The inescapable appointment.

The inescapable appointment..

A great post from my friend Kelly Finke. Worth the read and the consideration.

A hundred ways to say “thank you”

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christian, christianity, church, cloud of witness, devotion, faith, finaces, hope, inspiration, love, new way, provision, thankfulness, thoughts, writings

This was a great read this morning and made me realize how guilty of prejudice I am towards the hand of provision. Thank you Ben Pasley:  www.benpasley.com

This morning I am thinking of how there are no rules for how God will make provision for his people, and to spend much time building exacting formulas seems wasteful. In seasons and times and places there have been provisions of manna from the sky, coins from the fish mouth, miracles for widows from small jars, miracles in wine in large jars, and offerings placed at the apostles feet. Men have farmed, served, made, sold and traded for a living for as far as history has reached, and God has seen fit to bring provision through that labor as well. There a principles and lessons inside of each one, I am sure, but the greatest lesson for me might be that God can provide through anything and so we must choose not become to prejudiced, too opinionated, too entrenched in looking up at only one rain cloud of provision or we may find ourselves swimming in resources but unable to receive it because our judgements have blinded us to the rising tide of God’s favor which simply came from an unexpected direction. Lesson summary: expect God’s favor from every direction and learn how to say thank you in several languages.

Secular Spirituality?

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carnal, Christ, christian, church, secular

So.  Does it work to use secular means to run a sacred institution?  I seem to see it everywhere I turn.  By “work” I mean, is it the best?  Is it the heart of God? What do you do when your secular methods are in conflict with Biblical tenets? Someone has to give.  Isn’t it strange that we have come to the point where the real question is…” Is it Christ or the Church?”

Don’t Trifle With Calvary

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ancient, apologetics, blood of jesus, christian, christianity, church, devotion, eternity, faith, God, intercession, keening, love, wine

Reading a poem by George Herbert rightly titled the Agony.  The last line has gripped my heart.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day … when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. (Rom. 2:4-5, 16)

THE AGONY

Philosophers have measured mountains,
Fathom’d the depths of seas, of states, and kings,
Walk’d with a staff to heaven, and traced fountains
But there are two vast, spacious things,
The which to measure it doth more behove:
Yet few there are that sound them; Sin and Love.

Who would know Sin, let him repair
Unto Mount Olivet; there shall he see
A man, so wrung with pains, that all his hair,
His skin, his garments, bloody be.
Sin is that Press and Vice, which forceth pain
To hunt his cruel food through every vein.

Who knows not Love, let him assay,
And taste that juice, which on the cross a pike
Did set again abroach; then let him say
If ever he did taste the like.
Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,
Which my God feels as blood; but I, as wine.
by George Herbert 1593-1633
source: The Poetical Works Of George Herbert, ed. George Gilfillan. Edinburgh: James Nichol, 1853

Given to the Son

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body, christian, christianity, church, devotion, eternity, faith, God, hope, inspiration, Jesus, keening, love, prayer, religion

Jesus states in John 6:65 “No man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father”

I was pondering this today and realized of all the things I have asked for in my walk, I have actually failed to make this my hearts cry.  I can’t come to Him without being given to Him.  I can’t worship Him unless my heart is anointed to love Him.  He is the beginning and the end of my race, the object of the gaze of my heart and my eternal destiny.  Strive as I might in my own strength, it is futile unless I am given.  So I cry:  “Father, Give me to your Son. “

Living, Loving, Learning

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body, christianity, church, fellowship, groans, holy spirit, love, religion

The three L’s. I am amazed at the manner with which God will so graciously move you- literally….MOVE YOU, where he wants you. I have been enjoying being back in a body, and also realizing there is much I have yet to learn of love, and much I have to learn about learning. So, I find myself living back in the school of the Spirit, often times communicating…with groans that can not be uttered.

Transition Anyone?

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ancient, burning bush, christian, church, covenant, prayer, transition

Wow…whirlwind changes.  Learned about the sandal covenant recently, and I think I have empathy with Moses in a whole new way. Let me explain.  You see, Moses was just minding his own business on the back side of a desert one day, think Riggins area, and lo and behold a bush that was burning without being consumed…think, curiosity killed the cat.  Yep.  How do you say no to friendship with God?  Millions do.  But not everyone is presented with a burning bush unfortunately.  I believe we are each called to be that bush. To burn brightly, and not be consumed. Take your shoes off…think, holy place of intimate friendship forever, and he was forever changed.

I find myself back to my roots, in my old hometown, confronted with the invitation to know him deeper and more intimately this go around.  How can I say no?  I have seen the bush, I have heard the voice.  I stand barefoot in your presence oh Lord…waiting.

Why She? A Keening

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christian, christianity, femininity, keening, paradox, poetry, thoughts, wail, why me, woman, writings

I am woman.

I am womb.

I cleave.

I am torn.

I mourn,

I dance,

I fight,

I die…

I am woman.

I bleed,

I am water,

I nourish,

I reach,

I cover,

I clothe,

I pray,

I feed…

I am woman

Why She?

I weep,

I see,

I laugh,

I sigh

I see-

Why She?

I can love and leave

I can leave and love

Why She?

I am craving,

I am sustaining,

I am weak

I am strength

I am sight

I am blind

I am journey

I am home

I am SHE-

Why?

The absurdity of life without God.

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ancient, apologetics, christian, christianity, church, God, keening, love, prayer, religion, revelation, thoughts, writings

The second session of our apologetics class was amazing!  The absurdity of life without God. Taught by  William Craig. One of the nation’s leading apologists. The guy has two doctorates.  One of them is from a German University.  It was an honor to listen.  One thing really struck me as he laid out the arguments of those who proclaim atheism, he spoke of the fact that there is no value without God.

Then he made the statement of the evening.  Eternity is the knowledge of God. Wow…think about that. Forever, and ever and ever discovering the beauty, wonder and holiness of our God is eternity. I am living in that now.  I had been mulling the taste of a definition of revelation, from one of the ancients, as being a moment of eternity given to the now. This absolutely confirmed that.  Think of the times God gives you a revelation of himself as you reaching up into an eternal reality and pulling into your present an understanding of God.  The scripture in Ecclesiastes that states “he put eternity into their hearts” speaks of this reality. Without eternity we would never have the chance of understanding how deep, how high, how wide the love of The Father is extended to his children.

Tonight’s session really was all about life or death and the choice we make. It is the original question of the tree of life, or death, and the reality that we are being returned to the fellowship of the Trinity.  I choose life.

The Eyes of My Heart

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alabaster, blood of jesus, body, christian, christianity, devotion, eyes, heart, Jesus, keening, love, thoughts

This morning as I sat in service listening to words describing the sustaining power of God, the minister took a turn I thought was going to lead us past a favorite landmark in scripture, Mary of Bethany.  I settled in anticipating the view when he veered sharply to an ancient footpath that leads to gardens, and fountains, and encounters with The Divine.  He spoke of how the aroma of her act of worship was with him in his scourging providing him with a fragrance of love in the face of hate.  This was a gift from The Father.  This was not to be taken from Him.

I wept.

This is worship. This is the depth of love she saw as she sat at his feet as a radical female disciple for her time,  and didn’t let one of his words fall to the ground but cherished them in her heart. She saw him.  There were others in the room, but they couldn’t see Him.  She was looking through the eyes of worship.  He was preparing to give His back to the smitters, his face to the bruisers his life for the lost.  She busted her alabaster life at his feet, and worshiped. With every rattle of air that filled his lungs in the hours to come upon our Savior, the fragrance of worship lingered upon his body, was present in the blood in his mouth, when he hung his head, wafted up into his nose to resonate a promise of love fulfilled. Joy unspeakable, a kingdom without end, everlasting Peace.

And we get bored with the worship choruses, the old hymns,the mention of the Cross, the study of the Lamb…

Thank you Mary. Because you saw him, so can we.  Open the eyes of my heart Lord…I want to see you… I want to see you.