Daily Life of Worship

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81335441057697499672012-01-21T09:06:05.005-06:00Daily Life of WorshipKeith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comBlogger1131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-28250018800245344832009-04-22T15:43:00.002-05:002009-04-22T16:14:12.034-05:00Scriptures and the Power of God

After the Pharisees failed to trap Jesus in his words about paying taxes, their rivals the Sadducees had their turn:"That same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 'Teacher,' they said, 'Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-86998888777353827152009-04-21T16:02:00.001-05:002009-04-21T16:02:32.287-05:00Earth Day Wednesday, April 22

This message is from Michael, co director of Alternatives for Simple Living www.simpleliving.org How will you be spending Earth day? We hope you will be able to spend time enjoying creation and support efforts to encourage the wise stewardship of the planet earth.A common comment these days is "Now is the time we need to start living more simply." Usually this comment is made in the context of

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-57759822337555317202009-03-06T15:31:00.001-06:002009-03-06T15:31:27.976-06:00Hello from Lubbock!

I'm staying with a high school friend and his family and enjoying reconnecting with them. I'm here for the ZOE Conference at the Monterey Church of Christ. I'm involved with ZOE because we help people break free from legalism and experience a new journey with Jesus Christ. We help people with stepping stones like articles on Wineskins.org, conference experiences in worship, great speakers such as

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-79238015397501306552009-03-05T07:27:00.001-06:002009-03-05T07:27:03.528-06:00Daniel Mwaza Fast

During Lent I'm on a Daniel Fast. No, not Daniel in the Bible.My friend, Daniel Mwaza, in Uganda told me how to lose weight . . . He said, "Stop eating so much."So I'm eating half of the normal American calorie intake (which about matches intake of half the world), with about 4 oz of protein a day.I lived seven years in Uganda, and this fast helps me remember those days when I saw children in

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-35999691239572768592009-02-14T14:26:00.002-06:002009-02-14T14:28:54.011-06:00The Kindnesses of the Lord

"I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us ─ yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” ~ Isaiah 63:7One of the ways we worship is telling the kindnesses of the Lord, and it is certainly not worship that is restricted to a preaching minister,

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-30407320838623511762009-02-13T14:25:00.000-06:002009-02-14T14:25:46.666-06:00The Place Was Shaken

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." ~ Acts 4:31 After Peter and John stood up to the Sanhedrin – the same ruling council that had condemned Jesus probably just a few weeks before (Matthew 26:59) – they rejoined “their own people” and prayed boldly, a prayer of praise to God and request

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-31801179949443633962009-02-12T14:23:00.000-06:002009-02-14T14:25:11.656-06:00Four-Dimensional Jesus

" Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." ~ Luke 2:52"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." ~ Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27That's right. He grew four ways: in wisdom (mentally, intellectually; in mind), in stature (or strength; physically; in the ability to do things to His glory), in favor with God

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-58164854036524987102009-01-02T17:59:00.001-06:002009-01-02T17:59:26.791-06:00What will 2009 bring?

Could you have imagined one year ago what 2008 would bring? Can you imagine what events will happen in your life in 2009, what will happen internationally?What can you do in 2009 to be ready for the changes that will occur in your life and in the world? Since I was a child I have made personal goals at the beginning of each year. I no longer make personal goals but try to think about the

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-17294364836317818192008-12-30T17:47:00.001-06:002008-12-30T17:47:33.510-06:00Treasures in Heaven

When we are tempted to invest our faith in things like clothes or cars or cash, Jesus inevitably reminds us that there will also be things like moths and rust and thieves:“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-27832918403159260402008-12-29T14:43:00.000-06:002008-12-30T17:46:46.572-06:00The Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew’s gospel has a unique focus on “the kingdom of heaven,” but it is Luke who records that Mary was told that the kingdom would be eternal:“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-38962366859298572782008-12-28T14:25:00.000-06:002008-12-30T17:45:43.742-06:00Worship and Giving

It may have been as long as two years after Jesus was born that the seekers of signs in the stars found Him (see Matthew 2:16 ), but when they did find Him, they worshiped Him and gave Him gifts – including gold that may have helped finance the escape to Egypt to save His life from Herod:On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-24534142216925835392008-11-30T20:36:00.001-06:002008-11-30T20:36:44.894-06:00First week of Advent

Today is the first day of Advent. The following format tells us about this practice but can also be used by families or groups, with younger people asking the question and others answering.What is Advent? Advent is a tradition of Christians that means "coming" and calls us to live in the tension of how Jews felt while waiting for the Messiah. They waited for Emmanuel, God with us.What do we wait

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-62165741077244524902008-11-29T12:32:00.001-06:002008-11-29T12:34:41.878-06:00An Accounting from All Creatures

“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.” ~ Genesis 9:4-5As Noah disembarks on dry land, God gives him a warning; a commandment that is reinforced in the time of Moses (Leviticus 19:26)

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-63599077359410136742008-11-28T12:29:00.000-06:002008-11-29T12:32:06.556-06:00A Curse and Consequences

So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”~ Genesis 3:14-15In what many regard as the first

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-38504328479170864712008-11-27T12:28:00.000-06:002008-11-29T12:29:37.994-06:00The Renewal of All Things

“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’”~ Matthew 19:28The God who created heaven and earth has planned a renewal – a reunification – and revealed hints of it immediately after sin separated them. His longing for

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-50705412020268142882008-09-23T06:32:00.001-05:002008-09-23T06:32:21.550-05:00We the Purple

Marcia Ford is a kindred spirit in her journey politically, spiritually, and as a writer. She describes herself as "a book author, with 18 traditionally published books. I'm also a ghostwriter, though of course I can't talk specifically about those books; let's just say that I've ghostwritten or contributed to 12 additional books. I'm also a book editor, book reviewer, writing instructor, writing

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-70753208421087894282008-09-09T08:41:00.001-05:002008-09-09T08:41:47.858-05:00Looking for mission opportunities?

Through my association with Uganda, Wineskins, ZOE, The Kibo Group, water projects, Neighborhood Kitchens, and Garnett Church of Christ, I hear about and participate in many non-profit projects and missions that are always needing funding. If you or your church would like to get involved in missions, donating or participating in amazing work serving God's children worldwide, please email me:

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-89002652792493178642008-06-18T06:43:00.003-05:002008-06-18T07:01:24.091-05:00Walking With God

It is said of Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24) and Noah (6:9) that they walked with God. Then a time came when men like Abraham and Isaac were said to walk before God (17:1; 48:15). Then a time came when He gave law to Israel's children, and He instructed them to walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 5:33; 8:6; 10:12, et al).The prophet Micah pleaded with Israel's remnant to return to the days when people walked

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-14598019181642143152008-06-15T07:00:00.002-05:002008-06-15T07:05:21.406-05:00Fathers and Children

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' - which is the first commandment with a promise - 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." ~ Ephesians 6:1-4On this Father's Day, this text will be preached in

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-56095896741174745702008-06-13T06:52:00.002-05:002008-06-13T06:58:27.567-05:00Ask, Part 2

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-47508037355496330262008-06-08T07:10:00.002-05:002008-06-08T07:19:23.530-05:00Sowing and Reaping

In a sequel to his prophecy about those who "sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7), God's servant revealed two chapters later:"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." ~ Hosea 10:12It's a common metaphor is scripture - in Job, the Proverbs,

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-51251400872665690122008-06-06T07:12:00.002-05:002008-06-06T07:18:41.716-05:00It is By Grace

When we want to emphasize something, we often repeat it. Paul repeats a phrase in his letter to Christ's followers in Ephesus to remind them that no one is better than anyone else; all of us were at one time spiritually "dead" because of our sin and headed for physical death in them -but God resurrected us through Christ:"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-43483930424122069812008-06-05T06:53:00.003-05:002008-06-06T07:19:45.515-05:00Salvation and Praise

When others were brought to Christ, His followers in the early church praised God – because they recognized that it was God who drew them all through the ministry of others. When Paul, Luke and party reported to James and the gathered elders at Jerusalem the results of the work on their journey through Macedonia:"Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-5144603725247412622008-06-04T07:09:00.002-05:002008-06-04T07:10:55.987-05:00Praising God through Unity

How we relate to each other as followers of Christ is worship to the Father. - Or not.Having hearts for unity with - and accepting - other believers imitates Christ, Paul writes to Rome:"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-60412993729873867102008-06-03T06:58:00.004-05:002008-06-03T07:06:35.081-05:00Chosen for/to the Praise of His Glory

If there were such a thing as a church in which only a few select members were permitted to worship and praise the God of creation, would you want to be among them?That's the purpose for which God has sealed followers of His Son with His Holy Spirit, according to Ephesians 1:11-14:"In him we were also chosen,[a] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-17160802340599079782008-06-02T07:07:00.002-05:002008-06-02T07:17:22.386-05:00Praise, Hope and Comfort

Paul and Timothy begin a letter to their dearly loved ones in Corinth with a doxology of hope and comfort. They seem to realize that whatever solace they can offer to those who suffer comes through them and through Christ from God Himself. So they give glory to the Source of all comfort: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-82750153589792916632008-06-01T06:44:00.002-05:002008-06-01T06:47:07.829-05:00From Mourning to Dancing!

"Joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning." ~ Lamentations 5:15We are confronted by the witness of Scripture concerning worship. it is interesting to see in the Word how praise and joy nearly always follow repentance and brokenness, not precede them. The Israelites in Ezra and Daniel came to God in sackcloth and ashes then celebration followed. Paul labeled himself a

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-55387817053843743862008-05-31T07:34:00.002-05:002008-05-31T07:45:00.063-05:00Praise to the Father

If the idea of God the Son praying to God the Father gives you pause, so will the realization that God the Son praised God the Father.On the return of the seventy(-two) evangelists, Jesus is joyful at their report:"At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-57888853458798865462008-05-30T06:59:00.002-05:002008-05-30T07:05:10.891-05:00Two Masters

Money is getting tight, and most of us find ourselves getting tighter with it. In this summary to the perplexing tale of the shrewd financial planner, Jesus explains that trust is the key to interpreting it:"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-81581486552391385502008-05-29T07:02:00.002-05:002008-05-29T07:16:30.062-05:00No Needy Among Them

05/29/2008 - "Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. " ~ Acts 2:45"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." ~ Acts 4:34-35These followers in the aborning church took Jesus seriously

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-70026967712428305242008-05-28T07:14:00.002-05:002008-05-28T07:30:50.455-05:00Everything All At Once

05/28/2008 - That's what was left behind when Jesus called some of His closest followers, and how it was abandoned - everything, and at all at once:"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-72220063518867261742008-05-27T07:09:00.003-05:002008-05-27T07:19:04.324-05:00To Know Christ

05/27/2008 - It is in the context of refuting circumcision and checking off laws kept that Paul says:"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." ~ Philippians 3:10-11In any context, though, he states a worthy goal and ambition and hope. Still

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-24099812996642510022008-05-23T07:07:00.003-05:002008-05-27T07:20:02.723-05:00Lament As Worship

05/23/2008 - Lament is not often a part of our gathered worship - except when we gather for the memorial services of those we love - but it has a legitimate place in our worship, public or private.The book of Lamentations mourns the exile of Israel and the overturning of Jerusalem with deep passion and a sense of irretrievable loss. In the middle of the collection of recorded sorrows, like a

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-83625035132261670602008-05-22T07:03:00.003-05:002008-05-22T07:16:52.205-05:00Following - The When and The Where

05/22/2008 - "Peter asked, 'Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' " ~ John 13:37" 'I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-79010390484118730392008-05-21T06:31:00.003-05:002008-05-21T11:10:25.369-05:00Enjoying the Favor

05/21/2008 - We live in a time when Christians are not well-perceived. It hasn't always been that way, even within the lifetimes of most of us.At the time described by Acts 2, followers of Christ are described as "enjoying the favor of all the people.""They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-50145176503883712962008-05-20T06:53:00.005-05:002008-05-20T08:57:36.538-05:00Feeding the Hungry

05/20/2008 - "Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.' " ~ Matthew 15:32Three days.Had the crowds been out in the wild, away from their cities and homes and jobs, for three days while He taught them? Was it the kind of

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-4274247349601976012008-05-19T06:57:00.005-05:002008-05-19T16:57:20.943-05:00An Important Request

05/19/2008 - "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.' " ~ Luke 11:1Luke begins his account of Jesus teaching His followers what we call "The Lord's Prayer" with their simple request. We have the prayer they asked for as an example, and while it has value as a prayer that

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-15447960687677561282008-05-18T07:25:00.003-05:002008-05-19T16:57:02.734-05:00Ask

05/18/2008 - Jesus' followers asked a lot of questions."The disciples came to him and asked, 'Why do you speak to the people in parables?' " ~ Matthew 13:10"Then the disciples came to him and asked, 'Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this' " ~ Matthew 15:12"His disciples answered, 'Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?' " ~ Matthew

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-4145276368805458792008-05-17T07:31:00.005-05:002008-05-19T16:56:43.601-05:00No Longer Following

05/17/2008 - It sounded like He was advocating cannibalism. What Jesus had just said was so unexpected, so repulsive in its seemingly literal meaning, that ..."On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'"Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, 'Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-55761440747943876072008-05-16T06:49:00.007-05:002008-05-19T16:56:27.393-05:00Jesus Called Them ... Two by Two

05/16/2008 - The children's Bible School song notwithstanding - "Jesus called them one by one ..." that's what Mark's gospel seems to indicate, at least for the first few disciples."As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-62646831800493687502008-05-15T07:05:00.005-05:002008-05-15T07:32:14.290-05:00The Toll on the Narrow Way Road

05/15/2008 - Jesus was not evasive about the costs of pursuing a life of worship - not to a would-be follower; not even to one who was already following Him."When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.'"Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-29006393689106329442008-05-14T07:05:00.002-05:002008-05-14T07:10:14.404-05:00The Harvest is Plentiful

05/14/2008 - In our labor to serve the Lord, to tell His Story and draw souls closer to Him, it's easy to become discouraged when there aren't immediate results, or when we can't see them, or when we realize how huge the task before us is. We'd do well, in our moments of public and private worship, to remember the words of encouragement that Jesus shared with His followers:"Then he said to his

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-88486746075403454702008-05-13T07:03:00.000-05:002008-05-13T07:04:01.284-05:00They Went and Did

05/13/2008 - It's a short sentence, a short verse among many others. But it contains a principle you see over and over again in the gospels and the book of the Acts of the Apostles:"The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. " ~ Matthew 21:6When He sent them off with many instructions by twos by the dozen or six dozen, they went and did what He asked. (Luke 9:6)When He sent them

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-84281571795278924042008-05-12T07:01:00.003-05:002008-05-12T20:38:33.028-05:00Whatever You Do

05/12/2008 - While decrying the practice of feasting at the table of man-made "gods," Paul the apostle nevertheless will not legislate a combative attitude toward pagans who might invite Christians to dinner or sell them food in the market that might offend their conscience - nor will he legislate a fast from dining with pagans. He asks pointedly, "Why should my freedom be judged by another's

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-26280945963637703122008-05-11T06:43:00.003-05:002008-05-12T20:38:14.363-05:00The Mothering Nature of Jesus

05/11/2008 - On perhaps two different occasions - or on one told differently by two authors - Jesus displays a hint of His Father's motherly nature, brooding prophetically over the holy city's refusal of Him in these words:"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-5308356834333950592008-05-10T11:14:00.002-05:002008-05-10T11:27:12.222-05:00The Mothering Nature of God

05/10/2008 - We call God our Father in our prayers and our private meditations, but we don't often think of Him in "motherly" terms. Yet, that is exactly how God chooses to express His tender affection and compassion toward His children when Isaiah speaks for Him in chapter 66:"For this is what the Lord says: 'I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-38130768803658141862008-05-09T06:58:00.004-05:002008-05-11T18:52:30.282-05:00More Rules Taught By Men

05/09/2008 - The openness of our hearts to God and His Word is directly related to the depth of our worship: "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.' " ~ Isaiah 29:13 (quoted by Jesus in Matt. 15:9, Mark 7:7)Rules for worship devised and taught by men

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-62782310677213481962008-05-08T06:04:00.001-05:002008-05-09T07:08:23.103-05:00A Complicated Relationship

05/08/2008 - Our relationship with God is complicated. While it can be intimate as a parent's relationship with a child, there is also a sense in which God's holiness inspires an awe and a kind of distance that patriarchs respected - and that the Lord commanded:"Then he said to Moses, 'Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-10459963104464500622008-05-07T11:16:00.004-05:002008-05-09T06:58:08.713-05:00The House of the Lord Forever

05/07/2008 - David wasn't the only person to speak of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever ... the same was said of the man who anointed him king of Israel, Samuel. Samuel's mother Hannah had prayed to the Lord to give her a son, and when He did, she gave him right back:When the man Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow, Hannah

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-11988333595674193932008-05-06T06:16:00.002-05:002008-05-07T11:16:05.543-05:00Worship from the Heart of a Worthy Woman

05/06/2008 - At what must have been a perplexing time in her life, Jesus' mother-to-be praises God, realizing the magnitude of the blessing bestowed on her:And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me —

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-55439661896391670392008-05-05T07:01:00.003-05:002008-05-07T08:26:12.181-05:00The God Who Knows Us

05/05/2008 - David, king of Israel, seemed to know how well he was known by his Creator when he wrote the 139th Psalm:'O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.You hem me

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-14795414877425913852008-05-04T08:48:00.003-05:002008-05-05T07:01:22.890-05:00Why We Do What We Do

05/04/2008 - A children's song answers that in simple words – "because He first loved me." The first epistle of John's fourth chapter elaborates. And many of David's psalms speak of God's love for us long before He made it complete in Christ – and of the motivation behind our worship:"I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-48583232999085992312008-05-03T06:43:00.000-05:002008-05-04T08:48:15.758-05:00Rules Taught by Men

05/03/2008 - Rules for worship or service to God, devised and taught by men, have no real power to draw us closer to God’s heart – but His Word shares what will bring us closer. The openness of our hearts to God and His Word is directly related to the depth of our worship:"The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-19067629455550197422008-05-02T08:43:00.001-05:002008-05-02T08:45:19.405-05:00Heaven

05/02/2008 - We sing a fair amount about heaven. We used to sing about it a lot more than we do now: Beautiful Isle of Somewhere. Beulah Land. Beyond This Land of Parting. Home of the Soul. Mansion Over the Hilltop. No Tears in Heaven. Sing to Me of Heaven. There is a Habitation. This World is Not My Home. To Canaan’s Land I’m On My Way. When We All Get to Heaven.But it's a place that - even in

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-21702854171284945282008-05-01T06:58:00.000-05:002008-05-01T08:55:45.631-05:00Justice and Worship

05/01/2008 - Civil rights attorney Fred Gray wrote in his autobiographical book Bus Ride to Justice this summary of the change brought about by the Rosa Parks case in which he was involved in 1955-56:"One could say that Mrs. Parks' refusal to surrender her seat on a Montgomery bus created an ever-widening ripple of change throughout the world ... A pebble case in the segregated waters of

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-11110073224633527562008-04-30T06:53:00.000-05:002008-04-30T06:53:16.616-05:00Revealed to Little Children

04/30/2008 - On an occasion when Jesus expressed praise to the Father, it wasn’t because He had revealed truths, but because He had revealed them to the childlike hearts and had hidden them from those who were too smart for anyone’s own good:At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-16457509473604310162008-04-29T07:03:00.002-05:002008-04-29T18:45:52.366-05:00Like Little Children

04/29/2008 - It's as much a gentle instruction as it is a chilling warning:"And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.' " ~ Matthew 18:3The same Jesus who dandled children upon His knee, who would not let His followers turn them away, who refused to silence them when they shouted "Hosanna!" to Him in the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-69074821297606671702008-04-28T07:00:00.003-05:002008-04-28T07:07:34.294-05:00Worship and Gratitude

04/28/2008 - "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south."Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-22803767378841523722008-04-27T07:47:00.002-05:002008-04-27T07:49:44.183-05:00Unity in Christ

04/27/08 - Psalm 133 compares the unity of brethren to the oil that anointed Aaron, setting him and his sons apart to lead Israel's worship of God. It also compares unity to the dew of Hermon, a mountain under whose shadow Joshua had led Israel to great victories; a mountain in the region of Mizpah where Jacob and Laban had put aside their differences for the sake of family and agreed: "May the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-51633991930984391662008-04-26T07:22:00.000-05:002008-04-27T07:46:44.345-05:00Unity in Worship

04/26/08 - At the heart of worship that is acceptable to God is the unity of His saints. Nothing could be more clear than Romans 15:5-7:"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-20719018530840401792008-04-25T07:16:00.003-05:002008-04-25T07:24:30.100-05:00The Blessing of Being Empty

04/25/08 - Philippians 2:5-11 describes the kenosis of Christ; how He emptied Himself to serve us ultimately.In serving others, we empty ourselves, too. In becoming poor in spirit, we find a wealth of blessing. For in shrugging off the weight of things that tie down our lives and bind up our time, we find great freedom to worship the One who provides what is most needed for this life and for the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-74392483453512745032008-04-24T06:55:00.003-05:002008-04-25T07:24:45.442-05:00The Elders Lead Worship in Heaven

04/24/08 - Several times in the Revelation to John, the twenty-four elders in heaven are pictured falling down and worshiping God (4:10-11, 5:8-10, 5:14, 7:11-12, 11:16-19, 19:4-5) and when they do, extraordinary things happen."You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." ~ Revelation

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-56534658548373426962008-04-23T17:11:00.003-05:002008-04-25T07:25:11.426-05:00The God Who Runs to Us

04/23/08 - I squandered youth in distant landsAnd spent my fortune with poor friendsNow I feed pigs in filthy pensThey run to meThey run to meAt home, the slaves eat better foodMy Father never treats them rudeWere I His slave, he'd treat me goodI've come to meI've come to me"See! My Father, waiting, stands;See! He reaches out His hands;"*And then He does what love demandsHe runs to meHe runs to

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-70502633482363171102008-04-22T07:33:00.003-05:002008-04-25T07:25:28.002-05:00Kindness Deserves Praise

04/22/08 - God's kindness knows no bounds. He withholds nothing to draw those who would be His children into His embrace. Passages of scripture like John 3:16 and Philippians 2:5-11 tell us with poetic simplicity and divine force that He was even willing to give His Son – and that Jesus was willing to go. Isaiah knew that such kindness cannot go unpraised by the sincere heart:"I will tell of the

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-18039476784029634942008-04-21T07:08:00.001-05:002008-04-25T07:25:57.461-05:00Serving the World, Praising God

04/21/08 - What we do in this world matters not only to others in it, but to God – and very much. What we do for good in this world we should do as if it were worship to God … because it does praise God:"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-11974649944267661922008-04-20T08:30:00.001-05:002008-04-20T08:32:55.917-05:00Like Little Children

It's as much a gentle instruction as it is a chilling warning:"And he said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.' " ~ Matthew 18:3The same Jesus who dandled children upon His knee, who would not let His followers turn them away, who refused to silence them when they shouted "Hosanna!" to Him in the temple courts …

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-20957126536184724262008-04-19T11:58:00.000-05:002008-04-19T12:00:15.560-05:00Sin and Worship

Sin makes a mess of our lives. It separates us from God, and interferes with our worship. David, remorseful over his sin with Bathsheba, realized this:"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. … Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. … O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-78453280033240489482008-04-18T07:24:00.000-05:002008-04-18T07:25:31.793-05:00Worship and Silence

Can there be worship in moments of silence? A Psalmist among the sons of Korah describes the shattering silence in the aftermath of God disarming warriors and putting wars to an end:"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."~ Psalm 46:10Sometimes it is in silence that God can be best heard and adored for the peace He brings among men.

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-61721172892370684762008-04-17T06:44:00.000-05:002008-04-17T06:44:17.746-05:00To the Praise of His Glorious Grace

The heart which recognizes the burden of sin and the relief that grace provides cannot help but be inspired to worship the One who provides that grace:"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-86493504003595254422008-04-16T09:12:00.001-05:002008-04-16T09:14:46.569-05:00Mission: The Cure for Doubt in Worship

Matthew's gospel records that a lie circulated about the empty tomb, told by the bribed soldiers who could not keep it sealed from angels, adding:"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-40148204018586137962008-04-15T11:24:00.001-05:002008-04-15T11:26:41.850-05:00A Pure Heart for Praise

King David's conscience was still aching over his sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah when he begged God's mercy. Still, he seemed to realize that a clean heart had to come before he could express worship to God:"Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. … O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-26171345230220396832008-04-14T21:20:00.001-05:002008-04-14T21:22:37.873-05:00Worshiping At His Feet

Just as Mary of Magdala and her friend Mary found themselves falling at the feet of the risen Lord, so we find ourselves each Sunday morning in worship:"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid.

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-74792311589929605732008-04-13T21:18:00.000-05:002008-04-14T21:20:34.387-05:00Our Eyes on Jesus

The "race marked out before us" in the passage below and our worship together each week have the same goal in sight: the "author and perfecter of our faith." May our praise to God always be focused through Christ."Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-43913305424214686362008-04-12T20:28:00.001-05:002008-04-14T20:58:01.301-05:00Reconciliation With Others Before God

Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount makes it clear that our relationships with each other must be made right before our relationship with the Father in worship can be right; anger must subside, and forgiveness must be extended and accepted between reconciled brothers and sisters."Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-89364570552196300052008-04-11T20:22:00.001-05:002008-04-14T20:58:28.879-05:00Blurring the Line Between Worship and Service

For many well-intentioned Christians, the only day that "counts" in their walk with God is Sunday. It's clear, though, that the earliest followers counted every day as a chance to worship and serve God together:"They devoted themselves to the apostles" teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-75861960875810193712008-02-26T08:19:00.005-06:002008-02-26T09:03:57.975-06:00Study shows high turnover of religious affiliation

Wineskins Editor's Note: During Lent, Consider using the findings in the following study as a way not to objectify religion or the "landscape" but to reflect on your own experience, your family experience, and where your own spiritual journey is taking you and how that fits into the context of this study.WASHINGTON, D.C.—Feb. 25, 2008—The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life today released the

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-48885914840518711592008-02-19T08:44:00.003-06:002008-02-19T14:51:04.579-06:00Padre Pio

A book about Padre Pio sent to me today from Paraclete Press takes me back to Italy when I was 19 years old at Harding University in Florence. We took art and music appreciation, and though we visited many a church, we did not take "monastery appreciation." So much of the rich heritage of monastic life in Italy was lost on our youth.One of the most adored saints in the Catholic Church in the 20th

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-58494477542341918452008-02-14T08:10:00.005-06:002008-02-14T10:06:41.434-06:00Cathy Messecar writes about praying for each country of the world during lent

A few years ago, during Lent, I prayed for countries I've never visited: Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tokelau Islands, Tonga, Tuzalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna Islands.By the time Palm Sunday arrived, I’d prayed for all the nations of the world.The excellent prayer guide “Seek God for the City” from http://www.waymakers.org helped me start.In addition to the nations of the world, daily prayers

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-60230262290889085242008-02-11T09:26:00.001-06:002008-02-11T09:38:02.519-06:00What is Lent and why do we do it?

One of my uncles wrote an email saying he was shocked that I am part of promoting a "non-biblical" idea like Lent.Technically, my uncle is right. Lent is not a word or concept found in Scripture but the practices of Lent run throughout the Bible: renewal, repentance, return to the road to the cross and empty tomb of Christ, where we find our life.I responded to my uncle by saying I remember good

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-58712811826600035632008-02-06T08:09:00.000-06:002008-02-06T08:38:29.692-06:0040-Day Guide for Lent and Easter

Lent starts today. Lent is 40 days of reflection, repentance, and renewal leading up to Easter.With permission from SimpleLiving.org, Wineskins is reprinting "40-Day Guide for Lent and Easter," and we believe this calendar will be a useful tool for you to print out today and discuss with your family and friends.40-Day Guide for Lent and EasterIn a modern culture that places high value on

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-78279748213821874732008-01-29T20:04:00.000-06:002008-01-29T20:07:55.786-06:00Lent begins with Ash Wednesday Feb 6

Lent is a time of increased reflection and confession and refocusing on Christ's life and teaching and death and finally culminating in focus on the resurrection of Jesus with Easter.Once again this year Wineskins will be sending out emails with Lent Reflections.Would you like to submit one? Send an email to Greg Taylor at info@wineskins.org.Want to be on the mailing list? Go to the home page and

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-7868726280237132502007-12-20T21:49:00.000-06:002007-12-20T22:19:55.996-06:00A simple ceremony for Christmas Eve

Many of us will be with extended family or friends for Christmas Eve. Here is a simple ceremony for the evening. Make it too complicated and you may not do it or some will balk at a drawn out proceeding.So try this simple reflection for Christmas Eve.In advance, buy a enough tea light or votive candles for everyone. Have a lighter handy.Pass out the candles to everyone. You can do this before the

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-89625855623114386682007-12-11T16:04:00.000-06:002007-12-11T16:06:28.220-06:00Wineskins Advent Reflection Week 3

Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ coming into the world, and a time to prepare ourselves for Christ's second coming.Read and MeditateIsaiah 35:1-10; Luke 1:47-55; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11.Discuss and DoLive simply that others may simply live. –GhandiHow can you live out this above saying, individually or as a family?For that person who has everything—you can

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-10727097350976819682007-12-05T09:20:00.000-06:002007-12-07T06:22:29.886-06:00Wineskins Advent Reflections: Week 2

Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ coming into the world. Advent means arrival. So each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas are marked by storytelling about Christ’s coming and self-examination and hearing from voices who announced his coming.Read and MeditateIsaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12Make room in your heart for the LordStart by giving

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-80117628849862572902007-12-01T10:44:00.000-06:002007-12-01T16:16:58.862-06:00Wineskins Advent Reflections: Week 1

When I suggested to Jacob, my eight-year-old son, that we hide baby Jesus from the manger scene on our coffee table, he jumped at the chance. We would put each person or animal out as we read parts of the Christmas story during Advent.So we not only hid Jesus but also the shepherds, wise men, a lamb, and a donkey.But Jacob thought Mary needed the donkey. So he tried to balance the Mary figurine

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-45328049163760029472007-04-08T15:19:00.000-05:002007-04-06T15:43:40.039-05:00Easter Sunday: Risen Indeed

The tradition I handed on to you in the first place, a tadition which I had myself received, was that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried; and that on the third day, he was raised to life, in accordance with the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; and later to the Twelve; and next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-15366118250917847772007-04-07T05:28:00.000-05:002007-04-06T15:43:08.525-05:00Mortification

You cannot have forgotten that all of us, when we were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death. So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him . . . . But we believe that, if we died with Christ, then we shall live with him too.--Romans 6:3-4, 8If the God who revealed life to us, and whose only desire is to bring us to life, loved us so much that he wanted to experience

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-46564627796430611592007-04-06T04:56:00.000-05:002007-04-06T05:28:27.133-05:00Cross of Hope

By Henri J.M. NouwenAfter Jesus had taken the wine he said, "It is fulfilled"; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit . . . . One of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance; and immediately there came out blood and water. This is the evidence of one who saw it--true evidence, and he knows that what he says is true--and he gives it so that you may believe as well. Because all this happened

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-38314977867396009372007-04-05T17:50:00.000-05:002007-04-06T04:55:11.439-05:00New and Eternal Covenant

By Henri J.M. NouwenHoly ThursdayJesus . . . removed his outer garments and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing . . . . [He said], "I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you." --John 13:4-5, 15Just before entering on the road of his passion

Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755964710112615631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-50925067807329212052007-04-04T04:34:00.000-05:002007-04-05T17:30:04.511-05:00Sacred Space

One time a week during Lent we'll send a message to our ZOE-Wineskins list, showing you good resources that help prepare our lives for receiving Christ in Easter celebration - that's what Lent is all about. So this week we're bringing you Lent reflections from Sacred Space and using them by permission. I bought the small book and have been "enjoying" it. I heard of an old Catholic mother who said

Wineskins Magazinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-61213014807538220032007-03-30T07:04:00.000-05:002007-03-30T07:05:12.549-05:00Giving Up Security for Lent?

by Barry WisemanLent. That's something Catholics do, right? Why would I want to go through that? It might do something to my faith. Mess me up. Confuse me.I could go on making up excuses. In fact, I'm pretty good at it. I managed to cram five years of college into seven by using excuses, and became rather adept at procrastination. But this time, God isn't having any of it.It seems that God has

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-2140521458917652222007-03-29T07:26:00.000-05:002007-03-29T07:28:37.632-05:00How God Used Lent to Save Me from a Dangerous Place

by Molly Ann CoxWhen I young, Lent sacrifice was commanded. It was thrown at me. It felt like spears. All around me were the smells of pride in the practice of Lent. So, when I was twenty-one, and I came to know my Savior, I left the church family that had so harshly jabbed at me and imprisoned me with Lenten fasts and other traditions. I avoided the Lent-season-focus like a plague. I had a lot

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-52347865085963716542007-03-28T09:51:00.000-05:002007-03-28T09:53:02.823-05:00The Ashing

We asked readers to send essays with the theme, "How Lent has changed me." Here is another very moving essay by Debi Simmons. She lives in Northamptonshire, UK.by Debi Simmons Each year as I look forward to the season of Lent, I find myself drawn more and more towards the preparation . . .Ash Wednesday is like the first day of a long journey for me. I anticipate it with excitement, but with some

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-78271157010046636412007-03-27T16:11:00.000-05:002007-03-27T16:12:57.569-05:00The Rhythm of Creation

by Kaye PepinThere is a rhythm to the heartbeat of the planet. The sun rises, the sun sets. Winter bursts into spring, spring slides into summer. Time passes, the beat goes on.Unconsciously, I have often seen time as my enemy. Our children are growing up and will soon leave us. There are more gray hairs on my head than there were a year ago. My parents won't be around forever. Where has it gone,

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-79394531031960983372007-03-19T07:10:00.000-05:002007-03-19T07:12:15.754-05:00How Do You Do Charity?

Thirteenth century Jewish theologian Moses Maimonides had 8 progressive levels:Give reluctantlyGive cheerfully but not adequatelyGive cheerfully and adequately, but only after being askedGive cheerfully, adequately, and of your own free will, but in such a way as to make the recipient feel demeanedLet the recipient know who the donor is but not the reverseKnow who is receiving your charity but to

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-72398567247935731972007-03-16T19:44:00.000-05:002007-03-16T19:46:24.161-05:00The Shield of St. Patrick

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the trinity,by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three. I bind this day to me forever by power of faith Christ's incarnation,His baptism in the Jordan river, his death on the cross for my salvation;His bursting from the spiced tomb, his riding up the heavenly way,His coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today.I bind unto

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-19796550804000926262007-03-13T20:37:00.000-05:002007-03-13T20:41:16.781-05:00The New Season Beginning

Today's Lent Reflection is brought to you by Sacred Space Lent eCards. Take some time on the way home or during an early evening walk to notice Spring. Lent is about rebirth. Thank God for the new season.Thy grace shines forth, O Lord,It shines forth and gives light to our souls.Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the season of our repentance. Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-9786322736116173672007-03-12T19:33:00.000-05:002007-03-12T19:36:03.921-05:00Give Up SEX for Lent?

by John OgrenA few years ago, during Lent, Miramax Films released 40 Days and 40 Nights. The movie’s premise was simple: a young man gives up sex for Lent. The target audience (despite the R rating) was teenagers, and the message was sadly predictable: adult relationships are all about sex, sex is all about power, and we are all powerless in the face of our overriding sexual passions—true

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-52739630644648929112007-03-10T19:30:00.000-06:002007-03-13T20:33:08.914-05:00The God Who Is Slow to Anger

Today's Lent Reflection comes from Sacred Space. Used by permission.ScriptureMicah 7:14-15, 18-20Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock that belongs to you, which lives alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, show us marvelous things. Who is a God like you, pardoning

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8133544105769749967.post-23342885413785167792007-03-09T19:43:00.000-06:002007-03-16T20:00:43.163-05:00For Use By Those at School

J.H. Garrison wrote a little-known but classic devotional guide. Today's Lent reflection comes from this book. Our gratitude to Leafwood Publishers and Gary Holloway, who edited this book, for this excerpt. Garrison's book includes some really cool prayers for different occasions. Granted, this is also done in the Episcopal "Book of Common Prayer" style and this is not unique, but for those of us

Keith Brentonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08370891993969932472noreply@blogger.com