[comitatus1]

Originally Posted by Elationist

I believe the "if you love Me, you will keep my commandments" is prescriptive to a degree but most of all descriptive of those who love Him. Most people I have heard mention it describe only the prescriptive aspect. But what about the admonition in His describing those who are His beloved?

Philippians 2:13 (NIV) for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

1 John 2:3-6 (NIV) 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

I agree %100. Thanks, Michael.

Chris

[comitatus1]

Originally Posted by Lee Modlin

1- That is a great story.

2- My username is my real name...not very exciting.

Yeah, but you've got the whole "Role M" thing, which is very clever...

Chris

[5poyntr]

Originally Posted by Lee Modlin

What?

Dead?

Dirt?

I ain't daid yet, "kid".

[Leboman]

Originally Posted by comitatus1

Yeah, but you've got the whole "Role Modlin" thing, which is very clever...

Chris

I wish I had thought that one up. It is rather clever and cute. You can even buy t-shirts and hats with Role Modlin on them. I don't think anyone's actually bought one yet...but they are there on CafePress.

[comitatus2]

Originally Posted by comitatus1

How did you choose your username?

For me the process, short as it was, began 3 years ago, in my first semester at Vance Granville Community College here in rural North Carolina. I was taking classes in the evenings, and on Monday nights it was time for British Literature 1 on the main campus. The first piece of literature on the syllabus was Beowulf, and once I got used to (sort of) the Middle English it was written in, I found it to be a fascinating story.

I am not going to bore you with an extended review here so I'll get to the point. One of the main themes of the story is a relationship between a King and his men, who are called thanes (or Middle English: theigns). This relationship is known as the Comitatus Relationship.

Here is how it worked: As Beowulf does in the story, a future King was expected to perform heroic exploits and thereby gain fame, which would be passed down in the form of stories to future generations. This, for the people of the society Beowulf came from, was how they achieved immortality. In the course of doing this there would of course be battles and, if there was victory, the leader was expected to display Royal Generosity. That is, he was expected to bestow upon his men a more than fair share of the spoils. This was far more than just a payment of money, it was an indication of how much he respected and cared for them. The theigns, in turn, returned these feelings and pledged their allegiance to him. As time went by, assuming that all went well and the battles were won, the leader's stature would rise through his demonstration of Royal Generosity until He would be proclaimed King by his loyal Theigns. It is important to know that this was much more than some kind of mercenary arrangement, for there was a genuine feeling of affection between a King and his Theigns, as is evidenced in the story.

As I considered this comitatus relationship, I realized how much it paralleled Jesus' relationship with me, although it is much more one sided than in Beowulf, for really Jesus has done everything. He is the one who went into battle for me and He is the one who lavished His Royal Generosity on me. He demonstrated His love for me. What can be my response but to love Him and declare my loyalty to Him forever?

If you have a story about your username, please share it with me.

Chris

How did I choose my user name????? Easy..." Where you go I will go.... your comitatus will be my comitatus"......
Love you!

[comitatus1]

Originally Posted by comitatus2

How did I choose my user name????? Easy..." Where you go I will go.... your comitatus will be my comitatus"......
Love you!

That's 5 out of 5 on the scale!

Love you too, honey,

Chris

[comitatus1]

A friend of mine recently posted this article on his website. I agree with
his conclusions. What do you think?

POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING?

by Chip Brogden

http://www.TheSchoolOfChrist.Org/articles/positive.html

"And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 'There is yet one man,
Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I
hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (I
Kings 22:8).

At first blush there would appear to be nothing wrong with something
labeled "positive and encouraging." Three Christian radio stations
service my area, and all three of them make the same claim: that they
offer positive and encouraging programming for the whole family. The
appeal is obvious: no one wants to spend a lot of time dwelling on
things that are negative and discouraging.

But I have discovered a flaw in this positive and encouraging,
family-friendly environment that should be addressed. This desire to
provide people with a positive and encouraging experience (whether it
is by radio or by television or by church service or by website)
creates an unrealistic expectation in the hearts and minds of the
audience and congregation who have come to rely on "the ministry" to
keep them properly fed. Content is judged not according to Truth, but
according to how I feel about it. Do I feel good, positive,
encouraged, uplifted, and happy afterwards? If so then all is well.
Or is it?

We must seriously question things that pass themselves off as
"ministry". It is clear that the practice of "ministry" - whether it
comes in the form of a sermon or a song - is becoming synonymous with
"Christian Entertainment." It is not so much what they say as what
they fail to say. The most glaring omission in this positive and
encouraging Christian sub-culture is meaningful reference and
teaching along the lines of taking up the cross and denying self, and
I would suggest this one thing sums up most of what is lacking in
Churchianity today.

I do not mean a wistful remembering of the cross that Jesus died on
for our sins, as this is given a fair treatment. I refer to the
following "positive and encouraging" words from Jesus that somehow
get overlooked:

"He that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of
Me" (Matthew 10:38).

"Jesus said to them all, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).

"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he
has, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:23).

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life
also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear his
cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26,27).

"Someone asked, 'Lord, will only a few be saved?' Jesus answered,
'Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate, because I tell
you this: many will try to enter but will not be able to'" (Luke
13:23,24).

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the Kingdom of
Heaven, but the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven"
(Matthew 7:21).

"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord' and do not the things which I say?"
(Luke 6:46).

Since taking up the cross is basic to discipleship, why do we not
hear more about it? Because crucifixions are not "family friendly"!
Those who understand the cross in a practical way - meaning, those
who are actually following the Lord Jesus as a disciple - know that
this denial of Self is hardly a positive, encouraging experience.
Dying is not easy! Letting go of my will and embracing the will of
Another is hard! Being crucified daily is not a positive, encouraging
event.

And so, in order to fulfill its obligation to its audience, Christian
entertainers (pastors, preachers, prophets, and performers) must
skirt the issue. If we look hard and long enough we might find
anecdotal evidence of a song here, or a sermon there, or a few words
sprinkled in that seem to hit the mark. Let us thank and praise God
for anything we can get, but a few obligatory references to the true
cost of discipleship every so often tend to get lost in a vast ocean
of Christianspeak that mostly focuses on the positive and encouraging
parts of the Bible and virtually ignores the hard, but necessary,
sayings of Jesus.

Look at what the king of Israel says of Micaiah the prophet: "I hate
him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me." Yes, this is
the heart of it. To a carnal, worldly generation the prophetic word
is supposed to always be positive and encouraging, always speaking
good things concerning me and always tickling my fleshly little ears.

The Micaiahs are not allowed on Christian television, and they are
not welcome in Christian churches. In my spirit I get the sense
sometimes that when you talk about anything that isn't deemed
positive and encouraging the people are sticking their fingers in
their ears, squinting their eyes shut, and shouting "la la la la la
la la la" to themselves. Maybe if we pretend like we don't hear it or
see it then it will go away. We do not want to hear the Truth because
it is too depressing! It makes us feel bad. That, after all, is the
most important thing - not whether a thing is Truth, but whether a
thing makes me feel better!

Those who only seek the positive and encouraging route are those who
gravitate towards the quick fixes and the easy answers; religious
activities that do not require a lot of time and effort, and
preferably, no effort at all. We have special numbers to call for
prayer, and we have preachers to tell us what the Bible says, and we
have Christian bookstores to give us things to read, and we have the
Internet to keep us connected with other Christians, and we have
Christian music playing in the background to keep us in the mood.
What could be easier! Just think how much more effective and powerful
the Early Church could have been if only they had the same positive,
encouraging support system that we have today!

Do you realize that almost every false prophet mentioned in the Bible
is positive and encouraging? That is not to say that to be positive
and encouraging is to be a false prophet, but it illustrates
something. It demonstrates a weakness, a flaw, in human nature. We
naturally embrace those things that lift us up and make us feel good,
and we naturally shun those things that are unpleasant to think
about. A false prophet is able to deceive people precisely because
there is something in humankind that desperately wants to believe
nothing but positive, encouraging things about themselves.

What am I suggesting, that we seek out things that are negative and
discouraging? No, we should not necessarily seek them out, but we
should not automatically shut them out, either. We should seek Truth,
regardless of how it makes us feel, whether it is positive or
negative. Paul says he has no confidence in the flesh.
Over-confidence is a deadly form of pride, and relying totally on
positive, encouraging input is a recipe for disaster. Maybe your only
hope is to lose confidence! If you are in the flesh then you need to
be brought to a place of discouragement - the sooner the better!
Maybe the secret to overcoming is not in shouting the victory but
crying out to God in despair and admitting defeat. What if, instead
of embracing positive and encouraging thoughts about ourselves, we go
to God and freely admit that in spite of all our positive and
encouraging helps we have made a total mess of things and we don't
know what to do?

We need to revisit our Christianized value system and ask some hard
questions. What makes a message "good"? What makes a church service
"edifying"? What makes a Christian song "anointed"? What makes a
ministry "positive and encouraging"? Does God even consider these
things as important criteria at the judgment seat of Christ? Do I
judge these things with righteous judgment, or do I judge them by my
feelings?

Why are a certain Christian personalities popular? Why do I read
their books and listen to their messages? Will a steady diet of
positive and encouraging words cause me to see myself as I am, or
will it seduce me into thinking I'm better than I really am? Do I
wish to be entertained into spiritual dullness or challenged into
spiritual maturity? Am I going to eat cotton candy and bubble gum for
the rest of my life or am I going to seek strong meat?

Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts to put a happy spin on things,
the most positive and encouraging thing I can say to a person is, "I
encourage you to repent, because if you don't, I'm positive that your
life will only get worse. I encourage you to lose all confidence in
yourself, take up the cross, and put your life in the very capable
hands of Another, because I am positive that apart from Him you can
do nothing." The more self-centered you are the more negative and
discouraging this sounds - and that is EXACTLY the way it should be.


Chip Brogden
http://www.TheSchoolOfChrist.Org


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

(c)2006 TheSchoolOfChrist.Org. Permission is granted for
non-commercial (free) distribution provided this notice appears.

Chris

[comitatus2]

... Awesome! Now that we have time perhaps you might shoot him an email and we can have a bit of fellowship with them

[comitatus1]

I remember several years ago in my New Testament Survey class I had a professor by the name of Dr. Carson. Although he was blind, he was probably the best professor I have ever had. One morning, as he was apt to do, he got carried away during his lecture (and we were glad for these breaks, not only because it was such a joy to hear an old saint tell us about his experiences with God, but also because we could rest our weary hands from taking notes!) and told us how, in the early morning hours of that morning, he had recited Psalm 119 from memory!

Now, I was still a fairly new Christian then, but I knew that Psalm 119 was pretty long and a quick check of my Bible confirmed this. I thought to myself, 'there is no way I'll ever do that! I wonder if there is another Psalm I can do instead?' Turning back one page, there it was: Psalm 118. In retrospect I realize that this was the Psalm God really wanted me to read and memorize. It has been a source of comfort and encouragement for me ever since.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!


I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.


Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"


I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.


This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Chris

[Elationist]

...now that's a powerful post!

My Favorite Psalm is Psalm 119! I want to have it memorized by the time I am 119.

Have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ! May He shine to you and through you!

Psalm 119:172-176 (NASB)
172 Let my tongue sing of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

[comitatus1]

Originally Posted by Elationist

My Favorite Psalm is Psalm 119! I want to have it memorized by the time I am 119.

I hope you make it!

Chris

[comitatus1]

I spent a little time watching some college football yesterday and there was a big publicity push concerning the reopening of the Super Dome in New Orleans. Apparently, over 200 million dollars (thats $200,000,000) was spent rehabilitating it. This is supposed to be a good thing. I suppose I would think it was if there weren't wide swaths of New Orleans still in shambles and there were over 200,000 people who left in the aftermath of Katrina who haven't come back.

I don't know where the money came from but I'm sure of one thing: $200,000,000 would fix a lot of houses and restore a lot of lives.

Are you ready for some football?

Chris

[comitatus1]

Mar 1:16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Mar 1:17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."


Fishing, to me, has always been a mysterious undertaking. How does one fish? First, one takes a pole with some fishing line, reel or not, with a hook at the end of the line. Then you take some bait, or a lure, and put it on the hook (or near the hook as the case may be) and cast it into the water. And then you wait...and wait...and wait. Eventually, you either end up with fish on the end of your line or you don't. Then repeat the process.

Now, I understand that part. The part I don't understand is this: What in the world determines if the fish are going to take the bait? Sure, I know that some lures are "hot" and some weather is better for fishing than others and some places on the lake are better than others (although if you ask 10 different fisherman about these variables you WILL get 10 different answers) but in the end I think it is a real mystery that no one can really explain.

I think this is why Jesus said that He would make Peter and Andrew fishers of men, because they would come to understand that fishing for people would greatly resemble fishing for fish. They would go out and cast their nets but would never really know why some people were caught and some weren't. In the end it is a mystery. As Jesus told Nicodemus, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

We also, then, are fishers of men. It is not our job to reason. It is not our job to cajole. It is not our job to frighten. It is not our job to manipulate. It is our job to simply cast the net, the net of the Word, and see what God catches with it.

Chris

[comitatus1]

A few weekends ago, TNT had a "Without a Trace" marathon. This show had been one I had wanted to watch, but since I can't stay up until 11:00 pm during the week, I had never seen it.

Now was my chance.

It it now one of my favorite shows on TV.

But I do have one problem, though. It seems to me the show is mis-titled, for if all of these people indeed disappeared "without a trace" then this would be a very depressing show, for no one would ever be found. Imagine, week after week of the FBI scouring the country for people they would never find. Of course, it is TV after all, and I suppose that other titles such as "Without an Apparent Trace" or "Without Much of a Trace" or even "If You Were an FBI Agent You Would Know Where to Look for a Trace" just don't have the same dramatic value. Oh well.

Chris

[comitatus1]

Mar 2:1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
Mar 2:2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.
Mar 2:3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Mar 2:4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
Mar 2:5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
Mar 2:6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
Mar 2:8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts?
Mar 2:9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'?
Mar 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic--
Mar 2:11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home."
Mar 2:12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"


According to this passage, the Gospel, or Good News, is 3 things:

1. Jesus is God. Ironically, the scribes, in thinking that Jesus was blaspheming, i.e. counting Himself equal with God, confirmed this.

2. Jesus has the power to forgive sins. Again, the Jews supply the confirmation that God alone can forgive sins.

3. This forgiveness is received by faith. Interestingly, the paralytic seems to have been healed not because of a demonstration of his own faith, (although just because it isn't mentioned doesn't confirm this), but rather because of the demonstration of faith by his 4 friends.

My wife remarked that this scene reminded her of this quote from James:

Jam 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Jam 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

I think she makes a great point.

Pro 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.


Chris