Category: Personal Development

Easier life? Less guilt

“For me, Sabbath (rest) is a time when I don’t read the Bible” -Pastor Mike, Boise Vineyard.

“We are designed for intensive labor 6 times a week, and boxed it off”. I think it is interesting God recognized how important it was for us to rest. In starting to realize more and more when I come home I don’t want to immediately watch tv. No, I’d rather relax In a quite room. It feels so anti-social to shut the door to the tv room.

“Why is it so hard for us to stop? Sabbat means stop. Stress is a major issue in our culture, because we don’t know how to deal with it”. Yesterday I saw a little kid getting really cranky at my work. With kids, we understand they need a nap- if we to past nap time, we expect them to eventually start flipping out.

After God created us, what was the first thing we did? Rested.

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy”. That is one of the Ten Commandments. We know that part of the commandments deal with God and part deal with fellow humanity. If we focus all about the commandments with God we come off like snobbish ultra-theological zealots. If we focus only on humanity, we can become godless work-focused people-worriers. We need the sabbath command as a hinge between the two.

Maelstrom- mael = grinding. Strom = stream. Wow, maelstrom is a grinding stream. Sounds like life.

Why did Jesus use spit-mud to heal someone’s eyes? Because spit makes mud, mud is a way to make clay, clay is what we use to build, which is work. Why did he use spit mud? Because people were being silly.

When I started reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan I really was able to spent quality time relaxing. It was weird to just relax and read a book. So much of my life is about researching. Reading a book is somewhat the opposite; I take in what is written, planned out in the book.

Respond to loss with growth

Our pastor shared about the runner Dean Carnasis who was running 50 marathons in 50 states, in 50 days. Most of of would not be able to run a 10k. But, through physical disciplines, people can run a marathon.

There is a terrible amount of loss in this life; loss of life, freedom, love. Many people shrink back- but some actually grow in those situations.

For a long time, spiritual disciplines have been about crushing the joy out of life; shaved heads, rough uncomfortable clothing out in the country…no, the disciples are actually about enjoying and experiencing life. Practicing these disciples are about freeing us up to joy and freedom from self fear.

Jesus said:

“sow to the spirit…grow into good ground, with a good foundation”.

So how do we sow to the spirit?

We are looking for fruit. We aren’t looking to impress God, we are looking for things to do because we have been impressed by God. (Edit- I had typed “thugs” instead of “things”)