"He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord." - Acts 11:24

"Cut compassion out of the Bible, and you cut the heart out of it." 

"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulies." Oswald Chambers

On August 16, 2015 Rachel Norris spoke on forgiveness. She used the passage from Acts 9 where the disciples forgave Saul for his deeds against them and the church. When we come into the presence of God, we have been forgiven, we are forgiven, and we will be forgiven. This freedom is ours to behold. We walk in this promise that God has forgiven us. Forgiveness through Christ is available in our relationships with others, our relationships with God, and even our relationships with ourselves. The good news is this: God loves us and redeems us as we are. Remember our identities in him!

Early Church Orthodoxy & 21st Century Faith

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Community is the signature of God and we're invited, no we're compelled to have it written on our lives. "Living otherly" breaks that independent spirit that each one of us has. It's a posture, a mindset that says "my way or the highway", but our new life in Christ calls us to something different. We belong one to another and the way of living out this new life as outlined in the scriptures is to put away anything that would wipe the signature of community off of our lives.  JB Philips tells it this way, "As God’s prisoner, then, I beg you to live lives worthy of your high calling. Accept life with humility and patience, making allowances for each other because you love each other. Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit, and you will inevitably be at peace with one another."

 

"if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 AMP

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well..." John 14:5-7