May 22, 2006 - Monday  | Endur-ing "Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks tot he Lord,
for He is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!"
~Psalm 106:1 To endure means to tolerate, to last, or undergo (thank you Oxford Dictionary). Chris Toomlin wrote a song that most know by now, I should think, based off of that one line "Your love endures forever". What is God lasting, or enduring? Is it just time? Is He not outside of time constraints? I think we need to note the difference between steadfast and endures in regarding His love. STeadfast is umoving, or fixed. I think if time has anything to do with this passage, the idea of steadfast would clear up the notion that God's love is not moving or waning, but fixed forever. Therefore, endures means something other than steadfast. Why would David use two words with the same meaning twice? When we think of enduring, the phrase "enduring hardship" comes to mind. When you endure something, it is not often seen as a pleasant thing. It is seen as a gruelling amount of action, where you are going one way, though it seems the world is on your shouldres pulling you down. I think we tend to forget that we need God's enduring love. God's love is enduring us. It will outlast our frivolity and mischief and evil. Though we go one way, God is there where we need Him to be. Isn't this what Paul was saying when he said "though we were still sinners, Christ died for us"? If you read Ps 106, you read alot about human sin, and where people went wrong when they were following Him. God wants us to come to Him, that is why He endures. He doesn't want anyone to be without Him (John 3:17). He endures so much. I give Him enough grief.
And yet, He is good, and His love endures,
 | Currently watching :
An American Tail - Fievel Goes West
Release date: 20 January, 2004  | 11:44 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 19, 2006 - Friday | a sucker for the sentimental I've been reading Lewis's The Pilgrim's Regress, and, well, I just thought this was really beautiful and truthful:
"...Do you not know how it is with love? First comes delight: then pain: then fruit. And then there is joy of the fruit, but that is different again from the first delight. And mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step: for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot and from it we wake in despair. You must not try to keep the raptures: they have doen their work. Manna kept, is worms."
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| May 17, 2006 - Wednesday | He is... I just keep repeating:
He is my light and my salvation, therefore I will not fear though... and wonder how aplicable it is to me right now. When does it ever not apply?
 | Currently listening :
Eyes Open
By Snow Patrol
Release date: 09 May, 2006  | 10:28 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 15, 2006 - Monday | Dan got married. My friend, Dan, got married two days ago to Karen, the love of his life. It was so cool to be asked to stand up there with them. Not just because of the tux (we all looked quite snazzy...), but because I had the best view in the house. Watching Dan was the coolest and one of the more memorable moments in my life. The organ hit its chords and everyone stood, and Dan, who looked not nervous but not relaxed, showed teeth and smiled, his eyes lighting on his bride for the first time that day. His hope made sight, and his hand found the shoulder of the ringbearer and started to caress it, kneading it. It was so cool. Dan was so excited to see her, his actions spoke volumes of his desire and of his affections for Karen.
And this in the marriage ceremony is the mystery. It is the message of Christ's love for the church, his bride. Such desire. Dan and Karen reminded me of this yesterday. And how perfect is this love.
How marvelous
is the crown,
But how awesome
is the bearer!
 | Currently listening :
Abandon
By Jason Morant
Release date: 08 June, 2004  | 10:16 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 12, 2006 - Friday | What a foolish thing you've done Man, Saul, what was he thinking?
I count myself as a greatly blessed individual and am encouraged everyday with the what God is doing in my life.
I would like to think that I would never take that blessing as mine alone, or ever try to do things without God as the desire.
If you see me out there doin' it. Just remind that I am a fool.
Thanks.
 | Currently listening :
This Mystery
By Nichole Nordeman
Release date: 23 May, 2000  | 11:35 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 10, 2006 - Wednesday | Angry Gay Men and Deep Theology God has really been giving me great oppurtunities to share Hie message lately,a dn to talk to otehrs who are seeking, and those who are not. And I thank God for allowing me to know the difference and for giving em the words to say.
Yesterday was one such conversation. During this talk, we heard all about a girl's angry gay dad (we still ahven't figured out if begin angry has anything to do with him being gay, or so on and so forth) and one man's search not for whether he thinks his actions are wrong (or sin as he kept repeating) but really I think it was a search for truth. As we talked, I was kinda surprised when reflecting on it just how much we actually talked about. If it was a theology class, it would've been a whole semester's worth.
What it really comes down to is, as I was saying, is truth. He believes in Christ and what he has done, but does not believe that what he is doing is wrong. He can readily believe one part of the Bible while discounting another. He can accept what Christ had done, but not "certain laws" that would show him that, really, he needs a saviour.
I'm reading Shakespeare's King John I wonder if I could read it the same way he has done to the Bible: just blot out a few choice lines and maybe an act or two in the beginning and still get the same ending.
This is a very dangerous thing. And yet how easy it is. We are forgetting that the Law is not sent ot condemn us, but to show us our sin. How else would we know what sin is unless we were told. God is not cruel, but just. We could easily plead ignorance to what we are not told is wrong, but God is just. And if Jesus came to fulfill the Law, He is making the line more complete, getting rid of the grays that pulled away from that black line and setting us free indeed, or condemning us indeed. But He is just, and and fair and love. And to believe is to do. The law is still our guide as we try to become like Him. There is grace, but only as we pursue Him, not ourselves.
The next morning, back across the lake, crowds began gathering on the shore, waiting to see Jesus. For they knew that he and his disciples had come over together and that the disciples had gone off in their boat, leaving him behind. Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. When the crowd saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.When they arrived and found him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?" Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign. But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose." They replied, "What does God want us to do?" Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent." They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, `Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'* "
Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
 | Currently listening :
On the Road to Beautiful
By Charlie Hall
Release date: 30 September, 2003  | 9:26 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 9, 2006 - Tuesday | We have all we need I had the great pleasure to hear Derek Webb when he first started out on his own at Messiah College. There seemed to be about 200 of us college kids and old heads crammed into the old Wilbur's coffeehouse sitting and listening to this guy sing and talk to us. And I'll never forget one thing he told us, or asked us rather: "What more do you need than Jesus?" Bonhoeffer, Lewis, Paul, they all say the same thing: Christ is all we need and all we need is Him. We not only find our purpose, but our means. He fulfills and calls us beyond anything we could have known. Without Him even the wealthiest man is found wanting, and the with Him the poorest man fulfilled.
 | Currently listening :
Ohio
By Over the Rhine
Release date: 19 August, 2003  | 9:31 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 6, 2006 - Saturday | an update... In case you were wondering, God is good all the time. Just becasue you don't "get it", doesn't mean it doesn't make sense.
Clear?
Well, hey if not, I just wanted to let you all know that I am still sending out resumes and getting responses, as slow as they come. lol. We are not going to Louisiana. God had someone else for there, which is good. Better His planning than mine. I have an interview this wed. at a church in Lancaster, PA. Sounds like a cool church and a cool position. Please, keep us in your prayers.
Thanks!
~W
 | Currently listening :
Clean
By Shane & Shane
Release date: 19 October, 2004  | 4:43 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| May 3, 2006 - Wednesday | Lewis Quote of the day Question 8:
Is it true that Christians must be prepared to live a life of personal discomfort and self-sacrifice in order to qualify for "Pie in the Sky" (Heaven to me and you)?
Lewsi:
All people, whether Christian or not, must be prepared to live a life of discomfort. It is impossible to accept Christianity for the sake of finding comfort: but the Christian tries to lay himself open to the will of God, to do what God wants him to do. You don;t know in advance whether God is going to set you to do something difficult or painful, or something that you will quite like; and some people of heroic mould are disappointed when the job doled out to them turns out to be something quite nice. But you must be prepared for the unpleasant things and the discomforts. I don;t mean fasting and thigns like that. They are a different matter...
~ CS Lewis
Answers to Questions on Christianity
God in the Dock
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| May 1, 2006 - Monday | on a lighter note... so hey, here's something funny. I was watching Jerry Springer because as I was flipping channels, this title caught my eye:"Jerry saves a 900 pound man". Aren;t you interested now? So, anyway, they had to borrow a gurney from a zoo that they usually use on polar bears and lions and such. Well, my friend Brent this morning says: "That's sad. That means there are sick polar bears out there". 2:08 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
| May Day! May Day! So, I've been offerred a job. YEAH!
But with it comes much thoughts. It is not what we had hoped for or prayed for. But I believe in taking risks and in God's permissive will. Could this be the place we're supposed to go though going there means sacrifice and giving up what we had hoped for (Heather staying at home to raise our kids, or the ability for us to see each otehr more often)? The big thing is health insurance, they offer none and to have some right now would be great, and some say a necessity. By taking this job as it is, we would not be taking a risk as some say, but we would be making an unwise decision. But is health insurance a necessity or a comfort? Doesn't God really want me to put my family first in my life, as He has asked, and by taking this job am I not putting them at a very great risk. On one hand, it seems too simple,. too easy... on another, very hard. Yes, God is going to provide, but I know that He will not unprovide if we stay here. I just don't know what to do.
Insight and advice welcome here, but mostly your prayers.
Happy May Day.
 | Currently listening :
The Mission Bell
By Delirious?
Release date: 27 December, 2005  | 8:19 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| April 29, 2006 - Saturday | I hate daytime tv back when I was a kid, you could count on morning cartoons everyday of the week,a dnthen afternoon cartoons starting around 3pm.. the really good ones. Ducktales, talespin, etc. But nowadays, theres a lot of gossip, throwing chairs, Ihate you becuase you stole my man even though your mom shows on and its kinda sickening. Can these people actually exist? Is this really happening in other communities across the US? I'm just amazed. yesterday i saw a 900 lb man being lifted by a gurney made for polar bears because no one ever really cared enough about him to really help him change his behaviours. Its just amazing! I'm amazed! I sit in a werid silence wtaching these thigns progress, and like a bad train wreck, I watch. Sometimes I even end up praying that the girl on Maury who is looking for her baby's daddy though she's tried 20 other men have failed.
And its all brokenness and "Turkish Delights". If you want God, show me these people that are around me, those that are looking for You. I wnat to be a shining light for You, always. 12:40 AM - 1 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| April 27, 2006 - Thursday | playin with dirt Yesterday, heather and I were driving home from picking up our newly inspected car, and as is oftne the case while I am driving, I was watching everything but the road. We were driving home past East High, when I saw this little girl playing in the dirt. And right next to her, watching her intently, sat a dog hoping she would sson get down with the inanimate and play with him. Poor dog.
As I approached the red light on Locust, I realised that this is an image I will not soon forget. It reminded me of CS Lewis's illustration of humanity and our misdirected senses. He likens our ignoring God as a child content with playing with mudpies and refusing the trip to the shore. Well, and there is God, patiently waiting next to us, waiting for us to look up and realise He is really there. Not just that He is around, but that He wants interaction.
And so He waits. But eventually, time's gonna run up. His patiently waiting will turn into the question, "You knew I was there, so why did you ignore me?"
 | Currently reading :
The Silver Chair
By C. S. Lewis
Release date: 08 July, 1994  | 2:12 PM - 2 Comments - 1 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| April 24, 2006 - Monday | Flying from Atlanta, on my way home The world shrouded in dark as the edges reflect the promise of God's to spare us death by water - at 30,000 feet the world looks manageable but I ca not fooled to think I can manage it. It is not mine. It is the Lord's and all that is within it. He owns the cattle on a thousand hilltops and He is the Lord and Creator of all things in the earth and below the earth and on the earth and above the earth. He is the Sustainer and Redeemer - I am but an ambassador of my faith, given to me out of His love and grace.
As parts of our world lose distinguishability from the crowding darkness, I praise the placer of the stars and helper from the troubled.
| Currently listening :
Abandon
By Jason Morant
Release date: 08 June, 2004 | 8:01 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove | |
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| April 22, 2006 - Saturday | Flying to Atlanta I am flying somewhere over the east coast.
I see nothing but white clouds so
tightly packed you can not tell where
one begins and another ends
The earth is filled with His glory.
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