Yes… things have turned out OK with the work project. Two Monday’s ago was Full’o Drama, but things have subsided since. Though technical glitches linger—and the site will likely be down much of Thursday and Friday to show for it—the heavy lifting is done and we can now build upon what we’ve done so far without the urgency we’ve felt in month’s past.
So, head to arbor.edu if you’re bored and want to look around. I’m close to being sick of the design already (since I’ve seen it for a good four or five months already), but hopefully you’ll like it.
And now, for more important things… like our Lord and Savior. He wants us to be like him. This, from Francis Frangipane’s This Day We Fight!:
God’s goal is not merely to save us, but to conform us to Christ. He seeks to perfect us, not merely protect us. To perfect faith, God intentionally allows conflicts to storm against our souls. I know we picture Jesus as gently holding us, patting us on the back, saying, “There, there, it’ll be all right.” Listen, that is not the voice of Jesus; that is the echo of your mother speaking. Thank God for mothers, but Jesus is seeking to get us to stop being such babies. He wants us to grow up into His image.
Remember, I am talking about the real Jesus now, the one who said, “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). If the Jesus you are following is not leading you into the realm of the impossible to make changes in your world, you are probably following the wrong one.
You see, we do a disservice to people when we tell them, “Give you life to the Lord and He will keep you from trouble.” That is not true. We would be more honest to say, “Give your life to Christ, and He will empower you to overcome trouble and adversity.” Yes, He will take care of you. Be He will not do so by putting you in a harmless world void of problems; rather, He will perfect virtue in you by developing character and by requiring faith—all of which creates the spiritual shelter of a transformed life.
2 replies on “For those who’ve been wondering”
That was cool! What a good reminder!
Glad things with the web is going smoother. We are having a fustration of our own with ours. Man, I love technology!
I like! When Christ calls us he doesn’t call us to a big house, perfect family, expensive car, tons of security life. When Christ calls us he calls us to come and die. And that is a wonderful joyous thing!! Not a “chipper” joy, but rather a joy with tears running down your face. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever hates his life in this world will keep if for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the father will honor him.” John 12:24-26 ESV