Life and Purpose

From a collection of quotations from John Henry Cardinal Newman put together by le Propriétaire as a younger man, recently recovered from a bundle of old papers. It was part of a series of essays for the invisible community of those who care for the things of the mind and Spirit, a circle of friends around the world.

"God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission, I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending [to do so], but I do [if I] keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; if I am in hardship, my hardship may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or hardship, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us.

He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, throw me among strangers, make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me... still He knows what He is about.

The more we do, the more we shall trust in Christ; and that surely is no morose doctrine, that leads us to soothe our selfish restlessness, and forget our fears, in the vision of the Incarnate Son of God.

May the Lord support us all the day long, till the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us safe lodging, a holy rest, and the peace [we crave] at last." 

Have a good and godly day.

I am a Christian

Christians 

by: Maya Angelou

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."

I'm whispering "I was lost,

Now I'm found and forgiven."

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and need Christ to be my guide.

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And need His strength to carry on.

           

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

         

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow! 

Amen.  That's true, Mrs. Angelou, that's true.

Have a good and godly day.   

The last time you fell...

Sarah Raymond Cunningham wrote what's below.  Her whole piece can be found here.

Sarah starts with, "If you can’t remember the last time you fell, that may mean you’re not taking on any new challenges. And in that case, after a while, perfection becomes a fraudulent trophy, don’t you think?"  

Her thoughts below are based on watching her son, a toddler, repeatedly fall down so many times she started applauding some of his better falls.  She goes on to explain how she noticed her son wasn't embarrassed about falling as he attempted to complete a physical task.  He wasn't concerned who was watching or what they may have thought.  She then penned the following insightful comment, "Falling, to him, is nothing more than the moment that lies between his attempts at greatness."  She goes on give this advice... (the bullet points are my idea.)

1. You should run hard when you can, for as long as you can.
2. When you can’t run… walk.
3. If there comes a time when you can’t walk… fall.
4. In general, when possible, it’s better to fall forward than backward.
5. When you get up enough energy, you might only be able to manage a crawl. 
6. If you’re too exhausted to move, lay on the ground and reach in the right direction.
7. But as soon as you can, get up.  
8. Many people finally succeed after getting up one more time than they fall.
9. We tend to measure faithfulness that comes in the form of heroic Biblical figures slaying lions, falling giants and becoming Pharaoh’s right hand man.
10. But in the Old Testament world and in ours, might the greatest act of faithfulness be getting back up and putting one foot in front of the other again.
11. What if Daniel would’ve let captivity break him?
12. What if David would’ve wallowed in his dad’s failure to recognize his potential?
13. What if Joseph would’ve stopped at being sold into slavery?
14. I submit to you that there would be no moment of triumph had it not been for the moment that they got back up.  

Have a good and godly day.

Why is it...

Greg Boyd, who leads Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul Minnesota, is the real deal.  I do love, and I mean love, to listen to his thoughts and ideas.  I have read his books.  His podcasts/sermons always force me to meditate on God's Word.  The following thoughts were prompted by him from this podcast and I wanted to credit the source.  The blue font annotates Dr. Boyd's words, thoughts, or ideas.   

Why is it, Christians so often do not reflect the character of Jesus Christ?

Why is it, Christians are often the best argument against Christianity?

Why is it, Christians complain often?

Why is it, Christians do so much harm and cause so much pain in the name of Jesus Christ?

Why is it, the Church has accepted the same authority Jesus rejected when tempted by Satan… state, political, military, government...

Why is it, politicians fuse their faith with public office… granting a reason to disagree with Jesus based on a political opinion and not His teaching?

Why is it, pro-life politicians are pro-war and pro-gun too? 

Why is it, Christians, have so much trouble displaying the kingdom of God as Jesus instructed… with humility, without judgment, loving your enemies, serving others, sacrifice, etc?

Why is it, Christians seem to have forgotten Jesus founded a movement based on forgiveness of sin, grace, mercy, love and not a religion? 

Why is it, God commands Christians to belong to the church, to share their lives with others and yet so many do not share? 

Why is it, most Christians do not lead a self examined life?

Why is it, difficult to be an effective advocate for Jesus Christ?

Why is it, so many people that have been hurt by the Church or Christians trade in the Church community for isolation? 

Why is it, so many Christians chose isolation to eliminate the risk of pain, hurt, and scars from following Jesus Christ? 

Why is it, Christians do not recognize to serve and impact others and to experience joy requires the assumption of risk?  You will get hurt.

Why is it, Christians do not comprehend that following Jesus is a contact sport?  You will get hurt.  

Why is it, Christians hesitate to cry out to Jesus? 

Whatever your hurt, pain, or scar… Jesus has been there and done that.  Jesus has been betrayed.  He has been unjustly accused.  He has been wrongfully punished.  Jesus endured hatred.  He experienced incomprehensible pain.  He knew He would die a horrible death and obeyed anyway. 

Jesus knows.  He will heal you.  He will comfort you.  He will strengthen you.  He will revive you.  Restore you.  He will support you.  Satisfy you.  Complete you.  Jesus Christ will defend you and honor you and love you.  He will do all of this because He says you are worth it.  Look at what He has already done for you. 

Have a good and godly day.

The Serpent

Psalm 1 instructs us, "... to meditate on His word day and night."  

From Genesis, Chapter 3:

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.

Many Christians speculate real genuine love is a choice.  We can choose to love or we choose not to love.  We also choose who we love.  Real genuine love cannot exist without a choice... or so I have heard.  Christians speculate, repeatedly, that God doesn't want us to be robots, which is why He has given us the free will to accept or reject Him.  It's popular in the Christian community.  

So I ask, where did the assumption start that Christians would love God less, or not at all, if Satan wasn't roaming to and fro?  I ask, who said if God was our only choice that we wouldn't or couldn't choose to love Him, genuinely love Him?  If God was the only option, the question I ask is why wouldn't I love Him?  Why wouldn't I obey Him?  Why wouldn't I want to please Him, worship Him, and honor Him?  

I haven't been able to reconcile that God, my God, designed a world filled with evil and sin because His first choice, Eden, didn't work out as He hoped.  The popular reason or explanation for this world and its evil goes something like this... 

He, meaning God, really wanted to provide a better place but it just didn't work out... you know, that fellow Lucifer sinned because he wanted to be a tough guy.

Am I to believe God tried to create something good but wasn't aware of the evil and sin that would play a critical role in His creation?  Am I to believe God didn't know Lucifer, His first perfect creation, would sin?  Am I to believe Lucifer's disobedience was not planned for?  Am I to believe God didn't foresee that Lucifer would rally a third of the angels to oppose God?  Am I to believe God is winging it, making it up as He goes, or pencil whipping His way through the day?    

Most Christians would say yes, that God wanted us to stay in the garden.  But, Lucifer wanted to be God and thus we find ourselves waiting for Christ to return.  Therefore, I am now presented with a God that CANNOT or WILL NOT intervene on our behalf.  It's a God sized dilemma that leaves a God who... 

1. Lacks the love and compassion to intervene (will not do anything).
2. Lacks the power and ability to intervene (cannot do anything, wants to but can't).

Is the knowledge of good and evil is a prerequisite to be formed into the image of God?  Is that knowledge necessary for us to choose to love God, to choose to follow and obey Him, to choose to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior? 

I am, however, most intrigued by what happens to the serpent if Eve passes the test?  If she doesn't eat the fruit and flicks the ole serpent on its nose and says, "Get goin', kid!"  Where does he go?  Does he crawl away never to be heard from again?  Does the serpent change his ways and confess, "Man, I know.  I was pretty crazy back in the day.  What was I thinking?"  If Eve doesn't eat of the fruit, then might Adam eat it?  Or might one of their children eat of the fruit? 

Or, is another option available?  Just maybe God intended the world to be a mess.  Not for all eternity, just for now, temporarily, and for His purpose. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Isaiah 55: 8-9

1. Would a God who lacks the compassion and love to intervene be worthy of our love and worship?  
2. Just because some do not see Him intervene in a certain manner and by a certain time, does that indicate He doesn't intervene at all?  
3. Would a God who lacks the power and authority to control His creation be worthy of our love and worship? 
4. Can LOVE exist if there is nothing to oppose it?

It’s Carl Jung who said, "There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course.  Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness."

Have a good and godly day.

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

   will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the LORD:

   He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

   he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue you from every trap

   and protect you from deadly disease.

4 He will cover you with his feathers.

   He will shelter you with his wings.

   His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

   nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

   nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

7 Though a thousand fall at your side,

   though ten thousand are dying around you,

   these evils will not touch you.

8 Just open your eyes,

   and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the LORD your refuge,

   if you make the Most High your shelter,

10 no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

11 For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

12 They will hold you up with their hands

    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;

    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.

    I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer;

    I will be with them in trouble.

    I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life

    and give them my salvation.”

Prayer

St. Thomas More (1478 ~ 1535), write the following while in prison, "The things, good Lord, that I pray for give me the grace to labor for."  

Why do people, including Christians, ridicule and detest beggars but don't hesitate to become one before God?  The purpose of prayer is to better, to refine, to elevate ourselves… it is to draw us closer to God, to better know God.  Maybe, we should try to spend less asking of God and more time listening to what He says…

Prayer does not change God, 

but it changes him who prays.  

Soren Kierkegaard

The value of consistent prayer 

is not He will hear us, 

but we will hear Him.  

William McGill

We have to pray with our eyes on God, 

not on the difficulties.  

Oswald Chambers

But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;

yes, I prayed to my God for help.

He heard me from His sanctuary;

my cry to Him reached His ears.

Psalm 18:6

In times of trouble, may the LORD answer your cry.

May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

Psalm 20:1

May He grant your heart’s desires

and make all your plans succeed.

…may the LORD answer all your prayers.

Psalm 20:4-6

For You have given him his heart’s desire;

You have withheld nothing he requested.

Psalm 21:2

He asked You to preserve his life,

and You granted his request.

Psalm 21:4

Have a good and godly day. 

Why obey?

Napoleon I Bonaparte: 
1. A general of the French Revolution; 
2. The ruler of France; 
3. The Emperor of the French; and 
4. The King of Italy.  

France, under Napoleon's command, fought almost every European power (often simultaneously).  In just over ten years, he invaded, conquered, and controlled most of the western and central European.  His campaigns are studied at military academies and he is generally regarded as one of the greatest military commanders to have lived.

The following is his statement describing Christ’s love and kindness; I thought worthy to repeat: 

“I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force! Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.”

1.  Do you obey Christ because you fear Him and hope to avoid punishment?  
2.  Do you obey to receive a reward?  
3.  Or do you obey Him because He loves you?
Have a good and godly day.   

A Psalm of David

Psalm 27 is a favorite.  Below are just a few lines.   

3 Trust in the LORD and do good. 

              Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

4 Take delight in the LORD, 

              and He will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. 

              Trust him, and He will help you.

7 Be still in the presence of the LORD, 

              and wait patiently for him to act. 

  Don’t worry about evil people who prosper 

              or fret about their wicked schemes. 

16 It is better to be godly and have little 

              than to be evil and rich.

18 Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, 

              and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.

19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; 

              even in famine they will have more than enough.

23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. 
              He delights in every detail of their lives.

24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, 

              for the LORD holds them by the hand.

25 Once I was young, and now I am old.  

              Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned  

              or their children begging for bread 

Have a good and godly day.   Comments