Morningside Devotionals: January 2010

Friday, January 29, 2010

Connected - or- Not Connected?

Much of what the Bible says about God and man seems confusing,
and sometimes it downright doesn't agree with our ability to really
think from the God point of view. Ever wonder why God would
make us in His image and then we'd choose to not stay there?

That's not a bad question and some have answered that question
by maintaining that man didn't choose to fall from perfection, that
he had help in the process in the form of the Devil, or Lucifer,
who approached Eve with a subtle test of the situation about God
making humankind in His image. Really hardcore interpreters will
insist that Adam could have simply resisted the whole situation and
told Eve to get right and that would have been it. What they tend to
forget is that wouldn't be very loving (would it?), and God sort of
insists that we do what, love one another? So what if we go ahead
and get a bit deep here and suggest that in the overarching Godly
nature of loving one another, is the final solution set that Adam
chose, but therein lies another set of problems, is God always in
constant connection with us?

As you answer, "of course," let me ask why it was necessary
then, for people to call upon God and then He'd hear?
Why does God say that first people have to do
some things before He will hear from heaven? Is God hearing
somehow connected into the process? Does the Holy Spirit as we
understand Him function in the capacity of being in our lives as
air in our lungs? Since that is the case, and this goes back to your
earlier discussion about the garden, well, why do we go through the
process of confessional prayer and asking for God to forgive us?
Hint: this may not be what you think...imagine that...

1Pe 3:7

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according
to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto
the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

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Nice

You and I and all people are subjective, not objective; in that, when
you find yourself in a situation for which there is no former frame
of reference emotionally, you start to learn. Your personal learning
process may involve acceptance, or, rejection, or analysis. In one of
those three you will find the learning taking place. Rejectors tend to
tell you why an idea is wrong, or won't work, or, is just "plain silly,"
they resort to labeling in order to maintain their relativistic stance.
Accepting types want to get it right, you will hear them saying, "so
you mean this, and this means this or that...," they tend to ask a lot
of questions and gather information. The same can be true of those
who function from rejection, they can also be enormous questioning
types, but their questions are aimed at their outcome, not your growth.
Accepting types don't have an agenda until they know what the whole
picture is, then they may form one. Those who learn by analysis will
often appear negative, but really they are just trying to see the angles
inside the paradigm (you may need to think on that a while) but
often a person who learns by analysis will be liked and respected if
they agree with others, however, when they don't agree, look out,
they tend to be set in their analysis once they are convinced they are
right in their conclusions. Which was Jesus? Oh, you never thought of
Christ as learning? My my, why not, doesn't the bible say He grew in
wisdom and stature among men? It's funny how it says men there,
in those days, women didn't count, today we'd say, "people," and we'd
know Christ grew...so, He had to learn, so, comment away, which type
learner do you suppose He was? Hint next time... Oh, one that just
can't be resisted, you are gonna have to get outside the box to deal
with this question...uh, I know that shocks you from one of my writings,
that you'd have to do that, but...please, just go with it...and hey, you
might mess up and leave a comment about what you think...

Luk 2:40	And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
Luk 2:52	And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man

Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Silence Between

Ever have a conversation where you know more is being said than the
words themselves? Ever want to ask a question, but you get so into the
person you are talking with that you forget the question to ask? Have
you perhaps had the experience of thinking through what you would
like to say, and hearing a little voice inside your head say, "yes but
if you say that, you know it won't go over well." Now I'm not talking
about a Schizo type voice, rather the normal internal dialogue that
just about every person has at some time when considering what they
believe they are going to do. If you have been there then you know
that sometimes things don't add up- things should be said, but they
aren't, things shouldn't be said, and they are, things should be done
but they aren't, and things shouldn't be done, and those are the very
things that end up taking place. If you have had that experience then
what I am about to say won't seem alien to you; it isn't the spoken
but the unspoken that carries the weight. What weight means is the
meaning which you will hang on to, long after the conversation is over
you will remember it but not necessarily the words themselves, it
is the silence between the words which you will reflect on, and it is
the meaning and the weight of the moment which you will let sink
into your heart. If you put your heart out there enough, eventually
you will find someone who will not consider it to be worth much,
you may, in fact, deeply care about them, only to discover that
they could care less about you; that's a tough place to be, and the
silence there is deafening in it's roar. It's the reality of the truth
about our lives and what we believe matters that comes home
during those moments, and sometimes, it can be crushing:

Mat 26:40

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them
asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not
watch with me one hour?

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

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Getting Good At It

The way that we live may say a great deal about us to others that
we don't realize we are saying. It isn't the big things that we do, it
is the little details of who we are that make the difference. This is
why, when people who are agnostic, such as Bart Erhman, say the
things that they say, about the history of the scripture and canon,
and other things that matter so much to them; my curiosity is
always peeked as to how they ignore the really huge obvious
detail that is Jesus? The power that is in our lives, all of our lives,
isn't something we can turn off or turn on, it is Christ, He is in our
lives, and; in spectacular detail. The big things Erhman mentions
may be correct, historically, they might be right, history is a hard
subject to reach conclusions on because, well, until we bust the time
travel barrier, we won't really know, we're all guessing, and so here
is my guess- if Christ isn't who we believe, then isn't it odd, that
after thousands of years now, we are still discussing the details of
His life? Isn't it odd that here is a man about whom the government
of the world, Rome, at that time, tried to stamp out all knowledge of-
reference Docletian; 303 ; and went so far that they were spoken of
as monsters? Yet the details of His life remain? It is not the big
awesome, huge things that mark you, those are highwater marks
of the flood that is the water rushing bye on your life, the details,
what you do, day to day, who you show you care about, day to day,
the many numerous acts of kindness, or, apathy (opposite of love),
which you take part in or don't, define what people will remember
about you- and that, is actually what you are- and what you are,
is actually, who you are! Jesus did it like this:

Mat 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man]
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow me.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Everybody

Sometimes when it is quiet, nobody wanting to know whether
this is so, or that is so, or trying to explain why they did
or didn't do what they were or weren't supposed to do; comes
the chance to hear the truth. Truth is quiet, it doesn't
yell, because it doesn't have to; it's not hasty, because
it doesn't have to be, it doesn't try to convince you of some
need that doesn't exist, because truth simply is, truth.
Is your life true? Jesus is truth; He isn't complicated,
although so many try to make Him be, Jesus just is, and
anytime, that is enough for me, what about you?
If you have
ever known love,
really felt the powerful moving of your soul,
ever felt the never forgetting, never able to forget,
love; the kind that propels your life,
moves you from within, and
had that love, mean,
not a whole lot,
then your getting
pretty close to the truth, you see, when it's quiet that
truth comes through, like the night our Lord realized there
was no way He wasn't going to die, truth is, He has me and
us, to thank for that; truth is, Jesus is the truth.
Zec 8:3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion,
and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and
Jerusalem
shall be called a city of truth;
and the mountain of the
LORD of hosts the holy mountain.
Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth,
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Hard Truth - Soft Truth

The present world culture likes things to move along smoothly, the vast
majority of people alive today aren't into warfare, yet, they find
themselves fighting all the time. Think about it- who do you know who
gets up in the morning and says "yup, todays the day I wanna go kill
some poor miserable hungry lil kid..." I don't know a single person
who thinks such thoughts, do you? Even terrorists, as warped as they
are, don't think that way- honestly, they don't. They are deluded
into believing that they are serving a higher cause. Think about it.
Christian's aren't immune to being deluded into action, either; in
fact, we fall for the lines, just as hard as anybody else. I heard
a song once that said, "you like to think that you're immune to the
stuff, oh yeah...but it's closer to the truth to say you can't get
enough...you're addicted to love." Now that song sold billions, not
millions, billions of copies world wide and made Robert Palmer even
more of a mega star than he was- because he pointed out a simple truth,
we're addicted in some fashion to something. Now lest you think me
totally cynical, let's say, there are some addictions that are nicer
than others, some addictions serve both God, us and our fellow man,
think about it. But the problem with addiction is, it can be twisted
into the favor of someone who wants to manipulate you, so the behavior
and the tendency to be addicted takes sway in your life, and the next
thing you know you're labeling folks with racial epithets that you
never would have used fifteen years ago(!), you're saying things about
people who are in misery and dying, that you wouldn't have been capable
of saying, fifteen years ago, and suddenly, right now, it begins to
dawn on you- there is no such thing as hard and soft truth, only truth.
Truth is, we are all in a very precarious spot right now, world wide,
we've been set up- huge, for the fall, and the real shame is, most of
us aren't even aware of the fact, aren't even aware of the truth- some
are so blind they have resisted the obvious fact of God as truth- and
God is screaming at us daily to wake up...is God going to be too late?
What does his truth say to us about that?

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

NOTE what it says, not what you think it says...this isn't talking about
God sowing pilgrim...what does it say! Take it for what it is worth-
get control of yourself and get on with your life...truth is...when you
do that, you'll be hugely and enormously surprised at just how amazingly
powerful you are, that's what God intends for you, that is truth!

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Monday, January 25, 2010

There Are Truths

Sometimes the truth will swamp your ability to handle it rationally,
this is when you see people shouting with joy, they don't know what
they are shouting about, really, but they are shouting. This is when
you see people tearing up, crying and weeping. One of the dearest,
most incredible loves in my entire existence was a person who just
doesn't get emotional, it's not their style. So when you see them
getting that way, it really impacts on you. One day in the midst of
hearing what I thought about them, it started to hit home, first
that I wasn't kidding, that I really felt that way, and then, it hit
them, it was the Holy Spirit speaking through me to them, the tears
flowed. It was then that God impressed upon me to read Proverbs 31;
it just came into my mind out of the air, "read Proverbs 31." Now
I have to tell you, that was pretty freaky on so many fronts, but
what happened next as I read it, has never left me; in that chapter
is my friend, for she, like nobody I've ever known, is chapter 31
of Proverbs, but then God put it on my heart - "so you think that's
about a person, huh? Uh, do you suppose it might be about my bride?"
The silence that danced down my soul is the sort that makes you smile
big inside, all that truth in one lesson, see why God humbles me?
Pro 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman?
For her price [is] far above rubies.

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Sunday, January 24, 2010

You Know More Than You Think You Do

Ever meet somebody and you just don't click with them?
Ever meet somebody and you just click with them? Both
come from a place that you don't happen to believe exists,
as if though you are being guided from some spiritual
direction where you can't see, touch, smell or hear the
guide, but for some odd reason, when you meet this person,
there it is- you like 'em or you don't, and you can't
put your finger on it? Welcome to the realm where your
deeper Father, God, works- welcome to the realm where
your active agent on behalf of wisdom, the Holy Spirit,
guides you. After the contact what takes place moves
into an entirely different realm, called faith, that's
a whole 'nother matter, but this first contact experience,
that's the one where you know what I'm describing. Once
I met somebody and it was instant love, don't know
how to explain it, can't explain it, really can't, what
is even odder still is that we're now going into years
and years of that relationship, and we really don't have
anything at all in common, but the first time I met this
person the Holy Spirit let me know, "this is the one."
Look I don't know how to explain how powerful that is
but if you do, why don't you share a bit of that
with us?
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed, ye were
sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Friday, January 22, 2010

Flying Without Fear

I have a friend who is beyond afraid to fly, they totally panic
when they even see a plane. When they went on a stateside
missionary journey, they decided it would be good to quit
smoking, so the two combined to make them jumpy, and
very, alert as we sat in our seats. The voice came over the
intercom: "ladies and gentlemen we've had a brief delay,
we will be getting under way as soon as possible." My friend
looked at me, "delay?" It would be fine I assured him, and
we waited. 30 minutes, now my friend, no cigarette available,
is starting to get a little tense, voice comes over the intercom,
"ladies and gentlemen, we're going to have to wait a little while
longer as the ground crew replaces a window in the cockpit
we are concerned about." My friend looked at me, and his
eyes were panicked as he said: "what in the world have we
gotten into?" As we took off an hour later, my friend, I am
sure, experienced one of the most uncomfortable experiences
that one can imagine. Some people don't have that problem,
they don't have the fear of flying, and, they don't have to leave
the nicotine behind. In most cases, however, if coffee weren't
served, hmm...or tea, hmm? So we choose, don't we, finally,
what it is that we're going to allow to control our hearts?
We all fly, the only question is, will we have fear of it? What
did you think, God gave you this experience for you to get
bored with it? What sort of God would He be if He let His
great love of adventure and great love of joy, not fill your
soul on occasion? Bye the way, on that missionary journey
my friend was able to share the gospel with someone who
came into the family of God? Hmm...let's fly into life today?

Act 1:11

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is
taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Just Don't Have The Stones

Here is a link to CBN (That's Pat Robertson's 700 Club page)
now, this is bizarre because it is 180 degrees removed
from what he said...click here to see video if you need to...
Yes Pat Robertson does say they made a pact with the devil..
I was so shocked I researched it and it's true...I was floored.
It is so shocking to me to hear this kind of nonsense that
I scarce didn't want to address it, but have to...folks please
don't fall into the easy trap of being a liar about history;
if you haven't read the history of Haiti, if you don't know
what you're talking about, please don't lie and then make
that lie worse by sharing that lie with others, please don't
do it- Haiti didn't make any such pact, historically they fought
for freedom from Europe in the first slave led revolt and race
baiters throughout history (you know, those folks who know
that a persons skin color is how God sees them...yeah...those
folks...)have said hateful things about Haiti ever since. So if
you don't know history, and you don't know the facts, please
be careful about propagating lies as God's truth and love?
God does not cause disasters, nor does God judge people
today as nations, it just doesn't happen- it is horrid,
absolutely horrid and awful, ill informed and medieval
theology to believe that God stands in some bizarre anti-
Jesus stance judging people to death and suffering? How
bad would any person have to be for that to be true?
Don't hang around me folks...I'm a sinner. According
to much of the nonsense I've heard lately, God is going
to judge me to Hell...Jesus and I have talked about that,
it's interesting what His Word says in response:

Jhn 8:7

So when they continued asking him,
he lifted up himself, and said unto them
, He that is without sin among you,
let him first cast a stone at her.

For the sake of all that is love in God, I'd seriously consider
sending help to the Red Cross, here is their link if you'd like
to use it. If a call goes out from them for volunteers, my
heart won't let me not go, so far, such a general call to the
world hasn't been issued, so I'll just write a hundred articles
to raise the ten dollars to contribute...please be careful in
times of disasters about assigning such to God, that's
downright scary...my sense is pray and read the Bible some
more before you fail to note what the author of the book
of James said about the tongue..oh beware Christian about
calling that which is evil to be of God, be careful...and
Pat Robertson, well, who am I to call Pat a sinner, folks
I'm sorry, I just don't have the stones...I do however on
my T.V. have an "Off" switch...come to think of it, I've got
one on my remote too...hmm...

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Merely Thinking

The idea of history and life as a matter of perception rather
than reality is a great philosophical leap for humankind, we
have actually reached the point in our development as created
order that we contemplate our realities past. So that history
is questioned as never before. I write this to you that you
may gain a foothold on faith as love, for in that power is
the redemption of those who believe that Jesus rose from the
grave; as He did, but which is questioned today. There are
some things you cannot buy into, no matter how great or
small the need, no matter how great or small the price;
the offer of the goods may seem reasonable, even more than
reasonable, and that's the real crux of the problem to
you about faith in God. If God and having faith in God
were a matter of simple, were a matter of beyond any
shadow of a doubt, then there would be no need for love,
and God is love. We who bear the banner of Jesus are
thereby shown what we are to be, like Him! The ideas
of philosophy can be and should be studied and examined
by all; they are the summa bonum of human consideration
to thought; but to the believer in God, the person of
faith in love, they are; merely thinking. God has shown
that love merits action, action merits praise; somehow
as believers we have lost that initiative of love and
have become contemplatives of history. We aren't the
thinkers we believe we are, and what we've let happen
is a loss to being the soldiers of love God intended.
1Jo 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we
have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which
we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
of the Word of life;
1Jo 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have
seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that
eternal life, which was with the Father,
and was manifested unto us;)

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Monday, January 18, 2010

Ruth - Beyond Self to Love and Faith

What is life; really, if not growing toward a higher
purpose, a higher goal? What the Book of Ruth teaches
us in no small measure is that life isn't made up of
a casual acquaintance with challenge. Just as God
is no respecter of "hu"-man, (the actual Hebrew
carries no gender implication as we do in our
cultural nuance of the quote); so God is a God
of might and power who expects His people to respect
what He gives them the grace and gifts to grow
into. Love, as Ruth displays; will carry faith,
such a person will grow as God deems the growth
must happen. They might not understand it, they
might not feel at peace (do you really think Ruth
felt at peace as Naomi raised her child, in the line
of Christ?); and they might not even think it was
a God sent or God deemed appropriate action, read
Ruth's role as handmaid to Boaz (Ruth 3:9)and yet
in the thousands of years since, that has been
remembered of the human lineage of Jesus. What
odd but mighty thing might God be showing by
His love this day? What strange yet Godly function
of faith might God want you to love yourself
through, in order that His great glory might
someday, thousands of years from now, be
told as the legacy of faith you leave? Are you
up to loving your way into a newer and more
challenging life than ever? Let's ask God to
show us this day, His heart toward you? Don't
say, "there aren't going to be any heroes
here today," instead say, "with God we'll
find a way." In weeks to come we'll start
to explore that there isn't any easy faith
in the walk of love, but for now, bolster
your heart with all you can, because God
trusts you will.
Rth 3:10 And he said, Blessed [be]
thou of the LORD, my daughter: [for]
thou hast shewed more kindness in the
latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men,
whether poor or rich.

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Ruth- Self Respecting Faith For You

Do we respect God as we should? Are we considering God
as we should? Do our lives reflect that, or do they reflect
something else? Can we have a faith that is O.K. but not
radical enough that our life must reflect it? Do we in our
hearts respect God as we should? Tough questions if you
are being honest with yourself about your heart- those are
tough questions for anybody about any subject when it
comes to being respectful, but in my walk it is so often the
case that people believe in their hearts they are respecting
God, yet, when we break that down, it's not God that they
are respecting, it is self- their own definition of what they
believe it is that they should respect. Ruth got that straight
early in her life, when you read the book of Ruth, the last
book of the Jewish bible, you will see many interesting
and powerful statements of respect, anyone would be glad
to hear them, but especially glad to hear that love is at the
center of their core, and that love is shared with an open and
honest approach to knowing your own heart, that is what
Ruth is all about, as we have come to define faith as love-
so that without love, faith won't go, we know that Ruth is
the classic definition of bible based love. Listen as she says:

Rth 3:9

And he said, Who [art] thou? And she
answered, I [am] Ruth thine handmaid:
spread therefore thy skirt over thine
handmaid; for thou [art] a near kinsman.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

January - Ruth, You and Faith (action)

You are reading this, that is action,
you are thinking about it,
that is action, you are considering what
to do with the day, you
probably call it your day (that's a common phrase,
my day, my time,
the day, this time- but that's all
wrong, it's God's actually); and
that's action. Action is all over the life
which God has chosen
to let you live. It is tough to understand
why He made such a choice,
rather than other choices, but it is easy
to be thankful that He did.
We may not ever get an answer to Paul's
prayer that we would know
the mind of God, but we may get an
answer to the prayer which we
pray in earnest, as our last hope; and yet,
even then, we may not see
the results of that prayer until later.
Faith is action, taking action
on what you believe and understand
about God, such an adjustment to
the otherwise selfish outlook of man
is called many different things,
but a very simple truth is, if you
acknowledge God, He will acknowledge
you- and that's a fact you can cling
to when all else fails.

Rth 3:5 And she said unto her,
All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

"drd's" Blog (Get your mind filled and then ...GO...)

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

January - Ruth and You and God

What do we know of God, honestly- without any embellishment,
without any adding in for any other factors, what do we
know, about God? What an honest Christian has to answer
to that is, what God let's us in on, but do we really
believe He'd be holding back? So if there is a limiter
in the process we might want to claim that for ourselves,
but be careful there; because the spectrum plays out at
God, one of the aspects is set up by God, this is called
revelation, in the case of Boaz, this would be the field,
the field hands, and Ruth's presence. In the case of
God Himself, this might be the timing when Boaz shows up,
and the inclination to ask the other workers who Ruth
was, out loud! For you and I the story asks some questions
which aren't easily answered by any other aspect of God
than faith, and it comes down to love, as the active force
of faith. It is hard to hold on to the belief that God
is love, it takes no small doing when you look at the
world, see the suffering of otherwise innocent children,
see the wicked prospering; see injustice, see waste of
resource in otherwise productive lives, it is a jump
of faith, and it can only happen through love. So
we have to ask ourselves, do we let our hearts love?

Rth 2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant
that was set over the reapers,
Whose damsel [is] this?
Rth 2:6 And the servant that was set
over the reapers answered and
said, It [is] the Moabitish damsel
that came back with Naomi
out of the country of Moab:
Rth 2:7 And she said, I pray you,
let me glean and gather after
the reapers among the sheaves:
so she came, and hath continued
even from the morning until now,
that she tarried a little in the house.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

January -Make Your Love... Move

When we consider the enormous power that love brings to our lives, the ability that love has to move us, to lift us, to change us, to motivate us, to make every sensation, every nuance, every breath; more. Love takes us to a level of living where abundant doesn't have relevance, because it is abundant living heaped onto abundant living; as Jesus said, our blessings will not only be multiplied they will be "pressed down, and shaken together, and running over," (Luke 6:38) and we believe this, but we fail to live it. It happens quickly, we have the chance to do a letter to the editor, but we pass on it, because, "why would anyone want to listen to me?" We have a chance to increase our income significantly, but we pass on it because, "I can't believe it's real, it just seems like it's not, why would they want me?" We have a chance to become a more significant leader in the community, but we pass on it because, "I'm really not interested in politics." All the while, in each opportunity, we miss the grand expression of God who wants to move love into our life and begin to press down blessings, but we'd rather be comfortable, than grow- and then at the end of our life we will look back, from a much loftier vantage called "Heaven," where we believe it won't matter to us what we did not do, and I just wonder; I just wonder, will we know we could have? For Ruth the battle of faith wasn't to listen to bad counsel, or counsel without love, for Ruth the challenge was to hear the voice of her God as He moved in her life, directing her life, you may face those same challenges today- don't run from increase, grasp the hand of God and allow Him to move you into all the glory He has savored for you.

Rth 2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel [is] this?

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Monday, January 11, 2010

January - Why You Are Remarkable

These days I hear far too much of the negative invective, why
we should serve God, and far too little of the honest truth
about God loving you, and why that results in service. Let me
share with you the difference from out of the book of Ruth,
here in one paragraph. You can be guilt tripped and guilt laden
into service, you can be scared of Hell, into service, you
can be shamed into service of God, all of those are standard
sermon approaches and appeals, but none of them come from the
heart of God - catch that phrase, it means what it says, God
isn't interested in putting a heap of guilt on your head, that
isn't where His heart is at. God, as the Bible makes clear,
if you study it deep enough, God is love- and love, as displayed
by Ruth's unsheltered devotion to Naomi - sworn as a death oath,
love, doesn't shrink back, it moves on, from within it's own
power! Not guilt, not shame, not fear - love- and when you move
to the symphony of God who is love, the music will soar within
your soul- and other souls will join in! So when you hear
counsel from someone that tells you not to achieve, not to
soar, not to try, not to grow, not to find new ways of being
more of what you are, not to want to expand your areas of
becoming more and more of what your excellence is about, when
you hear such words- bear in mind, that isn't love- love urges
you on- which means, love is very much - faith!
Rth 1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem.
And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem,
that all the city was moved about them, and they said,
[Is] this Naomi?

A special treat for our special followers free charts,
check this link out:
Rose Publishing

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Friday, January 8, 2010

January - Press On - To Love

One paragraph, short devotional thought about the power

of love to bring life, love expands your current state,

love moves you to a place where you aren't, but where

you would love to be, love takes you on a journey, and

when love is there, present, you know it. God as the

Bible let's us in on, is love. When we talk about Ruth

everyone has heard the familiar passage of the past

couple of days, but the next passage contains the element

of love that we will see is so powerful and life changing:

Ruth 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and
there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more
also, [if ought] but death part thee and me.

Simply put, love puts you into a place in your life

where doing what you must to satisfy love is better

than continuing to live. Ruth tells Naomi that if

she doesn't honor her commitment of love to Naomi,

then she would rather die. Having someone who loves

you to that degree is what takes your live in an

entirely different direction, ah my prayer for you

this day is that you might know such love.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

January - In love with you - period.

We don't speak much about loving folks nowadays,
it is becoming a very cold natured culture, and
the warm, "want to hug you forever," kind of loving
person, and personality, isn't respected like it once
was. Know what's replacing it? Love based not on
what you can give to them, to that person you love,
but rather, far too often the questioning mind of
our world today asks, "if you love me - you will..."
That's called conditional love, and when those
conditions aren't met, guess what; the so-called love
goes right out the window. This is why relationships
are dying around us, it is because the base of their
love is receiving not giving.

Whereas the base of love which we are shown in the life
of Jesus is giving. He had nothing, that we know of
He kept nothing. That we know of, He desired only that
those who He felt closest too, would love Him as He loved
them; but at that time, they couldn't- for example, Peter.
Imagine for all those years of knowing Peter so closely,
of teaching Peter so intimately; and then, when Jesus
needed to look down from His death cross, no Peter
there? Imagine not seeing the eleven; in that seemingly
Jesus knew Judas was going to follow his destiny(?), but
imagine looking down and not seeing the eleven? Where
were they? "My God," Jesus asks, in the Aramaic translation
(which Jesus spoke) this is a question; it has a pause-
"My God(!)"- in the Aramaic this is an emphatic with the
"you are my God?" - "Why?-" and here Jesus looks
down at only three or four people, if you believe that
Joseph of Aramethia was there(?)- and He looked at them,
and wanted so badly to see eight or nine others that
He, Jesus asked to the pain filled air; "Has thou-
forsaken me?" Jesus then - finishes the journey of
surrender for our sins. Yes I know...it's a rather
different take, I'm used to that- but also know in my
heart- Jesus had a breaking heart at that moment-
but out of love, He gave, yet again- so why- WHY-
isn't Jesus loved today in the world? Oh ya know- I
think if you listen carefully to what people say, Jesus
is loved, the hypocrisy of religion, isn't.

We are looking at Ruth, Naomi had made up her mind,
Naomi saw her life as being done for, she saw her
husband as a done deal, life's up, the gig, so to say,
is over, and she felt she was to return to her town
of kinsmen- Naomi, felt her daughters would be better
off if they stayed in the new town, stayed with the
more opulent folks, so she asked them a simple request,
"return - and leave me to go on to my destiny." Now
those of you who have said that, think back on what
folks who love you say, and, how you felt? For me,
when somebody insists on being with me when I'm down
for the count, and I know it, my first reaction is to
be just a bit "mythed," at them for not paying attention
to what I'm asking? On the other hand, as I feel their
warmth there with me, my heart melts just a little bit
more, and even at times, I'll weep for their compassion
upon me is so great, their love so evident. One day my
compliments finally hit somebody that I love, I say nice
things of the truth about them all the time, but for some
reason on this day, it finally sank in that I really
meant it, every word of it, loved them forever- and
I saw them weep a bit- can you feel how that made me feel?
Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee,
[or] to return from following after thee:
for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people [shall be]
my people, and thy God my God:
Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

January - Oh that you would love...

One of my all time favorite stories from the Old Testament
is of two women, nomads, associated to a long, arduous,
dangerous journey of survival. In that journey Naomi
instructed her daughters to return and not travel with
her, return to safety, don't go with me. This feeling
statement is one that you may grow to respect as we
look into it, it is a feeling statement, but it is also
so much more, feel this with me this morning:
Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee,
[or] to return from following after thee:
for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people [shall be]
my people, and thy God my God:

Three things mean something in love:
1) Is it real - do you mean it?
2) Can it last - test of time and strain?
3) Does it allow you to grow?

When you love someone, another person, it's very
helpful if they also love you in equality, for
love which isn't returned in kind can be very lonely.
When you love someone, another person, it's very
helpful if they remain true to you as you to them.
When you love someone, another person, it's very
helpful if they see you not as you are, but as you
can become.

Tomorrow we will begin an earnest journey, it's a hard
journey, but we will also have to return to the guide
of the Holy Spirit that I asked to lay aside during
the holidays. Please pray for that venture as this is
a tightly woven set of truths about the end of time,
love, and, you. Let us pray:

Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Monday, January 4, 2010

January - Fresh- New and You

Ever feel like life is losing it's pizazz? Ever wonder why?
Let me suggest in this one paragraph devotional thought,
not only a why, but a how to do away with that "blah" that
comes around New Years ...here we go- one paragraph- is all,
ready- curious about what it might be? Wondering, "how in
the world is he gonna do this in one paragraph?" Isn't it
something when your mind gets engaged into something? My
heart is one of those that when I love somebody it's totally,
all the way, like Jesus, I love my Lord all the way, I have
a magnificent, absolutely awesomely incredible and inspiring
person I love who said I needed to focus- and that, my
friend- that great loving, inspiring moment, my brain went
into another place, and the point came home. The blahs
were gone- and this Bible verse came to me, love is the
most powerful experience there is, I pray you may have such
a love in your life: "Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God."
Per Signum Crucsis (By The Sign of the Cross)
De Inimicsis Nostre (From our Enemies)
Libera Nos, Deus Noster (Deliver us, our God)
In Nomine Patris (In the name of the Father)
Et Filii (and of the Son)
Et Spiritus SAncti (and of the Holy Spirit)
Amen

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Deal - New Year - Wow And How

One of our most pleasing experiences is when we are touched,
as babies we love it, crave it, long for it, and get vocal
when it doesn't happen. As young people we dearly long for
and enjoy when our mom holds us, and for many of us, we
gained enormous satisfaction when our father did the same.
(Fathers aren't like they used to be, but that's another
writing for another time) As we entered into teenage years
we started to get off on being touched by members of the
opposite sex, which, brought us enormous satisfaction when
our boyfriend or girlfriend provided a positive stroke
our way. As we enter into adulthood, the need is still there
but often the satisfaction dwindles.

It is a sad statement of the culture within the
world that we are becoming less and
less touch motivated, and more and more, technologically
motivated. Young people are increasingly making use of a
cold and detached computer system; whether cellular or not,
to make up for the satisfaction which they are not getting
from a personal relationship.

This is the world that 2010 begins in; and it
is getting increasingly colder in emotional
terms, and nobody seems to be able to point out why? Part of
the reason for that may be the enormous size of the world/
global measure which would be required to finalize such an image?

On top of the facts of our emotional context in a technology
gone out of control; we have the amazing aspect of interpersonal
relationships being modified on a daily basis by the government.
Why would a persons personal conduct with regard to prayer
be a sanctioned legal issue? Why would a couples private
conduct within the sanctity of their home become a legal
and economic issue? Why are things which were never intended
to be measured by a Holy Bible designed to indicate a path
to a blissful, heavenly eternity; suddenly being brought into
that arena and publically judged by those who claim to be able
to rightly interpret it? I would suggest to you that much
of what we see taking place has little or nothing to do
with Jesus, much to do with things having nothing to do with
Jesus! Many evangelicals are all up in arms saying that these
are the last days, maybe they are- but maybe they aren't and
we should get begin to act like we have a responsibility to
build a better church, a more representative body of Christ-
to the local surroundings! Paul told his readers that they
cannot just believe this is the end of it and go sit on a hill!
Neither in 2010 can we. Now toward that end my sense is that
we need to get on board deeper discussions, in fact, since
you are a reader here, my sense is that you can handle some
questions which aren't easy. Check out:
http://www.bartdehrman.com/index.htm
NOTE: I do not recommend a trek down Ehrman lane unless
you are ready to dig in deep...here is a tough video: