Morningside Devotionals

So yesterday we dealt with para (2)- today- sort of obviously, we've moved to number (3) as promised...please take the next two minutes to take that in...and read the scripture reference regarding the same at the end of the points: (1)You have the feeling that someone perhaps that person in line there, over there, is looking at you? You turn, but don't see anyone staring at you, that you can notice it's an odd feeling isn't it? (2)You get to the party early and as you are being introduced around you have the oddest sense that you have been here, doing this very thing; even though you know, that's silly because this is the only time you have ever been here? (3)You have heard about a hundred sermons this year, in fact, by now you pretty much know what the preacher is going to say, and you begin to tune 'em out; only just then suddenly with crystal quickness, you feel, rather than hear, what they are saying, and you start to cry? Mat 9:20 And, behold, a woman, whic...

Beyond what? Beyond this empirical, physical limiting existence...for openers, BUT, it goes much, much, deeper than that. For example here is just one of the fun facts I've been sharing with one of the folks that allows me to- the Bible discusses meditation- says we should, tells us who to meditate upon, in some instances; and yet, there is not step by step on how to? Meditate is mentioned in scripture 14 times (according to one reference that I trust) and the term meditation, the verb form of meditate, six times, (again according to one reference that I trust) yes if you review those listings, and search it out yourself, my belief is, you won't find directions for the action, or a way, or a means to the end? Odd wouldn't you say? It's rather like asking a friend over for dinner, telling them it's going to be good, getting them fired up for the dinner, and when they ask directions, you say, "it'll be good for you to find them out." There is s...

(1)You have the feeling that someone perhaps that person in line there, over there, is looking at you? You turn, but don't see anyone staring at you, that you can notice it's an odd feeling isn't it? (2)You get to the party early and as you are being introduced around you have the oddest sense that you have been here, doing this very thing; even though you know, that's silly because this is the only time you have ever been here? (3)You have heard about a hundred sermons this year, in fact, by now you pretty much know what the preacher is going to say, and you begin to tune 'em out; only just then suddenly with crystal quickness, you feel, rather than hear, what they are saying, and you start to cry? (4)You see the trees everyday, but on this morning, the greens seem somehow more brilliant? The blue of the sky seems more intense, the clouds are wispy and brilliant white, and you smile, for no particular reason, you smile. (5)The food has never tasted better, and as ...

There aren't many times that scripture seems crystal clear, usually we deem it possible to get more than one meaning out of it. Certainly that would seem to be the case here? Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.>br> Mar 14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 1Cr 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. It is an almost perfectly quiet event, it would seem to me, what we commonly refer to as, the last supper. That isn't actually what was taking place at all, Jesus was proving Himself the Passover Lamb, ...

Yesterdays entry caught some people up short because they aren't used to someone being so blunt. That is true, here is something else that is true- the damage to love that ruthless evil has done, is pretty blunt, isn't it? One of the very real problems in this war is just understanding how it is to be fought. We want to fight it in a way that makes sense to us, only problem with that is, such a means doesn't accomplish what you want, it has the exact opposite effect. Want to know why so many churches are struggling it is this very thing- this reverse role of the warfare of the spirit- we don't win this war with means that make sense to us. Because of that, you feel powerless in this fight; and that is the supreme paradox of trust and relationship to God, letting go and letting God. Sounds easy, turns out to be very hard. One kind gesture, one kind moment, one simple essence of taking yourself off the center of the life and considering the other person. It does make...

Online Education: Three Parts You Might Not Know This article goes into three areas many online students aren't aware of. http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1894408/online_education_three_parts_you_might.html

Do you ever find yourself wondering why it is that there is so little love in the world? Given that we know that Jesus is the most remarkable of all teachers, ever- do you ever find yourself wondering, why is there so little love in the world? Sure , the easy thing to do is now to go into some silly diatribe that you've gotten used to- it's the usual response of what we call faith; following Jesus, when somebody asks a question we aren't particularly comfortable answering; we shut down the messenger. The messenger gets used to this, and so they limit the amount of material that they will spew to a basic twenty minute speech- because my contention is that most of the sermons now preached in what we loosely call the United States of America, intend nothing, and accomplish what they intend. Sounds cynical- but; uh, when we go back to that basic question- my sense is, it's not cynical at all, it is pragmatic. Jesus was nothing, if He wasn't supremely pragmatic, the a...

Suppose you're there- you're watching him... it's early dawn...you're up, the others aren't; it's quiet- the hills that are dry and hot and sweltering in a few hours, they're dew misted right now, but it's already warming up. The sun has just cleared the rise and you see him. A lone figure, kneeling on the ground, he looks tired, even from this distance, you can tell his shoulders are shaking, and you know, you just know he's weeping, and you know that like on so many other days; you'd love to ask him"why", but you probably won't. Then he looks your way, and the look in his eyes nails your soul, and you know, the man who is the only man besides your father that you have ever loved, loves you. It shakes you down, and your heart which had jumped a bit at his gaze, now settles back, and your mind knows, you can't do a thing about how you feel- you know that what he has been praying is what he told you he would; he said it goes ...

In chess it's called, taken "en passant," and it means that one pawn takes the other for refusing to fight- so in chess, you either fight, or, if the situation is right, you get taken; you lose. Now the interesting part of that rule is that circumstances have to be just so-so. What scares me about life, and especially about the Christian life, is that many of those who claim they love Jesus are being taken out, "en passant," for refusing to fight. Yet that's not the only comparable situation between life and chess and Christianity- "oh," you ask, "you mean there are more?" It might just be... When you reach a certain point in the game, it becomes impossible for either party to win, this is called, a draw. This is Satan's favorite ploy- C.S. Lewis, whom I did much of my background study for a Th.D. about; wrote an amazing book called "The Screwtape Letters" . In this work "Screwtape (along with his trusted scribe...

One of the strangest experiences we get to participate in, is when somebody begins to think outside the box. Two things usually happen right away, first, their friends want to put them back inside the box. Now before you say how bad that is, stop and consider how hard it is on friends when someone they love goes nuts? That's right I said nuts, because you realize that as you get farther and farther outside the box, you will appear to be losing touch with reality, which is...wait for it, the box. The second thing that happens is the friends, who are now saddened by the persons loss of sense, will begin to try and manipulate them back inside the box. So when an emotional plea to reason doesn't help, switch to manipulation. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Now remember, if you are the one thinking outside the box, you have caused all this difficulty for your friends, haven't you? Now as you are mulling this over in your mind, I want you to read the following sta...

Sometimes we give up, what we can't hold on to, but we wished we could. Think on how this great writer, may not have known how his greatness would explode onto the screen so many years later Great Writer . Now as you dwell on what you just saw, having clicked that, it raises the question, "Well fine but who is he?" Truth is...he was responsible for the blockbuster movie Wow so that's it . Yup- and the question is, when does that happen? "You mean, total recall?" - yup. Let's see how it plays out...be sure to comment, we are hoping to have some great free gifts for the crew, here in just a few...

This is a transpost, which may not mean a whole lot to you, but it is being written from my browser, not a special program. The browser for the internet, called iGoogle, is a trademarked device that interacts with all my messenger services for social media, all at one time. This makes it possible for me to post this blog wherever I can access a computer and an internet connection. This is one of the advances that are now part of what is called Web 2.0, which is changing the world. The world as you knew it is changed forever, you can believe that, just as you can believe that there are now several forms of cancer which are cured, there is sight being restored to those who are blind via mechanisms of technology, and hearing is being restored. Limbs which are prosthetic are intelligent and capable of interacting with the user. It is an age unlike anything that has existed ever, and you are here to see it. Now tell me once again that you don't think there is anything to creator ...