Pleasure Feb.13

We often re-invent ourselves everyday through our pleasure principles.

Do not interpret yourself with pleasure and sins of the past. Identify with Christ's forgiveness past, present and future.

 God does delight in our small pleasures because he delights in us through His Son ". . .give us this day our daily bread. . ." Mt.6:11

Dealing with Hurt Jan.29

Psychologists may comfort us.
Philosophers may give us logic.
Preachers may interpret character.
Prophets may inspire us.
    But we hurt deeper than these.
Only the Good news of:
Incarnation,
Crucifiction,
Ressurection,
Pentecost.....brings a Savior to bear the deepest hurt.

Take Up Your Cross Jan.22

In Mark 10:21: ". . .go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast . . . give to the poor. . . take up thy cross and follow me." [KJV]

What does it mean to take up our cross?

In context, the literal says do sacrifice our money to the poor and somehow this takes up a cross. And that action is certainly one method.

But I think there is a larger meaning.
If we look closely at the Crucifiction, the whole cross experience, Jesus is demonstrating who God really is. He is a God who meets Sin with love. So when love meets sin, a cross gets erected.

When we act out of God's love, we bare a cross because we open ourselves to a compassion that can be hurt. It's called bearing someone's burden. When this happens, we suffer with Jesus through His love abused. The journey is part of the path of something or someone being redeemed.

Does God manipulate? Jan. 3

A normal, free thinking person does not like to be manipulated to justify another's end result. And yet, as Chritians we are being changed by a means to an end. Christ is the means. Salvation is the end. This is not a manipulation. Change occurs because the Holy Spirit was invited in and accepted as the means. Manipulation uses a forced motivator. God uses love, an inborn pull.

If you lose a sense of purpose in a system you belong to or are paid by, you feel more a slave than a partner. God's true purpose is to say YES to His enterprise and kingdom growth.   SEE: 2 Cor. 1:20.

Technology Dec.22

"He [God] will certainly lead us into all truth, but He will not lead us into arragance and confusion between technical advance and spiritual wisdom."

J.B. Phillips (Bible translator)

Highest Value Dec.9

We develop all kinds of values . . . what we hold important enough to follow with behavior to express some belief.

There are those who feel "correctness of belief" to be the highest value.

1John 4:7 indicates that love comes from God, no matter what one may think about it.

True Change Dec.4

      According to Gen. 9:6 and other scripture, we are made in God's image. This fact implies we are to be re-created in Christ since Christ is the original creator with the Father. This process implies we will need a condition [like heaven] to always grow towards something new throughout eternal existance. Every moment [ however time is measured] will be like a pleasant surprise because we keep growing toward Christlikeness.   
1 Cor.2:9