Rahab?

So, how DOES a prostitute show up in the 'Hall of Faith' in Hebrews 11? A prostitute who actually gets there by LYING? Check out Joshua chapters 1 and 2, and then Hebrews chapter 1 for the story and the legacy of Rahab, the Canaanite prostitute.

Warrior of Light

What is a warrior of light? Warriors of light keep the spark in their eyes. They are in the world, are part of other people’s lives, and began their journey without a rucksack and sandals. They are often cowards. They don’t always act right.

Warriors of light suffer over useless things, have some petty attitudes, and at times feel they are incapable of growing. They frequently believe they are unworthy of any blessing or miracle.

Warriors of light are not always sure what they are doing here. Often they stay up all night thinking that their lives have no meaning.

Every warrior of light has felt the fear of joining in battle. Every warrior of light has once lost faith in the future.

Every warrior of light has once trodden a path that was not his/hers. Every warrior of light has once felt that he/she was not a warrior of light. Every warrior of light has once failed in his/her spiritual obligations. That is what makes them warriors of light; because they have been through all this and have not lost the hope of becoming better.

That is why they are warriors of light. Because they make mistakes. Because they wonder. Because they look for a reason – and they will certainly find one.

-- Paulo Coelho, from his blog, January 15, 2011

I'm Back

"During the difficult period when I was struggling through my 'cloud of unknowing' to return to the Church and to Christ, the largest thing which deterred me was that I saw so little clear light coming from those Christians who sought to bring me back to the fold.

But I'm back, and I'm glad to be back, because through God's loving grace, I did meet enough people who showed me that light of love which the darkness cannot extinguish. One of the things I learned on the road back is that I do not have to be right. I have to try to do what is right, but when it turns out, as happens with all of us, to be wrong, then I am free to accept that it was wrong, to say "I'm sorry" and to try, if possible, to make reparation. But I have to accept the fact that I am often unwise; that I am not always loving; that I make mistakes; that I am, in fact, human. And as Christians we are not meant to be less human than other people, but to be more human, just as Jesus of Nazareth was more human."

- Madeleine L'Engle, 'Walking on Water'

I love this quote from one of my favorite authors. And I love the initiatives that we have begun in regard to ministering in our own league. May we indeed be the light of love that the darkness cannot extinguish.

A Note from Melonie Brown

Dear House Church Members:

This is a note of heartfelt thankfulness and gratitude for all the acts of kindness and love shown to me during my visit with Corwin in November and December. It began with being picked up at the airport and then taken out for dinner and grocery shopping. A bed was loaned to us so i didn't have to sleep on the couch. We were invited into family gatherings for wonderful food, great fellowship and games galore. We were given the use of a van (with a tape player in it:-)_

so I wouldn't need to walk all over Texas. So many new teas to 'sip' and enjoy talking and laughter stirred into the mix. A trip to a Christmas Tree Farm enjoying God's beauty all around us. Being able to play and be a kid again. Given gas money for our trip to Colorado (that trip was a true blessing and I'm so thankful for it's healing touch :-)

Thank you again for the love and support! Melonie Brown

To be truly Christian...

'To be truly Christian means to see Christ everywhere, to know Him as all in all.

I don't mean to water down my Christianity into a vague kind of universalism, with Buddha and Mohammed all being more or less equal to Jesus--not at all! But neither do I want to tell God (or my friends) where he can and cannot be seen! We human beings far too often tend to codify God, to fell that we know where He is and where He is not, and this arrogance leads to such things as the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch Burnings, and has the result of further fragmenting an already broken Christendom.

Unamuno might be describing the artist as well as the Christian as he writes, "Those who believe they believe in God, but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself." ' -- Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water

It is interesting that the ultimate event in Christianity, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, is referred to as his 'passion'. This from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The sufferings of Our Lord, which culminated in His death upon the cross, seem to have been conceived of as one inseparable whole from a very early period. Even in the Acts of the Apostles (i, 3) St. Luke speaks of those to whom Christ "shewed himself alive after his passion"

How is your 'passion'? What moves you to tears? To shouts of joy, or indignation? What 'causes' would you be willing to die for? Are you willing to pick up your cross this week and follow Christ?

Ministering in our own league

1. A prayer of praise for God’s constant blessing and provision:
Psalm 145 “1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, LORD;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.

2. A prayer for wisdom and direction
Psalm 143:8-10
8 Let the morning bring us word of your unfailing love,
for we have put our trust in you.
Show us the way we should go,
for to you we entrust our lives.
9 Rescue us from the enemy, LORD,
for we hide ourselves in you.
10 Teach us to do your will,
for you are our God;
may your good Spirit
lead us on level ground.



3. A prayer for God to use us
II Tim 2:20-21
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. God, cleanse us from the latter and make us instruments for special purposes. Make us holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.



4. A prayer that God will use us to bless those who are in our family and those who are not
Gal 6:9-10
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Col 4:5
5 Father, help us to be wise in the way we act toward outsiders; may we make the most of every opportunity.



5. A prayer for opportunities to rebuild, repair, restore, renew and raise up!
Isaiah 58:6-12
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting You have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share our food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when we see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from our own flesh and blood?

Help us to do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 help us to spend ourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
so our light will rise in the darkness,
and our night will become like the noonday.
11 LORD please guide us always;
please satisfy our needs in a sun-scorched land
and strengthen our frames.
May we be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 May our people rebuild the ancient ruins
and raise up the age-old foundations;
Let us be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Isaiah 61:1-4
God, may your Spirit, the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD be on us,
Please anoint us to proclaim good news to the poor.
Send us to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
May we be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
4 Show us how to rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
help us to renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.