A New Direction

It seemed like for the first time ever I had to truly lay down my life tonight.

As I battled for hours to put aside my justifications, my rationalizations, my priorities, by God's powerful grace, I was able to lay down and die.  Though so many consider this act to be weak and cowardly, it is the purest outward expression of love.  At the core of my being, who I've been created and shaped to be had to die to show what no love language could communicate.  My viewpoint and values had to be set aside to care for the needs of someone else.  The most beautiful thing about this death was that it brought nothing but life, both for myself and a dear friend.

The LORD is bringing to my mind the promise that those who belong to Him will love their brothers and sisters.

His,
Lane

I can honestly say that I have a dream, but don't know how to get there.  I know what I want to do, but it's not a position in a "church" and I wouldn't get paid a salary.  I have been praying about what that means as I take the next step in the journey of life, and God continues to peel open my eyes.  A few days ago I was spending some time in the passages on "spiritual gifts" wondering if the LORD might bring me to a better understanding of my place in His body.  As I read 1 Corinthians 12 (for about the hundredth time), something grabbed by eye.  It didn't just speak of gifts, but "varieties of service" and "activities".  Clearly, there are more than just individual gifts for the edification of all believers.  I continued to comb through chapters 12-14 and then went to Ephesians 4.  Here is what blew my mind in verses 11 & 12:

   "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and
   teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body
   of Christ..."

These aren't just giftings; they're offices, or positions, in the Church.  And these services have a specific design that those who have received them (v. 8) are to train believers to be ministers themselves.  In other words, those we call "ministers" or "pastors" are actually to be the equippers of ministers (all the saints in Christ).  This was the cry from the depth of my heart!  And as we all "attain to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of the Son of God," we "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ... so that [the body] builds itself up in love".

As the body feasts on the Bread of Life and drinks deeply from the Spirit in the environment the Father has placed it in, it is sufficient to care for itself.  How often I can say with Paul, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgment and how inscrutable his ways!"

Given to equip,
Lane

Here in Sewickley I've had the wonderful opportunity to hang out with QV junior high students after school on Wednesdays.  They come by the Henning House for some good times and since someone decided to document our time together I'm able to put up some of the pictures.  Enjoy!

Loving my kids,
Lane

So I don't usually do this but here are some things I wanted to pass along:

2006 Desiring God National Conference
-I'm going to do everything in my power to be there.  It's entitled "Above All Earthly Powers: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World".  For more info...

Walk in the Word with James MacDonald
-If you know me at all, you know I love hearing "James" preach.  This is the link to his radio ministry's website.

English Standard Version
-Simply put, everyone needs to get one.  Also, notice who the two quotes are from on the opening page... you may have to refresh it a few times...

Also, I encourage you to check out the blogs of my friends on the side.  They've got some really good things to say.  In particular, I enjoy this entry and this entry.  The Between Two Worlds blogger isn't my friend... but he's John Piper's right hand man so I'll call him, "Amigo".

Is this blogging?
Lane

Sadly I haven’t seen my blue

As in the sky while at IU

Where every night the evening ended

With it and canary yellow blended

Just before the dark would fall

Around eight as I recall

As the days’ work died out

Then the silence seemed to shout

Sadly I haven’t seen my blue

As in the sky while at IU

Where every night the evening ended

With it and canary yellow blended

My window gave a perfect view

To catch a glimpse of the hue

I can’t forget, even now

And the days will not allow

Sadly I haven’t seen my blue

As in the sky while at IU

Where every night the evening ended

With it and canary yellow blended

You can say my search will fail

And my attempts will not avail

But in my dreams I have tended

This blue that my heart has fended

Sadly I haven’t seen my blue

As in the sky while at IU

Where every night the evening ended

With it and canary yellow blended

No, here appears a different blue

Not as bright and not as true

And with the yellow can’t be mended

To make the twilight sky as splendid