8/28/06

Tozer

From The Knowledge of The Holy:

"In olden times men looked forward to Christ's redeeming work; in later times they gaze back upon it, but always they came and they come by grace, through faith" (p. 102).

" 'God is over all things,' wrote Hildebert of Lavardin, 'under all things; outside all; within but not enclosed; without but not excluded; above but not raised up; below but not depressed; wholly above, presiding; wholly beneath, sustaining; wholly within, filling' " (p. 80).

8/27/06

Jonathan Edwards' "Personal Narrative"

From Edwards' "Personal Narrative," (http://www.jonathanedwards.com/text/
Personal/PNarrative.htm), & my thoughts (in italics):

"In this sickness, God was pleased to visit me again, with the sweet influences of his Spirit. My mind was greatly engaged there, on divine and pleasant contemplations, and longings of soul. I observed, that those who watched with me, would often be looking out wishfully for the morning; which brought to my mind those words of the Psalmist, and which my soul with delight made its own language, My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning; and when the light of day came in at the window, it refreshed my soul, from one morning to another. It seemed to be some image of the light of God's glory."

Waiting for God more than waiting for morning...perhaps joy was associated with coming in the morning, because I believe it is also written in the Psalms something like 'Sorrow lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning.' Maybe we should rely on God MORE than holding out for/expecting greener pastures / better times.

"It has often appeared to me delightful, to be united to Christ; to have him for my head, and to be a member of his body; also to have Christ for my teacher and prophet. I very often think with sweetness, and longings, and partings of soul, of being a little child, taking hold of Christ, to be led by him through the wilderness of this world. "

It's interesting to think of Christ as a teacher ~ (of course I don't mean in place of being the Son of God...)

8/25/06

"You are the Sun"

Part of the song "You are the Sun" sung by Sara Groves:

And everywhere you are is warmth and light
And I am the moon with no light of my own
Still you have made me to shine
And as I glow in this cold dark night
I know I can't be a light unless I turn my face to you
You are the sun shining down on everyone
Light of the world giving light to everything I see

...

Shine on me with your light
Without you I'm a cold dark stone
Shine on me I have no light of my own

8/24/06

Tozer quotes

From The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer:

"Just as under certain conditions a tiny point of light can be seen, not by looking directly at it but by focusing the eyes slightly to one side, so it is with the idea of the Uncreated. When we try to focus our thought upon One who is pure uncreated being we may see nothing at all, for He dwelleth in light that no man can approach unto. Only by faith and love are we able to glimpse Him as He passes by our shelter in the cleft of the rock" (p. 33).

Repentance

John Piper Quotes :

"...The demand to repent is as basic as it gets in Jesus’ message. It is equally basic to, and almost synonymous with, the command, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). One of my concerns is to show that repentance in Jesus’ message is not behavior but the inner change that gives rise to new God-centered, Christ-exalting behavior. "

"...Two things show us that repentance is an internal change of mind and heart rather than mere sorrow for sin or mere improvement of behavior. First, the meaning of the Greek word behind the English “repent” (metanoeo) points in this direction. It has two parts: meta and noeo. The second part (noeo) refers to the mind and its thoughts and perceptions and dispositions and purposes. The first part (meta) is a prefix that regularly means movement or change.1 So the basic meaning of repent is to experience a change of the mind’s perceptions and dispositions and purposes. "

"The other factor that points to this meaning of repent is the way Luke 3:8 describes the relationship between repentance and new behavior. It says, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” Then it gives examples of the fruits: “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise” (Luke 3:11). This means that repenting is what happens inside of us that leads to the fruits of new behavior. Repentance is not the new deeds, but the inward change that bears the fruit of new deeds. Jesus is demanding that we experience this inward change. "

By John Piper. ©Desiring God. Website: http://www.desiringgod.org/. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 888.346.4700.

8/16/06

"Road to Heaven" lyrics

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/fiveforfighting/roadtoheaven.html

Here are some of the lyrics to "Road to Heaven" (a song sung by Five for Fighting):

"Sometimes I think about silly things
It's easy to do if you have the time
Often happens when I'm falling off to sleep
After a second glass of wine

The clock is usually running out
Down by one or could be tied
I'm fading back
Winding up
The championship on the line...but...

What if there was a road to heaven
That's what came to me today
Would there be Traffic jams with diamond lanes
Potholes filled up with rain
Would there be Tolls still left to pay

If there was a road to heaven
Made of gold or made out of clay
Would the Angels wave me up the hill
Or in my mirror just fade away

I've never been the kind a man who hits his knees
Got no answers for big questions
I don't know...
Maybe tomorrow lightning will hit me on the head
And we can find out if we're just a joke

Jesus I'm told can build a bridge
Finer than any other man
....

But if there was a road to heaven
It'd be one long and crazy ride...
If there was a road to heaven babe
That's a road that I'd like to find. "

Wow! I hope this generates many deep conversations about God. I wonder how many people think about the 'road to heaven'...do the majority of people wonder about that, if they've heard about heaven? And, what if they haven't heard about heaven? Do they still wonder if there's 'something or someone' more, out there?

8/3/06

Clean slates

What would life be like if we were to always treat everyone we knew as if they had a clean slate every day? What would life be like if we treated our fears/insecurities/struggles as if they are being washed away on a daily basis?

To not remember past wrongs, grudges...

Once this quarter, I talked with a student (A) about another student (B). "A" told me that "B" knows his mistakes. I told "A" to tell "B" that we can have a new start and that I can forget the past (or something along those lines)...and, I think that recently "B" has been doing fine overall, attitude-wise...

Should I have this type of chat with another student (C) in that same class...? Ah, the drama that is human life...

Although it would be great if we could live our lives without remembering or keeping grudges about others' wrongdoings, how about in regard to our own guilt/fears/insecurities/ struggles/sin? We don't necessarily HAVE to be a certain way....right? Do we have to repeatedly encounter the same struggles? Perhaps it is very common, though, for people to struggle with the same sins for a long period of time...

Ideally, it could be nice if we could live each day with a new slate, in regard to our own sins, and in regard to not bitterly harboring others' sins...

Also, wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to feel like we have the same fears?

I think my mom had the following experience, or something similar to it-- when climbing Mt. Lassen (maybe), a certain thought came to her mind -- something along the lines of making her think that she doesn't HAVE to be afraid of heights...

So..if people have fears of certain things (heights, cockroaches, etc.) one day, do they necessarily HAVE to have that fear the following day? Is it too simplistic to apply the 'every day is a new day' approach to one's fears?

8/1/06

Ephesians 1:16-20

Ephesians 1: 16-20:

"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,"

Paul's directing this to believers...and he obviously cares about their faith and knowledge of God, our hope, and His great power...the same power that raised Jesus from the dead!