“Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Exodus 19:19-20 The place of austerity carried sacred implications; no man could look at God and live. Old Israel learned early to fear the voice of God as it resembled thunder. God’s people were forbidden approach to God’s mountain, and begged Moses that God not speak to them directly. Only through Moses did they dare receive communication from Yahweh. In the midst of fire and brimstone came the ten commandments through Moses. In…
Healing at the Cross Posts
“A girl came home to discover that her mother wasn’t there. Her mom was already in a column marching toward the Umschlagplatz. She ran after the column alone, from Leszno street to Stavki Street. Her fiancé gave her a lift in his riska so that she could catch up, and she made it. At the last minute she managed to merge into the crowd so as to be able to get on the train with her mother. (The train, of course, was one of those whose passengers never returned to their point of departure.)” This story, told by Tzuetan Todorov in “Facing the Extreme” is a heartbreaking one of “ordinary virtue” but stirs the heart maybe more than stories of national heroism. This is a tale of tender caring for the sake of another human being. In this occurrence a daughter and mother cleave to each other and face an…
Baltimore Maryland Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Philippians 3:8-9. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:17 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness…
Did you ever lose the want-to’s? Ever feel powerless? Are you focused on a long range eternal future to the detriment of an eternal now? Is eternal life a time related concept or a present moment reality for you? Lastly, what does a present day eternal life look like? The answer to these questions is a revelation of interest to every Christian life. See, if eternal life is yet future and related to in only that future way, we are subject to ambivalence. Yes, we could be stuck with two inner driving forces which war against each other and stifle our resolve. One constraint is “I clearly must,” and the other is “I am clearly afraid to.” A neighbor’s words illustrate, “I am so excited about that prospective house purchase; but on second thought, I fear it will bring a headache and so I’ll wait.” In contrast, a person living…
“Openness involves a hunger for life. Our arms must reach out to the other, which requires a position of vulnerability. We are made for the dance of intimacy. They are invited in as guests and not as strangers.” “Opening the heart to face the complexity of living in this world requires waiting for truth to come to us. Change comes not from our will, but from God’s mercy. We must stretch out our arms to life but God moves when He will.” “The embrace is an accurate metaphor to encompass what is involved in walking the healing path to God. There are four elements to an embrace: opening the heart instead of cynically shutting down; waiting with anticipation rather than killing hope; encircling the other instead of standing alone; Letting go of the moment.” Dan B. Allender Ph. D. “Merry Christmas” is the word this year, everywhere we turn. Typically,…
Cast not away your “confidence” — “freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, openly, frankly, without concealment, without ambiguity or circumlocution, without the use of figures and comparisons.” “… which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Heb 10:35-36 Straight from the shoulder, without beating around the bush, with no holds barred, candidly, freely, cast not away your confidence, for it has great recompense of reward. Clarke writes “Having so great a fight of sufferings to pass through, and they of so long continuance, God furnishes the grace; you must exercise it.” What is the promise to be received? Elevation. Humility, of the sort which suffers above, receives elevation or honor; those clothed in humility get grace. Those who run the race with patience, have laid aside encumbrances and sins. The weights have…
Jeremiah_15:18 “Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed?” Jeremiah_30:12 “For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Of course not! “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23. “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” Matthew_6:27 “The patient cannot permit himself to perceive the trauma until he is ready to take a stand toward it.” “…we are unable to give attention to something until we are in some way to experience an ‘I can’ toward it.” Merleau Ponty “Memory is like perception in this regard; the patient…
Will God wait for me? I am very slow to change; so slow that I doubt His patience will last. I’m stuck in myself and though I try, I cannot find release. My heart deceives me, time and time again. I will not try much anymore. Does God love the weak and frail? Does God love the poor and lame? Does He love the self-deceived? God waited for Gomer. She was finally done, worn out, hoping to die, of little worth. All of her “lovers” abandoned her for lack of use; they were in it for themselves. Then God said, “She is valuable to me, go and purchase her.” He spoke comfortably with her. Nobody wondered about her sincerity. There were no promises from her. “Sincerity” was one lover who ran away. Elijah had had enough. He ran from Jezebel’s threat, and wanted to die. The shame of simply quitting…
Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine. He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then—yes, it’s true—he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says “Ah, that fire feels good.” Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it,…
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. Rev 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but He himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.…