Otts On Mission
Reflections on ministry, mission, and the Church
Tag: Life
-
God opposes the proud…
God opposes the proud We have a problem. Our minds are fragmented. Our hearts, divided. Our communities, fractured. We are coming apart at the seams. The people of God who I encounter have lives that seem to grow increasingly more disintegrated by the day. Our media continues to overload our senses with messages that splinter…
-
A prayer for the weary
Lord, chaos causes eyesto flitter to and fro.The never ending streamof violence and destructionturns and wearies one’s focus, stifling hope. The groans of the wearied soulscan be heard under the weight of oppressionthat darkens the minds of allwho’ve lost sight of good,rendering them unable to see anything other than loss. We know, that in the…
-
How Do I Know That’s God’s Voice?
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27 For the people of God, discerning God’s voice has never been more important. Over the past few months we’ve seen God bring many of his people through intense seasons of discernment training. We have heard story after story of…
-
Ministry and ROI
The Thrust of Business Recently I heard a former Major League Baseball president talk about how decisions are made in front offices with regard to renovations in stadiums. Ultimately, he said the money is ALWAYS put in to the areas in a ballpark that will recoup the money spent on renovations the fastest. More often…
-
Pity Pushes Away. Compassion Enters In.
When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned… The life of a missionary is one that requires a great deal of flexibility and adaptability. The skills we’ve developed over time as missionaries have served us well in an ever changing world. The things is, even with those skills, objectively speaking, our lives have been anything but stable…
-
All Will Be Well
Lord, surely you seethe toil of your childrenwho suffer under the weightof a world that chooses to surrender to darkness. May the wearisome worries and caresof your peoplebe carried by your mighty handsso that compassion would adornthe hearts and minds of the saints. Render hearts humblethat are prone to pride.Like a shield borne out of…
-
Thoughts, Passions, and Sin
Sin as Sickness A kid was recently shot fairly close to where we live. In the middle of the woods, surrounded by other teens, he was shot and killed. Humanity is sick. We see the brokenness of our world just about everywhere these days. All of us feel it. We experience it in just about…
-
Hopeful Crumbling
Crumbling Institutions The church as we’ve known it is dying. The institution is crumbling. The systems that we’ve held so dear for so long are falling apart, bit by bit. For many this is a terrifying reality we’d rather not look at. The world we’ve known for so long is disappearing before our very eyes.…
-
To Guard Your Heart – Think About Your Thoughts
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 The Importance of Heart The “heart” within the western worldview most often refers to emotions and affections. The “heart” in Scripture and throughout the history of the Church however, referred to something much more. Throughout Church history the heart refers…
-
Resting in Goodness
As I was praying today I was reminded of something I heard Dallas Willard say a while back: “none of the fruit of the Spirit are a feeling, they are a condition.” Over the past few years the consistent and pervasive lack of peace in the world around us has been on full display. Peace,…