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| Simply Marvelous!!Great and marvelous are thy works, just and true are thy ways. As we were winding down from a fun evening with awesome friends I was pondering this verse.
You know, so often I misunderstand life and feel, "What is God thinking? Doesn't he know that this way would be better?" Now I don't actually say this, but every time I complain in essence that is what I'm saying. In other words, God your leadership style is not cutting it; or in the words of the Israelites: we should have stayed in Egypt. I don't think it was a matter of them being unhappy with their surroundings but a matter of them saying "My way is better" or as Sinatra would say "I did it my way."
Now the only problem is our way sucks. Since Adam we have proven this over and over again. If the approach that we take is insisting that we get our way, the very best it could produce is the good side of the knowledge of good and evil, which will never lead to anything but death. So God lures us to Him and shows us a better way. In fact Jesus said I am the way. Sure He meant to heaven but I also think He meant, "My way of walking is the only way to be satisfied." Yeah sure you will have to deal with a bunch of people who don't understand you and misjudge you, and yes you might be crucified or at least die to yourself every day. However, Jesus said you are not greater than your master. If he had to learn obedience through the things he suffered, do we expect any different?
Now back to the verse I started with. Sure this verse is definitely about the judgements of the Book of Revelation but I also think it is a statement of worship from people who finally can see things from the perspective of Eternity, and how what we walked through on Earth brought about eternal change in temporal people.
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| You have the right to remain silentI was thinking about this the other day: how Jesus when he was being erroneously accused of all of these things he did not open His mouth. Then it hit me that the reason He didn't open His mouth, is that He didn't feel the need to defend himself. If anybody ever had the right it was Him. Since he knew no sin and the devil had nothing on him, if ever there was one who could justify himself it was him.Yet it says he did not lift his voice.
Why could he do this? It was because he knew who he was and who it was who began a good work in Him. The reason we fill the need to defend ourselves is because we don't actually believe that God is just. That somehow if we don't defend ourselves no one will know we are right. So why do we need to be right? The more we hold on to the need to be right, the less the Lord can act on our behalf. If we open our mouth to defend ourselves we limit His justice and equity on our behalf.
The only thing we can do is run to Him. That way if we or others accuse us of anything it passes through his blood and then the Father will deal with those who accuse us. Justice will roll like a mighty river but it has to flow from him. With the same measure we judge others, we ourselves will be judged. I don't want to be found accusing as that is the exact opposite nature of him. Accusation implies guilt but he bore our sin/accusations/guilt. We don't have the right. The only right we have is to come and die that we may truly live.
If we try to hold onto our life we lose it, but if we lose ourselves in Him we will finally live. I was watching a movie the other day, and a cop said the "right to remain silent" bit of the Miranda rights, and then added, "But I doubt you will exercise that right." May the Lord help us to utilize that right even if we don't want to. | | |
| Get behind me satanIt is amazing what you can get an epiphany about when you're coming out of the bathroom. I was thinking about the phrase "get behind me satan". Of course we all know Jesus said this to Peter when Peter thought he finally got one up on Jesus as far as good advice. By the way this is also fun to say to someone when they try to serve you liver and onions. OK back to it; there has been many a time when I thought gosh Pete get with the program this is for your own good. Of course when you have the benefit of looking back on something there is the added benefit of seeing exactly where things went right or wrong. Kind of like the people who watch Sixth Sense the whole way through and say "I knew he was dead the whole time." Yeah right!!
Anyhow, Peter really didn't say anything that was highly crazy if you knew your best bud (who by the way could do amazing things like raise people from the dead, heal the blind and although you acted like a horse's patoot most of the time made you feel good about yourself and genuinely liked being around you) was putting himself into danger. Who wouldn't say, "whoa, kill the motor, bad idea man. You know those guys want to kill you. Let's hit town after they stop seething when they see you; or better yet, I hear they have two for one falafels over in Bethlehem. Lets go there." Most would say in this instance good call. You just saved a friend from some major hardship.
Isn't it interesting--what we call good sense or logic, Jesus called the thoughts of satan. In other words, Peter had the benefits of man, not God, in mind. So what is it that made Jesus press on despite "good advice?" He had the will of the Father in mind, which is key. This can only come from relationship. Second he dealt quickly and resolutely with the things that stood contrary to what He was supposed to do. He just did it, regardless of his friends' opinions. No matter how well-meaning it was, it was just the logic of this age. His ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts. His way will bear fruit, guaranteed. Ours will lead to nothing. "Go out on a limb; that is where the fruit is..." as Will Rogers said. So we live in the age of reason? Doesn't mean we have to stay there. | | |
| temporal versus the eternalToday I went to work a job that makes think about how I'd rather be doing other things, say, pretty much anything. Darned good benefits and decent pay. Anyhow, what really hit home was the fragility of life. Now I know that life is but a vapor and we are blessed if we get 70 years possibly 80 if you don't drink or chew or date women who do. However this is what I think about when I come to work. Yeah I know why not ponder the reason the person next to you always snorts when they laugh much less dramatic. What struck me is that I find myself being attracted to the temporal: thecar I drive, the clothes I wear, where I live, where I work. You know, the useless and the mundane versus that which is eternal. I know this is but a shadow but you know when you're a little kid and you swear the shadow in your room moves and somehow it seems to have a life of their own? That is what it feels like. But I'm wooed by the reality that I am eternal and even after this will go on as I was made to be eternal just as He is eternal. To be in the world and not of it or maybe; maybe be in the world but don't let the world be in you would be more aptly translated. Maybe more on this later .... | | |
| I'm finally online!!!My wife is a xanga queen and after much serious hard thinking (5 minutes while stairing aimlessly), I decided to join the madness. Which will of course one day overload all the mainframes in the world causing us to plummet into what I affectionately call the second dark age; or our dark age kicked your dark age's gluteous maximus (gotta stay kid friendly). Anyhow let the madness begin. If you don't like what I have to say please take this opportunity to ramble on with your rebuttal and as neccasary start an I hate Joel antifan club/webring. On a serious note I hope if you check out the site you are encouraged, edified, or feel better about your life after reading about mine. And for the love of pete take your shoes off before coming in. | | |
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