dumb sheep dave

Promoting Jesus Dependency

  • I never believe in the sovereignty of Jesus,

    except when I’m curious and expectant to see what He does NEXT, in me, others, circumstances.  Jesus-dependency is impossible without curiosity and expectancy.  So I’ve made up little post-it notes throughout my house, and on the dashboard of my car, that say, “C/E”, and when I see them, the Spirit typically convicts me that I’m…

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  • Thank You for scripting my role

    as a very-worldly believer — competitive, critic, judge, news junkie, addicted to opining and feeling superior to everyone, finding fault with everyone, so I can feel superior in some way, shape or form.  Thank You that I’m such a great example of a bad example, that grace is for sinners, that I QUALIFY for grace. …

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  • The USA is headed for civil war,

    because there is no humility in our land.  Self-righteousness, divisiveness, acrimony, pride, we have in abundance.  There has never been a civil war between humble men, humble factions.  Only the proud/independent/confident-we-know-what’s-best/willful are on the opposite sides of civil war, leaning on our own understanding, wise in our own eyes.  The humble are observers, not combatants. …

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  • And it’s IMPOSSIBLE to be a news-junkie,

    to read or watch the news, with opinions about what’s good or bad, unless I’m confident-I-know-what’s-best. Impossible to have this confidence, without pride — leaning on my own understanding, being wise in my own eyes.  This sin of independence/confidence-I-know-what’s-best goes unconfessed by ShepherdDave, and explains why his joy and peace are so circumstance-dependent, why he…

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  • Financial update on GospelFriendships.

    We ended 2016 with a deficit of $5493, so for 2017 I’m taking a further pay cut, from $30k to $24k.  And this is new: Jesus is nudging me outside my comfort zone to search for new monthly financial supporters in 2017.  Miracle development.  Right up there with the parting of the Red Sea.  GospelFriendships…

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  • The problem with being a news-junkie,

    is the subtle brainwashing into worldly values — pride, human achievement, somebodiness, with a steady stream of stories about the excellence and failure of humans, all of which undermines the core values of the Upside-down Kingdom of Jesus — radical humility, radical love, childlike dependency.  The news strokes/encourages ShepherdDave in the wrong direction — away…

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  • If I could change one thing about myself,

    I wouldn’t be so confident-I-know-what’s-best.  This confidence of ShepherdDave is at the root of all my idols/addictions, all the unhappiness I unconsciously suppress, causing me to desperately wanna believe I’m normal, emotionally healthy, a wonderful Christian who is qualified for leadership, above reproach.  Evidently I’ve had suppressed feelings of worthlessness all my adult life, as…

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  • We Christians live in denial of our unhappiness,

    unfulfillment, dissatisfaction with Jesus and His imputed worthiness.  Self-awareness and self-acceptance are the biggest needs in the Church today, but the problem goes unrecognized by the vast majority of Christian leaders, who themselves live in denial of their unhappiness, unfulfillment, dissatisfaction with Jesus and His imputed worthiness, ever striving, never content, blinded by ministry idolatry. …

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  • When I recognize excellence in others,

    I feel worthy.  I love feeling worthy.  I identify with excellence, worthiness.  I love being a film critic.  Music critic.  Art critic.  Advertising critic.  Design critic.  Preaching critic.  Sports critic.  I love being a critic of everything and everyone.  I love the feeling of superiority associated with being a judge of excellence.  Pride.  ShepherdDave.  Not…

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  • Happiness is,

    being curious, expectant, to see what Jesus does NEXT, in me, others, circumstances, resting in His total sovereignty over every detail of my life and others’ lives, so all problems I face are His problems, and His job to solve, leaving me free to enjoy everything, just as it is, as dysfunctional as it is,…

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