A New Day

I've been a bit hesitant to change the name of our blog.  Feels very much like what I think a baby bird must feel like jumping out of the nest for the first time.  Much has happened over the last few weeks.  BJ and I have been made elders and our oikos was split into two.  This is very bittersweet.  I know it is exactly what God is calling us to but it is hard to leave a comfortable and safe place. 

Genesis 2:24 says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

This scripture is quoted and taken a step further in the following passage.

Ephesians 5:30-32 says, "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

Verses 22-33 speak of how husbands and wives should treat each other but then Paul throws this disclaimer in, "but I speak concerning Christ and the church."  You see marriage is a beautiful display of how we should function as the body of Christ.  We are in covenant with Him and with each other.  This covenant is a mystery and a treasure.

Now is the time for our small part of the body to grow.  To leave our parents and to form a bond with each other through Christ.  This is the way God created it to be.  Leaving and cleaving. 

It is a new day and His mercies are new in it.  Thank You Father for changing us and trusting us.  Your body is a treasure and should be treated as such.  What a wonderful thing to be part of a body being fitly framed together.  There is no joy and no struggle as great as this...the two shall become one flesh, His flesh.  Let Your word become flesh in us.  Let us lay ourselves down to be Yours.

Long time coming...

Wow!  It has been far too long since I updated this blog.  Where to begin?  God has done so much in our midst.  I think I'll just summarize by saying that He has been upholding us by the power of His word.

This is the word ringing in my soul these days, Colossians 2:8:

"As you therefore have received Christ, Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

This is where I am and I believe those in our fellowship are for the most part.  We have received Christ, Jesus the Lord and are walking in Him.  Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith as we have been taught.  Certainly abounding in it with thanksgiving.  What a wonder to see maturity bubble up in your life.  To see steadiness finally take the place of swaying with every wind of doctrine.  Understanding that hype does not equal depth of relationship with Christ, and the feeling does not equal holiness.

Still there are many opportunities in our daily walk for empty deceit to creep it's way in and cheat us from the perfect simplicity of walking with Him and seeking His face.  Traditions of men, principles of the world, philosophies of men...all designed to take your eyes off of Him and lead you away from walking according to Christ. 

How comforting to know that in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead and that I, yes I, am COMPLETE in Him, the head of all principality and power.  I am complete in Him...IN HIM.  In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  Turning my eyes to Him and surrendering myself to Him that He might sanctify and cleanse me by the washing of the water of His word (Ephesians 5:26). 

His word, oh His word, this will be one of many future topics... 

With love in Christ,
Sam