Blogdate: Supplemental

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- posted by Jor @ 1:29 PM -

 
Exodus 16 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him."

Acts 2 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.
(The Message)

God provides in different ways. In the desert, quail flew into the camp, and manna fell in the morning. In the early church at Jerusalem, they lived "in common". The Israelites were given a clear command (and they were being tested), the Jerusalem church lived out of their sense of mission (see Acts 1 entry yesterday). Subsequently Peter declares that Ananias and Saphira didn't need to bring their money to the apostles. There was no command to living "in common". The people were led by the Spirit.

Paul talkes about earning his provision through his labor, without confessing any sin, or lack of faith. In some places he relied on gifts and hospitality, and in this he confesses no sin. Paul even said, "He who does not work, shall not eat." to one of the churches (Paul was addressing an abuse of living "in common").

So God's provision comes in many different forms. To focus on the form is to miss the opportunity to rely on God's leading every day.

And since I don't have a job right now, God's provision is where I'm living.

++How are you providing for us today, Lord?++

- posted by Jor @ 9:33 AM -

 
Acts 1
They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus' mother, Mary, and his brothers.
(The Message)

In Exodus, God calls His people to celebrate the Passover as a Holy people, set apart. No one uncircumsized could eat the meal. God set up his boundaries for who was in the group, and who was outside. Jesus' followers became a people as they dedicated themselves to Jesus' commission, and each other.

We are not here, on earth, to please ourselves. We are a People, a Company, a Body. We are committed to what Jesus' told us to do in his commissioning ("You will be my witnesses..."), and to each other.

It is part of my ambition to be devoted to God's purpose for me. This includes being a member of His Body. Any group doesn't exist without some criteria for membership. Since the purpose of this group is to be witnesses, then the criteria must be faith in Jesus. And to be effective, any group needs to be organized around its purpose. How can it be organized unless the members have the tactics, skills, resources to accomplish the interim purposes which combine to produce the ultimate purpose of witnessing to the life-giving power of Jesus? So God is organizing us with roles: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers. He has also given us supernatural and natural gifts: helping, mercy, knowledge, wisdom, administration, prophecy, tongues, healings, miracles, faith, teaching, etc.

Do I know what inventory of tactics/gifts/abilities God has produced in me? Can I use this inventory to find new ways for me to bless others and use my "talents"? I need to examine myself and see what I have to give. And then give, give, give.

The LEIP conference I recently attended spent time discussing strategy and tactics in business. Also, groups, organization and structure. I'm working these distinctions and seeing them in my study of the Bible, and how God has organized His Body. How wonderfully personal, intimate, immediate, and at the same time cosmic! God created a pragmatic as well as a spiritual existence for us, and I marvel in how the best worldly wisdom is just revealing the great and awesome Wisdom of God. Hallelujah!

- posted by Jor @ 10:27 AM -