Oasis Life Journey

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2009-04-19T19:48:00.002-04:00

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Oasis Life Journey & A New Exodus

2008-11-16T17:30:00.003-05:00

A New Exodus is a particular theological perspective that is presented in Rob Bell and Don Golden's book Jesus Wants to Save Christians. Don and Rob do an excellent job unearthing and putting in plain language a perspective of Gospel that needs more air time. But not air time in the sense of marketing and big church business. It needs air time in the daily lives of Christians.

Don and Rob begin with the profound thought that, since the very first family, humanity has been dysfunctional. We are dysfunctional in how we relate to God, creation and especially each other. Scriptures record such an escalation of trouble that at one point it is 11 times worse than when Cain killed his brother Abel over land and religious preferences. As part of the escalation we should remember that this story is being told to a specific people from a specific heritage.

Specifically speaking it is the Children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The sons and daughters of the brothers Joseph. If you remember in the biblical story Joseph is one of twelve brothers who is the most disliked. He is annoying. He has dreams of grandeur and being a 'savior' for his brothers that one day they would bow to him.

The crazy thing is that this behavior makes his brothers so jealous that they plan to kill him, but one of his brothers says, 'no, that wouldn't be right.' So instead of killing him, they sell him as a slave. They tell his father that he must have been killed by a wild animal... they even tore Joseph's multi-colored robe and dipped it in animals blood.

Needless to say, Joseph may have not been well suited for working with his brothers, but somehow as a slave he managed to be promoted. I am going skip a lot of the story here... anyway, Joseph ends up in Egypt. In Egypt he ends up serving as one of Pharaoh's top people.

Joseph leads Egypt in preparing for a famine.

The famine is a long excruciating famine... but due to Joseph's foresight, Egypt and many surrounding areas are saved. Joseph's family in his father's household, hear the news that Egypt is providing for people during the famine. They can hardly believe it. They send a group of brothers to go and check things out.

They end up standing face to face in front of Joseph and don't even recognize him. He recognizes them though. He sends them away and tells them to bring the youngest brother.

They, because they are so desolate, do what he says. When they return, Joseph reveals who he really is.

He shows mercy and grace to his brothers. And brings them and the rest of his father's family to Egypt--to save them all from the reaches of this famine.

They come and stay in Egypt. The problem... it's not long till Egypt sees this people as a nuisance and a means to get something more for themselves. This family becomes enslaved under harsher and harsher treatment, becoming brickmakers for Pharoah's large building undertakings... This is where the book of Genesis ends and the 'Exodus' begins...

A word about Jesus

2008-10-22T20:40:00.003-04:00

From Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw Jesus for President...

"Jesus would enter his people's story, tears, sweat, and hunger and show them a way out that doesn't require the financial military, and political power of kings and presidents and cabinets."

Interesting things about Jesus' way...

Jesus was non-coercive.
Jesus taught a third way... something that is different than both pacifism and militarism... he taught a way of human dignity despite the dehumanizing way of society.
Jesus believed that ordinary people (like us, like his disciples) could live like he did, do what he did.
Jesus believed that ordinary people could make are very real and positive difference in the world.
Jesus believed that this movement of people would expand like mustard seed and plant and yeast.
It's always been present in the church even despite the fact that our institutional-empirical obsession has sometimes tried to snuff it out.
I believe that God is at work in the world bringing his redemption and reconciliation... forgiveness, freedom, new life is not only possible with Jesus... it's probable.

Emmanuel - God is with us!

Mercy Street

2008-08-30T07:21:00.003-04:00

What might this look like in Canton, Ohio?

Continuing the Story... CONSUMATION

2008-08-19T17:12:00.000-04:00

There is a reason, once again for holding off on continuing the story. Over the next few months... years...? I am going to be joining a few great teachers in researching and exploring 'End Times Theories'. Over the years I have become increasingly skeptical of 'End Times Folklore' that has become mainstream belief among many. What amazes me is that scholars are consistently saying something entirely different than Pop-culture... and yet Pop-culture seems to rule the day. I hope that we grow during this time of delving into the 'End Times' and the Book of Revelation.

My journey will be recorded on my main blog... benjaminyost.blogspot.com

Also, see Paul Dazet's Blog: Love Wins.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·sum·ma·tion Audio Help [kon-suh-mey-shuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun

1.	the act of consummating; completion.

2.	the state of being consummated; perfection; fulfillment.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME consummacioun (<>consummātiōn- (s. of consummātiō). See consummate, -ion]

Continuing the Story ... Church

2008-06-28T07:49:00.000-04:00

When God became flesh and moved into the neighborhood significance can be found in the fact that he fostered community. He gathered a group of misfit disciples... in many ways the left overs, the ones who weren't good enough to study with the other Rabbi's of his day. The ones who had basically flunked out and learned their families trade. So we have this strange mix of tax collectors and zealots and fisherman. These are people who usually would not get along... and they had their squabbles. But Jesus believed in them. He believed that they could do what he did, live in the way he did. (For more info see Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis or Nooma: Dust).

In other words, Jesus begins creating a community... a group of people who begin striving and learning to live the way God intends us to live in relationship with creation and each other. A holy partnership ensues between God and humanity... God's plan is coming to fruition... A holy people who will be a blessing to all peoples.

This new kingdom (using language that Jesus used) is the forming of a community that partners with God to be about God's business of redeeming creation... not just part of creation but all of Creation.

The intention is that humanity would begin fulfilling what we are designed for... way back in Genesis God gives humans partnership in tending creation... partnering with God in co-creating. Caring for the things that God cares for... however, the crisis portion of the story has seemed to speak louder. Our brokenness and stubborn desire to make our own way has damaged creation. Now God is creating a community to restore what has been broken and reconcile breach that has lead to murder and war and injustice.

Jesus promises a 'comforter', 'guide' to come and be with us helping us to learn the way of God in the world. This promise is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit which manifest himself on Pentecost. The first believers had gathered in a room, waiting and praying and deciding on what to do next. The Holy Spirit happened in upon them. They began a movement of people who joined one another through baptism to be part of God's creation redemption community. They recieved power to be God's witnesses in Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. This community is not a perfect community, but a learning, living community. A community that strives to live God's way in the world. A kingdom that does not live by the power of coersion or force... no its the power of love in its fullness. Unconditional love that is being poured out to all nations, all peoples. It's a message of goodness... it's the message of hope that all injustices will be turned upright, that what is wrong in the world will be made right

Here is a song by Derek Webb This Too Shall Be Made Right.

Continuing the Story... Christ and Theories of Atonement

2008-06-18T19:54:00.001-04:00

Theories of Atonement:

A possible explanation for how Jesus’ life and death play a role in the salvation of the human race.

In Modernism, we must always speak in absolutes or proven scientific facts. If this is the case then only one theory of atonement can be right and all others must be wrong.

However, in Post-modernism, things have changed; human kind has struggled with the idea that not everything that is true can be proven true by scientific evaluation or equations. For example, love is real, but it cannot be proven in a scientific experiments. Hence, in post-modernism a new openness exists. Instead, of absolutes, truth can be found in the midst of all things. “God is above all, in all and through all” – Eph 4:4-6.

This Table was developed in part from Brian McLaren’s Book The Story We Find Ourselves In.

Atonement Theory	Description	The Enemy
Substitution	God sent Jesus into the world to absorb all the punishment for our sins. That’s what the cross was all about. It was Jesus absorbing the punishment that all of us deserve. He became the substitute for all of us. As he suffered and died, all our wrongs were paid for, so all of us can be forgiven. Question: 1. If God wants to forgive us, why doesn’t he just do it? 2. How does punishing an innocent person make things better? (divine child abuse?)	God’s just wrath towards our sinfulness.
Ransom	We humans, through our sin, placed ourselves under the authority of Satan. Jesus comes and offers himself as a ransom for us. He says to Satan, ‘If I give you myself, will you set them free?’ Satan agrees to the bargain, and so he takes, tortures, and kills Jesus, whose self sacrifice sets us free. Of course, in the end, God double-crosses Satan—pardon the pun—by raising Jesus from the dead. So Satan is doubly the loser, and we’re set free to live for and with God again. Question: 1. Why would God be making deals with the devil?	Satan, who has us as prisoners, or kidnapped.
Christus Victor	Jesus enters into and overcomes death. This opens the door for us to enter eternal life.	Death
Perfect Penitent (C. S. Lewis)	Forgiveness, for it to be legitimate and real, requires an expression of sincere repentance. And none of us are very good at repenting. None of us can repent sincerely or fully, because deep down, a part of us, at least, still loves to sin. Our best repentance is always ambivalent, partial, holding, holding back. So this theory sees Jesus’ acceptance of death—after all, he could have escaped any number of ways—as his enacting, on behalf of the whole human race, perfect repentance for us. He becomes a representative of all humanity, and willingly submits himself to being condemned and punished on our account, in spite of his true innocence, as a way of acting out real repentance for the human race.	Our inability to enact sincere repentance. There is always just a little piece of us deep down that loves to sin.
Moral Influence	The cross demonstrates Jesus’ self-giving, his complete abandonment to God’s will, his complete self-devotion for the sake of the world. Jesus’ death completes the whole message of his life: he makes visible the self-giving love of God. When that sacrificial love touches us, we are changed internally—‘constrained’[1] is the word Paul uses for it—so that we want to stop being selfish, and we want to join God in self-giving, beginning by giving ourselves back to God, and leading us to give ourselves to our neighbors and the world too. It’s as if Jesus invites us into his self-giving. He gives himself to God, for the sake of the whole world, and he invites us into his devotion, both to God and for the world.	Selfishness and Lack of Love
Powerful Weakness (Foolish Wisdom)	Hinges on the word, ‘vulnerable’. By becoming vulnerable on the cross, by accepting suffering from everyone, Jews and Romans alike, rather than visiting suffering on everyone, Jesus is showing God’s loving heart, which wants forgiveness, not revenge, for everyone. Jesus shows us that the wisdom of God’s kingdom is sacrifice, not violence. It’s about accepting suffering and transforming it into reconciliation, not avenging suffering through retaliation. So through this window, the cross shows God’s rejection of the human violence and dominance and oppression that have spun the world in a cycle of crisis from the story of Cain and Abel through the headlines in this morning’s Washington Post; I don’t know . . . this theory might be nonsense, but maybe there’s a grain of truth in it. The cross calls humanity to stop trying to make God’s kingdom happen through coercion and force, which are always self-defeating in the end, and instead, to welcome it through self-sacrifice and vulnerability.”	Human power, or arrogance, or pride, especially religious pride. We think we can do it all in our own way, our timetable, our methodology, our cleverness. We just mess things up. Human Violence, Dominance and Oppression.
God’s Agony Made Visible	God’s agony made visible on the cross. The pain of forgiving, the pain of absorbing the betrayal and forgoing any revenge, or risking that your heart will be hurt again, for the sake of love, at the very worst moment, when the beloved has been least worthy of forgiveness, but stands most in need of it. It’s not just something legal or mental. It’s not just words; it has to be embodied, and nails and thorns and sweat and tears and blood strike me as the only true language of betrayal and forgiveness. Jesus is able to forgive and ask God to forgive us on the cross. Jesus is showing that if he could forgive us at that moment, at our ugliest, lowest point, then we should forgive one another.	The Pain of Forgiving people at their least worthy moment.

* The Descriptions have been borrowed from Brian McLaren’s book, The Story We Find Ourselves In (pages 101-106).

[1] I believe this in reference to 1 Corinthians 9:15-17 when Paul basically says he doesn’t do what does for himself, he does it because he is ‘compelled’/’constrained’ to preach Christ.

Questions... How might we be bringing the kingdom of heaven to fruition in the here and now?

2008-06-09T12:07:00.000-04:00

These Questions were borrowed from Paul Dazet and New Hope Community in Boardman, OH. However, I thought that they were good questions. Questions that need to be considered as Oasis Life Journey continues to form (although she is only in the conception stages - vision stages of her life). Where is Oasis Life Journey? Well, it is currently located in a home on the Northeast side of Canton, OH the Home of the Football Hall Of Fame. If your interested in hearing more about it please continue to read the blog and post. So check out and consider the following questions.

What are the unique needs where God has placed us? in our city? in our neighborhood?

How are these needs reflected socially, economically, ethnically, environmentally, politically, and religiously?

What arena of our community is the furthest from the utopia that God wants to restore?

What burning issues are alive in the public's eye and brought to attention by the media?

What needs and opportunities do the industries specific to our area create?

What is the most significant change in our community in the last decade, and what need does this create?

What are the largest community events, and what needs or opportunities do they create?

Because of our specific location, what solution could we provide that no other church does?

How would we describe the "atmosphere of lostness" in our community?

What is the creation story of our particular community, and what insight does this afford?

Does the history of our community bring to light any spiritual strongholds?

What one positive change in our community would have the most dramatic effect in people's lives?
Questions are from the book "Church Unique" by Will Mancini

Interpretation

2008-05-31T18:06:00.000-04:00

20080531 Oasis Life Journey Blog

Reading: Gerald Bray’s Biblical Interpretation Past & Present, Intervasity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois,1996, pg. 75.

In a discussion on the uniqueness of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, Bray speaks of the book of Hebrews as laying out a new hermeneutic for understanding and interpreting Hebrew scriptures. This hermeneutic needed to recognize the authority of the Old Testament canon as Scripture and at the same time demonstrate that through Christ its central teaching had been superseded by a new revelation.

Bray then writes, “For Christians, the Torah no longer possessed absolute authority, even if it was fully inspired. God who had previously spoken by the prophets had now spoken in his Son, and that changed everything. A hermeneutic which was not Christ centered had no validity, whatever exegetical methods might be used.”

What is remarkable about this to me, is that this means that all of scripture needs to be interpreted in connection with the message, life, and way that Jesus lived. What we believe about Jesus is that he is God in flesh. He is the exact representation of God on earth. Jesus’ way holds a key in understanding God’s ‘dream’ for humanity. Jesus’ life is God’s way in the world.

This life is marked by unconditional love.

· Love that lead Jesus to eating with tax collectors and sinners.

· Love that touched lepers.

· Love that crossed boundaries to speak to an outcast Samaritan woman.

· Love that stood up and taught against religious pride, prejudice, and blindly walking on your way in the midst of injustice.

· Love that is controversially merciful.

· Love that lays his life down even for the ones who are persecuting him.

In this context how do we interpret Torah? How do we account for God’s call to destroy a nation or a people? What about Joshua going up against Jericho? What makes it right and good for David or Solomon to slaughter their enemies? What about the judges, like Samson? Samson who is praised for killing hundreds with the skull of donkey?

How might these passages and many more be interpreted in the context of Jesus’ life?

Continuing the Story... Christ

2008-04-03T23:54:00.001-04:00

The conversation has ensued for years. From Adam and Eve to Noah to Abraham to the nation Israel who is rescued from Egypt, who makes it into the promised land, becomes a kingdom, struggles with who God has called them to be, sometimes behaves like Jonah (okay... quite often behaves like Jonah... and we still behave like Jonah) and then biblically speaking there are 400 years of silence. Maybe that's why it's been so long since my last post... actually it may also be the fact that thi next topic is more than I can comprehend.

Anyway, God prepares the way of a new kind of people... A people formed in God's very own nature through knowing his son Jesus--who is fully God and yet fully human. In fact, he is both the perfect expression of who God is and is the perfect expression of what it means to be human. I can't say that I fully understand this; however, this is what generations of Christians have confessed to be true about him. And it is also at the heart of who Jesus himself said that he was, as he says that he and the Father are one.

So Jesus comes... Or is it God comes... Yes.

Now, what is most unique, most intriguing is not that God comes, but the way in which he comes.

He is God right? so wouldn't God come in power? Force? Judgement? Forever establishing and enforcing his reign over humankind...?

Funny this is the kind of power that Roman and Greek gods exert. This is the kind of pantheon that existed in Mesopotamian culture when God was forming the Hebrew people. However, God enters creation differently than expected.

It is so different that Pilate asks Jesus the question... ? what, are you a KING?

In other words, Jesus didn't possess the typical characteristics of kingship nor diety... and yet he, according to the apostle Paul is the exact representation of God our Father.

What is going on?

The God who enters creation enters not with power and sword... he enters into the lives of a poor family in a 'hick' town--nothing good can come from there!?!

Wow! Rich, Awesome, Holy, Powerful, God enters into the story among poor folk... among common folk. God demonstrates care and concern for those who are most often left out or cast out. This seems to be a theme throughout the gospels... Jesus enters a lepper colony and touches them, Jesus enters among the sickest part of town and touches people. Jesus also enters into the rich peoples houses... and he calls them to give their possessions and their lives away.

... the story continues...

Something else is intriguing about this God... he doesn't bring a sword to dash his enemies to pieces. Many people wish he did... It would make life easier... we could do what would like to do live and die by the sword and that would be glorious... however Jesus does something different... instead of a sword he heals... even his enemy... even the enemy that dragging him a way to his unjust, unfair, rigged trial.

Not only does Jesus get dragged away by this mob... he goes on trial. The trial is unique... In some ways God goes on trial... what's interesting... how does God respond to being put on trial... wouldn't this be the final straw... wouldn't this be the point where God comes in and save the day putting his enemies to shame in a bloodbath of divine right... hmm... no. Jesus demonstrates love.

God demonstrates love.

Even after his persecuters are beating him... even after they have hung him on cross to be shamed, undignified in front of all of creation... God doesn't exact revenge...

God gives forgiveness.

That doesn't make sense.

You can't forgive your enemies; they will take advantage of you. The will use and abuse you and leave we wasted...

But that is what God does...

What is God trying to say?

I believe God is trying to say that love... unconditional love wins.

Love that lays down ones life for others even ones enemies wins...

But it doesn't win by brute force, or swiftness, or cunning...

Love wins...

It is interesting that in the new testament (and old testament) that love is a major theme. At one point, one author writes God is love... in the Old testament King David recognized who God was... "God is good... and his love endures forever." Jonah recognized... "I knew that if I went to Ninevah that they would repent and God would relent and not send calamity."

And Jesus shows us who God is. Jesus shows us God's heart. And Jesus shows us what it means to be really human.

I don't have all the answers... I don't fully understand all of the implications that this kind of thinking will have on my life.

I realize that some people might see God's response as weak. Granted some biblical writers have said the same thing... however, something deeper, tougher, harder is going on...

Have you ever had to forgive someone you really loved of complete and total betrayal?

Now that is difficult. And it is painful.

It may seem weak but it takes tremendous courage... because to forgive leaves us vulnerable once again.

God became vulnerable on the cross... vulnerable to pain, abuse, vulnerable to even death.

Jesus cries out in thirst. Some scholars have looked at that passage as though God was not just crying out of a physical thirst but crying out for physical spiritual thirst... a thirst for all of humanity and thirst for God. And in that is a thirst for reconciliation. At the center of God's desire for creation is reconciliation. God wants to take what has been horrendously broken and hurt and torn apart and redeem it... God wants to put us back together again.

The way in which we can be put back together again?

Is through God's kind of love. And God's kind of love bring hope... not hope of escaping but the hope of real resurrection... the hope of real redemption.

...

there is so much in this section... I will have to continue this later on... I hope to delve into some of the theories about Christ's life, death, and resurrection. This is long... and I am tired... have a good night or day or whatever... please comment with questions, ideas, answers, whatever...

CONVERSATION

2007-11-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

Picking up where I left off. This blog is best read from earliest date to current...

Over the years this family of Abraham (not in picture, I just thought the picture was unique) who is called to be blessed to bless becomes a covenant community. This covenant is further developed in the rest of the Books of the Old Testament or Hebrew Scriptures.

What we find in the story is that this covenant community goes through periods of whole heartedly following after God, waning, rebelling and then returning to God's way; and then, once again repeating the cycle.

God's action through out this repeating cycle is to inspire individuals to want people to live God's way. Hence an ongoing conversation develops.

Four types of people enter into the conversation deliberately striving to help people know God and live according to His way.

Priests were the first to develop at the founding of God's people on Mt. Horeb where God handed down the ten commandments to Moses. Priests were set up to lead God's people in reconciliation before God and one another. The sacrificial system is designed to demonstrate the importance and value of being "right" in relationship with God and others. Priest were people who helped the conversation between God and people.
Prophets were non-clergy who passionately proclaimed and lived God's way before the people. They were voices that brought people to realize their need to repent and be people of integrity before God and one another.
Poets, like King David, helped people to understand who God is through poetry. Poetry gave voice to many aspects of human life from love to worship, to lamentation to praise.
Philosophers used practical, everyday observation to proclaim the wonders of God and how humankind should relate with God and one another.

If you notice each group of people fulfilled the two fold command that Jesus presents as the greatest commandment--simplified: to love God, to love people.

I guess the truth or point of this is that God still continues the conversation. How he calls people and inspires them I do not fully understand. However, that doesn't make it any less possible. We can look at history and see various people who have filled some of these roles; like, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Poets and song writers continue to write songs, movies, books that continue to challenge humanity. The interesting thing is that many of these are sometimes far outside the faith, but yet they call people towards appropriately relating to self and others. And often relating to self includes a spiritual aspect; a reliance or faith in something greater than oneself.

In other words, the conversation continues; God still inspires people to seek his kingdom and his justice.

CALL

2007-09-11T17:23:00.001-04:00

Well, here I am continuing the story. In Part One, I wrote about God's good CREATION. And You and I are beautiful people whom God created. And no matter how much part two of the story (CRISIS) gets into the mix there is always a mark of that beauty within us that God continues to encourage us to live out. In other words part three is about CALLING.

Although the theme of calling is all throughout scripture we are going to stay in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. In chapter 12 God calls a man to leave his current identity to become the father of the nation and people whom God wants to bless to be blessing.

Imagine, God comes to you and says leave everything you have known. Leave your family. Leave your homeland. Leave the security of your current way of life. Leave your occupation and go to the place I will show you. Well, this is just about what God does to Abram. (See Genesis 12:1-3, you may want to open it in a new window).

What is most interesting about this passage is God's promise to Abram. God says, "Abram, you do this--leave your family--and I will do this." Notice what God is going to do for Abram. Abram a childless man at the time... Abram I will make you a great nation, I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing... in fact, I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through."

Notice the catch phrases... Great Nation, Bless You, Your Name Great, You will be a blessing, all on earth will be blessed through you.

GREAT NATION, YOUR NAME GREAT
In our minds we usually think of some powerful nation that other nations fear, but imagine a people group who are great because they are great people. Who is a great person? What makes a person great? What do you think characterizes a great person, a great nation? Hmmm, I suppose it would be someone (or a group of someone's) who really cared and really accomplished great things for others. I think they are the kind of people that people would want to be around, why? because they are the kinds of people that would find ways to lift you up, they would believe in you, they would believe that there is still hope (think Luke Skywalker for his father, 'I know there is still good in you').

BLESS YOU, YOU WILL BE A BLESSING, ALL PEOPLE
Blessing is a powerful word in scripture. It's means more than I can tell you in a single blog, but here is a small gist... I once heard it described this way... pretend you are a sailor and you depend on the wind to move your ship... imagine that the wind is against you or there is no wind at all, this can be problematic... blessing is when the wind is at your back propelling you forward towards goodness and a successful journey. And God tells Abram I will bless, but not only will I bless you but you will be a blessing... you will put wind in other peoples sails, you will propel them on towards goodness and successful journeys. In fact, this will be so abundantly true that all people, all over creation will be blessed through you.

Wow!

Now lets put both together... God calls Abram and his descendants towards Greatness and that greatness is surrounded by blessing. But it is not blessing for blessings sake, it is blessing for blessing others' sake. In other words, God is forming, calling a people who would some how reverse the cycle of pain caused by the crisis part of the story.

Some of you picked up on the part about God cursing those who curse Abram and/or his descendants. At first look we think God is vengeful, crass and crude, but let us think a little deeper. Imagine this people who have God's wind in their sails, meaning that they are going and are living life God's way and are being a blessing to all the people they come in contact with... Then, imagine with me the kind of people who would be against that, they would be essentially crass and crude causing harm not blessing, damaging God's creation, abusing people and animals and land, this people would have the 'breath' of God against them... They're not going God's way, God's wind/breath cannot be backing their sails. They are going against the flow of God's good creation and that is a curse to any one near them.

In other words, in the midst of crisis, God calls a people to be Great by being a blessing. And anyone can join this family of God-followers by simply turning the sail. And the change makes a world of difference. But what's also neat about this... the things that you have done, in the past, that have entered into the realm of greatness and have blessed others they're not discounted. No, it's included in the blessing, and the places where we have been part of the cursing--the damaging of God's good creation, these are mysteriously left behind as we move forward with God's breath filling our sails and propelling us forward towards true greatness and blessing to be a blessing.

...As much as I love this part of the story, were are not at the end of the journey yet. We can look at scripture and tell that humanity has continued to suffer from the crisis... we can look at christianity and see places where we have been more a part of the cursing than the blessing, but I encourage you to hang in there... the plot thickens. And the craziest thing about the whole thing is we make a difference in this story. This is strangely our story. Come back next time for Part IV: The ongoing CONVERSATION between God and people.

Just a connection to my other blog...

2007-09-06T00:30:00.000-04:00

I know it's been awhile since I posted to Oasis Life Journey...
I am still planning on finishing 'the story'. I haven't forgotten. I have just been dispersed. For an example of dispersed click this: Random, Heaven Kisses Earth.

Born Again?

2007-08-30T12:34:00.000-04:00

(I posted this on my other blog, but it speaks to me so I posted here too. I will get back to the other story soon.)

What does John 3 mean when Jesus says, 'You must be born again?'

After struggling with this passage for years and still realizing that I don't fully get it, I hope to present a possibility.

"The Story ~ Nicodemus, a religious leader in Jesus' day, comes under the cover of darkness to discuss spirituality with Jesus."
Nicodemus: "Rabbi, we all know that God has sent you to teach us, Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You."
Immediately Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God."

Jesus has a habit of taking things to a deeper level. Most of the time, I am only scratching the surface like Nicodemus, yet, Jesus is operating at a whole other level.

What is the Kingdom of God, biblically speaking? The place, the time and the people where things are happening according to how God wants things to work. Some people might want to shut me off at this point, because I am putting God's sovereignty in question. God has created a creation outside of himself. Meaning this creation can operate either according to God's way, or in rejection of God's way. The above statement assumes that there are places where things are not happening according to God's intentions and desire/will ~ meaning that God has somehow limited his own soveriegnty. The job or work of those who connect with the Kingdom of God are to live according to God's intentions in this time, in the place where they are, among the people with whom they find themselves. (Sorry for the aside but I think it is necessary.)

Anyway, I was reading Rob Bell's book Sex God. He speaks about how radically disconnected humanity is ~ Disconnected from God, from self, from others, from creation.

I have been wondering about the Holy Spirit. What is it/he? I have been told tons of things but what is it? (I will speak more on this in a future blog).

Back to John, Jesus says to Nicodemus that he must be born again. Nicodemus naturally wonders and questions, "Say what? I can't enter in my mother's womb again."

Jesus continues to speak, "Unless you are born of spirit and of the flesh, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God." Is Jesus saying that unless Nicodemus is connected both to his spirit and his flesh he cannot connect to the Kingdom of God?

Here's what I am thinking:

Nicodemus is a Pharisee. He's part of the 'religious elite' those who want to take the law to the max in order to maximize life on earth. However, following the law doesn't fulfill the human need. It's only outward striving and tends to become legalistic and detached from personhood. Nicodemus was part of a sect who believed that if everybody would just live by the rules everything would be better. However, in believing this they inflicted their rules on others, putting people under a heavy burden of trying to work one's way to peace with God.

And Jesus says, unless you are connected with the physical and the spiritual, you cannot experience the Kingdom of God. Pharisees had disconnected the two. Pharisees were operating on the physical level. Jesus seems to be getting to the heart of Nicodemus. Nicodemus has spent so much time on the physical - looking like a religious person, that he has missed the real connection between himself and God. It's interesting some of us are like Nicodemus in this passage. We've tried to do things on the physical level but it has left us empty and disconnected. There are also some of us who focus on the spiritual and disconnect ourselves from the physical. We search for spiritual highs and think that that is what it means to be fully alive.

I think Jesus is saying that these two need to be fully connected, made one with the other, held in tension with one another. And Jesus' way fulfills this... how well it's very mysterious.

Here is an example of a time when I experienced connection. I was sick, dreadfully sick with a bronchitus or some other type of respiratory illness, coughing, sneezing, running nose, head-aches, fever, I felt horrible. And one of my students calls me up and says, "hey, ben, me and a friend need someone to talk to..." I look at my watch its about 9pm and I've already put in long day and let me remind I was sick. I mentioned that I was sick, but would 'love' to talk with them if they came knowing that I was sick and tired...

The two came over, it must have been around 9:30 pm or so... we began the discussion... they poured out their hearts to myself and my wife. And although I didn't feel like had anything left to give I gave all that I had to listen and encourage...

Something happened that night that I can't fully explain. All I know is that in those moments of honest connection with one another, that we recognized that God was among us. We felt both the spiritual and physical become one -- we were connected, we were real, and life changed. And I felt real. And though I was sick, I felt alive. But it wasn't about me. It was a time when the Kingdom of God expressed itself on earth, in my home, on my couch, with my two cats and these three other people, and we opened ourselves to be connected in authentic community.
We cried, we confessed, we shared, we laughed and were connected. And the connection wasn't with just each other, it was so much deeper, we were connected with how God intends things to be.

Did all of the circumstances disappear? No. But we had partners for the journey.
Partners who respected and honored one another.

May you be spiritually and physically connected to the realness of God in your world, where you are, among the people whom you are with, and if you are searching for a place and people to be connected seek out a group of people who love you, accept you and encourage you to be the best you that you can be.

Loving God, Loving People, Following Jesus,
Ben

You Never Let Go - song by Matt Redman

2007-08-25T12:30:00.001-04:00

Taking a short break from the story, but this is still relevant.

CRISIS

2007-08-20T20:28:00.000-04:00

Previously I shared about Creation. God created the heavens and the earth and he called it good (It's interesting how dualism has set into the western Christian faith despite the fact that scripture tells us point blank that God has created of everything and he calls it good. There is no divide between spiritual and physical. Both are good. But this is a topic for another time).

Not only did God create a good creation, God created humankind, male and female together in God's own image. And this deposit, whatever it may be, is still in all humanity. This is the image God continually calls us and encourages us to bring out in everyday life.

This humanity is good, and God gives humanity the keys to the earth so to speak. God has not created slaves to do his bidding. Instead he has created a masterpiece and gives humanity the great honor to care and tend to this beautiful place. Humanity has the privilege of learning about it, experiencing it, and naming it.

In the midst of all this goodness, God, creating a real world that in part has the ability to choose it's own destiny, creates one boundary of respect within this good world. The first humans have the ability to respect God's boundaries or step over God's boundaries. The first humans have good intentions and avoid crossing this boundary for a time; however, something enters the story. Adam and Eve, as the Genesis narrative shares, are confronted with the idea that God is withholding something from them.

For them it is like God withholding part of his godlikeness from them. The serpent in the story presents the glimmer of distrust that Adam and Eve focus on. The fruit seems good. The fruit looks good. The fruit smells good. And the serpent promises that it will give them 'god-like' power to discern, to know good from evil. This tree has been called the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent focuses in on something humans want... they want to be like God.

Most children I know want to be like their parents. Teenagers especially... younger children put on mom and dad's shoes and jewelry and try to run the sweeper or push a fisher-price lawnmower, but teens they want parent-like power ~ the ability to chose their own destiny and make their own rules.

Similarly, Adam and Eve see god-likeness something to be had... and, of course, God doesn't want to keep 'god-likeness' from us does he? Adam and Eve take of the fruit. They cross the boundaries. They take for themselves what isn't theirs.

It's interesting, for people to trust one another, there has to be respect for one another's boundaries. When someone does not respect your boundaries, trust is hard to come by. One night my wife and I managed to leave our garage door open all night. My wife was the last one out three, so I assumed she had shut the door. Well, the next morning I woke, went to prepare my coffee and looked out the kitchen window... The garage door was wide open. I became angry... why? Not because the door was left open, but because I felt vulnerable. I felt the pain of the thought of having something of mine stolen. Why? because, although I want to trust my neighbors and there are many whom I do trust, there have been occurrences of missing items, bikes stolen in broad daylight... there is a bus stop less than thirty feet from my garage... I am in a sense fearful of someone crossing my boundaries and taking what is mine.

And humanity is the culprit. Humanity has crossed the line. Rob Bell (in Velvet Elvis) wrote, "the greatest truth about Adam and Eve is not that they existed; the greatest truth is that their story is our story, it still happens..." People still cross the boundaries. People still take what isn't theirs. People still live to fulfill their selfish desires, and it wreaks havoc in all kinds of ways.

Relationships are broken. Distrust is born. We are left isolated, detached.

Not only does crossing the boundaries mess up Adam and Eve's relationship with God... they can no longer face God without shame, they are fearful God will dislike them and destroy them, so they hide.

They also, begin to hide from each other. The once completely vulnerable, open, authentic (naked and unashamed) couple now cover themselves. They hide their differentness. They begin to protect themselves and build up walls of indifference to avoid the possibility of pain because deep within they can't fully trust one another.

This breach in relationship has devastating effects. Adam names Eve (in other words he objectifies her and treats her as an animal). Cain (son of Adam and Eve) murders his own brother. Lamech (son of Cain) boasts of how quickly he will kill a person for looking at him wrong. God laments... "What have I done? These people's hearts are on evil all the time." God plans to destroy the earth, but before he carries out his 'appropriate' judgment, he sees Noah. And God begins the plan of redemption... He rescues Noah and his family. And God in many ways begins anew. But it's only a few verses later when the breach continues and Noah crosses the boundaries...(read about it in Genesis)

Today, we don't have to look very far to recognize the 'fall of humanity'. Read the newspaper, watch the news... many of us have experienced theft and violence. All of us have experienced the deep hurt of someone crossing our boundaries in all kinds of ways. Many of us (if not all) have added to the hurt and harm. We've done our share of crossing boundaries. As Brian McLaren said it, "This is the crisis we find ourselves in" (The Story We Find Our Selves In) .

The Biblical story does not cover up human evil--the harm we do to society, self, creation, and against God. The Bible honestly shares the story of a God who seeks to redeem (to make something worthwhile again) his creation.

My coming blogs will seek to tell the story of God's plan and work in redeeming creation.

I guess at the end of all this... the only question I have... Are you perpetuating evil in the world you live, or are you partnering with God to bring redemption/reconciliation?

In my best times I am a partner with God... in my worst times, I perpetuate evil. "O Lord have mercy."

Books that Have Helped me: The Story We Find Ourselves In by Brian McLaren, Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell, The whole Bible, most specifically informed by Genesis (I encourage you to read Genesis).

Creation Narrative Part II

2007-08-04T19:40:00.000-04:00

homeschoolingX4 wrote
Huh? I love mythology. Very interesting story but I find it hard to understand what you are implying. Are you implying that all religion was created to manipulate humans? Hmm. Also, you have some typos and missing words. This is coming from the homeschooling mom...LOL...Sorry.

Sorry about the typos and missing words... I do not have a proofreader and unfortunately as I read my own stuff, I think things are there even when its not... it's in my head... sorry, I will try a little harder to do better.

Well, this second part is about the implications and how the Enuma Elish and Genesis Creation Narratives bring into light some really cool things about Creator God.

When we begin to read the Genesis creation narrative (2 accounts are found in Genesis 1 and 2). We start to notice that the Hebrews are coming from a different perspective altogether. Yahweh or Elohim, which are Hebrew names for God, has something altogether different in mind for creation.

1. Creation is this beautiful poetic peaceful utterance of words. Creation is a calling (not forcing) of things into existence. More like a painter might bring a scene into focus with each careful stroke or a musician carefully and attentively breathes tones into existence to form a glorious melody. Here God, Elohim, is gently calling creation into being. With each new vocalization more beauty and tranquility can be beheld. Have you ever walked through a wooded area in the cool of the day, enjoying the freshness of Nature. Yes, there may be a rush of exhilaration in the beauty of the moment, but creation is not forced in the Hebrew scriptures. No, we have an artist diligently blending one movement into the next creating a masterpiece. A real world. With real water, real land, real trees, real animals and swimming creatures and birds of the air (even most insects have their own unique beauty although they make many of us squirm).

So here we see creation as part of an artist's dream coming to real life. Not the results of some bloody war between some unknown spiritual beings. Instead, God creates, gently calling things into being. I venture to say he caresses it into existence as two lovers may caress into existence a new life. Yes, full of passion and vigor and honesty and love. Yet full of peace as two hearts are made into one. (I believe this is the image that Rob Bell brings to life in his book Sex God, I haven't read but hope to read it soon.)

2. In Enuma Elish, the Mesopotamian Creation Narrative, Marduk creates humanity simply to make slaves. These slaves would carry out the wills of the gods. In other words, slaves of the state who would build pyramids or temples or cities or whatever the rulers thought would make their lives easier and the common folks more obedient. However, the Creator of the universe according the Hebrew Creation narratives creates people on purpose for relationship to participate in community so that God could lavish them with love and talk with them in the 'cool of the day'. God creates and calls these humans, male and female made in his image together, good.

3. But God doesn't stop there, Humanity are not simply slaves of God. No, humanity is something more than that. God entrusts to humanity all of creation. He gives humanity the ability name it (explore, seek to understand and to know it). Humanity partners with God in caring for all of creation. God doesn't leave it, no God continues to be present. God continues to call it into being all that it might be. This creation is a real working living breathing world. Full of life, not stagnant but good, growing, somehow expanding, and Humanity is given the great honor to be its caretakers, like the caretakers of a very special Garden (definitely not slaves).

See how different the God of the Hebrews is. The One God who is holy and creator of all that is.
God has created all that we see and it is good. Well, I know you want to jump ahead in the story but let us stay a little while longer in God's good creation.

Not only is creation good, but humanity is good. Humanity as God intends humanity to be is good. The first male and female are shown to be naked and unashamed. They can be 100% completely honest and vulnerable with one another. Each respects the other as they are and as equal. (Hebrew... Ezer Cenegdo... when God goes to create a helpmate for the Adam (lone human. Ezer Cenegdo speaks of one who faces the other as equal, a force to be reckoned with in a good way, not weaker, may be different but never the lesser, one who is equally worthy of respect and honor--- I may write about this again later, I must thank Chuck Coleson a professor at Nazarene Theological Seminary for sharing this thought with me). Each are honored and together (only together) are good.

What truth can one possibly glean from this:
a) God is good. All the Time. All the Time. God is Good. Or as Psalm 118 says, Give thanks to the Lord, He is good. His Love endures forever.
b) Creation and Humanity are Good originally. And Let us take out originally or change the wording a little. You, as God created you to be, are beautiful and good. God designed you to be an awesome, unique person in community with his good creation and himself. Today, is a day when you can begin listening to God's story about you, instead of the story so many others have told about you, or even the story you have created about you. You are beautiful and dearly loved by God. I know you want to say but... but hold off don't do it... Just live in the moment, imagine if you must the beautiful you whom God created. Let that good person live and be known with others. If you are looking for friendship, seek out a group of people who will affirm this about and help you be the good you that you want to be and believe God has created you to be. (Oasis Life Journey exists to be this kind of community.)

Stay there a moment longer... longer yet... a little longer yet let that thought penetrate your soul. God created you beautiful and good. Be continually becoming that beautiful good person. God is with you.

...

The next entry will be on Crisis... we all knew it was coming but hang in there for the exciting rest of our/God's story.

Please read Genesis.

May God bless you and the reading, studying and incarnating of his word.

Creation

2007-07-24T17:11:00.001-04:00

Have you ever heard the Mesopotamian creation narrative called, Enuma Elish?

Well, it is a creation narrative that was around back before Moses' day. It was also supposedly a story that was from the same general geographical area. What is interesting is that there are a few ties between it and the Creation Narratives found in Genesis 1 and 2.

Although a few similarities are present, many differences exist.

In the Enuma Elish, there are primarily three gods that get the most air time. Apsu is the father god, Tiamat is the Mother and Marduk is a god who is born a little later. Anyway, the story begins with Apsu and Tiamut having a bunch of god children. After a while Apsu begins to get annoyed with the noisiness and playfulness of the children. Apsu goes to Tiamat and presents a plan to kill the kids so they can have some peace and quiet. Tiamat rejects this plan; however, two of the siblings overhear the conversation and share this with all of their other siblings.

Granted you would probably be ticked too if you dad was talking to your mother about doing you in. Well, the children rise up against Apsu and kill him. Tiamat is infuriated. She creates monsters to attack and destroy the children. During the bloody battles Marduk rises up and defeats the monsters and pursues Tiamat.

He kills Tiamat and slices her in half. Her top half becomes the sky (clouds, sun, moon, stars...) Her bottom half creates planet earth.

All of the children gods, begin a great celebration. But then a problem arises--no one wants to serve the gods. Every wants to party without responsibility.

Marduk comes up with this grand idea, let's create humans to be our slaves. They will serve the gods and we can just live the high life.

Well, as you can tell this is a pretty ugly, bloody battle that creates planet earth. Secondly, human kind has no real value; they are just slaves; that is their whole purpose.

Now just imagine with me... if you were the leaders of tribe that was bordering on becoming a 'great' nation, and you wanted to get stubborn people to do your work for you to build the buildings and so forth... what would you do... How about create a religion that objectifies humankind and makes them worthless, except as slaves to be traded.

Well you can imagine what kind of nation Babylon was.

Well, tune in later for part two to hear about how the Genesis Creation Narratives differ...

Well, I haven't posted for a while...

2007-07-14T16:06:00.001-04:00

I am now moved into my house. Which was the first part of the process of beginning a house church. If you might be interested in hearing more and live in Canton Ohio please post.

Loving God, Loving People, Following Jesus,
Ben

What Is Oasis Life Journey

2007-06-25T21:29:00.001-04:00

Oasis Life Journey is a kind of church that I want to start. As I have read through both old and new testament books, I can't help but notice the kinds of things that happen when people are on a journey in the wilderness and are confronted with wilderness.

Oasis in the Bible are places where people rest from a long journey. It's not a place to call home, but it is a place to stop and rest. A place where one is refreshed. One dictionary said that Oasis is a fertile place surrounded by desert wilderness. Another said that an oasis is a place where there is a well or a spring in the desert. And yet another said that an oasis is a place of abundance. And yet another said it was a haven--a place of safety.

In Exodus 15, the Israelite people came to an Oasis. It was after a few days without food or water. They had barely escaped the Egyptian army. Somehow the Red Sea had parted for them to cross on dry ground while the Egyptians were crushed. They attributed this to the power of a god who called himself, "I am what I am." What does that mean? In a Hebrew transliteration his name is Yahweh. At any point, you can imagine, I get cranky by 6 pm if I haven't eaten since noon. These people were pretty cranky. The journey had been hard. They were grumbling. They grumbled against Yahweh and their leader Moses.

Well, they finally came to an Oasis. They called it Marah which means, 'bitter'. I suppose we all experienced times in our lives where we finally thought we were getting what we wanted only to find it was really just a mirage or rotten, unsatisfying, spit out of your mouth disgust. Well, this was one of the those times for Israel.

They complained to Moses. Moses prayed for his dear life that Yahweh would do something. Somehow, Yahweh lead Moses to a certain root. A root that when tossed into the bitter water, the bitter water became drinkable. It reminds me of my grandmother's house. She has well water. None of the family really likes her water. Most don't even like to take a shower in it. Well, over the last few years something happened and made the water worse. It would come out of the faucet orange sometimes brown. Now she has a 'root' (filtration system) in the basement that filters her well water. However, it still isn't drinkable, at the faucet she adds another filter. The water isn't horrible but it doesn't fully quench ones thirst.

I suppose this is how that stagnant water was at Marah. Moses was able to add a root that made it drinkable, but it wasn't the cool, pure, refreshing water one hopes for.

Yahweh then somehow speaks through Moses. Moses warns the people to follow Yahweh, to listen to Yahweh and keep Yahweh's commands. If the people do this Yahweh promises to provide for them and be their healer.

Yahweh is kind of funny about this... because here the people know that they are only stopping to rest and refill and retool and heal one another... they are not to stay at the Oasis, it will dry up.

So they move on. After a few days, Yahweh leads them to another Oasis. Yahweh reveals his heart for the people. This Oasis is called Elim which means many palms. In other words it is a place of abundance. Not only is there water (12 springs) at this oasis, there are 70 palm trees. These trees may have been fruit bearing trees...

There seems to be a hidden concept behind the numbers of this story. There our 12 tribes of Israel. Each have a spring that is sufficient for quenching their thirst. It's also spring water, so it is cool and refreshing. This water doesn't need filtered its fresh and pure. Then there are 70 palm trees. It strikes me that 70 is made of seven tens. Seven is a number that represents infinity (in this case I believe it represents that God's provision is abundant), the number 10 represents the idea of complete. In other words there is enough for everyone. God has provided water and shade for everyone.

Oasis is a place of abundance. I believe God has more places of abundance in store for all people on the journey of life.

Many times we have sought to find sustenance, but have come up with bitterness.

Yahweh has another Oasis in store for us, when we listen, follow and obey his commands he will be our healer, our provider. You are welcome to join the discussion and enter into the Oasis Life Journey.

Oasis Life Journey

2007-06-04T19:48:00.000-04:00

An emerging community who love God, love people, care for creation, and teach and live the way of Jesus in everyday life.