tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post5667584198785761201..comments2024-01-11T10:58:30.769-05:00Comments on Jesus community: God's will (and bust) or bustTed M. Gossardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-54017943262165032542007-08-24T16:59:00.000-04:002007-08-24T16:59:00.000-04:00Yes, ESI, I was thinking of that too, but didn't b...Yes, ESI, I was thinking of that too, but didn't bring it up in the post. But it really is of profound and seminal significance, to be sure. <BR/><BR/>Resurrection and new creation in Jesus follow all death in Jesus here. And we can begin to live this out with reference to all things here and now. <BR/><BR/>Though the process can be excruciating at times, but we can press past that to begin to experience the joy of this new life in Jesus. But never do we get beyond the need for death in Jesus here.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-19415092414006251082007-08-24T15:35:00.000-04:002007-08-24T15:35:00.000-04:00Abraham was willing to sacrifice in a way I cannot...Abraham was willing to sacrifice in a way I cannot even imagine but God mercifully provided a sacrifice instead. That's the gospel, isn't it?<BR/><BR/>A payment required of us, greater than we can bear but God provides the payment at His own cost. <BR/><BR/>From Abraham's perspective, it wasn;t just that he was willing to let go, but also that he trusted that God would raise Isaac from the deadEvery Square Inchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11636924397725214300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-77193012753744404852007-08-24T05:23:00.000-04:002007-08-24T05:23:00.000-04:00Lorna, Thanks for that. Reminds me of Bonhoeffer's...Lorna, Thanks for that. Reminds me of Bonhoeffer's wrestling to discern and live in the will of God. It was ongoing and had to do with our take or perception and often misperception of what that will is.<BR/><BR/>This can be a real struggle. Partly because there is a wrestling going on with deep matters of the heart and life. But also partly because of God's strange hand in our lives, strange to us at times.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-3758470684540122052007-08-24T05:14:00.000-04:002007-08-24T05:14:00.000-04:00Nancy, Thanks for sharing that. Yes, keep on for a...Nancy, Thanks for sharing that. Yes, keep on for all of us. And it is good to see over time the change the Lord brings.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-9324023548091717702007-08-24T03:51:00.000-04:002007-08-24T03:51:00.000-04:00:)We shouldn't go against scripture - but - and th...:)<BR/><BR/>We shouldn't go against scripture - but - and this is the interesting thing - ethical choices might make us do that. For example murder is wrong. So is lying. If you lie to save a life is it ok. I think so -because we value human life more than the truth.<BR/><BR/>Or you steal a loaf of bread to feed the poor. It might be right. Of course maybe if you'd asked the baker or grocer he'd have given it ...<BR/><BR/>but what I think you are writing about is not necessarily ethics -it's something deeper - it's about calling.<BR/><BR/>And I'm reminded how the first beleivers - and later ones, Wesley comes to mind - seemed to disobey man (Rome, the CofE) in order to obey God.<BR/><BR/>Follow Him. Everything else will fall into place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-14711142581825875432007-08-23T23:57:00.000-04:002007-08-23T23:57:00.000-04:00i sense over time things that have been put aside....i sense over time things that have been put aside. especially, like a year later or so when i think something and at once i think...hey, i would never have thought that a year ago, or done that a year ago...so i see some change in my attitude and actions over time. not always realizing the changes until later. the Spirit has done work in me and sometimes it is a surprise even to me! remember that old phrase from the early 70's ..."keep on trukin" well my phrase is..."keep on following". yes, it is very good to live in the way and with a mind like Jesus. God be with you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-19899099590312012532007-08-23T20:47:00.000-04:002007-08-23T20:47:00.000-04:00Nancy, I appreciate her thought there. I do believ...Nancy, I appreciate her thought there. I do believe that at times we have to look at what's wrong, but we do that best in the light of what's right, which ends up being found in Jesus.<BR/><BR/>Even so the process can be a difficult one, though we must have our faith fixed on the promises of God in Christ.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-40767762941356677272007-08-23T18:37:00.000-04:002007-08-23T18:37:00.000-04:00oh! woops.http://this-walk.blogspot.com/oh! woops.<BR/>http://this-walk.blogspot.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-35432215639351535242007-08-23T17:54:00.000-04:002007-08-23T17:54:00.000-04:00Nancy, So far I can't find what you're referring t...Nancy, So far I can't find what you're referring to. Can you send me the link?Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-62893301190243626452007-08-23T15:17:00.000-04:002007-08-23T15:17:00.000-04:00ted, will you please read "good morning" todays po...ted, will you please read "good morning" todays post on this walk blog. it is interesting how your post today and hers overlap in a way.<BR/>be with God, nancyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-10426414698098421872007-08-23T12:09:00.000-04:002007-08-23T12:09:00.000-04:00Michel, Excellent words. I put up your quote of Au...Michel, Excellent words. I put up your quote of Augustine on our screensaver at work, on the main computer.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I do think people get in an unncessary tizzy at times trying to find the will of God or decipher it in a given situation.<BR/><BR/>At the same time I still believe we can have a sense of something that while we can't say for sure it is of God, over time may convince us that this is what God wants.<BR/><BR/>On top of that, we're experts, I myself anyhow in self-deception. We need to embrace God's will and the word here, I think is needing discernment from the word of God and the Spirit through prayer, the church, and however else God may work in seeking to get through to us.<BR/><BR/>I wonder about Abraham's trip to the mount with Isaac, knowing what he was soon to do.<BR/><BR/>As you so well say, it's all a matter of truly loving God and then from that truly loving our neighbor as ourselves.Ted M. Gossardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10580691315315271791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-63662047371103502512007-08-23T07:54:00.000-04:002007-08-23T07:54:00.000-04:00Just ran across this text in Mme de Guyon's Bookle...Just ran across this text in Mme de Guyon's Booklet 'A Short and Easy Method of Prayer' to illustrate my point above: <BR/><BR/>"Love" saith S. Augustine, "and then do what you please". For when we truly love, we cannot have so much as a will to anything that might offend the Object of our affections.Michelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608480585459834704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20184070.post-57222304409222440392007-08-23T07:01:00.000-04:002007-08-23T07:01:00.000-04:00Ah, God's will... How many countless lines have al...Ah, God's will... How many countless lines have already been written on this topic, how many ill-fated decisions have been justified, how many sincere lives destroyed by 'God's will'. In the 20+ years I've been a follower of Christ, I've never heard God's voice articulating his will to me. Many things in the past I believed to be God's will, I see now differently. I have come to the conclusion, that it is not as important to seek God's will in my life as it is to live my life according to Jesus' two most important commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and love your neighbour as yourself". If we live in these commandments, we live in God's will.Michelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608480585459834704noreply@blogger.com