My Online Faith Journal

   In a book by Brennan Manning called "The Ragamuffin Gospel", Brennan makes this statement "The American church today accepts grace in theory but denies it in practice. We say we believe that the fundamental structure of reality is grace, not works-but ou lives refute our faith. By and large, the gospel of grace is neither proclaimed, understood, nor lived." (Brennan, 1990, p.18).  Brennan goes on to say that Jesus spent most of his time on this earth with the ragamuffins.  Ragamuffins are the downtrodden, the tax collectors, the outcasts, the prostitutes, the burned out.  He spent time with them because they had no problem in seeing their need, their brokenness and had no self-righteous attitudes to overcome.   He spent time with and also made disciples of those who others rejected, men like Matthew and Zaccheus.     In Luke 19, the story of Zaccheus is told where Jesus is walking by and looks up and sees Zaccheus in a tree.  He says, "Zaccheus, hurry and

   It doesn't' seem like it was that long ago, but 10 months ago I shared a few favorite verses of mine.  I want to share a few more that have been meaningful to me.  I hope if you haven't read them in a while they will  bless you. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33 This verse comes in part of what is called the "Sermon on the Mount" and is a part of the section regarding worry and anxiety.  Jesus was telling his disciples where their focus should be.  Instead of being worried about food or clothes or being filled with worry.  Their priority was to be concerned about  God's kingdom instead of their own.  The bigger picture here is that worrying doesn't help solve any problems.  Rather, it devalues the time we do have and wastes a lot of energy. "Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come

What makes a church a good church home?  What are your expectations when you walk in the door on Sunday morning?  How is a church suppose to help you grow in your walk with God?  These are some of the questions I have been asking myself as I think about attending church on Sunday.   I have been in a lot of churches these last few years in my attempts to deal with my issues with the church.  I've visited several different denominations and even walked out of some church services.  Yes, you heard right, I got up and left a few times.  I went to a new church last Sunday and will probably go back again next Sunday even though it wasn't a great experience.  So, I am asking myself what I need in a church home and what is truly important.  Things that I think are important 1. Sound Biblical truth being taught and preached.  I really am not interested in preachers like Joel Osteen who basically preach pop psychology and not doctrine.  I'm also not interested in just hearing

              "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." psalm 32:7        I was reminded as I read my final book for one of my classes this semester that many people need to be freed today from various things which hold them in bondage.  For some people this comes in the form of faulty thinking and for others it comes in toxic relationships or sinful actions.  The good news is that God wishes to deliver us from the things which overwhelm and destroy our peace and replace anxiety and fear with joy and peace.  The problem comes when we don't wait on him and he isn't our true hiding place.      Another passage that talks about this is in Isaiah 61:1-2 "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the cpatives and release from darkness for the prisoners and to proclaim