True Quest

Exploring Dependence – Provision For My Needs

Garth Oliver — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:59:24 +0000

(Previous Article) Jesus tells us that we must give up all our own possessions (Luke 14:33). By that, He means that we must renounce any notion of ownership toward the things we possess. They are resources entrusted to us by God to fund His agenda. So, what are the funding priorities of this agenda? In [...]

Continuing Next Week

Garth Oliver — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:20:15 +0000

Been on vacation this week, so we will pick up the discussion of our dependence on God with a look at His provision for our needs, and those of our dependents.

Exploring Dependence – Open-handed Management

Garth Oliver — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:12:31 +0000

(Previous Article) So, our exploration of dependence has brought us to a very pointed question – “What obligations does Jesus’ requirement that a disciple give up all his own possessions (Luke 14:33) place on us, today?” We have already established that it doesn’t mean that everyone has to quit their jobs and take a vow [...]

Exploring Dependence – Refocus

Garth Oliver — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:46:12 +0000

As I look back over the last few articles, I realize that four weeks ago, we examined the commitments Jesus required of those who would follow Him (Luke 14:25-34), summarizing His point: In other words, it will cost you everything. Your agenda and your means. There is no room for any competing agenda. No place [...]

Exploring Dependence – Waiting

Garth Oliver — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:57:01 +0000

(Previous Article) As I look back over our exploration of dependence, I am a little startled by the realization that the discussion has already filled 16 articles. Starting with the recognition that we are dependent beings, we have tracked our dependence from the beginning of The Story, following it up all the way up through [...]

Exploring Dependence – Learning Dependence

Garth Oliver — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:58:54 +0000

(Previous article) As we explore the issue of what it means for us to live dependently before God, sooner or later, we arrive at the question, “How does this dependence manifest itself today, in our 21st Century lives?” I mean, God hasn’t lead us into the wilderness where we gather manna each morning. And Jesus [...]

Exploring Dependence – Living Dependently

Garth Oliver — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:40:13 +0000

(Previous article) So far, in our exploration of dependency, we have discovered that: We are, by our very design, dependent beings. Very early in the story, we chose to pursue independence from God. This choice was disastrous, bringing Death in all its dimensions. Our restoration to Life begins with the recognition of our total dependence. [...]

Exploring Dependence – Reviewing the Evidence

Garth Oliver — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:37:01 +0000

(Previous Article) We began this exploration of dependence with the observation that, as Christians, we tend to acknowledge our dependence on God in theory, but practically manifest an ongoing desire to live independently of Him. Specifically, we set out to consider two issues: The depth of our dependence - It is quite possible to acknowledge [...]

Jury Duty

Garth Oliver — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:01:36 +0000

While I work on the articles through the week, Mondays are the days normally dedicated to finishing and posting them. However, today I spent almost the entire day in the Harris County District Courthouse as a potential juror. Although I wasn’t ultimately selected, it took them until 4:00 PM to come to that conclusion, so [...]

Exploring Dependence – Rich Young Ruler & Going to Heaven

Garth Oliver — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:57:46 +0000

As we have looked at Jesus’ interaction with the Rich Young Ruler over the last three weeks (week 1, week 2, week 3), some of us have been haunted by the question of how Jesus’ words speak to the issue of whether we will go to heaven when we die, or not. A simple reading [...]