tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51333353718441448722024-02-19T07:22:57.988-06:00fungle jungleHe is only a very shallow critic who cannot see an eternal rebel in the heart of the Conservative. -- GKCmushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.comBlogger1231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-37575795341190400092021-04-03T19:20:00.001-05:002021-04-03T19:20:14.492-05:00Merton on Humility<p> The saints are what they are, not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everybody else. It gives them a clarity of compassion that can find good in the most terrible criminals. It delivers them from the burden of judging others, condemning other men. It teaches them to bring the good out of others by compassion, mercy and pardon. A man becomes a saint not by conviction that he is better than sinners but by the realization that he is one of them, and that all together need the mercy of God!</p><p><i>New Seeds of Contemplation</i>, Thomas Merton</p>mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-29216250396639750912020-09-04T21:58:00.000-05:002020-09-04T21:58:08.828-05:00Worldwide Pandemic of Hate<p></p><blockquote> If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. -- <b>John 15:18-19</b></blockquote><p></p><p>The world Jesus is talking about comes from a Greek word we transliterate as <i>kosmos</i>. It is used in various ways, sometimes to mean the planet, the universe, an order, the human family, etc. Let's ask, what is hostile to Christ, and, by association, to us as Christians? It's not nature or the planet. I don't think it's all the inhabitants of Earth. Rather it is the order of the world under Satan, and something else as well, but we'll get to that.</p><p>Creation was ordered under the control of the first man, Adam. When Adam fell, the <i>kosmos</i> changed hands falling, also, under the dominion of Lucifer. The first rule of luciferian government is that men can "be as gods". We can handle everything ourselves. Man is the measure of all things. Lucifer had picked up a lot of bad press and a negative image through the ages, so we changed it to humanism. It's still the same message. </p><p>When Jesus came along with His message of repentance, redemption, and the opening of the Door into the Kingdom of God, those of the <i>kosmos</i> were, understandably, perturbed. They saw immediately that this meant an end to their power, which is principally the ability to deceive and manipulate. If Christ is king and a new dominion is established under the Second Adam, what will become of the the old order? It's going to be abandoned, destroyed, wiped out, of course. And what of the Old Adam? He's to be put to death, oddly enough, via crucifixion. </p><p>And that's the second thing that is an enemy of Christ, not just the luciferian world order, but my own old adamic nature. It is, in fact, my old nature on which the humanistic, anti-Christ order is built. Apart from me giving heed to the old man within, I am truly in the world and not of it. </p><p>Current events are, at the moment, pretty dismal. The level of delusion and confusion surpasses anything I remember. The '60s were bad. I was perhaps more sheltered. Newscasts were not so overwhelming. People had time to think a little while reading the newspaper rather than being hypnotized by flashing images and nice-looking people with nice voices telling us what we ought to think about the latest Big Concern. The luciferian order has advanced greatly in the information age. The modern tower of Babel is being built of 1's and 0's. The voice of the old man is amplified to the point that it threatens to completely deafen us to the reality of Christ. </p><p>It comes at us from all political points of view, from science, from academia, entertainment, even, at times from pulpits and the voices of those who are considered religious leaders. The solution to our problems is not political, economic, or environmental. They won't be solved by a war, civil or otherwise, nor, for that matter, by surrender to the violent. </p><p>I have to stop listening to the fear-mongering of the <i>kosmos</i> and its sympathic reverberations in my own old nature. I need to remember that God is in control. He's in control if he's in control of me. </p>mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-51152495427899173272020-08-26T17:08:00.001-05:002020-08-26T17:08:38.189-05:00Virtue and Reward<p></p><blockquote> Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. -- <b>Matthew 6:1-4</b></blockquote><p></p><p>I have always thought of virtue as something that God approves of, perhaps even something He has led me to do. The Lord enables and empowers us to act righteously, and He often gives us opportunities to exercise virtue, to meet the needs of those around us. </p><p>Virtue does not require consensus. All the right people don't have to agree about what is good. Not in God's universe -- maybe it's different over in the twitterverse. I don't know. </p><p>Jesus tells us here that we should not seek to curry favor with the public by our acts of righteousness. We should keep them quiet, and do good, as much as possible, privately. Do good out of humility. Pride is always something we have to guard against. As the Lord told Cain, "[I]f you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7). Pride is the foundational sin, and it can be subtle, insidious, lurking. I'll be doing all right and suddenly find myself thinking that I really am something, after all. </p><p>Keeping our virtue quiet is one way to avoid having other people brag on us and inflate our sense of worth. Not that you shouldn't have a sense of worth, it should just be based, not on works, but on the love Christ has for us made manifest in the Cross. </p><div>And, in light of the Cross and all that has been done for me, to what do my acts of righteousness amount?</div>mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-86789754026628320552019-11-04T09:25:00.000-06:002019-11-04T09:25:27.303-06:00Reality Rules<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. -- <b>James 4:8</b></blockquote>
I happened to pick up Oswald Chamber's <i>My Utmost for His Highest</i> this morning and read the entry for today. It's based on James 4:8 and is call "The Authority of Reality", so I am riffing on that. <br />
<br />
Faith is acting on what you know to be true, what you know to be real. I have a spare tire on my truck and a patch kit I carry on my bikes because punctures and road hazards are real. We stop at stop signs, drive on the right side of the road, stay out of certain parts of town after dark, pay our taxes, watch what we eat, and all the rest because of what we believe to be real. For me, I know, it is difficult to believe in anything other than the material world I see and experience on a daily basis. I am, after all, a native Missourian. "Believe half of what you see [perspective] and none of what you hear [opinion]" was drilled into me from birth.<br />
<br />
My mother used to check the almanac for the various moon signs or whatever they are. By the signs, you are told to plant potatoes and other root crops in "the dark of the moon". My father's response? "I always thought they do better if you plant them in the ground." My favorite, though, was castrating calves. Dad didn't have any fancy equipment, just a classic stockman pocketknife with a scary sharp spey blade, and he usually kept some pine tar in the truck. We'd see a new calf, determine it was a bull, catch it, and cut it. In the summer, if we had it available, we'd smear some tar around the cut to keep away the flies. Back at the house, Mom might wonder if the calf would be all right as the sign was in not in the feet that day. Dad again, "The sign is in the knife."<br />
<br />
Since then I have experienced things that were inexplicable in a material sense, usually having to do with the timing of events -- things happening or coming together at just the right time to benefit me. I have been in the right place at the right time on multiple occasions. I have been blessed over and over, and I have come to believe that God is Good, all the time. Have I experienced upheavals and tragedies? Have I seen bad things happen to good people? Have I been taken aback by the utter stupidity and the malice of people? I have certainly, especially that last one. <br />
<br />
Malicious people are acting on what they believe to be true, on what they believe is real. Perhaps they are philosophical atheists or practical atheists who believe we are alone in a purely material world with no one to answer to except our fellow humans. Perhaps they believe in some kind of vindictive god, or they are deeply religious pharisees who think they are better than other people. I don't know, but I pity them. However, if they come to my house with their evil, the sign might be in the Glock. <br />
<br />
I believe Jesus, the Son of God. I believe He described the real world perfectly and completely, that He is Truth incarnate. I believe He is with me, that, now and then, He has worked through me, that He has guided my steps even when I had no idea what was going on. By all rights, I should have been dead forty-nine years ago and probably more times than I know since, but here I am, and I am going to do my best to act on what I believe. The just shall live by faith. The just do it.</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-87825131186972281312019-02-11T15:25:00.000-06:002019-02-11T15:25:40.573-06:00Certainty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; the recompense of God will come, but He will save you". -- <b>Isaiah 35:3-4</b> (NASB)</blockquote>
<div>
I haven't written much for a long time. It is a spiritual discipline for me, and I have neglected it. I'm not sure why, other than I have been doing other things -- often less constructive and beneficial to myself. I'm not sure, either, that I am back to a regular routine. I think I needed a break. I started this around the time my father's age finally caught up with him, eleven years ago. I began to neglect it sometime after my wife passed away, four years ago. I've sorted through a lot in the last several years. </div>
<div>
I am more certain than ever of the goodness of God. I am more confident that He knows what is going on. I am a lot less certain that I do. I think it used to be reversed. I think I spent a lot of time trying to tell the Lord what I wanted Him to do. These days my prayers tend to be more like, "Lord Jesus, have mercy on me." </div>
<div>
At one time, I could have believed I was a messenger of God, along the lines of the prophet Ezekiel, though writ quite small and modestly. Perhaps I was -- to a person or two, thirty years ago. I did the jobs that were given to me, delivered halting messages to best of my ability, struggled with my weaknesses and limitations, and moved on. And I'm still here. I wanted to be like Joseph. I might have been more like Moses when he murdered the Egyptian in his self-righteousness. I always wanted wisdom, but I knew a lot more than I understood, though I was certain I knew what needed to be done. Without getting all megalomaniacal, I wonder if I have not been afflicted with the malady that hinders and binds the modern Church. The Church seems confused, divided, and cut off from what is going on in the world with all its ugliness, vulgarity, hate, and violence. Perhaps it's evidence of a surrender, perhaps just a recognition that Christians can't beat the world at its own game. </div>
<div>
The hope for me is summed up in the quoted passage. God is not unaware of what is going on. A person not cognizant of Scripture could be forgiven for assuming God doesn't know or doesn't care about the increasing insanity, the ongoing suffering, and senseless, manic actions that look more like an attack of St. Vitus' dance than ballet or even the boogaloo. </div>
<div>
The pendulum has swung far. I would like to think it has reached its limit in the direction of chaos and destruction, but it may be a while before it swings back. But swing back it will. We may not recognize the world when that happens. We may find it disorienting. We may be appalled at the destruction this decades-long descent into pandemonium, this reign of flesh bring about. The recompense will come. The correction will come. </div>
<div>
In this time of doubt and questioning, of this I am certain: if we trust in the goodness of God, in the grace of Jesus Christ, we will be all right. We will come out whole. </div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-15176952716721604552017-12-24T14:56:00.000-06:002017-12-24T14:56:19.884-06:00Feeling Nothing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Sometimes prayer is like going to the dentist. When serious work is required, the dentist injects Novocain into our gums so we feel nothing during the procedure.<br />When we feel nothing during prayer, it could be that the deep healing has begun. This is the point where the act of prayer becomes a work of faith. We come to our chosen time, place, and rule of prayer. We are reluctant, procrastinating, distracted, and restless. We feel nothing, if not a little foolish. Nonetheless, we pray. The Latin word for “faith” is credo, the source of our word “credit.” At heart, it means “trust.” To pray during the dry times is to trust that the emptiness within and the absence without constitute, in fact, a presence. To pray a few words while frantically running from task to task is to trust that God hears us even if we can’t hear Him. To have faith also means to act as if—as if God is real, as if God is there.</blockquote>
-- from <i>When You Pray: A Practical Guide to an Orthodox Life of Prayer</i>, L. Joseph Letendre</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-22742881518747602182017-12-13T09:30:00.000-06:002017-12-13T09:30:25.117-06:00What You Can<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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She has done what she could; she has anointed my body
beforehand for burial. -- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark 14:8</b></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
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The story, there in the first few verses of Mark 14, is that
a woman with a sordid past came and broke an alabaster container of rare and
expensive perfume and used it to anoint the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who witnessed the event criticized her,
thinking the costly ointment had been wasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If she desired to do good, she could have sold the flask and given the
proceeds to those in need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus put a stop to their analysis of the woman’s actions
and motives by saying she had done a beautiful thing for Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The poor, He reminded them, would always be
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“[W]henever you want, “ He said,
“you can do good for them” (v. 7). </div>
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<br /></div>
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The woman could not make up for all the sins of her
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not put all the things
right that had gone wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not
change the world or save the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps she was wise enough to know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of fretting about what she could not
do, she did what she could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know
if she realized that Jesus was about to undergo His Passion, be beaten,
humiliated, and murdered by my sins and iniquities upon the Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I rather doubt that she was such a
prophet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she saw that she could
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forgiveness and reconciliation she sensed she was offered in Him, and she did what she could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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That is all God asks of any of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many things I can’t do, but
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to do those things without worrying about the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even when it comes to something like prayer,
I’m never going to be one of those people who can spend an hour or two on my
knees before daylight every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
can pray -- when and as I can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should
not neglect prayer or Bible study or acts of kindness just because I can’t do
it the way I want, or the way a saint, a monk, or someone of great spiritual
power might.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not a preacher, but I
can tell others what I know, what I have seen, what I believe, when the
occasion arises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am an introvert and
not pushy, but I can respond when questioned.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t have the gift of healing, but I can offer to
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hands on the sick and see them recover, but I can put an arm around a suffering
person and share perhaps a little of their burden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Whatever it is today, all you have to is what you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-4319071231255287912017-10-25T15:32:00.000-05:002017-10-25T15:32:22.478-05:00Walk It Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People like me never know<br />
How the world works<br />
Or who is in control<br />
-- most of time,<br />
Until it no longer matters.<br />
<br />
We do the best we can<br />
With assumptions,<br />
Learn to keep moving<br />
on the strength of gumption<br />
-- whatever that is.<br />
<br />
You wonder why the trail's<br />
so hard<br />
And such a struggle for<br />
every yard.<br />
Then one morning<br />
You rise in the cold, thin light,<br />
Look back and realize that<br />
In the night<br />
You reached the crest<br />
Of a mountain pass<br />
You never knew<br />
You were climbing.<br />
<br />
We tell those coming behind,<br />
But they never believe us<br />
In their time,<br />
That it is a long, slow climb.<br />
So some quit and stop,<br />
Curse the ground,<br />
Reinvent broken wheels,<br />
Failed alchemy deals<br />
To make the compass leave true,<br />
Make the plumb line skew,<br />
Much ado.<br />
<br />
People like me never knew.<br />
<br />
We are fools, to trust,<br />
Believe any good or just<br />
or true.<br />
Yet here we stand<br />
On the height<br />
Dawn breaking from<br />
The greivous, greedy night.<br />
It's not that we were right.<br />
We kept going.<br />
<br /></div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-37975734345421318662017-10-11T13:50:00.000-05:002017-10-11T13:50:03.728-05:00Immigration, Population, and Government Jobs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was in college, back in the dark ages of the early 1970s, the big concern was the population bomb and a Malthusian fear of famine from trying to feed too many people. We are still, nearly fifty years and three or four billion people later, running a food surplus in most of the world, most of time. We owe that surplus to fossil fuels, petrochemicals, GMOs, and the dominance of agribusiness. I'm not altogether sure that's a good thing, taken as a whole, but famine is, perhaps, the grimmest of reapers.<br />
<br />
Now when I read about the dangers of declining populations, I have to wonder just a little. Why would a more "sustainable" population be bad? I tend to think it is for the same reason that immigration is heralded as a good, even when those immigrants are possessed of a vastly disparate cultural and religious background. Most of the new immigrants and "refugees" pouring into the West are not assimilating or being altered by the culture. The numbers are too large, the influx too rapid.<br />
<br />
These immigrants are committing violent crimes. They are putting a burden on the taxpayer who foots the bill for housing, welfare, health care, and education. Governments are straining to handle and pay for the increasing numbers of unemployed and, often, unemployable foreigners. Yet it is the government that allows immigration. Are the people in power simply unaware of the problems and moved by compassion?<br />
<br />
I think we all know the answer to that. Could it be instead that more immigrants mean more votes for those who wish to expand the role of government? Government, as I have said before, does not produce anything except more government. Like the Blob, it exists to get bigger, more powerful, and more invasive. Sure, there are some good people working in government jobs. We don't deny that. You can argue that some government jobs are necessary. Firemen and police officers at the local level sometimes do essential and heroic work. The guys down at the water treatment plant are saving lives every day. <br />
<br />
So long as they are local and their jobs clearly defined, I have little problem with those who work for the city or the county. Except for the teachers, but they aren't really local anymore. And at the state and federal level, I'm obviously in favor of the Border Patrol and some degree of national defense. <br />
<br />
The thing is that the political leaders in the West have no problem with an increase in crime or terrorism because it allows them to expand their control of the average citizen. The NSA monitors all communications under the guise of the Patriot Act and the "War on Terror". Despite the fact that drug prohibition feeds into gang violence just as alcohol prohibition did in the 1920s, the "War on Drugs" continues to enable police departments to expand, to militarize, and to excuse the routine seizure of property and assets without due process. <br />
<br />
Government feeds on chaos. More strain on the education system excuses and enables the employment of teachers and administrators on the government payroll. The strain on health care justifies the government's push for more control of the health care system just as the increase in crime justifies the expansion of police departments and the prison system. And the vast majority of those employed are now beholden to the great white father in Washington or London or Brussels for their paychecks, pensions, and lucrative benefits. <br />
<br />
Eventually, who is left in the mobocracy to vote against such expansion? The productive are now merely serfs in a vast fiefdom controlled by the political aristocrisy and their minions who now, more or less, vote for a living.<br />
<br />
I can see where an end to uncontrolled immigration and a population decline would be seen as a threat.</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-46724116370881950062017-10-06T10:51:00.000-05:002017-10-06T10:51:30.254-05:00Fathers and Sons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children –
<b>Ephesians 5:1</b></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
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This, it seems to me, is a dangerous verse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pity those who did not have my father to set an example
and to emulate, not that Dad was in any way perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a quick temper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was often violent toward inanimate
objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He laughed at his own stories –
I’m not sure how much of a flaw that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I suspect our Father in Heaven delights in His stories as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a banty badass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I could choose anyone who ever lived to back me
in a fight, I would, without hesitation, pick him. He would appreciate it, because he taught me value of loyalty, and I know that, regardless of the odds or the circumstances, he would not give in or give up. Loyalty may be the single virtue to which I can legitimately lay claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a son who loved his father and was loved by him, I
admired him and sought to incorporate his traits in my own life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up the flaws along with the diamond,
but sometimes those flaws were quite amusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had a good time learning the hard way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s the way it is when you are a child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You grow into an amalgam of your parents, if,
like me, you are fortunate enough to have two parents who are
complementary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The combinations vary,
which is why siblings are not uniform, plus each additional child is influenced
by the ones that came before and those that come after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parents grow and change, and we learn that
from them as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus, the writer of
Hebrews tells us, is the same yesterday, today and forever. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One cannot improve on perfection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we study the Bible and pray, we bring our lives in line
with our Father’s nature and character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t think it is a mistake to try and be good, to live by godly
rules, and operate on a “what would Jesus do” basis, but I do think it
ultimately fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not be conformed
(Romans 12:2) – we have to be transformed from the inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not become like my earthly father by
consciously and religiously imitating his behavior, certainly not entirely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, for a long time, I thought I was
nothing like him. It was only as I grew older that I realized my actions and
attitude, my words and the way that I addressed the world grew out of the
genetics as well as the mindset he had passed on to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All humans are made in the image and likeness of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have, so to speak, the right spiritual
genetics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we are typically lacking is extensive conversation and communion with our Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This comes in hearing His stories, in both
speaking and listening in prayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
no small thing that those disciples the resurrected Christ met on the road to
Emmaus recognized Jesus at last in the breaking of bread (Luke 24:31).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I become like my earthly father over beans
and cornbread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We become like our
heavenly Father through communion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are also influenced by and learn from our brothers and sisters in Christ. And the Lord Jesus is Himself our loving and ever-present Elder Brother. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We can consciously follow this path, but we will be,
generally, a good way down the road before we recognize how much we have truly
become like the Lord and the extent to which our lives have been transformed. </div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-19599212692965266362017-06-21T13:19:00.000-05:002017-06-21T13:19:12.614-05:00Jesus Did Not Condone Evil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do the
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Christianity is a lot easier to grasp than some would have
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OK, that last one is my interpretation of “turn the other
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<br /></div>
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Yet, I believe Jesus does expect and even require me to
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evil or seek our own vengeance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says,
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">**I know it has been a couple of months since I have been here. There is a lot going on. Maybe it will get better. </span></div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-60728073855423516822017-04-12T13:44:00.001-05:002017-04-12T13:50:23.414-05:00The Siege Engines Approach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the King of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. -- <b>2 Chronicles 32:7</b> (NASB)</blockquote>
<br />
Wars have often been seen as a conflict between the gods of the adversaries. There is some truth to that because all violence and evil is a reflection of the fact that there is the god of this world who remains at war with God who is Good. <br />
<br />
We are caught up in the ongoing rebellion, and it often seems from our temporal, material perspective that our side is not doing all that well. As I look around at the world today, Christianity is under attack from every side. We tend to hole up in our church buildings, besieged, hardly able to raise our heads above the parapets, as we might say. <br />
<br />
Secularism is supreme in the West -- for now, though it is threatened by the invading forces of Islam. Muslims succeed by playing the victim and demanding tolerance even as they demand submission to their intolerance. The secularist grasps neither the threat nor the appeal of Islamic fanaticism, having been trained to see Christianity as the great religious evil.<br />
<br />
Give the devil his due, he has done a good job blinding and confusing the modern world to bring it under his control. The enemy has the upper hand over Christendom for the moment. I look back now, over fifteen years, to the brief revival that took place after the horrors of September 11, 2001. I wonder why it did not galvanize the Church, why it did not last.<br />
<br />
The Crusades have been depicted as acts of Christian aggression. They were not, but the modern western mind is invested with the image of Crusaders as evil oppressors rather than righteous defenders of Christianity and western culture. We didn't want to be crusaders. We didn't want to make our retaliation against Al-Qaeda a religious war with all of Islam. A Christian resurgence in America would have, according to the secular world, sent the wrong message. <br />
<br />
Besides, Protestant Evangelicals have been embracing secularism for at least the last thirty years. When I became involved with fundamentalist Christians in the mid-80s, many still clung to their origins. I saw that attitude slip away as they became enamored of the mega-church, of having community influence, of attracting young families by means of musical styles, changes in format, and technology. <br />
<br />
Now we have Pope Francis heading the Catholic Church while vangelicals are led by those who do not understand the threat of one-worlders and their antichrist, Tower of Babel religion. <br />
<br />
Yet Hezekiah's declaration remains true. The enemy advances relentlessly against us. We are outnumbered and poorly prepared in a physical sense; nevertheless, God reigns. He will be victorious, and all we need to do is get on His side. The preparation we need is to pray and seek Him, asking not that He align Himself with us and our causes but that we be allowed to align with Him under the banner of Christ. </div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-31443277706286316912017-03-02T11:34:00.000-06:002017-03-02T11:34:23.674-06:00Love and Prophecy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!" -- <b>1 Chronicles 16:21-22</b></blockquote>
<br />
Sometimes this passage gets quoted by people who might be or claim be or think they are prophets. These days prophecy seems to be where you find it. Maybe it always was, but finding God's will in our lives is rarely, if ever, a matter of a self-proclaimed prophet, the Pope, the President, or some celebrity's proclamation over us. <br />
<br />
Our circumstances, the odd breaks we get -- serendipity is prophetic. We find ourselves where we are supposed to be. I recall a phrase that I read somewhere long ago admonishing the reader to "love it the way it is". Using "love" was kind of odd, but I took it as accepting and trusting in God's goodness no matter what happens.<br />
<br />
I was reading an old book about the sovereignty of God. The author was clearly a Calvinist. I'm not, but I do think God is always sovereign in the long run. God is the perfect and ultimate counterpuncher. This is why <i>hubris</i> is so dangerous, and why we should never gloat over our enemies' failures. <br />
<br />
We are in a dance with the Lord. He knows what He wants to do, and, as the perfect partner, makes even our missteps look graceful by always being where He should be. He has no use for the automaton that would be required for fixed and fastened predestination. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) because God wants us to love Him as He loves us, and compulsory love with programmed obedience is not worthy of the name. </div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-70417062354065456102017-02-01T22:33:00.000-06:002017-02-01T22:33:27.234-06:00Finding the Enemy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>A poetic break from the Shepherd's Psalm</i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
There is a war that goes on,<br />
Arising from the shadows,<br />
Escapes to plane and sphere,<br />
Endless as Zeno's arrows.<br />
And we, given over to fears,<br />
Resist, and seek to evade,<br />
In a myriad of courses run<br />
--running, running under the sun,<br />
Evade the price to be paid.<br />
And yet coming to still water,<br />
The world looks in its mirror,<br />
Hears the call of the augur,<br />
Waits, at last, for the shearer.</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-14192244322269216922017-01-23T16:06:00.000-06:002017-01-23T16:06:29.471-06:00Losing Myself in Translation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. -- <b>Psalm 23:3</b></blockquote>
<br />
Inward purification is a lifelong process. To remain in communion with God calls for a constant state of turning toward God and away from what we might call the "sense life". The word for that is metanoia. In Psalm 51, the repentant David cries out, "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit with me."<br />
<br />
Restoration begins with breaking down, planting begins with uprooting, life begins with death. I don't have cable or satellite, but, at a friend's house, our favorite shows to watch are things like "Fast and Loud" where they take some old car and hotrod it. You'll never have a beautiful, fast, reliable car until you take the body off, find the flaws, the broken, worn out parts, the rust, and corrosion. You can't just slap a new paint job on.<br />
<br />
This is the (particularly, the evangelical) church's error in the modern age. We want to meet Jesus, have a nice visit, get a word, a blessing or an experience we can talk about then leave. We want to get cleaned up and looking good on the outside. We somehow think this exterior renewal will penetrate to the heart. <br />
<br />
Far better that we continue looking externally rough while undergoing a metamorphosis from the inside out through a renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2). Who cares that we continue to look like a caterpillar for a while. The end result is what we seek. <br />
<br />
The second part of our verse reminds us that not only does transformation take time, but that no restoration is permanent this side of the grave. We have to continue to walk with the Shepherd in His paths of righteousness in order to sustain and maintain the renewal and restoration. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us that the Lord's steadfast love and mercies are unending and "new every morning". We can meet those new mercies and that ceaseless love with our own commitment to walk right today. No matter how good (or bad) yesterday was, today has the potential to be better, with more love and grace on God's part and a greater dedication to metanoia and purity on our part.</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-45898588018867172892017-01-18T14:10:00.000-06:002017-01-18T14:10:32.383-06:00Expected, Reflected<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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He makes me lie down in green pastures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leads me beside still waters. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">-- Psalm 23:2</b></div>
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<br />
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Green pastures would be, for sheep, the place of
replenishment and finding satisfaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m stealing this from someone, but I can’t remember who it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran across it just a day or two ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a suggestion that in dealing with our
idols in life, we take the text of Psalm 71:1-2 and substitute that idol’s name
for the Lord:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your righteousness deliver me and rescue
me; incline your ear to me, and save me!</i> </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In you, O work, do I
take refuge …</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In you, bank account,
do I take refuge …</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alcohol, meth,
pornography, anger, government, in you do I take refuge, deliver me, rescue me,
save me.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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None of those things or any other will work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is only the place to which the Good Shepherd
leads us that satisfies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too, wherever
it is He leads us is the green pasture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It may not seem that way at first, but we learn to let go of our expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way to bitterness, unhappiness, and
discontent -- the way to hell, really, is to refuse to release our expectations
of how things ought to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know
what ought to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every false
religionist and every practical atheist believes they know better than
reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The unbeliever knows exactly
what a green pasture should look like, and it never matches the reality he
finds himself in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The “oughts” will kill you and kill your faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I struggled for a long time because I
believed that good should always triumph over evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s true, but only at the Omega point, the
end in eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually all wrongs
will be righted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All wickedness will
cease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not for this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So remember, where the Shepherd is, the pasture is green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Walking a green pasture beside still water is a beautiful
picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My margin note says that the
Hebrew could be read “waters of rest”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the presence of the Lord, our spirit is like that deep pool of quiet
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see it, not a ripple
disturbing the surface, giving a perfect reflection of the sky, as our quiet
spirit perfectly reflects the image of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of us get this once in a while, in our better moments. Those we
think of as saints are in that place almost all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus, of course, lived every moment of His
Incarnate life that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my goal.</div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-61280936796704320602017-01-17T17:33:00.000-06:002017-01-17T17:33:07.850-06:00The Shepherd's Rest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Psalm
23:1</b></div>
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I suppose this could be taken as a “prosperity” verse, and
it is, in a way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s something that
might be said with regard to the Way in Taoism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Lord is there for us, with us, listening and responding as the
shepherd looks after, is with, and attends to his sheep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God interacts with us where we are, as we
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is Good -- this is certain, but
our attitude may alter the character of His goodness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good to the straying lamb is the discipline
that brings it back in line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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We will lack nothing that we need, whether provision, favor,
opportunity, strength, and wisdom – or weakness, loss, fear, confusion, and
dead-ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever is needed, whatever
it is we lack to perfect us in Christ, this the Shepherd will provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Even that makes it sound too much like an arrangement or a
formula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not what it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a play of yielding and seeking,
humility and trust that casts aside anxiety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Lord is my shepherd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I follow
Him, trust Him, knowing that it will never be given to me to figure out all
that is or can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, walking right
here next to me is One who knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
if He told me how it all is, I wouldn’t understand apart from an inkling in
analogy, a hint from poetry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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I can’t grasp it completely, but I can trust
completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the secret of living
in the peace of God; it is the rest of which Hebrews 4:3 speaks, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For we who have believed enter that rest</i>
…”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we need waits for us there. </div>
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mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-37058834156201576102016-12-29T12:20:00.000-06:002016-12-29T12:20:04.763-06:00Quote of the Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The universe will never be extinguished because just when the darkness seems to have smothered all, to be truly transcendent, the new seeds of light are reborn in the very depths. That is the Way. When the seed falls, it falls into the earth, into the soil. And beneath, out of sight, it comes to life. -- <b>Man in the High Castle</b>, Philip K. Dick</blockquote>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-73441398633091012132016-12-09T13:48:00.000-06:002016-12-09T13:48:05.020-06:00The Damage Done<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land the LORD your God is giving you -- <b>Deuteronomy 16:20</b></blockquote>
<br />
As we learn from Jesus, justice can be tempered with mercy, but you can't get to mercy without going through justice. Injustice may not be merciful at all.<br />
<br />
Consider the situation where a poor man steals food to feed his family. Most of us would be more likely to be understanding and willing to excuse that -- especially if he stole from someone who could "afford" to lose the food. <br />
<br />
We might, conversely, be more likely to condemn a rich man and judge him more harshly for robbing or cheating a poor person. It's the season for <i>It's A Wonderful Life, </i>and Old Man Potter comes easily to mind. <br />
<br />
From a social or financial point of view, our lack of mercy for the rich man compared to our willingness to overlook the infraction of the poor makes sense. God, though, isn't talking in terms of dollars and cents but of soul and spirit. <br />
<br />
Stealing, extortion, embezzlement, or any other crime, whatever the excuses made for the perpetrator, even if it does little harm to the victim, there is a victim, and there is harm to the one who commits the crime as well. <br />
<br />
Sadly, there is very little justice in our American legal system. It would be good if we could return to a more biblical view of human nature. I am not an expert in this area. All I know is there is not much in the way of restitution, rehabilition, or restoration. <br />
<br />
From the Christian point of view, with regard to sin, the primary aggrieved party is not the State or even, necessarily, the victim, but God. David committed adultery and murder, yet in Psalm 51, he cried out, "Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight ..." (verse 4).<br />
<br />
I remember reading that and thinking, Yeah, well, old Uriah got the short end of the stick, too. What about him? The answer is that Uriah suffered and was treated unjustly and unfairly, but the sin was against God Himself. David wasn't forgetting what a lousy thing he had done to his loyal and valiant soldier, but there was nothing he could do to restore Uriah to life and give him back his wife's fidelity. But because God lives, David could get right with Him. God could then make it up to Uriah -- somehow.<br />
<br />
When we fail to render justice for a person's actions, we fail to encourage that person to make it right with God. We allow a wounded, damaged soul to go unhealed. It doesn't take much imagination to see how that impacts public figures, politicians and celebrities. In fact, it almost seems as if they feel compelled to commit ever greater transgressions, as if the soul craves justice and want to be called to account that it might be, once again, be made whole. <br />
<br />
But it's not just the rich and famous who "get away with murder" and let the corruption eat away at their hearts and minds; it happens to the poor and the disadvantaged as well. Our unjust mercy has created an underclass of people who think they are justified in degrading and corrupting themselves because poverty and lack of opportunities are acceptable excuses. <br />
<br />
Justice is good for everyone. Without it, society becomes a well-paved road to hell.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-33181094322838661512016-12-08T09:28:00.000-06:002016-12-08T09:28:28.545-06:00Followers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward." -- <b>John 13:36</b> </blockquote>
<br />
We never get ahead of God. As disciples we are, naturally, always following. Like Peter, we may not know where the Lord is going at a given point in life, so we do not always know -- perhaps we never really know, where we are headed. And sometimes, as is the case here with Peter, a disciple is told he or she isn't going anywhere but must stay and wait a while. God seems to go around the bend and leaves us alone, wondering. There are times when we serve, as Milton said, by standing and waiting. <br />
<br />
But the aloneness is seeming only. Like a watchful father, the Lord's eye never leaves us, though Him we may not see. Soon, relative to His timetable, a call will come for us to move. We will be guided along the path that He has walked and prepared for us. This is what the Apostle learned, and it is what many have learned, I think by necessity, the hard way in the days since. We make our plans, plot our courses, and, in the end, are led where each must go, to destiny, to death, to destiny beyond death. <br />
<br />
I mentioned Milton, and I'll let him say it his way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
When I consider how my light is spent<br />Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,<br />And that one talent which is death to hide<br />Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent<br />To serve therewith my Maker, and present<br />My true account, lest he returning chide;<br />"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"<br />I fondly ask. But Patience to prevent<br />That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need<br />Either man's work or his own gifts; who best<br />Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state<br />Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed<br />And post o'er land and ocean without rest:<br />They also serve who only stand and wait."</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-87532638351270715652016-12-07T12:05:00.000-06:002016-12-07T12:05:36.863-06:00Among Thorns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. -- <b>Luke 8:7</b></blockquote>
<br />
When Jesus explained this parable to His disciples, He talked about the cares and pleasures of this life and of riches that are pictured as choking thorns. It is not that some of us do not have all we need to be fruitful disciples, or that we don't understand the message and hold it in our hearts. What we lack is exclusivity. We are not Jesus people as much as Jesus And people.<br />
<br />
I am the man in this case. <br />
<br />
I was watching an episode of "The Vikings" one evening when it struck me how lightly those people held their lives, in part because they believed in Valhalla for a death in battle, but also because life in this world often held little attraction for them. There wasn't a whole lot to be attached to. It was mostly darkness, brutality, physical labor, and, often, intense physical suffering. Aside from protecting and providing for one's children, life in this world might have seemed hardly worth the effort. <br />
<br />
The modern world has its share of suffering, pain, and sorrow, but we are more often immersed in distractions than were our ancestors. Ours is a world and a civilization with an abundance of all the things that supposedly make life worth living. Much of what we enjoy has arisen from the Word that has been planted in our hearts. From this Seed has grown power and prosperity unimaginable to those to whom the Gospel was first preached. <br />
<br />
I find that I rarely have to think about Christ or His Church, about heaven or hell, about death and disease. I can turn on something, change a channel, read, watch, listen, work, and communicate so easily that I can forget about God. If someone gets me started I can still tell them about the Bible and discuss sin and sanctity, the Holy Spirit or prayer, but I have work that needs to be done. There are plans to make, trips to take, and cakes to bake. There is retirement looming, and worries about investments nagging.<br />
<br />
All of these things -- some of which are necessary -- can become thorns and thistles springing up, over-growing, and shading us from the direct light of life. Sometimes the best thing to do is get away from it all, set it all aside. The Christmas season may not be the best time for that. It sounds more like Lent. But we need a time when we weed out those briars before they get too big. It is something that is going to be a constant for most of us because the daily concerns of life happen daily. Things are going to keep springing up and needing to be uprooted. </div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-25010169667704243422016-11-22T10:40:00.001-06:002016-11-22T10:40:45.520-06:00The Lord Our Banner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He changes times and seasons; he
removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to those who have understanding … <b>Daniel 2:21</b></blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't put much trust in governments,
presidents, or monarchs. Daniel raises an interesting question as to
whether God is “in control” of government. Governments are
generally engines of corruption, and the bigger the government, the
more corruption is produces. God, however, is not an author or
sponsor of evil. He does not even tempt us to evil (James 1:13).
The wickedness and decadence of a society come from the heart of
man.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
God is alive. He is acting. He
responds as well as initiates. But He also has laws in place, both
physical and spiritual. Bad choices have consequences, as do good
choices. When a person, a people, a nation or an empire makes
consistently wrong, stupid, unwise, or evil choices, they are going
to reap the harvest.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometime, several years ago now,
writing here, I talked about a remnant. God always has a remnant
like the 7000 He spoke of to Elijah (1 Kings 19:18). I believe that
the remnant has been praying and seeking God, and I
believe that God has responded with an awakening. That doesn't mean
I think any kind of utopia is coming, and it is certainly not a time
to become comfortable or complacent spiritually. I still believe
that hard times are ahead, possibly much chaos, division, violence,
even bloodshed. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being awake, watching and praying, doesn't mean we
won't have to deal with danger, trouble, and strife; it just means we
will be ready for it when it comes. Now is not the time to go back to
sleep. No great victory has been won. The enemy is not going to
surrender. It is, though, the time to connect, to reach out, to build up from
the foundation of the remnant. The next battle is going to be
harder, the enemy more conniving and subtle. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The devil has, for the
last few years, overplayed his hand. Sin makes sin bold. Sin always emboldens itself when
it faces no apparent rebuke, but sin, when it is underground and out
of sight, may still grow and burst forth in unexpected places.
Scandals in the church house, failures by those we trust, betrayals,
cowardice -- these are great dangers in a time of awakening. We must
guard against discouragement and being disheartened.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The standardbearers are neither perfect
nor invulnerable. The banner is what must be upheld and looked to,
not the ones who bear it. Our standard is Jehovah-Nissi (Exodus
17:15). Our God does reign.</div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-5153045834915851662016-10-25T14:07:00.000-05:002016-10-25T14:07:42.396-05:00At The Table With The Lord<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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When he was at table with them, he took the bread and
blessed and broke it and gave it to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished
from their sight. -- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 24:30-31</b></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the story of the resurrected Lord meeting two
disciples as they walked from Jerusalem out to the village of Emmaus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it is about seven miles, so the
three were together talking for more than an hour as they walked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is intriguing that the disciples, who must
have been quite familiar with Jesus, even if they were not part of the
innermost circle of twelve, did not immediately recognize the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly, it was unexpected that it would be
Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same thing happened when Mary
Magdalene encountered Christ by the tomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus was, though, recognized by Peter, Thomas, and the others
immediately in His appearances to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
may be that Jesus disguised Himself in some way or that a veil of sorts was
upon the eyes and ears of the two who walked with Him.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I believe we encounter God, His angels, or His agents often
-- sitting next to us on a plane or passing us on the sidewalk, perhaps
striking up a casual conversation at a restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We gain wisdom and insight from those seemingly
chance meetings as we travel through this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may not see the hand of God or the
presence of God in all life’s interactions or experiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether this is because we are failing to see
or because it is God’s intention to be veiled, I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it may be different from time to time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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What I do know is that communion removes the veil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Jesus broke the bread there in the
house, He could not help revealing Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He is, after all, the Bread of Life, broken for you and for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Paul gave instructions about the Lord’s
Supper, he warned us<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For anyone who eats and drinks without
discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself </i>(1 Corinthians
11:29).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-84129919408830640992016-10-18T10:00:00.000-05:002016-10-18T10:00:22.339-05:00Incarnating Mercy, Love, Pity, and Peace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="tr_bq">
William Blake - "Divine Image"</div>
<blockquote>
<br />To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,<br />All pray in their distress,<br />And to these virtues of delight<br />Return their thankfulness. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,<br />Is God our Father dear;<br />And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,<br />Is man, his child and care. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
For Mercy has a human heart<br />Pity, a human face;<br />And Love, the human form divine;<br />And Peace, the human dress. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Then every man, of every clime,<br />That prays in his distress,<br />Prays to the human form divine:<br />Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
And all must love the human form,<br />In heathen, Turk, or Jew.<br />Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell,<br />There God is dwelling too. </blockquote>
</div>
mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5133335371844144872.post-74413397711101514772016-10-17T14:40:00.002-05:002016-10-17T14:40:48.985-05:00Living in Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Things are still busy, so I thought I might remind everyone of Emily Dickinson's little poem -- "Hope Is The Thing With Feathers":<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">'Hope' is the thing with feathers—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">That perches in the soul—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And sings the tune without the words—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And never stops—at all—</span> </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And sore must be the storm—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">That could abash the little Bird</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">That kept so many warm—</span> </blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">I've heard it in the chillest land—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">And on the strangest Sea—</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Yet, never, in Extremity,</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">It asked a crumb—of Me. </span></blockquote>
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mushroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07651027035577798096noreply@blogger.com2