Hotel Agape

2003-04-01T23:10:00.000-05:00

its matthew, hey i just wanted to tell you all of the miraculous work god is doing in my life, besides the period of change and growth i talked about at our last meating. For the last two months i have been subletting on 152nd and broadway, the sublet ends april first at which time i would be without a home.So the last two months i have been searching for something permanent (as i am tired of moving), and of course dedicating the issue to prayer. so here it is the last week of my sublet and have not found a door that stays open, until i spent one last evening searching hopelessly but with faith for a home, when much to my surprise i come across an add for an apartement share on east sixtieth that is cheaper than what i had budgeted. so i thought why not and took the next train to the east side. and two days later im putting down a deposit. its kind of exciting how when wejust wait patiently on the lord he'll pull through even at the last minute.

2003-03-18T13:40:00.000-05:00

SIGNING IN PROBLEMS???

This is Peter. I have had no problems following the instructions to sign in under my own name. If you want to blog under your own name, nothing seems to be impeding that. Just follow the instructions in the email I sent. If you want me to re-send, then I will. I may anyway.
Cheers,

Peter

2003-03-17T19:29:00.000-05:00

Hello Upper Westsiders!
Clint here. Just wanted to say that I read both Rich Nathan's and Jimmy Carter's pieces on war and found both stimulating and thought provoking.
I had a converstion just yesterday about the war with a Jewish printer and friend I do business with. He is in favor of it. I told him my primary reservations were that I thought we should not undertake war on Iraq until we had much broarder international support. Of course, there is much more we each said to elaborate but I don't have time to detail that here. The conversation gave me an opportunity to say that I did not arrive at my views from either a Republican/conservative or Democrat/liberal orientation. Rather, I told him, to the best of my ability I tried to let the Bible direct my views on such things. He knows I am a pastor, yet we had a free, completely comfortable exchange about our different views.
It seems everyone has strong views about the possibility of war with Iraq. It presents a good opportunity for all of us to inject our Christian worldview (regardless of whether we are for or against the war) in a natural way into such conversations. I hope and pray that God gives many of us opportunities to share about the impact of our faith when we discuss the war with our non-Christian friends and co-workers.

2003-03-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

Thought from last nights kinship (FROM PHOEBE):

I love you all. Kinship is such a tremendous blessing. The last 3 years have been a period of intense trials back-to-back, or simultaneously, and you all come every other Thursday, and our house and my body is transformed by the Holy Spirit, your love and characters. I am able to see far beyond my problems as if I were on the moon looking at the earth. I am transported, and I am able to see through the Lord's eyes and not my own hopless ones. Thank-you for coming, let's keep up the good work, and draw more people into the miraculous news! Love, Phoebe

2003-03-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Gifts and Christian Character?

Any reactions to or thoughts on Mike's sermon today? I think it was a valuable insight that gifts need strong character to be well utilized. There are simply too many times in my life when my own sin has hampered my gifting.

2003-03-09T17:49:00.000-05:00

More on Christian Just War Theory and Iraq

This time from former prez Jimmy Carter, a Christian, in the NY Times. He's against.

2003-03-06T00:53:00.000-05:00

Great to be home!

Back from Columbus after a wonderful conference with scintillating, powerful, meaty, Spirit-fueled teaching. Hope to share some of it here. The conference was on preaching. Just nice to be home with my two lovelies and at Alpha tonight. Don't forget to be inviting people to the ALPHA CELEBRATION DINNER. details -- click here.

2003-03-06T00:47:00.000-05:00

Bush and God

Personally, Sonal, I find Bush's faith to be an inspiration. If it comes over as sincere, people will not see it as part of his politics. Some judgmental people will jump to the conclusion that Christianity is conservative because Bush is a conservative. There is no use fretting too much about such people. They hate Christianity and conservatives, and there ain't much Christians can do about that, except, of course use the patient explanation and reasoning that Paul deployed in the synagogues (see Acts).

As for the war, I am not if favor. Bush may be wrong here, but he may be right. Only God knows. Even if he is wrong, God can use it for good. This doesn't mean Christians shouldn't take stances on political issues, just that we can't make falling down on one side or the other a stumbling block in relations with other Christians and/or the lost.

By the way, here is a nice Christian framework for approaching the topic of whether this war is wrong or right. It can come down on either side, depending on how it is applied. It is from Rich Nathan -- consistently rigorous.

2003-03-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

I am at a Preaching conference at the Columbus Vineyard

Nice post Sonal -- I will reply when I get back. Conference is awesome. Sorry people can't post under their own names. Will look into it. Bye, Peter

2003-03-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

On my way to work this morning I noticed Bush a.k.a Dubya was on the cover of several news magazines, which I wouldn't have thought as really remarkable considering the way things are at the moment. (Interestingly all these pictures were dramatic close ups of his face.) Anyway, one headline that did catch my eye was "Bush & God" with a picture of Bush with his eyes shut, head bowed and hands folded in prayer--this was on Newsweek. The subheads also sounded quite intriguing and were about how faith has influenced him and his 'God Talk'. I bought the magazine and am still in the midst of reading the articles but so far I've learned that Bush used to have a drinking problem which was affecting his marriage and he was saved or born again through this intensive, year long bible study that he attended in D.C. alongwith a friend. It has certainly been going well for Dubya since then, for all his shortcomings--he's now the president and the republicans are ruling the roost. Some final thoughts that struck me were:
-The article mentions that the atmosphere inside the White House is "suffused with an aura of prayerfulness."
-Many lead players close to Bush also have strong christian backgrounds.
-He asked for a "laying-on of hands" from pastors in Texas before he ran for president.

I guess, there was a reason 9-11 took place when he was president of the United States. Should pray for wisdom for him over Iraq.

P.S: This is Sonal (I can't log in as myself!)

2003-03-01T23:05:00.000-05:00

You gotta read Eric Keck's post for Friday Feb. 28 on his Blog

Click here for the post. Keck used to be part of our church and now lives in Idaho. He has a must read post on doing church outside of the church. That undersells it somewhat. Just go read it.

I'd been having similar thoughts this weekend when meditating on the Marriage at Cana. Jesus and his followers just walked into a non-church setting and blessed people. The key take-away from the passage is that they did NOT turn it into a church service. they mingled chameleon-like till there was need shown. And when that need was shown, they blessed the needy in a rich, bounteous manner. With my religious hat on, I'd say that the wine is the Spirit for us today, but i would also say it is literally wine.....I often like to spoil buddies with a good Bordeaux.....

+++Lord, please make me the guest you were at Cana in all my interactions with people who don't know you.+++

2003-03-01T21:46:00.000-05:00

From Phoebe, not Peter!

Due to technical reasons, I can't use this computer we have at home and post under my own name -- the byline always comes up as Peter.

Anyway, hi guys, I love you....from Phoebe

2003-03-01T20:25:00.000-05:00

Who is our Boaz?

By welcoming us into the Kingdom of God and by redeeming and providing for us, Christ loudly echoes what Boaz did for Ruth, the Moabite woman who came to Bethlehem childless and widowed. Boaz tenderly took Ruth under his wing even though she was a foreigner (a big deal then, as it can be now in some groups and societies).

But it struck me while reading the Bible today that we also have human Boaz-types. These are the individuals who draw us towards the Messiah and look after us when we are infants in Christ. Mine was a wonderful Englishman who is six years my junior. I loved him and still do. The role he played in leading me to my Father formed a powerful and unique bond. He's in London but the occasional phone conversations I have with him breathe life into my life. One more example of how something in the Kingdom -- in this case, friendship -- is far more powerful than when it exists in the World.

From the book of Ruth in the Old Testament: "Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband--how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." (Ruth 2:11-12, New International Version)

2003-03-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

Clarification on "Surprise" Gifts

Just to be clearer on this subject, when I talk about surprise gifts, I am not expecting that these gifts were TOTAL surprises. Instead, I am more referring to gifts that you might've known you had in some quantity but didn't realize how much. In my example, I have long loved praying for people's healing and had had some results. But I didn't see it as an integral part of my Christian character, like I did teaching and evangelism (my two top gifts). Now I see it can be and need to work with he Lord to develop it.

Clear as mud???

2003-02-28T23:05:00.000-05:00

ALERT: Valuable Resource for Kinship members....

Letterman's Top Ten lists. Means not having to stay up late for the LateShow....

2003-02-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

Surprise Gifts

OK, I'll kick off. I was really super pleased and quite surprised to have healing high up on my manifest gifts list. It is exciting to see a quintessentially supernatural gift register high up. I look forward to God using me to bless other people through healing. +++Oh Lord, please do so for your glory and for those suffering.+++ Anyone else get a surprise gift they are now really excited about????

PS: It is custom on Christian blogs to flag prayer text with the symbols +++. For example, +++Our Father Who art in heaven...+++

2003-02-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

Why not kick off with any impressions on Thursday's kinship and our gift results?

2003-02-28T20:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome!

All UWS Kinshippers can blog to their heart's content here. Only guideline: keep it Godly. There is no charge at the Hotel Agape -- the room charge has already been paid by Christ on the cross....