Sometimes, when I go to the movies, I can’t tell the film’s name 24 hours later. It’s all gone: plot, players, why I bothered to spend $11 to sit in a dark room for two hours. There are those few, though, that affected me so profoundly that, even now, 26 years later, I can still remember where I was when, unexpected, “The Mission”reshaped my soul. Having grown up in a conservative Christian home, I’d learned, by other names, notions of American... Read more
We did not choose God; He chose us and set His love upon us, as a seal over our own heart. We are to be governed by His passion for us in Christ. Choosing love above all else enables our hearts to be captivated by the Father’s very real affection for us. Our relationship with Him is founded on what He has made available to us in Christ. As always, when we are talking relationally about being with God the... Read more
Institutional and moral majority groups can give a false sense of power. They say, “we have the numbers, we have the power, and we have the influence for change.” But the results say otherwise in how much power or influence they actually have in changing culture, and transforming their cities. Often times they are not at all influencing but rather reflecting the culture around them. When they reflect the same prejudices and biases as the culture around them, they will... Read more
Don’t you love being with people who give out energy and life rather than drain it from you? You can feel life coming from those who love, are creative, take initiative, and really engage with the world around them. Jesus was this way and people sought Him out and so do we seek to be around others who are wise, whole, and full of life. Their spiritual authority is compelling and yet they do not need a title or role,... Read more
The Lord wants to unleash a gushing river of new wine into the church today, but we must leave some things behind. A woman from Orlando, Fla., was in the news last month because she decided to retire from driving her 1964 Mercury Comet. Rachel Veitch, who is 93, bought the car new for $3,300 when gasoline cost 29 cents a gallon. Today the light yellow car, which Veitch calls “Chariot,” has 567,000 miles on it. That’s great news for... Read more
He also told them a parable: Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:39-40 (ESV) During his life and ministry, Jesus introduced his new kingdom order and offered a life that beyond that which the Jewish leaders had offered. They were content to work the rhythms of well-tried principles that made... Read more
“Tears in the night, joy in the morning, and saying yes to both.” In the marvelous little book “I Quit”, Geri Scazzero writes, “once you end the pretense of superficiality and ‘niceness’ that characterizes so much of the Christian culture today, you will experience liberation, freedom, and a genuine body life that is truly a taste of the kingdom of heaven”. The single little paragraph explodes with important truths for me and, I hope, for you too: 1. Superficiality and Pretense... Read more
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). A leak in the roof can be fixed easily enough, as can a broken window or a busted pipe. But when the foundation is compromised in any significant way – then all bets are off. Everything now stands in jeopardy – because it stands upon a crumbling base. That’s the point of the story Jesus tells about the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. All was... Read more
I can’t stop changing all the time. I travel by foot and it’s a slow climb toward God’s best for my life. I remain at peace with not being comfortable at where I am at because I know there is so much more within me. Omnipotence is within me, giving me the constant and eternal potential for becoming so much more. And yet I rest in my advancing pursuit of the Perfect One, while becoming fully fused into His perfection... Read more
When we seek to understand rather than demand to be understood, the quality of our relationships go up, and transformational unity can build authentic community. We must understand that sometimes we do not know, what we do not know, until it becomes absolutely known. The more I have come to know, the more I realize how much I have to yet to discover. I have realized, “I know what I know, I know what I don’t know, but I don’t... Read more
Robert Ricciardelli
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