Generation Axis Blog

A new Hero!

2 weeks to live

Dear Axis Family,

I just got off the phone with my mom and found out that my Aunt may have only 2 weeks to live.  Many of you have already been praying for her and I would ask that you would continue that and also for her two kids.  She has a son named Cody, and daughter named Melody, both are in their early 20's.

It's in these moments that I long for the Kingdom to be "fully" here, for us to live in the day where no disease will exist, where no tears will fall, a society and life where no cancer will tear apart families.

Thank you for praying for my Aunt Denise!

Blessings.

Jon Peacock

Turducken = Excess = The American Way

I was recently made aware of the staggering fact that people are now stuffing their Thanksgiving Turkey with a duck, and then that duck with a chicken....when its all said and done you have yourselves a bona fide Turducken.  Those of you non-meat eaters please don't look at the image below.

(I'm not making this stuff up)

This may become my new way to explain the Trinity, one Turkey.....3 distinct parts.  I mean really, who came up with this!  If this isn't American consumerism (creativity) at its best I'm not sure what is.  A day filled with excess, a day filled with more, a day filled with using and eating more than we actually need.

This Thanksgiving as your downing your 4th helping of stuffing or 5th slice of Turducken remember those who have nothing.  Remember those who would give anything for a piece of Chicken, let alone one stuffed in a duck and that within a Turkey.  Remember the hungry. remember that nearly 1 billion people in the world today are living on less than 1 American dollar a day. 

Yeah you heard me!

And remember that while we are filling up our garbage bags again this holiday season we are adding to the statistic that we as the pursuers of life, liberty and the pursuit of anything that makes us happywill again spend more on trash bags alone this year then what the 1/2 of the World will spend on all goods combined.  (please read that statement/statistic again....slower this time)(for more info read Affluenza by Oliver James) 

I'm not trying to put us all in a bad mood or shame us into fasting this Thanksgiving.....trust me.  However perspective is something you either have or will have at some point.  We have more than we need, and instead of focusing on what you don't have this Thursday please think on what you do have.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jon Peacock

Momma P

There is nothing like being with my mom.  I have so many recollections of running to her as a kid when I would hurt myself, when I would fall down, when my brother would give me a nuggie, or punch me.  I would run to my mom when I had a “boo boo” (yeah I said that) and she would always fix it.  Every time it seemed like as long as mom was there I would be ok, I would walk away from her feeling better, feeling like my wounds were mended, feeling cared for, feeling healed in many ways.  Momma P is a legend in my book, she’s been one of the single greatest influences on my life.

 

So who do I run to now?  Spiritually speaking, when I fall down, when I scrape my knee, when life gives me a right hook or when I’m scared who is it that makes it all better?  Who is the one now that with just a touch can make things new?

 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the significance and role the Sabbath plays in my life.  Yesterday I saw some new things from Matthew 12:9-13 on the role and redemptive potential of Sabbath in my life.  This passage speaks of what Jesus did for a man who was living in the midst of a broken situation.  One day Jesus walks into the synagogue and there see’s a man with a shriveled hand.  This in their culture would have been a far worse thing then even in ours today.  Jesus, the visible picture of the heart of an invisible God moves towards this man and brings about restoration in his life.  Jesus says “stretch out your hand”.  In essence Jesus says bring to me what’s broken and I will make it all better.  Jesus says bring to me what is not working and I will bring healing.  Jesus says come to me, for I am the one who longs to meet you where you are at, I am the one who can speak life into the dead places of your life.

 

This is a picture of the power of Sabbath, and this is a picture of what God still does and longs to do in our life through the Sabbath.

 

He desires that you would regularly bring to him the places of your soul that have shriveled up, the places of your soul that are fear filled, the places of your soul that need restoring.

 

Daily Thots:

1. when was the last time you had a true Sabbath?
2. are you willing to bring the broken parts of your soul to God?
3. what would it look like today to get a mini-Sabbath of 10-20 minutes of sitting with God and reflecting on the parts within you that need restoring?

Have a great day, and mom if your reading this know that God used you to form a healthy and clear picture of the love of Jesus in my life.

 

Jon

Sabbath and Swiss Cheese

Are you tired?  Are you completely drained?  Do you feel a piece of Swiss Cheese?  Stay with me…..seriously when you look at your soul, do you feel like gaping holes have been taken out somewhere along the line?

This entry is from the experience of the last 40 days of my life.  The last 40 days have been some of the most difficult days I can remember.  There has been one thing after another, hard conversation, letting people down, “not getting things right”, and feeling completely drained.  Life lately has been tough for me.

Last week my wife and I celebrated our two year anniversary and on our way to up to the great state of Michigan we listened to a pod cast by Rob Bell (I highly recommend it to all of you) on the Sabbath.

Rob pointed out some interesting things, one that really caught my attention.  Did you know that in zoology there is an established rhythm of life that they subject the animals to?  Research has shown that when they leave animals out for viewing 7 days in a row, the adverse effects are that the animals are less active and less responsive to viewing.  So they instituted in many places a 6-1 rhythm, 6 days on and 1 day completely off for rest.

Sound familiar?

We see in the beginning God, the ultimate zoologist establishing this diving rhythm that the earth and all its inhabitants were set upon and made to live in accordance with.  Maybe you and I were hard wired, and hand crafted to live and move in the 6-1 rhythm of life.  This rhythm points to what Sabbath is all about, a day to recover and rest.

I’m coming to learn that God made it for us, he made the Sabbath in such a way that we would keep it holy, we would keep it hallowed (set apart, distinct from all other days) not to just sit and sing songs at church, however to rest, to be refueled, to have a lot of fun, to spend time with those who pour into your life, and to be re-centered on His love and presence. 

Daily Thots:

1. when was the last time you sat for a day with God?
2. when was the last day you did only what “fills” your soul?  (golf, bears gameJ)
3. do you have a Sabbath weekly?
4. what would it look like for you to withdraw weekly, to apply the 6-1 to your life?

You were made for this!

Jon

This Friday and Saturday Night

Are you an observer, admirer, or follower of the voice of Jesus in your life?  Are you willing to respond with trust, surrender, and risk to the great and divine invitation of Jesus to “Come follow me”?

 

 

Over the past month in our Communities we have been discussing and wrestling through this invitation and this Friday and Saturday night at the Experience we will dive into the implications of why trust, why surrender, and why risk? 

 

I mean really what’s the point Jon?

Good question!

I hope you come to hear what the word says and get ready to embark on a road trip of a lifetime!J

Jon