science or faith ... .

i have a blog post in the works
but i read this article just now that averted my plan...
it's a piece posted in Huffington Post
( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/victor-stenger/rising-antiscience-faith_b_3991677.html )
by one Victor Stenger, an avowed atheist ...
and it stings
   Stenger ...
it gets my goat

usually i have to read something more than once
sometimes several times
to get the detailed arguments ...
i read this once
and it gets my goat

i come out of a religiousthink
that denies science where it slaps revelation in the face
and i still stand in that spot
somewhat ...
it's just that i've adjusted my religiousthink
to allow for scientificthink
where scientificthink is defendable

let me restate that ...
just because some scientific theory abounds
does not cause me to dump my faith
or to adjust it even
i allow for the possibility that the two seemingly incompatible positions
at whatever point they incompat
can be gelled
it's just that we can't see how they can be gelled
yet

let me restate that
cause it gets my goat ...

'religion' dissed science because it seemed to speak antireligion
science
   sometimes sciencesocalled
dissed religious faith because it seemed to speak antiscience

i am currently at the place where
i see the two to be compatible
where it's possible they both speak to truth
although i cannot yet see
how they're compatible

let me restate that

God is not a fool
in fact he speaks directly to those who think he is
   at psalms 2
and simply because a person doesn't think faith is reasonable
doesn't mean it's not reasonable ...
faith
and reasonable
are not antithetical

there are points at which faith and science are incompatible
and at those points
i faith
i choose to faith
because God is creator
he created
science bows to Creator

you may argue
that i'm arguing in a circle ...
well maybe
that's my prerogative

faith is necessary
i can't live without it
neither can you
you faith every day
it's just that my faithing includes a higher power
outside our world system
who involves himself in our world system
in fact
he sustains our world
it exists
at every level
at his behest

is that incompatible with science...
well
you can't scientifically prove the existence of Creator God
but
that simply means that science isn't useful for everything
not that God does not exist

fact is
that God has set things up
such that faith is a requirement
to see him
and if you want to get to him
you have to faith
period

either you believe that
or you don't
you have to take a position
because not taking a position
is taking a position
you don't get to sit this one out

my argument may not be airtight enough for you ...
that's precisely the point of faith
it steps outside of science
and bridges the gap to Godness
it allows me to see God
when sciencespeak
   at least in the form of Mr Stenger
doesn't allow

at Hebrews 11 i read
... faith is the reality of what is hoped for
the proof of what is not seen
   for our ancestors won God’s approval by it.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command,
so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.
science cannot go there ...

i choose faith
that does not mean i'm antiscientific
it simply means
science is subservient to my faith

science said coffee is bad
now it says maybe not
science said eggs are not good for you
now it says maybe not
science said chocolate is bad
now it says maybe not
science said crossfit is the thing
now it says 'watch out'

science is developing
as new data comes into play
God is not
he is developed
mature
wise
wise beyond developing science
wise beyond Mr Stenger

God
had set things up
such that
faith
is
necessary

at some point
i have to step off of what i can see/feel/taste/hear/smell
and faith

if i don't
i am the slave of my senses
i bow to my eyes/tongue/ears ...

noone
   i make room for Mr Stenger
is foolish enough
to think the universe is encompassed by what we know
there's too much we don't know

we are
spiritual
as well as
physical
to deny the spiritual
is to deny our humanness

you may well not be convinced by my think
it's not scientific ...
that's your prerogative

i choose
to faith
and see God by it

that doesn't mean i'm a fool
or antiscientific ...

Mr Stenger ? ? ... . .. . . . ... .


shalom

older ... and wiser?

there has been a tendency in recent decades
to minimize the value of the older generation
and extol the virtues of the youth

perhaps the rapid increase in the rate of development
especially technologically
has engendered this development
but the upshot of it is
we relegate the elders
to the armchair and the 'old people's home'
   at an increasingly younger age
and often diss the cumulative value of their experience and insight

when this happens
we lose a valuable part of our society as a whole
for vast wisdom
   through experience
is dismissed as irrelevant

this is dangerous
and ruinous

it also reflects a thankless attitude towards those who have gone before
who have helped to pave the path we now tread

it is anti-community

someone once said
those who forget (dismiss?) their history
   are doomed to repeat it
part of history is the eldership
   the people up ahead

....

while the older people may not be as advanced as the youth
   in terms of technological advancement
their journeys are part of the created society in which we live
and their stories are invaluable to understanding the root of the issues we face today

and in that there is wisdom as to how to move ahead
with an enlightened worldview
looking back to what (and who) went before
and gauging the future from a past-perspective
adjusting
correcting
inventing
as we go

so be not quick to treat the older generation as useless
unneeded
out-of-date

remember
while knowledge is beneficial
experience counts for much too

while the GPS may direct you on the route
someone who has walked that road before
can provide valuable insight the GPS can't

shalom

change ? ...

a cool breeze
animates
the flowers blue
purple
pink oleander

grey clouds
gloom the sky
mask the sunrising

birds flutter
twitter and tweet
coast on that cool breeze

flags stretch and fold
stretch and fold

sleepy boats
undulate
in response to the swell

a pleasing touch of Fall wafts
on that cool breeze
foretaste
of cool
incredible colour ...
prelude
to wintery death

selah ..~

change

can be refreshing
especially when it points to familiarity
pleasant anticipation
of deja vu

but sometimes
change
can be threatening
unsettling
scary ...
makes me want to crawl
back into my comfy hole
do same'ol/same'ol
float on familiar breezes

and then
i lose out ...

for 1
i don't get to see what's out there
new stuff
fresh stuff
different stuff

for 2
i don't get to grow

life says
to grow
i need challenge
different
change
to stretch myself
out
tackle unfamiliar
go where i haven't gone before
   trekkie like

choose
be comfy
   atrophy
be moved
   grow
   up
   to potential
   me

selah ..~

further
the more foundational the change
the more the stress
   on my foundation

...... . . ..

so
change engaged
is growth-potential
think strengthening ...

..... .. . .. . ..

thing is though
it's tougher
the older you are
old dogs and new tricks
and such

.... . . . . . . . .

well then
i am an old dog
but i'm refusing to roll over
and have my belly scratched

i want
change
so i can
grow
up
into
potential me

selah ..~

fear
   as in stress over the unknown
is irrational
unreasonable
especially when God is in it

i have a choice
step out
pack loaded
staff in hand
dogbuddy by my side
head up
whistling

or
leave the pack in storage
the staff propped in the corner
dogbuddy bored to death
head down
tunnelvisioning

i
choose
change

selah ..~

one final thought

Jesus
is trekkin' with me

how cool is that ! ?

shalom

draw your soul

somebody suggested
draw a picture
or 8
of my soul ....
......... . ... .. . .. . ... .. ... .. .. ..

try it

it'll blow your mind ...
and your soul

and don't quit until you're satisfied that's who you are really

shalom

newlife

ever watch SoulPancake on YouTube  ?
it's a series of videos
about life

there are videos on hugs
videos on strangers talking with each other
on 'guerilla gardening' in LA
   where they find a dead spot
   and plant stuff
a series on 'the science of happiness'
on drawing your soul
positivity
the last days in someone's life
and like that ......

they get you to see
there is goodness
to be shared
and people will respond
with goodness
instead of being afraid
of each other
of life ...

makes me think ...
isn't that what we should be about
we Jesuspeople ...

shouldn't we
be showing people
the good side of life
that there is good
and not just bad
or even mostlybad

Jesus did that
he brought renewal
refreshing
he was a wind of fresh
in broken lives
a sparkling ray of hope
a cool pool of energy
for hurting people

Jesus is
life
clean
pure
fresh
energizing

we
are
Jesus

we should bring
life
clean
pure
fresh
energizing
in Jesus' name

for Jesus' sake
to this hurting world

renewal
refreshing
hope
energy
life
newlife

Godlife

here
now
today

shalom life


.. .. . ..... ..    ..~
shalom

suffer .... and remember

" my God!
my God, why have you forsaken me?!! "
...

the passionate cry of a suffering saviour
to the passionate heart of a suffering Godfather ...

the suffering loss of contact
Jesus experiences here
in the midst of his suffering for humanity
draws a longing
for closeness
intimacy recovered

selah ..~

why is it
we seem to want God
more passionately
when we suffer ...

strange
isn't it

why is it
when we're ok
when things are running right
when the bills are paid
the family's healthy
we feel secure and safe ...
we seem to be
wanting God
less
needing God
less
passionate about God
less ...

selah ..~

maybe i'm off
and alone
in this thinking ...
methinks not

God told Israel
warned them
when they got into the land
he promised them
and they settled
in peace
blessed with crops
and herds
and homes ...
they would be wont
to forget him

forget him
the very one
that brought you out of egypt
   the land of slavery
a thought repeated
repeatedly
in the mouths of their prophets

how is that possible

430 years of suffering
in slavery
crying out to their God
for release
40 years of protection
and provision
in the wilderness
against all odds

how could they forget
how ...

selah ..~

i forget

we
forget

and then
tragedy
or failure
or loss
or illness
or uproot
...
or
sometimes
it's like everything
comes tumbling down
at the same time

and
all of a sudden
we remember
we
remember
who
God is ...
to me

selah ..~

seems
it's human nature
to forget
God ...
even after
we experience
his goodness
to
me

it's out of his goodness
we forget
his goodness

strange that ...

could it be
somehow

my mind
deceives me
into thinking
it was
me
that got me there
me
that provided
me
that delivered
...
me

independence
don'tneedanyone
i
can do this

maybe
when i'm cool and copacetic
i
look bigger
to me
able
stronger
more powerful...

i got this
..............

and then
my world caves
my life changes
my health undoes
my relationship breaks
my career fails
...
and i fall

i cry out
out of my misery
to the only one
i know
has the power
to undo the undone
to rescue me
to make it allright
...

maybe not restore
   what's lost
maybe not redeem
   what's taken
maybe not refund
   my retirement
maybe not refinance
   my house
...
maybe not

but
maybe
i get release
from the hold
those things have
on me

and find
again
the comfort
   of the Comforter
the fullfillment
   of him who made peace
the strength
   of the Creator
the presence
   of the one
      who brought me out of darkness
         into light
the one
   who released my soul
      from the bondage of
         sin and death
gave me liberty
   at his expense
      even the cost of his very life
...

selah ..~

it seems
suffering can serve
to bring me closer
to my God .. ... . . ... . ... .

question ...
does it  ?


shalom

knowing my enemy ...

lovers stroll entwined

the ' creeek ' of the swings

a light cooling breeze
   amid left-over light
while a greying cloudbank lies on the horizon
   hiding the sun's set

children run
   and try handstands on the grass
a toddling miniature tries to join in

folk dining
drinking
chatting

boats anchored
barely move
as the evening tide heads out
slowly

an atmosphere of
peace
pervades

strollers
yellow shirt
shorts
bicycles

women assume babytalk
as people meet people

all is quiet
calm
   on the waterfront

......... . .. . . . .. .  ..... . .. .  . ..... .  ..~

while
somewhere
war is engaged
bomb blasts flash
guns bark
people hide
run
children in-hand
away
as doom darkens their horizon
and the smoke thickens

fear shoots adenaline
eyes dilate
pulses quicken
....... . .. . ....  . . . .  . . . .

as the world turns

... .. . . . . ..  . ....

selah

..............................................................

why am i here
while they are there .... ... .. ..

coffee and a brownie
the peacefull intrusion
   of dusk
relaxed

while hearts pump blood
   furiously
as they race
   away
to get away
from the madness
the inane
insane
reality
of humans
killing
humans
in obedience to some higher power
some darkminded
powerlusting
moneyloving
soul
who deserves
no soul

...  .  .... .. .

why
why me

suppose
i
was
them

.. . .. .. .  .. .. .   .

i enjoy living in peace
in a  country where peace reigns
for now anyway

but
i must never think
i'm somehow better
or better off
or forget their plight
their struggle
for life

...

i am a Jesusperson
mine is to
   draw his breath
   bleed his blood
   emote
   passion
   love
as Jesus

..... .

i sit here
comfortably
in peace
while they run
hide
in war
 ........ ... .. . . . . ..  . . ..  .. .... ... .

i have no illuminating comments
   to help understand
i don't
understand
so
i have to live on the basis of
what i do know

i know
this worldsystem
is controlled from behind
from hidden places
by wickedness

and it's broken

i know
people are not
the responsible
   when you boil off the fluff
spiritforces are ...
they are everywhere
even
in heavenly places

it's them i am at war with

it's them i want to see
run
away
in fear
eyes dilated
pulses quickened

..... . . . . . ... . . ..     .

mine
is to know
my enemy
and my not enemy

and to respond
as Jesus

 shalom ..~

there's love, and there's love ...

we need faith to 'see' God
   in whatever respect
and to please him (Hebrews 11.6)
for God is spirit

we today
have Jesus
the perfect expression
of God
in human flesh (Hebrews 1.3) ...
we didn't always have that

God
   Wisdom in person
provided the means
whereby we can love him
even though he is spirit
and we are flesh

selah ..~

i have this thing
stuck in my mind's teeth ...
can't seem to dislodge it ...

whenever i hear 'preachers' and 'teachers'
talk about love
it's all on the same level ...

that's my issue

i've spoken to this before
i know
but
here i go again
with a twist

i'm not a prophet
or a preacher
not a sage
or a seer ...
i'm a simple muse

i muse

as i was musing
   probably inspired by some comment
      in a message or book
it irked me
again
that christian teachers and the like
place all love on 1 plane
well... maybe 2
there's the love we naturally experience
   erotic or friendly
and agape-love
   Godlove

i've heard it over and over and ...
i'm tired of it

because there's a love we're not differentiating
and it's the core-love
the love lovers love with

selah ..~

the instructions about love in scripture
reflect our responsibility to love others
   regardless
enemies too ...
it's a mind thing
an operative of my worldview
i move the love of God
out
spread it
as a conduit
through me
to others

i got that ....

and too there's family love
like
mumanddadandsonanddaughter
that love is ingrained
inbred
inblood
it's untouchable
beacause it's in my genes
kinda

finally there's lovers' love
this stands alone
by itself
as totally different from the others
it's the love that unites
perfectly
into one
and that can't be found anywhere else

and it's vital
because it speaks to Godlove

selah ..~

what follows here
is my think ...
although it is not spelled out in scripture
i believe it to fall well within the bounds of Biblical truth

so i muse

selah ..~

when Creator God created
he made the human
complete
like himself
sorta ...

and it is my humble opinion
that all human attributes
are in God
both male and female attributes ...
God is complete
all perfection is in him
all attributes of goodness
   regardless of our conception
   of their being masculine or feminine

according to some
feminine properties are ascribed
to God
in the person of 'wisdom'
   'sophia' in the greek

so that when God said
he would create a human

in his image
after his likeness
that human embodied
both male and female attributes
   not physically
      God is not physical
   but in all other respects

when the first human
was charged with naming the animals
'he' recognized
that he was the only creature
without a partner ...
he was alone

God went to 'his' rescue
and provided him one

in effect
he took out of that original completely-human human
what we know as the female attributes
and made a woman
   poetically described as removing 1 of his ribs

now there was
original human minus feminine = masculine
and feminine

God then
brought them together
and introduced them to the concept
of oneness
as in
God's oneness
unity
perfect
in one

maculine + feminine = complete human
...

and the man said
this is 'bone of my bones'
'flesh of my flesh'

God said
'they shall be one flesh'

one

selah ..~

now the link

how do you love a spirit .. ?

seems to me
God's intention
at least in part
was to create a being like 'him' ...
share his love
with others that
likewise
could love
him
and each other

but how on Earth
would they know what love was
how to love him
spirit   ... ?

even though love is part of us
we have to use it to know it

so
God gave the humans
companion humans
just like them
but different
such that
they could
touch
smell
taste
hear
see
each other

and experience
what love
for the other
was like

they learned the meaning
of love
that love
that binds
2
into
1

that binds
3
in
1
...

then
they would understand
love
for God
who is spirit

the ultimate expression
of that singular love
was sex
God's incredible gift
to seal the deal
unite the 2
in a way that no other 2
could be united
perfect intimacy
love to the depths of the depths

love at Godlevel

sealh ..~

move now
to Song of Songs
God's version of human love
specifically put there
   under opposition
to show us the purity
   passion
   verve
   unity
of human lovers' love

extended
it mirrors the love
God wants us to have for 'him'

selah ..~

masterful !
brilliant !
wise beyond ...

that's the God i serve

selah ..~

link 2

Jesus is portrayed as
the bridegroom
we as
bride
   Ephesians 21-33
      note v 31, 32
      the
      unique
      intimate relationship between husband and wife
      typifies that between Christ and his churchbodywife

amazing !

...

read Jesus' "high priestly " prayer
at John 17
the intimacy is marked ...
the intimacy he desires for us
   in relation to each other
   to him
   and to God
is the same intimacy as
God has
with
Jesus
Jesus has
with
God Father
   Abba

that is wild !
same ?

and we are transported
into an intimacy
with Messiah Jesus
at the level of
husband and wife

incredible !

God
you are incredible

glorious

selah ..~

point is
there is a love
we humans may tap into
that speaks to perfect unity
between a man and woman
that is
unlike
any other
love

it is a type
of the love of
Jesus
for
us
me

and the love
i aspire to

...

let's stop confusing
loves

and praise God
for that particular humanlove
he gave us
to teach us
how to love
'him'

...

shalom

spirit worldview ... . .. . .

there is a glaring truth
that assails us every morning
from eye-opening
from the get-go

we see what we see
we hear what we hear
and we march into the day
based mostly on what we've seen and heard
on what attacks our consciousness
that particular day

some of it may be leftovers
from yesterday
or last week
or last month

mostly though
it's what hits us
between the braineyes
that morning
as we move into life

selah  .. ~

seems that as humans
   maybe rooted in survival-instinct
we pay the most attention
to what grabs our attention
at that point in time
if there's a bear or a wolf or a deer
we grab a bow or a spear
and go to battle
for life
for food
for warmth
for family

nothing mindblowing there
makes sense

except ...
if we are spiritual beings
we know stuff
about stuff
other stuff
behind the attention-grabbing inyourface morning stuff
...

thing is
we operate on more than 1 level
and the way we approach life
   respond
   attitude
is an outgrowth of our mode
   at that particular time

if we're in the flesh mode
where we attend to what confronts our flesh
   body
   senses
   mind
...
we will respond differently
to
if we're in spirit mode

for the flesh
wars against the spirit
and the twain cannot rule coequally

they are naturally at odds
one will dominate the other

always

selah  .. ~

apostle paul
discusses this basic conflict
in his letter to the roman church
   (chapters 7 and 8; see also Galatians)
and regardless of how you interpret his argument
there is one outstanding endpoint ...
if we disciple to Messiah Jesus
we are new creations
as in created anew
our new lives
are now empowered by the Spirit

we are enabled to be
overcomers

this newlife
places priority on spirit
and runs into life on Spiritfuel

it sees flesh
under the pressured influence of
life in this world
under the systems of this world
corrupted
selfished
powered
moneyed
... destructive

it knows that spiritlife
is the only viable means
of overcoming
in this dark world

newlife
newcreation
speaks to newme
new
me
as in
me
but different
recreated
remade
renovated

it points to that war
between the flesh and the spirit
and posits that we subdue our flesh under our spirit
under the empowering power of the Spirit

when this new balance
is in place
we are under the control
of the Spirit
empowered
enabled
to see this broken world
for what it is
and to respond
   rather than to react
in balance
...
as Jesus
...

this approach
new approach
operates under the worldview
of reality
it redefines reality
it gives us other eyes
to see the real reality
to operate on the level
of what is behind what assaults our senses

there
in back of what we see and hear and feel
lies the truth of life
life now
life future
life eternal

our reasonable response
is to worship
to praise
to sacrifice my life
in view of that reality
behind the reality

i need to have my spirit
in control of my flesh
and my spirit
subsumed by the Spirit

that's what Jesus did
precisely ...

he did that for me ...


shalom .. ~

blood is thicker .. .

an old saying ...
blood is thicker than water

something inside us
says this is so
even with those of our kin
we're not akin to
even with those in the blood-stream
who dislike us
or we dislike

something about blood ...

it is the life of the flesh

but more

in it
we share
life
at it's most basic level
and it is in us
part of us
part of who i am
humanly

my dad
mum
brother
sister
son
daughter
are closer to me
bloodwise
and there's something there
down deep
indescribable somehow

but there's
another
blood
a spiritblood
that runs in my spirit

it's the blood
that makes me kin
to
God himself
for he is my father
my heaven dad
Abba

and the blood runs thick as Jesus'
thick thick
it runs through my heart
into every artery vein vessel
and
the very heart
of Jesus
runs
in
it
...
in
me

i am
astounded

i am
overwhelmed

i am
humbled

i am
struck blind
by this
love
that runs thicker

response ...

what indeed
is
my
response
to such
unfathomable
indescribable
love

.......................... ...  .............. .. . . . .. .  . . .. .. .     ~

selah ..~



shalom

a good read

have a read

it's worth it ...

http://www.christopherdrury.com/2013/09/the-true-enemy.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChristopherDury+%28Christopher+Dury%29

balancing ...

in light of our doing christian
   of what we say we believe
   of the climate that has evolved
      under the massively broad label of 'christian'
      in this the 21st century
   since the advent of that person
   the one who broke all the molds
   that person that upended large portions of the religion of his people
   that outLaw
   that guy
and how we relate to that
and how we relate to each other as family in Messiah
   how we treat each other
   when we don't stand in the same spot
      on this issue/that doctrine
   particularly all that basket of doctrine left over
      after we separate the core issues
      the must-haves
      that make 'c h r i s t i a n'
when we say that guy
is our lord
   as in Lord
   as in 'we follow him'
   as in 'i want to be like him'
      as in what he does i do
      what he thinks i think
      how he acts i act
      when he calls i respond ..

that guy
   

.............. .. .. .. . in light of that ..

   position 1 -
reveleation
inscripturated
is a done deed
the christian holy book
i live there
i move there

   position 2 -
that revelation
is progressive
in that it morphs itself
as society changes ...
that means
although it was written to a specific audience at the time
and should firstly be understood as such
it's applicability adjusts
as the world turns
as people change

   position 3 -
our understanding of scripture/revelation
grows
with time

if everything that was revealed
was to be understood instantly
we would all be fully knowledgeable
from the beginning

however
as we read and meditate
the meanings become more mature
as we mature in our faith
we 'see' things we hadn't noticed before
even if we've read the same passage numerous times

   position 4 -
if this is so ...

we tend to want to be 'sure'
of what we believe
but ...
if there are new understandings
developing
then how can we be fixed
at any particular point
concreted ...
   unless it is a 'core issue'

   position 5 -
if this is so ...

which is 'right' ??

calvinism/reformed theology
arminianism
some mix of the 2
open theology
christus victor theology
some other understanding
none of the above

is the rapture
pre-trib
post-trib
a non-thing

is the return of Messiah
pre-millennium
post-mil
or are we to position at amillennialism

when we take the Lord's Supper
do we subscribe to
the actual flesh and actual blood of Jesus
or to some special presence of his Spirit in the sacrament
or is it simply a memorial
or some combination thereof

....

these are all differing positions
held by christians
many of whom are solidly in pursuit of truth
according to the scriptures


selah ~ ..


so then ..
issue ..
where do i get off
cutting you off
because you don't live
where i live
eat my diet ...

just sayin' ...

are we going to
keep drawing lines in the sand
lockin' and loadin'
over questionable
discussionable
stuff
or are we going to talk about it
ongoing like
as in 'this is a process'
as in 'this is developing'
as in we're on this journey
and none of us
as in
   not
   one
has arrived
yet


selah ~ ..


i blogged before
that i am encouraged
by those who
in all seriousness
have challenged the religion status quo
in the face of 'status quo'/tradition/doctrines-of-men ............

whatever their label
they have in common
the desire
determination
and boldness
to question
re-look-at
requestion
discuss
argue
the Holy Scriptures
in the face of Jesus Messiah

i go with that
i can live there
i'm part
i'm in
for sure

because
i'm questioning and talking and reading and praying and living
the change

because
i covet truth
more than tradition
God's word
more than man's word
God's take on it
more than the doctrines of men

i realize and admit
that there are some issues that need addressing
   in this re-passioned movement
      away from the norm
i recognize the doctrinal cunundrums
and that these rebels go places i wouldn't go
i see the 'heresy' you talk about

but i see too
the need to breathe
a refreshed atmposphere
where the pure gospel
is in-process
of recovery
in-process
in love


selah ~ ..


i am not God
therefore i should not try to be God
to anyone
that's what got us into this in the first place ...

i should love first
in Jesus' name


selah ..~


whenever i take a spiritual position
i don't take that other position
there are divergences
but there should not be schism
   unless it is a core issue ...

.......................  .............  .................................  ...............

i guess what i'm trying to say is
let's not shoot the genuine motivation
that looks for truth in scripture
and is willing to challenge
the religious authorities

they may be delving into heresy on some point
but
let's pray they find their way
...

or would you rather not have known
kept believing what you believe
without testing it's veracity
today
in this life
in my life ..

someone said recently
they were scared to read a book
   dealing with a particularly touchy (to them) spiritual issue ...
i figure
that's just when i need to take it on
because if my God is not big enough
to help me through doubts
and questions
contradictions
and disagreements
then ..........

my friend
God is God
he is far more than we could ever dream or imagine
he's much more mature than we are
and he can handle the disagreements and discussions
among family
under the banner of 'truth'

it is His word
after all

i imagine he wants us in it
as much as possible
as deep as possible
as concerned as possible
as real as possible
as community as possible
as looking-to-honour-him as possible
...
and simply unafraid
to come to him for help
to look to him for illumination

and for peace right through the entire process

we
all of us
who are genuine about this
are looking for the same thing ...
truth
we are all headed Godward

so
we are
all
in
the same boat

same
boat

same Cap'n

... right?


shalom

duty ? ...

in a blog i read recently
a brother posits that faith 'demands'
grace 'demands'
discipleship 'demands'
the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus 'demands'

and he's right
... in a way

but ...
can we look at it another way  ? ?...

what God has done for us
is incredible
out of this world

his incarnation
his learning life as a man
his life example
his theology
his counter-religiosity
his submission to death
   even death on a cross
his resurrection from rhe grave
and his current ministry
   of encouragement by the Spirit
   of representing his disciples
      in the face of the opposers' accusations
...
these are wonderful
and we scarcely can fathom their wealth

but ...
does that mean we should see it all
as amounting to
making 'demands' of us ? ?

should it not be
that the cost of discipleship
should not be seen so much as
a cost
a required response
but as a
willing
offering

to that God
who
did
all
that
?

i know we are human
i am one
i understand suffering
   at least to some degree
and i know it hurts
sometimes it hurts like hell ...

i understand the contrast the author is attempting to make
to the love of God we treat so cheaply
living as if it all didn't really mean that much
because we don't live like
it means much

i got that
but ...

i also get that
more than 'demand'
that love
engenders
response
loving response
response out of love
= sacrifice
willingly
as in Romans 12

My 'reasonable response'
is to
offer
my self
to that God
in life
for life
for his life
in exchange
for my life
... all of it
wholeheaetedly
passionately
with all my heart
all my mind
all my soul
all my strength ...

sorta like as in the 'shema'

when that positivity
   that attitude
drives my lifestyle
   regardless of my repeated failures
then
am I
his disciple

there is the concept of 'demand'
but ...
methinks the lure of love
is so much more
magnetic

the comeback to that could well be
"utopian !"
"idealistic !"

my response ...
Jesus said
be perfect
even as your father in heaven is perfect

that's the goal

and Jesus respects goals
   attitudes
   vision
   desire
   ... love

...

shalom

kudos ...

i'm not much into braggin'
...

but i so often complain
and am so slow to be thankful
   appreciative ...

i have someone that looks out for me
   it doesn't always work out the way i think it should
   and i'm putout by that
      sadly

and then i'm wont to grumble
   pout

so ...
i'm trying to change

my god
is a wonderful person
all the time
all the time

recently he helped me
in a worrying situation
that opened the door for me
to newlife
newplace
newstuff allaround

and i am pumped !
absolutely enthralled
excited

not only did he grant me the request
but he went overboard
beyond my expectations

so i say
praise to you Master
thank you Lord
you are worthy
   of all praise
   honour
      kudos

i love you

shalom

check this... more of us out there than we think ..

so many can relate to this
watch the video
but read the letter,
please


http://reknew.org/2013/09/a-testimony-and-a-kingdom-sighting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-testimony-and-a-kingdom-sighting

war is hell ...

i am not a politically minded person
i hate politics

i am a disciple of Jesus
i love the kingdom

i stay out of political issues as much as possible
i do not trust politicians
   of any stripe, creed, colour

i trust Jesus only
   and sometimes
      those who claim his name

i have no country
   i have a king
   and his kingdom is not of this world

one day he will claim this world as his own
and the kingdom of God will come
his will
will be done on Earth as it is in heaven

until that time
i pledge my allegiance
   to him only

my life is tied-up in that kingdom
the will of my king
is my will
his desire
my desire
his vision
my vision
his move
my move
...
his call on my life
the only call
worth my life

for him
i give my life
not for anyone else
be it country
nation
regime
empire

my thoughts then
on the imending 'war' in syria
are inconsequential
unimportant
useless

if he calls for me to go there
i go (Lord help me)
if he calls for me to support people there
i support them (Lord help me)
if i die there
under his call
i die there
under his call (Lord help me)

especially my heart is with
the nonpolitical
ordinary
man
woman
child
who now waits for
rockets
bombs
bullets
grenades
drones
fire
... death

death in the home
on the street
across the way
in the neighbourhood
across town
in the town next door
where their family lives
and their friends

all for the sake of
money
power

it is my belief
that at the end of the day
the decisions to war or desist from war
will not be made for any humanitarian reason
but for money
for power
because of pressure
by the ones who wield the real power
regardless of party

i don't trust
any
save Jesus

i therefore reisist
war
for i am to love my enemy
i resist the basic human drive for war
for i am to love peace
and to be a peacemaker

i cannot

i leave such things
such thinking
to God alone

i am not able
i am not willing

i run from war

run

i know the arguments
the rationale
the reasoning

i also know the pain
not only the pain of my friends
but the pain of the friends over there
in syria

in wherever

i want no part of it
none
zilch
zip

selah .. ~

i have but one political question
and then i rest

who made the united states
the policeman of the world

i know the arguments
the rationale
the reasoning

selah .. ~


shalom ...

now ...
in Jesus' name

words ...

words ... .

why am i so taken with them
especially the written word

i fear it is too academicy
too theoretical
too pie-in-the-sky

i fear i'm full of talk
   'long-talk'
and many of the books i read
   fall right under that umbrella

fear

fear of being unreal
lying to me
and being lied to

fear of thinking
   i'm right-headed
when it's only my 'theology'
   my theothink
my academicy
theoretical
pie-in-the-sky
unreal
lies

because ...

when the door is closed
and the sun sets
i have to assess
me
and have
me
assessed

theory
what i think
what they think
   who write words
matters little

what matters is
life
and
death
and newlife

and what kind
of life
and death
and newlife

... fear .... .. .

am
i
words
?

selah ..~


shalom