Friday, December 24, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
One in whom there is no guile
John 1:47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Is it possible in this day and age to have a testimony as one in whom there is no guile? The children's dictionary that we use defines guile as "skilled deceit" "cunning or artful deception" "clever and often dishonest ways".
Got done reading Anthony Trollope's "The Warden" and "Barchester Towers". The books are about the infighting between the older clergy and the newer, younger clergy of the Church of England. To the new, the old needs to be done away with and to the old, the new is too much unecessary change too quickly. Church and bishopric patronages, Church money and charity and in the midst of all this infighting and external pressure on the Church from without is a warden caught right smack in the middle.
He cares little for his position whether aquired rightfully or a patronage that rings of nepotism, through the story and in the end comes out as a man in whom there is no guile!
Some things Jesus specifically pointed out and was careful not to overlook. He appreciated Nathaniel's heart as a man in whom is no guile.
But how skilled have we become at speaking untruths that half the time we don't even know we are being dishonest. Of course sensitive feelings of young and old alike take preeminence- I love you so much I couldn't tell you the truth lest I hurt your feelings!
He is my boss and I would rather lie than tell the truth. Never mind that the Bible says in Proverbs that even a fool is thought of as wise if he holds his tounge. A man cannot force you to speak..can he? And can he however force you to lie? to flatter for gain?
Behold a man in whom there is no guile. Let us ever be such men and women who daily seek to speak the truth in love and not lie in the name of Jesus or lie all the same in the name of love.
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Is it possible in this day and age to have a testimony as one in whom there is no guile? The children's dictionary that we use defines guile as "skilled deceit" "cunning or artful deception" "clever and often dishonest ways".
Got done reading Anthony Trollope's "The Warden" and "Barchester Towers". The books are about the infighting between the older clergy and the newer, younger clergy of the Church of England. To the new, the old needs to be done away with and to the old, the new is too much unecessary change too quickly. Church and bishopric patronages, Church money and charity and in the midst of all this infighting and external pressure on the Church from without is a warden caught right smack in the middle.
He cares little for his position whether aquired rightfully or a patronage that rings of nepotism, through the story and in the end comes out as a man in whom there is no guile!
Some things Jesus specifically pointed out and was careful not to overlook. He appreciated Nathaniel's heart as a man in whom is no guile.
But how skilled have we become at speaking untruths that half the time we don't even know we are being dishonest. Of course sensitive feelings of young and old alike take preeminence- I love you so much I couldn't tell you the truth lest I hurt your feelings!
He is my boss and I would rather lie than tell the truth. Never mind that the Bible says in Proverbs that even a fool is thought of as wise if he holds his tounge. A man cannot force you to speak..can he? And can he however force you to lie? to flatter for gain?
Behold a man in whom there is no guile. Let us ever be such men and women who daily seek to speak the truth in love and not lie in the name of Jesus or lie all the same in the name of love.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Days of June
I like to go out at noon,At the pleasant month of June,
And at night hear the loon,
Singing to the moon.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
His Love Trumps All!
When it gets down to it, are we willing and able to say: "Jesus, if I am going down, go with me." How much confidence towards God do our hearts posess? Jesus said "When the son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" True confidence in God alone. In this age of everything figured out or almost, everything being subdued by a machine, a pill, an insurance policy, an expert's advice, a profession, a pension plan etc. Where is God, our Father? Where is Jesus, our Lord? Where is the counsel of the Spirit of truth?
We have science to rid us of the need to marvel at creation, and to cure us of all that ails us. We have lawyers to free us from any pesky commitments that we are bound to. We even have theologists to tell us what He really meant to say, and thereby save us even more time and inconvenience trying to seek Him. And psychologists will explain why our hearts cry and long and never get satisfied...they will give us the steps to freedom in weekly sessions and tell alls...yet to Him, I will celebrate my chains of freedom-For God gave him preeminence in all of His creation.
He knows me well and can fix me...and He does not even need to go to college to figure me out. He tells me He made me...and for some reason I believe Him. God with us, so close to us.
Can we afford to go down with Jesus or must we by all means stay afloat at all costs? Do we trust our Father to bear us on wings of eagles? Can He, will He? Should we even be asking Him to or do we bounce back courtesy of our everpresent "plan B"?
It's my prayer today and ever let it be my prayer for always and always...walk with me Jesus and instruct me by your word and your Spirit all the days of my life, especially now. He loved me more than life itself and oh, how I love Him today. I am pitiful and lost without Him.
Matyrs of our Christian faith in years past and centuries past must have truly believed the words of Christ through Paul the apostle. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. It is only gain if you know Him well and love Him well to want better than anything else to look into His face. To love Him is to much loosen the grip on our present circumstances and pleasures in this life. This begins to diminish in importance and preeminence in the face of Jesus. Devastation becomes the loss of our fellowship with Him and not the loss of a job. And as deep and devoted our love for our children may be, the love of God and to know Jesus trumps it all.
He is perfection and beauty and chivalry and sacrifice all wrapped up in a man who says He will never leave us nor forsake us. Whilst the world teaches us how to bounce back when our loved ones walk away and break our hearts, oh, how He loves us. With a firm grip of correction and The Father's discipline of those He loves...oh how He loves us. He brings us back to Himself and sometimes guts us like a fish and takes out the impurity and gall, but oh, how He loves us. We weep and imagine ourselves devastated and He says..."pick yourself up by your boot straps and look forward soldier. You can do this!"...but Oh how He loves us!
I could tell my children stories from far away about the knights of Arabia, about Napoleon Bonaparte and his bravado, about Arthur and his round table, Ivanhoe and the dashing brilliance of the debonaire Scarlet Pimpernel...but Jesus, I can cast my children at his feet and He will do right by them. Oh, how He loves us!
We have science to rid us of the need to marvel at creation, and to cure us of all that ails us. We have lawyers to free us from any pesky commitments that we are bound to. We even have theologists to tell us what He really meant to say, and thereby save us even more time and inconvenience trying to seek Him. And psychologists will explain why our hearts cry and long and never get satisfied...they will give us the steps to freedom in weekly sessions and tell alls...yet to Him, I will celebrate my chains of freedom-For God gave him preeminence in all of His creation.
He knows me well and can fix me...and He does not even need to go to college to figure me out. He tells me He made me...and for some reason I believe Him. God with us, so close to us.
Can we afford to go down with Jesus or must we by all means stay afloat at all costs? Do we trust our Father to bear us on wings of eagles? Can He, will He? Should we even be asking Him to or do we bounce back courtesy of our everpresent "plan B"?
It's my prayer today and ever let it be my prayer for always and always...walk with me Jesus and instruct me by your word and your Spirit all the days of my life, especially now. He loved me more than life itself and oh, how I love Him today. I am pitiful and lost without Him.
Matyrs of our Christian faith in years past and centuries past must have truly believed the words of Christ through Paul the apostle. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. It is only gain if you know Him well and love Him well to want better than anything else to look into His face. To love Him is to much loosen the grip on our present circumstances and pleasures in this life. This begins to diminish in importance and preeminence in the face of Jesus. Devastation becomes the loss of our fellowship with Him and not the loss of a job. And as deep and devoted our love for our children may be, the love of God and to know Jesus trumps it all.
He is perfection and beauty and chivalry and sacrifice all wrapped up in a man who says He will never leave us nor forsake us. Whilst the world teaches us how to bounce back when our loved ones walk away and break our hearts, oh, how He loves us. With a firm grip of correction and The Father's discipline of those He loves...oh how He loves us. He brings us back to Himself and sometimes guts us like a fish and takes out the impurity and gall, but oh, how He loves us. We weep and imagine ourselves devastated and He says..."pick yourself up by your boot straps and look forward soldier. You can do this!"...but Oh how He loves us!
I could tell my children stories from far away about the knights of Arabia, about Napoleon Bonaparte and his bravado, about Arthur and his round table, Ivanhoe and the dashing brilliance of the debonaire Scarlet Pimpernel...but Jesus, I can cast my children at his feet and He will do right by them. Oh, how He loves us!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
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