i’m now writing at http://msimpson.scroggles.com
about Scroggles:
Scroggles is a community of bloggers that share their scripts, blogs, and journals.
There are blogs on green technology, philosophy, biblical languages, theology, math, poetry, and more!
It’s a great community, and I’m getting more comments now than I ever was on blogspot or wordpress. Come on over to http://www.scroggles.com
-michael
I was fed by this book.
Driscoll covers a variety of areas on Christology and Ecclesiology. The need for the Church to exhibit Christ-centric love, and for individual communities to do relevant ministry to their cultures has never been penned so beautifully and scandalously. Driscoll breaks the bonds of legalism by addressing issues that are almost universally taboo in most fundamentalist circles, and the reciprocal of those that are likewise in most liberal circles. Driscoll does away with Pharisaical, pre-conceived notions that would condemn petty issues that aren’t addressed in scripture. He shows Biblical occasion to consume alcohol, and tells of the rich history of the Church being Europe’s official brewery. He recounts John Calvin’s annual salary package that included a plethora of wine to be enjoyed by him and his guests, and he tells of Martin Luther’s sorrow while being away from his wife’s home-brewed ale. He also tells what happens when a community becomes so wrapped up in the culture that the original mission is laid aside for the sake of “politeness.” He likewise shows scripture that proclaims drunkenness as dangerous and sinful.
This is a great read for any Christian, and a must-read for anyone doing ministry work today!
+michael
I had to get a replacement phone because my other one stopped working. Its the exact same phone. It came in today and I was digging through the box to see what all it brought. Well it just came with the phone and the battery but it didn’t bring the back cover. Apparently, you have to use the one from your old phone. Well it so happens that my old back cover is not fitting very well. It won’t close all the way and I have tried and tried to to somehow make this new phone and old back cover work but it just won’t.
This got me thinking about the passage in 2 Corinthians 5:17 where it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Matthew 9:17 also talks about not putting the new wine into the old wineskins because then the skins would tear and the wine would spill everywhere. There is no way the old and the new can somehow mix…and why would you want to??? Why cling to the old things we used to do…to the old person that is supposed to be passed away???
I know the main reason in my life has been because it is hard to surrender….God has really been dealing with me in that regard because in the devotionals and Scripture that I have been reading all somehow lead to surrender. I have heard it on the radio countless times this week and I’ve finally just been like, “Ok God, I think you are trying to tell me something here…” Surrendering doesn’t come easy…at least complete surrender doesn’t. To give ourselves completely over to God is just scary at times because there is so much unknown, but it is where faith just really kicks in.
I see the example Jesus left for us when He gave Himself completely…of course He was perfect but He also went through the same things that we go through…we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with us…anyway He left a great example not only of surrender but of love, servanthood, and of life in general.
Please pray as I truly let the old pass away and as I cling to Jesus. Blessings 
-Ada
