And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Daniel 7:25 Some folks wear us out. They don’t blink, they are poor sports, they swing moods, or they overstate/understate. They seem to be hiding dark interests. Joanna Ashmun says, “…the most telling thing that narcissists do is contradict themselves.” “They will contradict facts. They will lie to you about things that you did together.” “They will misquote you to yourself. If you disagree with them they will say you are lying, making stuff up, or are crazy.” I guess we could say that we are an obstacle in the road of certain kinds of self-made persona. We are to go along with their concept…
Category: <span>Walk, for Christians</span>
I have often said to my wife, “I’m sorry Hon.” “Sorry for what?” she comes back. “For everything.” – meaning: I’m sorry for being alive, for being human, for doing what humans do. “Oh” Honestly, I have come a long way with my human-hood; come to grips with it. My early problems with it came as a result of a subtle philosophical mistake. I believed, and it was implied by what I could grasp as “normal,” that people are fundamentally good. That is, “normal people are good.” My problem was, I was not good all the time, but liked being bad better. I really tried hard to be good, and because of this, I was guilty a lot. I was letting my conscience be my guide as I was taught to do. This philosophy led to a very low self-approval rating. Needless to say, I had a poor self-image, also…
I have sat beside a tiny crib, And watched a baby die,As parents slowly turned toward me,To ask, “Oh, Pastor, why?” I have held the youthful husband’s head,And felt death’s heave and sigh.A widow looked through tears and said,“Dear Pastor, tell me why?” I have seen a gold-star mother weep,And hold a picture nighHer lonely breast, and softly ask,“Why? Pastor, why, oh, why?” I have walked away from babyland,Where still-born babies lie.A mother stretches empty arms,And asks me, “Pastor, why?” I have watched my drunken Father leaveOur home, and say “good-bye,”While looking into Mother’s faceI asked, “Please tell me why?” I have heard the white-tipped tapping cane, Which leads a blinded eye.And then a darkened, lonely voiceCries, Preacher, show me why.” I have caught a fiancee’s burning tears,And heard her lonely cry.She held an unused wedding gown,And shouted, “Pastor, why?” I have heard the cancer patient say,” Tis…
[A song of ascents. By David:] “Adonai, my heart isn’t proud; I don’t set my sight too high, I don’t take part in great affairs or in wonders far beyond me. No, I keep myself calm and quiet, like a little child on its mother’s lap – I keep myself like a little child. Isra’el, put your hope in Adonai from now on and forever! “Psalm 131:1-3 CJB Karl Kapp wrote an article on “games.” He observes, “Games give you the freedom to fail, do something wrong and then start over again with minimal consequences and almost no longer-term negative implications.” Games, “…provide the freedom to explore different environments, different methods of thinking and different approaches to problem solving.” “Games are a sandbox for life.” Video games are winning the hearts of many young because the freedom experienced while playing them is hard to match. In contrast, real-life players become…
Confidence is a great thing. Don’t throw it away. Reliance, trust, belief in the powers of; these thoughts relate to confidence. “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” Eleanor Roosevelt. “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.” Joe Namath. “To have faith doesn’t mean you get any less frustrated when you don’t do your best, but you know that it is not life or death.” “Take what you are given, and when you continue to work hard, you will see results. That will give you the confidence you need to keep going.” Tom Lehman “The moment you doubt whether you can fly,…
Does time heal all wounds? Well, I tire easily reading psychology books that teach: “the interplay between suppressing and exposing a hurt will eventually bring healing.” “grieving losses will eventuate a return to “normalcy.” “re-integrate a victim into society, and again they will be adjusted. “ Sincere ideas which may contribute. Friends, my problem is this; “normal” for these guys, encompasses the old sin nature. They assume wrongly that a man is born free. They suppose that the whole head and the whole heart ain’t sick and faint. In stark contrast to their evaluation, “normal” equals “wounds, bruises and putrefying sores.” “My wound is incurable,” said Jeremiah. Way before time’s wounding event, man exists a ball of woundedness. God plans to exterminate all of it — every speck. Only a bloody cross, only a dying Savior can fix a man. Because man miscalculates, God’s solutions seem radical. Paul admitted, however, “in my…
Bridge on Danube River What is the fellowship of His sufferings? “Something undergone;” and “that which befalls one,” are two ideas for the concept of “suffering.” Obviously a passive occurrence as opposed to active, folks are receivers of suffering, unwanted. “Fellowship” refers to a shared thing. In a sense, Christ shares His victim-hood with us? We share our wounded-hood with Him. We must taste being preyed upon to have this fellowship? — All of the above. “Paul had serious suffering, but as he felt it was to make him a better workman, and so for the good of others, he was content to share it with his Lord. And here we must observe that “sympathy” is the closest fellowship between souls. What is this sympathy? It is fellowship in suffering; it is in distress, in fiery trial, that hearts come nearest to one another.” “The Hebrew children never knew such fellowship in Babylon…
Can we become someone else? Yes and no. We can change names, thoughts, even chemical identities, yet;Can we discard old DNA, and then find new? The writer of a Psalm says, “My substance (DNA?) was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:15-16. Perhaps a key lies with the words, “Thine eyes.” When God sees, it is in omniscience. His “seeing us” is what makes us somebody. If I exist in the mind of God, I truly exist. I’m in a book written. If I do not exist in His mind, can I still exist? No, or–only in hell-likeness. Would we agree? Maybe an…
1 Corinthians 6:7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? Living Bible Luke 6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. Why not let yourself be cheated? When slammed up-side the head, offer also the other cheek; chase down the cloak thief and give him your coat also. What religion is this? Ours. Friends, “be gentle with all men, apt to teach; in meekness instruct those who oppose themselves.” Perhaps God will grant them repentance. Really? Those who oppose you, actually, oppose themselves. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. And Proverbs 25:15 says; By long forbearing is a prince persuaded,…
God seems a mere fancy to me — spooky, hiding in the shadows, not really concerned. If love and anger are two feelings which are in people, I guess God don’t have these. In one story about Him He is a big Hand in the sky — of His Son, Jesus; a tough “figure out” for me. “What does He want?” I wonder! – the answer could fill a big void with the other “what you have to do’s.” At church and grade-school we think about God. Statues of Jesus help at some picture making. In our church’s statues He seems a shepherd type, but I have never seen a real shepherd. These stir up notions more than real bytes. None of my senses make God out to be really real. He is not laughing nor crying; has no facial air. He speaks another language; Latin. I don’t know what…