Comments on: Obadiah http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah Sniffing out the work of God in the world... Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:58:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: sonman http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-75956 sonman Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:12:09 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-75956 My pastor asked me to lead our Wed. night study. He said to find a small book and present what I found. WOW, God lead me to Obadiah! I had no idea, I am so humbled and moved by the mercy and grace God continually brings our way. Maybe small in words but Obadiah is packed full of Gods truths and with so much power it is AWESOME... Thank you Mike and thank you all for your in sites and comments. I am still in my study and will present what the Lord has revealed this Wed. My prayer is, Lord may I speak your words... Nothing more and nothing less. God bless yo all! My pastor asked me to lead our Wed. night study. He said to find a small book and present what I found. WOW, God lead me to Obadiah! I had no idea, I am so humbled and moved by the mercy and grace God continually brings our way. Maybe small in words but Obadiah is packed full of Gods truths and with so much power it is AWESOME… Thank you Mike and thank you all for your in sites and comments. I am still in my study and will present what the Lord has revealed this Wed. My prayer is, Lord may I speak your words… Nothing more and nothing less. God bless yo all!

]]> By: laura oldenburg http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69048 laura oldenburg Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:14:33 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69048 HI Mike We have so much stuff coming between us and our relationship with God it blurs our vision. Here at Namwianga Mission I am constantly reminded of that fact. I struggle to see the world I inhabit from the perspective of the Zambians. We have no choice here but to help each other. The need is so great and the things that would keep us from sharing ourselves and our stuff are not here. No TV no movies no starbucks and not a lot of busyness of important things which steal our time. Here there is always someone you can get to know and help. It may be as simple as listening to the story by a father about his sick child, or offering tea and toast to the students we support who are working off their tuition by helping in our garden. No place here for self absorption or satisfaction on all we have done by our own efforts. Instead we are grateful God allows us to participate in the work He already has begun. HI Mike
We have so much stuff coming between us and our relationship with God it blurs our vision. Here at Namwianga Mission I am constantly reminded of that fact. I struggle to see the world I inhabit from the perspective of the Zambians. We have no choice here but to help each other. The need is so great and the things that would keep us from sharing ourselves and our stuff are not here. No TV no movies no starbucks and not a lot of busyness of important things which steal our time. Here there is always someone you can get to know and help. It may be as simple as listening to the story by a father about his sick child, or offering tea and toast to the students we support who are working off their tuition by helping in our garden. No place here for self absorption or satisfaction on all we have done by our own efforts. Instead we are grateful God allows us to participate in the work He already has begun.

]]> By: reJoyce http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69039 reJoyce Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:54:33 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69039 Sorry Clint. ;-P Sorry Clint. ;-P

]]> By: Tina http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69038 Tina Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:32:31 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69038 This makes me respect the one-chapter book of Obadiah a whole lot more. This makes me respect the one-chapter book of Obadiah a whole lot more.

]]> By: gt http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69037 gt Sun, 11 Nov 2007 12:49:23 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69037 Didn't Hillary pull that stunt at a black church? Didn’t Hillary pull that stunt at a black church?

]]> By: Brandon Scott Thomas http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69036 Brandon Scott Thomas Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:33:54 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69036 PS: I sang at a funeral today where the preacher told a story about an old "Negro" preacher who was a former slave. I was squirming with every reference back to "Negro". And then...as he quoted the man, he went into dialect. I am NOT lying. I swear, I am going to mount a video camera to my person to capture all these moments. B PS: I sang at a funeral today where the preacher told a story about an old “Negro” preacher who was a former slave. I was squirming with every reference back to “Negro”. And then…as he quoted the man, he went into dialect. I am NOT lying. I swear, I am going to mount a video camera to my person to capture all these moments.
B

]]> By: Brandon Scott Thomas http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69035 Brandon Scott Thomas Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:31:46 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69035 I honestly don't undersatnd how this message is rejected by our churches today. It floors me. Love your heart, bro. I honestly don’t undersatnd how this message is rejected by our churches today. It floors me. Love your heart, bro.

]]> By: Frank http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69032 Frank Sat, 10 Nov 2007 19:17:06 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69032 Wow, Mike. What a fine exposition of Obadiah. So much of what I come across in print is either history for history's sake ("biblical scholarship") or devotional material that doesn't bother much with the Bible (examples abound). Thanks for bringing the good parts together. Your gift of study and expression is a real blessing. Regarding the church in Acts 2: who could deny that the contemporary church is far from the ideal? But even with Luke's pro-Christian intentions, the author of Acts has to admit that the Jerusalem church contained not only folks like Barnabas, but also lying pretenders and ethnic tension. Wow, Mike. What a fine exposition of Obadiah. So much of what I come across in print is either history for history’s sake (”biblical scholarship”) or devotional material that doesn’t bother much with the Bible (examples abound). Thanks for bringing the good parts together. Your gift of study and expression is a real blessing.

Regarding the church in Acts 2: who could deny that the contemporary church is far from the ideal? But even with Luke’s pro-Christian intentions, the author of Acts has to admit that the Jerusalem church contained not only folks like Barnabas, but also lying pretenders and ethnic tension.

]]> By: clint http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69030 clint Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:07:43 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69030 I was going to make a snide remark but reJoyce ruined that. I was going to make a snide remark but reJoyce ruined that.

]]> By: reJoyce http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69027 reJoyce Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:57:04 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69027 In my mind, it reminded me of the people who went through our son's terminal illness with us. They could have just said they'd pray for him and left it at that. Instead they sat at the hospital with us, brought food, sent money, babysat his siblings and mourned with us when he died. Having people stand with us helped us to survive it. We saw many people on that oncology ward struggling through the same thing with their children without any support. It was doubly difficult for them, I think. In my mind, it reminded me of the people who went through our son’s terminal illness with us. They could have just said they’d pray for him and left it at that. Instead they sat at the hospital with us, brought food, sent money, babysat his siblings and mourned with us when he died. Having people stand with us helped us to survive it. We saw many people on that oncology ward struggling through the same thing with their children without any support. It was doubly difficult for them, I think.

]]> By: Janaga http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69026 Janaga Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:03:32 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69026 I agree with Troy. So many of us come to church for a self help seminar, instead of looking around and noticing what is going on around you. Both can be fulfilled--self and others. Mike-loved the lesson Obadiah. Made me think about somethings. I just recently came across this blog (via Stream Franklin). I have always loved your talks. I remember sitting in the auditorium at Harding on Wednesday nights college class...I can still hear your voice. Thanks for all you do! I agree with Troy. So many of us come to church for a self help seminar, instead of looking around and noticing what is going on around you. Both can be fulfilled–self and others.
Mike-loved the lesson Obadiah. Made me think about somethings. I just recently came across this blog (via Stream Franklin). I have always loved your talks. I remember sitting in the auditorium at Harding on Wednesday nights college class…I can still hear your voice. Thanks for all you do!

]]> By: troy http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69025 troy Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:58:23 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69025 qb - Excellent question. For me, "being convicted" by Obadiah means being willing to forsake life, limb, health, and wealth for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The church has drifted so far from what is was in Acts 2, that we don't even know the people we worship with. We've been far too concerned with what church can do for us, that we are blind to the needs of our siblings in Christ. Satan is not afraid to stick his nose into someone else's business, why should we be? If we continue to pass people in church with only "hi" and "fine" on our lips, we may be unintentionally handing them a live grenade. We need to get into their lives and ask about their marriage, their finances, and their souls. The only reason we don't, is that we may have to throw ourselves on that grenade. qb - Excellent question. For me, “being convicted” by Obadiah means being willing to forsake life, limb, health, and wealth for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The church has drifted so far from what is was in Acts 2, that we don’t even know the people we worship with. We’ve been far too concerned with what church can do for us, that we are blind to the needs of our siblings in Christ. Satan is not afraid to stick his nose into someone else’s business, why should we be? If we continue to pass people in church with only “hi” and “fine” on our lips, we may be unintentionally handing them a live grenade. We need to get into their lives and ask about their marriage, their finances, and their souls. The only reason we don’t, is that we may have to throw ourselves on that grenade.

]]> By: qb http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69024 qb Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:41:06 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69024 OK, very well. These are the primary messages of Obadiah. But so what? Give me an example of what "being convicted" by Obadiah means for us. Is it a stinging word of correction to the neoPharisees in regard to parochialist doctrine? Is it yet another soapbox for the social-gospelaires to stand on and hold forth? Is it a word to my oldest son to stand up for his younger brothers in the face of a playground bully? Is it a call to throw that doughnut in the trash and go stick my nose in someone else's business even if I don't have a relationship with them in this cavernous megachurch that we "share?" qb OK, very well. These are the primary messages of Obadiah. But so what? Give me an example of what “being convicted” by Obadiah means for us. Is it a stinging word of correction to the neoPharisees in regard to parochialist doctrine? Is it yet another soapbox for the social-gospelaires to stand on and hold forth? Is it a word to my oldest son to stand up for his younger brothers in the face of a playground bully? Is it a call to throw that doughnut in the trash and go stick my nose in someone else’s business even if I don’t have a relationship with them in this cavernous megachurch that we “share?”

qb

]]> By: preacherman http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69022 preacherman Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:35:13 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69022 What a great dissucussion. Mike, I like Obadiah. What a great dissucussion.
Mike, I like Obadiah.

]]> By: Scott http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69018 Scott Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:43:11 +0000 http://preachermike.com/2007/11/08/obadiah#comment-69018 Good point Troy... that's what I was thinking as I read Mike's post, about the times I've watched a brother or sister attacked and simply stood by. Jack Reese's book The Body Broken deals with that issue so very well. There comes a time when silence is complicity. Good point Troy… that’s what I was thinking as I read Mike’s post, about the times I’ve watched a brother or sister attacked and simply stood by. Jack Reese’s book The Body Broken deals with that issue so very well. There comes a time when silence is complicity.

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