Morningside Devotionals

"Four"- it's what golfers shout to let people on the fairway know they have hit a tee shot. It means,"Watch out I don't hit straight!" No actually it means "Beware!" which is what part four of our spiritual questions journey will bring in today... (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. Situation four is subjective - we as people are entirely subjective- you can eat a meal on Tuesday when you are feeling good, and having a good day, and it will taste great, Thursday of a week later, same exact meal, but this day you are stressed and don't feel good and didn't sleep well, and it will not taste good. We are subjective. God, being God, isn't. God is God- not subject to anything. I know people who preach an interesting legal non sense that God is boun...

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...