Comments for OPISO

Comment on Gospel Stories by Dan Chung

Dan Chung — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:02:19 +0000

I loved your story. I work in a liquor store in Oakland, and I see many poor people there. And it’s hard working and everything, but one thing I believe that God wanted me to learn is to have compassion for those people. When I work, it is great when I feel certain compassion for the people who come in to buy cigarettes or alcohol. One time, I gave some change to a person who was sitting outside. We had a great conversation, too. But asking for prayer like you guys did, that was truly an act of the Holy Spirit. Thanks.

Much refreshed,
Dan

Comment on A Lesson on Radical Transparency from The Fall by Albert Camus by ~steveT

~steveT — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 03:04:13 +0000

i love this line: “our transparency will help those around us recognize their need.” i so agree. even with those who seem to have it all together — there’s something unique, refreshing and disarming in this world full of pretense — with authenticity….

no hidden agendas, no ulterior motives…. listening, loving, caring and giving — those Jesus-like characteristics can reach into the hearts of even those who seem entirely content. oddly enough, it’s because of this that i have a little trouble with this line: “Of course our aim is to bring about repentance and redemption through Christ rather than Clamence’s personal destruction.” this will probably open a healthy discussion, but…isn’t our aim to love and give…relentlessly, anonymously, without reserve? and isn’t it the Spirit’s job to convict drawing people into repentance and redemption?

i’m not suggesting that God can’t use us to draw people to Himself by recognizing their need for His love and grace (and repentance and redemption), but, almost anytime i resort to any agenda other than following Jesus’ lead in listening to hearts and showing compassion, i end up tripping over myself. i’m thinking my aim should be to be real, non-judgmental, sensitive and open about the Love of My Life. He’s the best at softening and revealing truth.

all this is to say thanks for opening this great dialogue…it’s so on the money and important to nudge us in the direction of losing our fear about sharing about this amazing relationship we have with Jesus that is changing all of our lives.

~steveT

Comment on Good Friday? by Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 19:19:48 +0000

Me too! Really ministering to me today. Powerful Scriptures.

Comment on Good Friday? by Betty

Betty — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:49:05 +0000

I read this last year and it’s still helpful to revisit it again this year. Thanks, Peter!

Comment on Which Bible Translation? by Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:06:06 +0000

Very graciously written, much like your preaching Pastor Andrew. As for myself, it begins (but doesn’t end there) with how each version translates Is 7:14. Is the verse referring to a virgin or a young maiden, sometimes young woman. Jewish scholars will argue that this verse is not a messianic prophecy relating to the virgin birth of Jesus quoted in NT Gospel of Matthew (Matt 1:20-23) because the Hebrew word ALMAH is literally young woman. RSV & the NET Bible (not to be confused with NEB, New English Bible) does not render the Hebrew to virgin but young woman, although for the NET (recommended by Swindoll) will give much footnotes about the controversy. Good primer for Bible translations can be found here: http://bible.org/seriespage/part-iv-why-so-many-versions

Comment on Which Bible Translation? by John

John — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:40:28 +0000

I have been doing the same searching for the last 10 years. Just when I think I have it figured out, I pick up a different translation and think that one says it better. I grew up with the KJV but seldom read it on my own because it used language that I didn’t. When the Living Bible paraphrase came out, I read it a lot. When the NIV came out in 1978, it became my primary Bible for the next 20+ years. It was translated by conservative evangelical scholars and was word for woed until it came to a place where word for word for word made no sense in Englsh, then it used an English equivalent (Amos 4:6 comes to mind). The bottom is that there is not one translation that is the best for everyone. For tose trained in original languages, why even bother with an English translation? Or if you do, then use the most literal (NASB) and explain to the folks what it really means. For those with English as a second language, probably the NLT or NIRV. For most of us, however, the NIV is probably the best ‘middle of the road’ translation for conservative evangelicals. It is the one most people use, so people are familiar with it and would probably read it. My problem with the ESV is it’s awkward English. Like you said, no translation is perfect, but if you are going to pick one to use not only in church settings but also in reaching people with no Christian background, a translation like the NIV. Something is always lost in translation. That’s what pastors and professors are for! I would stick with a translation that’s as literal as possible but also readable in English. For me, that’s the NIV. Anyway, my two cents worth.

Comment on There will come a time, you’ll see by Daniel L

Daniel L — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:52:37 +0000

I was listening to that Mumford and Sons song on my way to visit the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York, where Henri Nouwen stayed for 6 months. Thanks for that reflection and reminding me of that beautiful day. Reading Nouwen and listening to Mumford always help me in the strenuous work of loving God, others and myself. Peace to you, friend.

Comment on I’m a Christian, Now What? (Part 1) by I’m a Christian, Now What? (Part 3)

I’m a Christian, Now What? (Part 3) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:45:31 +0000

[...] 3: New Power God’s gifts of new identity and new purpose are apparently not enough. He also gives us a new power to become the people we [...]

Comment on There will come a time, you’ll see by sEZ

sEZ — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:26:26 +0000

how incredibly magnificent (and i mean those words with every remarkable emphasis i can muster here….) that what you are truly struggling with is your consistency in loving those around you. there are so many of us that wallow in the guilt of not being spiritual enough — our prayer lives, reading the Bible, going to church — rather than tackling the straight-forward ways that Jesus asks us to follow Him. “Love God, full throttle. Love your neighbor. Love yourself.”

you’re sounding less and less like a “clanging gong or a noisy cymbal.” how cool is that? just a little less every day. His grace fills in the gaps of our inconsistency. how fricken’ amazing is that?! notice those flashes when you actually do love anonymously or with no plan of taking back? that’s where He is seen and felt the most. that’s where we’re surprised by Hope.
that’s where His kingdom advances one more heartbeat closer to the front….and this world senses it.

keep in mind that mumford and sons aren’t simply being heaven minded here….they’re talking about something that moves in and is changing us here….and now. i get glimpses of it in you and others often. and THAT, my brother, is when Jesus makes all the sense in the world to me….and makes me fall that much more deeply in love with Him. He does wait for us, patiently. on purpose. He knows and loves us too much not to.

thanks for opening up, being real, and puttin’ it out there. awesome stuff!

~steveT

Comment on Accountability by Lord byron

Lord byron — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:29:52 +0000

Very good post, this. Speaking from experience, accountability can be a tough balance between the “therapist” who simply listens to his partner, and the hardened police officer, always hammering home the point of sin and repentance.

As I was reading your article, I was reminded of a recent interview I heard with with Daniel M. Bell, author of “Just war as Christian Discipleship.” He argues in his book that a “just” war can only be waged by a just people, who seek not to destroy their enemy, but to love their enemy by overcoming their evil. (That really doesn’t do the book justice, but I’ll stop there…)

So often in Scripture, you can find of imagery of war describing the battles that Christians or Jews fought against their own sin, and in the case of accountability, another believer helps you purge yourself of that sin. The idea of just war that Bell espouses seems to me quite similar, especially in that a just war is waged by a “just” or “righteous” people for the purpose of discipleing, justifying, or simply quitting the evil of their enemy. Could you describe a military campaign against the Hutus during the Rwandan genocide as a “just” act of discipleship, one where a just people is demanding repentance from the Hutu majority for their sin against the Tutsi minority?

Just a thought. There’s lots of tremendous scholarship going on these days, most of which I’ve never heard about but which I find to be brilliant.