From This Days Thought
I always think that we live, spiritually, by what others have given us in the significant hours of our life. These significant hours do not announce themselves as coming, but arrive unexpected. Nor do they make a great show of themselves; they pass almost unperceived. Often, indeed, their significance comes home to us first as we look back, just as the beauty of a piece of music or of a landscape often strikes us first in our recollection of it. Much that has become our own in gentleness, modesty, kindness, willingness to forgive, in veracity, loyalty, resignation under suffering, we owe to people in whom we have seen or experienced these virtues at work, sometimes in a great matter, sometimes in a small. A thought which had become an act sprang into us like a spark, and lighted a new flame within us.
Albert Schweitzer
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Thoughts - What Are We Doing Here?
Guy Muse of the M Blog with his posting on people eating dirt lead me in a roundabout way to this picture. Check it out.
"Jesus tells us that people who cry because their hearts are broken over the things that break the heart of God are the fulfilled people in this world."
Tom Sine
"We have too many people who have plenty of medals, and no scars."
Warren Wiersbe
Tom Sine
"We have too many people who have plenty of medals, and no scars."
Warren Wiersbe
"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."
Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Monday, January 28, 2008
"Sparks" from a friend
From T. Austin Sparks
What Paul is saying so emphatically. . .is. . that when you meet a truly Spirit-indwelt and Spirit-governed man or woman, what they say comes out of their life - is a very part of their life. Their teaching can be seen to have been wrought into their history and their experience. When that man or that woman seeks to teach, to 'minister', to say something to someone else of a Christian character, its known that it has come out of some secret history with God, something that the Holy Spirit has done in them. Their ministry and their character are identical...
....That 'ministry' with Paul is nothing less than, nothing other than, what is true of Christ coming out of the life of His servants, of His people; being there, and coming out'
What Paul is saying so emphatically. . .is. . that when you meet a truly Spirit-indwelt and Spirit-governed man or woman, what they say comes out of their life - is a very part of their life. Their teaching can be seen to have been wrought into their history and their experience. When that man or that woman seeks to teach, to 'minister', to say something to someone else of a Christian character, its known that it has come out of some secret history with God, something that the Holy Spirit has done in them. Their ministry and their character are identical...
....That 'ministry' with Paul is nothing less than, nothing other than, what is true of Christ coming out of the life of His servants, of His people; being there, and coming out'
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
What were you thinking?
Mr. Tozer ....
I have been thinking recently about how important my thoughts are. I don't have to do wrong to get under blistering conviction and repent. I can lose the fellowship of God and sense of His presence and a sense of spirituality by just thinking wrong. God has been saying to me, "I dwell in your thoughts. Make your thoughts a sanctuary in which I can dwell. See to it." You can't do anything with your heart--that is too deep--but you can control your thoughts....
Your theology is your foundation. The superstructure is your spiritual experience built on that foundation. But the high bell towers where the carillons are--those are your thoughts. And if you keep those thoughts pure the chimes can be heard ringing out "Holy, Holy, Holy" on the morning air.
Make your thoughts a sanctuary God can inhabit, and don't let any of the rest of your life dishonor God. See to it that not a foot of ground is unholy. See to it that every hour and every place is given over to God, and you will worship Him and He will accept it.
I have been thinking recently about how important my thoughts are. I don't have to do wrong to get under blistering conviction and repent. I can lose the fellowship of God and sense of His presence and a sense of spirituality by just thinking wrong. God has been saying to me, "I dwell in your thoughts. Make your thoughts a sanctuary in which I can dwell. See to it." You can't do anything with your heart--that is too deep--but you can control your thoughts....
Your theology is your foundation. The superstructure is your spiritual experience built on that foundation. But the high bell towers where the carillons are--those are your thoughts. And if you keep those thoughts pure the chimes can be heard ringing out "Holy, Holy, Holy" on the morning air.
Make your thoughts a sanctuary God can inhabit, and don't let any of the rest of your life dishonor God. See to it that not a foot of ground is unholy. See to it that every hour and every place is given over to God, and you will worship Him and He will accept it.
Friday, January 25, 2008
I like this, may HE lead us in that journey.
Every one of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul.
Unknown.
Quote from This Days Smile.
Image from Google (a wood carving depicting islands Columbus "discovered" and named.)
Encore!
Again brought to light by a brother in Christ.
T. Austin Sparks
"Ministry" is the cause of so much trouble. "My ministry." getting a place of ministry, being able to fulfill our ministry. Oh let it drop. The Lord will test us on this matter. Are we going to hold onto our ministry, our place, what we believe our Divine calling is - hold to it in the strength and tenacity of our own will, our own fleshy conviction that it is what God has called us to? Oh no! If God has called us to anything, He will hold us into it, and we must let it go to Him if there arises a situation in which that is necessary. The Lord will see that the ministry is fulfilled and the position occupied that He wants for us. The thing that is far more than the ministry, and out of which the ministry must come, is that I should be a Christlike man..and we can show Christlikeness in just letting others get into our place in ministry, being very meek about it, not fighting to keep our position. The Lord will look after the rest. (July 1955) "
T. Austin Sparks
"Ministry" is the cause of so much trouble. "My ministry." getting a place of ministry, being able to fulfill our ministry. Oh let it drop. The Lord will test us on this matter. Are we going to hold onto our ministry, our place, what we believe our Divine calling is - hold to it in the strength and tenacity of our own will, our own fleshy conviction that it is what God has called us to? Oh no! If God has called us to anything, He will hold us into it, and we must let it go to Him if there arises a situation in which that is necessary. The Lord will see that the ministry is fulfilled and the position occupied that He wants for us. The thing that is far more than the ministry, and out of which the ministry must come, is that I should be a Christlike man..and we can show Christlikeness in just letting others get into our place in ministry, being very meek about it, not fighting to keep our position. The Lord will look after the rest. (July 1955) "
T. Austin Sparks
Brought to light by a brother in Christ.
"But to express Christ, to live Christ, to manifest Christ, to let everything around feel Christ and be touched by Christ through our presence - that certainly is to the glory of God and satisfaction of His heart, and that is service.
For what is this fruit? It is the life of Christ manifested, and God help both the preachers and teachers and the workers, and those to whom they preach, if there is not a manifestation of Christ coming though what they are saying and doing The real heart of it is this deep union of life with the Lord, and it is this kind of service which satisfies God." (July 1954)
"But to express Christ, to live Christ, to manifest Christ, to let everything around feel Christ and be touched by Christ through our presence - that certainly is to the glory of God and satisfaction of His heart, and that is service.
For what is this fruit? It is the life of Christ manifested, and God help both the preachers and teachers and the workers, and those to whom they preach, if there is not a manifestation of Christ coming though what they are saying and doing The real heart of it is this deep union of life with the Lord, and it is this kind of service which satisfies God." (July 1954)
Tozer
"Your baptism and your confirmation and your name on the church roll and the big Bible you carry--these are not the things that are important to God. You can train a chimpanzee to carry a Bible. Every one of us is the sum of what we secretly admire, what we think about and what we would like to do most if we became free to do what we wanted to do."
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Oh, to be in the Valley!
From This Days Thought
"The proud hilltops let the rain run off; the lowly valleys are richly watered."
Augustine
"The proud hilltops let the rain run off; the lowly valleys are richly watered."
Augustine
Monday, January 21, 2008
Further On
From This Days Thought
I am still at work, with my hand to the plow, and my face to the future. The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heart. I have had varied fields of labor, and full contact with men and things, and have warmed both hands before the fire of life. The testimony I bear is this: that the Castle of Enchantment is not yet behind me. It is before me still, and daily I catch glimpses of its battlements and towers. The rich spoils of memory are mine. Mine, too, are the precious things of today- books, flowers, pictures, nature, and sport. The first of May is still an enchanted day to me. The best thing of all is friends. The best of life is always further on. Its real lure is hidden from our eyes, somewhere behind the hills of time.
William Mulock (On his ninety-fifth birthday)
I am still at work, with my hand to the plow, and my face to the future. The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heart. I have had varied fields of labor, and full contact with men and things, and have warmed both hands before the fire of life. The testimony I bear is this: that the Castle of Enchantment is not yet behind me. It is before me still, and daily I catch glimpses of its battlements and towers. The rich spoils of memory are mine. Mine, too, are the precious things of today- books, flowers, pictures, nature, and sport. The first of May is still an enchanted day to me. The best thing of all is friends. The best of life is always further on. Its real lure is hidden from our eyes, somewhere behind the hills of time.
William Mulock (On his ninety-fifth birthday)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Cup or two of Max
2 Corinthians 6:18
"I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
From - He Still Moves Stones
We can't control the way our family responds to us. When it comes to the behavior of others towards us, our hands are tied. We have to move beyond the naive expectation that if we do good people will treat us right. The fact is they may and they may not.... Let God give you what your family doesn't. If your earthly father doesn't affirm you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.... (And) don't lose heart. God still changes families.
Acts 1:14
"They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers."
From - He Still Moves Stones
God has proven himself as a faithful father. Now it falls to us to be trusting children. Let God give you what your family doesn't. Let him fill the void others have left. Rely upon him for your affirmation and encouragement. Look at Paul's words: "you are God's child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child" (Galatians 4:7).
"I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
From - He Still Moves Stones
We can't control the way our family responds to us. When it comes to the behavior of others towards us, our hands are tied. We have to move beyond the naive expectation that if we do good people will treat us right. The fact is they may and they may not.... Let God give you what your family doesn't. If your earthly father doesn't affirm you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.... (And) don't lose heart. God still changes families.
Acts 1:14
"They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers."
From - He Still Moves Stones
God has proven himself as a faithful father. Now it falls to us to be trusting children. Let God give you what your family doesn't. Let him fill the void others have left. Rely upon him for your affirmation and encouragement. Look at Paul's words: "you are God's child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child" (Galatians 4:7).
Max's Thoughts
"Anyone who is having troubles should pray.
Anyone who is happy should sing praises."
James 5:13
From When God Whispers Your Name
"Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don't prepare to pray ... Don't read about prayer ... Don't attend a lecture on prayer ... Just pray. Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don't think about it too much. Don't be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all. And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that's okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day.
Anyone who is happy should sing praises."
James 5:13
From When God Whispers Your Name
"Do you want to know how to deepen your prayer life? Pray. Don't prepare to pray ... Don't read about prayer ... Don't attend a lecture on prayer ... Just pray. Posture, tone, and place are personal matters. Select the form that works for you. But don't think about it too much. Don't be so concerned about wrapping the gift that you never give it. Better to pray awkwardly than not at all. And if you feel you should only pray when inspired, that's okay. Just see to it that you are inspired every day.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Rick McKinley - My Newest Read
"Jesus in the Margins - Finding God in the places we ignore", by Rick McKinley, is a book that I recently picked up and have been finding some good thoughts in, some real thoughts and some thoughts that take me to that place....you know....that place of Love ....recognizing just who I am in God's eyes. Identity. The big "I", you know. This is all about the different places in the margins of society where people feel illegitimate for one reason or a hundred reasons and who sense that "society" or "christian society" especially see them as unacceptable, unloveable, and the sad thing is....most of us surrounded by fear or life experiences begin to think that we are those things because that is the world we live in. We will never measure up. We will be "marginalized" for life.
But the great news is....that according to Rick,
"They're the people that Isaiah 61 says Jesus came to love - the poor, the broken, the needy. And when the love of Jesus is brought to a place like theirs, it shows up like a diamond on black velvet. It just sparkles brilliantly because it's so foreign to these people's existence."
"His invitation to us is to walk away from the names placed on us by society and to hear and believe the new names the Father gives us.
Legitimate.
Accepted.
Loved.
Cared for.
Forgiven.
His Love is here to complete us."
He is not interested in necessarily moving us from the marginalized places we find ourselves and especially not interested in placing us in an OREC (Organized Religious Entertainment Center or Church to some), but loving us here where we are, wherever that is. "He wants to let you know you're named by God." You are the Father's Child.
Awesome.
The best advice for anyone in this world......find out who you are, by the one who Created you. Everyone else's opinion is just that. Opinion. Means nothing to the God who presents us His Son, Jesus, definitely one of the marginalized people of His physical time on earth. But He knew, He was the Father's Son and what that meant. That was everything. That was enough and more.
But the great news is....that according to Rick,
"They're the people that Isaiah 61 says Jesus came to love - the poor, the broken, the needy. And when the love of Jesus is brought to a place like theirs, it shows up like a diamond on black velvet. It just sparkles brilliantly because it's so foreign to these people's existence."
"His invitation to us is to walk away from the names placed on us by society and to hear and believe the new names the Father gives us.
Legitimate.
Accepted.
Loved.
Cared for.
Forgiven.
His Love is here to complete us."
He is not interested in necessarily moving us from the marginalized places we find ourselves and especially not interested in placing us in an OREC (Organized Religious Entertainment Center or Church to some), but loving us here where we are, wherever that is. "He wants to let you know you're named by God." You are the Father's Child.
Awesome.
The best advice for anyone in this world......find out who you are, by the one who Created you. Everyone else's opinion is just that. Opinion. Means nothing to the God who presents us His Son, Jesus, definitely one of the marginalized people of His physical time on earth. But He knew, He was the Father's Son and what that meant. That was everything. That was enough and more.
Friday, January 11, 2008
The Tough Stuff
This Day's Thought
Adversity, if for no other reason, is of benefit, since it is sure to bring a season of sober reflection. Men see clearer at such times. Storms purify the atmosphere.
Henry Ward Beecher
Adversity, if for no other reason, is of benefit, since it is sure to bring a season of sober reflection. Men see clearer at such times. Storms purify the atmosphere.
Henry Ward Beecher
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A Little This and That
I have been reading a couple of books over the last few weeks....one recommended by two friends and I saw on the reading list of On Coffee for last year. "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne is truly killing me, daily, as I pick up and read one of the chapters that so eloquently describes Christ living His Life out in people and fulfilling the Great Commandment.....Along with this I have been going through "I'm OK - You're Not" by John Shore and laughing out loud and shaking my head with what messages we are sending to nonbelievers by the the things we do and say. Some of the ouchiest moments are comments from nonbelievers about "us, Christians". These two books connect very well together...Shore suggests that we are emphasizing fulfilling the Great Commission and not maybe really living out the Great Commandment. Claiborne seems to go out and live largely in the fulfilling and the living. It creates in me a real passion, a zeal, a desire to do the same.....and this brings in the third book that I picked up next to nothing at the store "Divine Discontent" by Michael Youssef and as God speaks through each one at different times of my day, may He direct my path. So many books ..... so little time. :)
Today's Thought
The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or more correctly, being loved in spite of yourself.
Unknown
Today's Thought
The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or more correctly, being loved in spite of yourself.
Unknown
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Make Him Your Life, Your Way, Your Goal, Your Ambition
"If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman."
Jeremiah 15:19
Precious child of God, as you enter this new year, take inventory of your life, your ways, your goals, your ambitions.
Max Lucado
Jeremiah 15:19
Precious child of God, as you enter this new year, take inventory of your life, your ways, your goals, your ambitions.
Max Lucado
Happy New Year From Nightwatch
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.
Minnie L. Haskins
Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic.
Anonymous
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross
Minnie L. Haskins
Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic.
Anonymous
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)