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

How would we react if Jesus walked in to our community?

Maybe He does in the faces all around us?

Do we see Him in the faces of our world? Can we connect with the least of these, love them, and show them Jesus' love today?

Acts 2:42-47 says, " They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe - all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Praying for our Church?
Are we caring for the least of these? Are we caring for those around us beaten down by the devil? Do we notice the loneliness and pain in our neighbor's faces? Do we see Jesus when we look into the faces? Do we, like Jesus, bring healing to others? We are in a mission field; a war zone fraught with lost and lonely children. I pray you have an impact today. I pray you have courage and that the kingdom family is growing around you because of your sacrifice?

Good Books at Journey

We have a book shelf in the office behind the stage at Journey with many good books on it. Our website will have a suggested book list for you too.

Some of you have made reading suggestions. If you can give up your treasures...some books I will not give away...please make them available to others by bringing them to church. If you don't like them pitch 'em out!! There are bad ones out there.

Scooter???? or moped??? Does anybody have one an old guy could borrow or know one I could buy reasonably? Well...not reasonably but cheap? Ahhhhh Colorado...here I come.

My Friend Kristopher

Check out the article below. My young friend Kristopher, has quite a knowledge and understanding of war. He qualified for entry into the Indiana State Fair by winning Grand Champion Ribbons here in Warrick County. Those of you who are history buffs in Indy might get to see his entry there.

http://www.tristate-media.com/articles/2007/07/27/warricknews/news/03fair.txt