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description= The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, says the LORD of hosts. (Hag 2:9);

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aking up the cross he has for us that humbles us dealing with the natural man within us and offending the proud have faith and remember christ s words but when they persecute you in this city flee into another for verily i say unto you you shall not have gone over the cities of israel till the son of man comes the disciple is not above his teacher nor the servant above his lord it is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher and the servant as his lord if they have called the master of the house beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his household fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known what i tell you in darkness that speak in light and what you hear in the ear that preach upon the housetops matt 10 23 27 kj2000 behold i am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves beware of men for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues matt 10 16 17 esv2011 and finally what peter wrote but if you suffer for righteousness sake happy are you and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled but sanctify the lord god in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good behavior in christ 1pet 3 14 16 kj2000 share this tweet print opens in new window print email a link to a friend opens in new window email like loading 17 comments posted in abiding in christ fiery trials following christ members one of another my search for the city of god taking up your cross why it is needed the cross divides the fellowship of his sufferings unity of the spirit are christians called as pioneers or settlers nov 15 by michael photo by randy faith on unsplash consider these verses of scripture we have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp so jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured for here we have no lasting city but we seek the city that is to come heb 13 10 14 esv2011 one time after failing to fit in and get along with christians in many different churches i cried out in frustration god i don t fit i just don t fit to my surprise he replied you are not supposed to fit abraham was a pilgrim and sojourner in a strange land where he even had to buy a plot of land to bury his wife sarah when she died if we are to find our place in his kingdom we will not find a place in any other kingdom until we finally find our rest with him yes let us go to him outside the camp i recently found an amazing parody that explains my experiences in christ it was in chapter three of an insightful book by brennan manning lion and lamb the relentless tenderness of jesus fleming h revell company old tappan nj 1986 there are two visions of life two kinds of people the first group sees life as a possession to be carefully guarded they are called settlers the second group see life as a wild fantastic explosive gift they are called pioneers these two types give rise to two kinds of theology settler theology and pioneer theology according to wes seeliger in his book western theology the first kind settler theology is an attempt to answer all the questions define and housebreak some sort of supreme being establish the status quo on golden tablets in cinemascope pioneer theology is an attempt to talk about what it means to receive the strange gift of life the wild west is the setting for both theologies in settler theology the church is the courthouse it is the center of town life the old stone structure dominates the town square its windows are small and this makes things dark inside within the courthouse walls records are kept taxes collected trials held for bad guys the courthouse is the settler s symbol of law order stability and most importantly security the mayor s office is on the top floor his eagle eye ferrets out the smallest details of town life in pioneer theology the church is the covered wagon it s a house on wheels always on the move the covered wagon is where the pioneers eat sleep fight love and die it bears the marks of life and movement it creaks is scarred with arrows bandaged with baling wire the covered wagon is always where the action is it moves toward the future and doesn t bother to glorify its own ruts the old wagon isn t comfortable but the pioneers don t mind they are more into adventure than comfort in settler theology god is the mayor he is a sight to behold dressed like a dude from back east he lounges in an over stuffed chair in his courthouse office he keeps the blinds drawn no one sees him or knows him directly but since there is order in town who can deny that he is there the mayor is predictable and always on schedule the settlers fear the mayor but look to him to clear the payroll and keep things going peace and quiet are the mayor s main concerns that s why he sends the sheriff to check on the pioneers who ride into town in pioneer theology god is the trail boss he is rough and rugged full of life he chews tobacco drinks straight whiskey the trail boss lives eats sleeps fights with his people their well being is his concern without him the wagon wouldn t move living as a free man would be impossible the trail boss often gets down in the mud with the pioneers to help push the wagon which often gets stuck he prods the pioneers when they get soft and want to turn back his fist is an expression of his concern in settler theology jesus is the sheriff he s the guy who is sent by the mayor to enforce the rules he wears a white hat drinks milk outdraws the bad guys the sheriff decides who is thrown into jail there is a saying in town that goes those who believe the mayor sent the sheriff and follow the rules they won t stay in boot hill when it comes their time in pioneer theology jesus is the scout he rides out ahead to find out which way the pioneers should go he lives all the dangers of the trail the scout suffers every hardship is attacked by the indians through his words and actions he reveals the true intentions of the trail boss by looking at the scout those on the trail learn what it means to be a pioneer in settler theology the holy spirit is the saloon girl her job is to comfort the settlers they come to her when they feel lonely or when life gets dull or dangerous she tickles them under the chin and makes everything okay again the saloon girl squeals to the sheriff when someone starts disturbing the peace in pioneer theology the holy spirit is the buffalo hunter he rides along with the covered wagon and furnishes fresh meat for the pioneers without it they would die the buffalo hunter is a strange character sort of a wild man the pioneers can never tell what he will do next he scares the hell out of the settlers he has a big black gun that goes off like a cannon he rides into town on sunday to shake up the settlers you see every sunday morning the settlers have a little ice cream party in the courthouse with his gun in hand the buffalo hunter sneaks up to one of the courthouse windows he fires a tremendous blast that rattles the whole courthouse men jump out of their skin women scream dogs bark chuckling to himself the buffalo hunter rides back to the wagon train shooting up the town as he goes in settler theology the christian is the settler he fears the open unknown frontier his concern is to stay on good terms with the mayor and keep out of the sheriff s way safety first is his motto to him the courthouse is a symbol of security peace order and happiness he keeps his money in the bank the banker is his best friend the settler never misses an ice cream party in pioneer theology the christian is the pioneer he is a man of daring hungry for a new life he rides hard knows how to use a gun when necessary the pioneer feels sorry for the settlers and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the trail he dies with his boots on in settler theology the clergyman is the banker within his vault are locked the values of the town he is a highly respected man he has a gun but keeps it hidden in his desk he feels that he and the sheriff have a lot in common after all they both protect the bank in pioneer theology the clergyman is the cook he doesn t furnish the meat he just dishes up what the buffalo hunter provides this is how he supports the movement of the wagon he never confuses his job with that of the trail boss scout or the buffalo hunter he sees himself as just another pioneer who has learned how to cook the cook s job is to help the pioneers pioneer in settler theology faith is trusting in the safety of the town obeying the laws keeping your nose clean believing the mayor is in the courthouse in pioneer theology faith is the spirit of adventure the readiness to move out to risk everything on the trail faith is obedience to the restless voice of the trail boss in settler theology sin is breaking one of the town s ordinances in pioneer theology sin is wanting to turn back in settler theology salvation is living close to home and hanging around the courthouse in pioneer theology salvation is being more afraid of sterile town life than death on the trail salvation is joy at the thought of another day to push on into the unknown it is trusting the trail boss and following his scout while living on the meat furnished by the buffalo hunter the pioneers and the settlers portray in cowboy movie language the people of the law and the people of the spirit in the time of the historical jesus the guardians of the ecclesiastical setup the scribes and pharisees and sadducees had ensconced themselves in the courthouse and enslaved themselves to the law this not only enhanced their prestige in society it also gave them a sense of security people fear the responsibility of being free it is often easier to let other people make decisions or to rely on the letter of the law some people want to be slaves after enslaving themselves to the letter of the law such people go on to deny freedom to others jesus described them this way they tie up heavy loads and put them on men s solders but they themselves are no willing to lift a finger to move them matt 23 4 jesus wanted to liberate his people from the law from all laws under his word we become free people people of the spirit and the fellowship of free people grows up as in the new testament beyond all kinds of theological disagreement it is in galatians 5 1 that paul writes it is for freedom that christ has set us free stand firm then and do not let yourselves to be burdened again by a yoke of slavery if we are not experiencing what paul calls in romans 8 21 the glorious freedom of the children of god then we must acknowledged that his world has not taken sovereign possession of us that we are not fully under the way of the spirit end of excerpt abraham was a pioneer and those who walk by faith as he did following the spirit of god are also pioneers for he is the father of our faith this is what it means to be the sons and daughters of god by faith abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going by faith he went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land living in tents with isaac and jacob heirs with him of the same promise for he was looking forward to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is god heb 11 8 10 esv2011 share this tweet print opens in new window print email a link to a friend opens in new window email like loading 22 comments posted in a prisoner of the lord are you a pioneer or a settler faith following christ freedom in christ vs law keeping isolated by god let us go on milk or meat obeying the leading of god religion vs abiding in christ uncategorized tagged bible christianity faith jesus theology an exchanged life sep 28 by michael have you ever thought what a raw deal we are all being punished for our sins in this less than perfect world because adam and eve blew it paul wrote about this to the saints in rome therefore just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin and so death spread to all men because all sinned for if many died through one man s trespass much more have the grace of god and the free gift by the grace of that one man jesus christ abounded for many for if because of one man s trespass death reigned through that one man much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man jesus christ rom 5 12 17 esv2011 t austin sparks wrote he that has my commandments and keeps them he it is that loves me how this may apply i do not know i trust it does not seem hard it is not meant to be hard it is intended to bring us into possession of the secret of things spiritual enlargement is a question of obedience progress according to obedience but obedience is not an enforced response to a law in pain of judgment this is the obedience of love consecration and devotion obedience is the active side of faith faith and obedience are two sides of one thing and cannot be divided without destroying completeness and obedience is the proof of faith and faith is the demand for obedience 1 we who have believed into christ and were immersed into his death by baptism have also been raised into his newness of life in his spirit it was his agape love for his father that motivated jesus his whole life even when it meant that he would die a terrible death on the cross for he knew that it was not only his body that was on that cross but all the sins of fallen man down through the ages he was the father s perfect sacrificial passover lamb for the sins of the world in genesis we read of abraham living out this act by faith with his and sarah s only son and abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon isaac his son and he took the fire in his hand and a knife and they went both of them together and isaac spake unto abraham his father and said my father and he said here am i my son and he said behold the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering and abraham said my son god will provide himself a lamb gen 22 6 8a kjv the father has always wanted many sons and daughters to love and walk with him just as adam did before his fall but adam and eve s fall and being cast out from the face of god in the garden was not the final end of that thought in the mind of god for god so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in grk eis into him should not perish but have ...