A Thought Oct.28

 

Only those embraced by a true love

can actually be commanded by love.

Mountain Sermon Oct.25

 

 

What is so special about the Sermon on the Mount? Is it just another set of rules? [Which we sure don’t need] Was Jesus implying that if we would just DO these rules, we’d be ok? Well, maybe.

One interpretation of the word “blessed” in Mt. 5 is the expression spiritually prosperous. It does not mean prosperity in the sense of money. There is a subtle result weaving all through the Beatitudes. The meaning is missed if a reader hurries through these like reading rules.

The penetrating meaning of Mt. 5 is that every one of the listed blesseds, ideas of spiritually prosperous are self-generating life issues. They act like the life-growth wonder of a newborn child. The unseen growth force just needs to be fed and nurtured like a child.

Pray anyway Oct.24

 

 

When the scripture says, “. . .pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. . .” [1 Thess. 5:16] it continues by saying this is the will of God.

Another version says we should pray all the time, be thankful no matter what.

Yes, this is hard, but one simple way is to just rise every day and throughout the day say, “Thank you Jesus.” He will know all the other stuff you mean.

God does not have to have a LONG string of words to know what you mean. Sometimes even a GROAN to God will do.

Just make sure the groan is to God, not to your doctor, some family member, your pharmacist.

 

Doubt prayer? Oct.23

 

 

We wonder about prayer that doesn’t get answered like we thought.

Biblical saints , like the Apostle Paul, who prayed to get rid of a thorn in the flesh [2Cor. 12:7-8], which we assume was some unwanted condition, did not get his prayer answered.

Even Jesus, in Gethsemane, moaned “let this cup pass from me” and had to endure.

God’s strategy seems to be a design for submission, rather than might makes right.

While we may not understand,  maybe submission becomes more important than any thorn in the flesh.

God and hate Oct. 22

 

 

God can not only handle your hurt, but he can also handle your hate.

In life’s routine, even if you pray your hate, pray badly like Psalms. 137:1, that is better than no prayer.

A canoe in water without someone to paddle goes nowhere significantly. Without paddle-direction, we just float around anywhere.

We must pray as we are and not only as we think we ought to be. We are more ourselves when we admit all of ourselves to Christ.

He knows all anyway.

 

What intelligence?                                                Oct.21

 

Everyone is worried about AI, artificial intelligence and the algorithms available.

Hey, Christians,. . .ever wonder how the scripture says God can count the very hairs of our heads? How he is omnipresent? How He knows everything?

Well, think about this. God may have his own kind of algorithms [ RI, real intelligence] that cover everything.

Keep the faith.

 

Time Oct 18

 

What happening or event can identify that moment when our time [linear, meaning it begins and ends] intersects with God’s time which is eternal and without end?

The best we know are those fleeting moments- - - a needed smile, an act of generosity, a prayer, a love offering, a broken heart.

Jehovah God feels them all.

 

How are we? Oct. 17

 

 

Sometimes we don’t see things as they really are.

We see them as we are.

 

Emotional Pain Oct.16

 

Hurtful communication weakens us. It hurts like guilt or shame.

Thanks to God. . .forgiveness can redefine perception.

Where Do You Look? Oct.15

It appears the Psalmist still speaks to some. So much Christian depression may be the person is listening too much to the self-talk instead of talking the right things to the self. [Ps. 42:11]

Rather, we should say, “I look up to the sky and what do I see: The Creator looking back at me.” [Ps.121: 1-3; Ps. 119: 105]

 

Why Christian? Oct.14

 

One significant strength in the Christian way. . . we can really depend on the grace given by the heavenly Father through Christ. Grace covers ALL the ungracious thoughts and actions.

Maybe a great tragedy in life is NOT what appears unanswered prayer, but prayer never prayed.

“Lord, I trust in your Grace when my gut response is ungracious thought or action.”

Language Use Oct.11

  

It appears today that the way we talk to each other can be defined by three ideas.

1)   We get communication through information.

2)   We get language thrown at us for motivation.

3)   We maintain personal and more intimate talk to each other.

Of course, these get combined but if in a relationship, the first two only happen, you have people trying to change each other. More heart sharing needs to happen, more intimate and trusting language is needed for better relations.

Most children still have the third emphasis. They speak only personal, trusting, accepting language.

Maybe that’s why scripture says we should become more like little children sometimes in dealing with each other and God.

What means Blessed? Oct.7

 

 

The hope of being blessed [like in Mt. 5:3-10] can work a change in us that actually enables our capacity to be blessed.

 

Fixed Religion Oct. 3

A religion that is tempting thrives on a contract principle, a quid-pro-quo, “ God if you will do X, I will do Y”. Sometimes it is subtle as we think scripture tells one thing and we think another.

For instance, we tend to interpret that God will heal everyone or that He will stop all wars. Our experience shows otherwise. We need to believe that God actually does do what’s best for the whole world, even when we do not understand.

We need to follow His Covenant. True Christian commitment follows God’s Grace agreement not a contract that can be broken.

What meek? Oct.2

WHAT. . . YOU’RE WRONG!!

When the scripture says, “Blessed are the meek…” from Mt.5:5 sometimes our attitude has to let the other Christian person be wrong or even great and to learn to love them into accuracy rather than correct them.

God’s full acceptance may mean to learn to love persons when they are inaccurate. The real challenge is to help them feel accepted in a relationship and the accuracies can be dealt with later when a caring attitude carries them along with the heart of your relationship.