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Archive for the ‘God Thoughts’ Category

Have you heard the buzz?  A bald eagle pair and three freshly hatched eaglets 80 feet above the ground in Decorah, Iowa are being videoed for the whole world to see 24/7 by webcam, color by day and IR by night.  It’s cute and a bit gross (raptor feeding habits are a bit coarse).  But most of all it’s wonderful to see God’s creatures in a way we really never did before.  Check it out at http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles Like all of God’s creatures bald eagles give glory to Him. God illustrates this in various ways in His Word.  His wisdom and power in creating and sustaining His creatures is a common theme: “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, stretching his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? On the cliff he dwells and lodges, upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place.” (Job 39:26-28) Even with our increased understanding of these creatures over what Job had we can neither make the eagle nor sustain him. But another theme common to Scripture is that of God’s care for His people in all times as similar to and above that of His care for His lesser creatures: “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions. The LORD alone guided him…” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12a).

Though not on so grand a scale, my students bought and installed a bluebird nesting box with camera and cord in conduit so that we can watch what is going on inside the nesting box.  It is beginning to get interesting.  We have all learned much about nesting, territorial, and brooding habits of the Eastern Bluebird. As a result of God’s power and wisdom in creating and sustaining the world and its creatures it all belongs to Him and depends on Him: “I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.” (Psalm 50:11-12)

“The bird also has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising you.” Psalm 84:3-4  The birds find and reside where they are supposed to be and so should we- in God’s presence, praising Him who is worthy by reason of His greatness and goodness as Creator, Sustainer, Lord, King, Savior, and all that is superlative and lifted up.

(The middle of this video is a bit tedious but as the popular saying now goes, “wait for it, wait for it.”)

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Them to Jesus

Jesus came to save the whole man so it should seem obvious that we should present Jesus as the Savior of the whole man and appeal to the whole man, body, mind, and spirit. The inside is blackened by the sin nature and sin; the person was created in the image of God. May His Spirit reach more people through us and we pursue the whole man.

Them to Jesus

Love them to Jesus
          Smile and be kind
Pray for them often
          Peace they may find
 
Point them to Jesus
          Speak to their mind
Challenge them to think
          Wisdom to find
 
Call them to Jesus
          Problems unwind
Teach them the Scripture
          Answers to find
 
Take them to Jesus
          From lonely grind
Love from the Savior
          Relationship find

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“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”  (James 1:2-3)

Reckon, consider, count!  It is so, therefore, calculate assuming it is so.  It will cause a conversion in your heart through testing and an endurance in your walk before God.

When the unexpected jolts your day
Every interaction your nerves fray
Responsibility overwhelms
Look up and pray

 

When fears of failure on you descend
Every impulse is yourself defend
Anxiety all thoughts penetrate
On God depend

 

When short cuts and schemes call out and say
Everyone does it come on and play
Temptation so relentlessly flirts
Christ is the way 

 

When hard to hear for accusers’ din
Every skeptic’s word makes your head spin
Satan with ferocity attacks
The Lord will win 

 

When joy breaks out in conflict and mess
Every problem brings peace nonetheless
Difficulty turns to means of good
Jesus did bless

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I just had the following encouraging thoughts a few moments ago when reading and commenting on a friend’s quotation of a poem (http://pennedpebbles.wordpress.com/  “Admire Whom?” (poem: CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED translated by Joseph Morris ))

I had a day of victory after a day of defeat yesterday, and why?  Because of nothing other than focus and clinging.  And that is what this poem is about- the way of life, the way of witness, the way of victory, the way of death, and the way of eternity- focus on Him and clinging to His enabling power. 

            When I cannot see Him plain
            Because of thunder, storm, and rain
            I must focus on His glorious face
            Cling to His unchanging grace
            To rise above the white-capped wave
            That He enables me to brave

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The Christian fish symbol was made popular on bumper stickers so many know of it.  As a result quite a few know of its use by persecuted believers.  But far fewer know its meaning.

ICHTHUS: Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior.

http://gospelgifs.com/clips/clips3/art1115.htm

And here is a good youtube explaining the eight spoke wheel and letters www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydx3OMNzfP8

Jesus Christ God’s Son our Savior    Mt1:21,16:16; Lk1:35; Jn1:41
By His blood we have found favor                    Heb 9:11-14; Eph 1:7
Undeserved, so more we savor      I Cor 6:20; Rom 5:2,8; Tit 3:5-7
And sin appears all the graver                           I Tim 1:15
 
Jesus is the name of power                                Phil 2:8-11
Help in trouble, a strong tower              Ps 46:1; Prov 18:10
Demons from this name do cower         James 2:19; Luke 4:33-34
Mighty One, yet pure white flower              Isa 49:26; Song 2:1
 
Christ the Anointed Priest and King                   Zech 6:12-13
Exalt His majesty and sing                                 Micah 5:4; Ps 96:1-6
Spirit came as a dove on wing                                  Matt 3:16
Sacrifices and praises bring     Ps 50:13-15, 9:14; 2 Cor 9:7; Mt 9:15
 
God’s true, only begotten Son                          John 1:14
He is God’s radiance like the sun                      Heb 1:3
Equals in holiness are none                         Isa 40:25; Exodus 15:11
Creation by and for Him done                            Col 1:16
 
Son of God our life’s one true vine                    John 15:1
Abide in Him, bear fruit and wine                      John 15:2-4
Open to Him and with Him dine                        Rev 3:20
Son of Man coming, He is mine!                 Dan 7:13; Song 2:16   
 
 
Savior of those who on Him call                        Rom 10:13
Redeemed from the curse of the Law                Gal 3:13
He paid our sin’s penalty all                              John 19:30; Col 2:14
His presence will our hearts enthrall                   Ps 16:11

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When I was a child my father owned a National Geographic book about… well, I don’t exactly remember. However, I do remember the inside cover painting, one similar to the one below, though linear. It also based its unit of measure on the height of man, a markedly humanistic approach which at least has merit because it compares all else to something we know.  Notice that the exponents range from a mere -15 to 25 and yet this nearly emcompasses the entire known range of size in the universe (the universe is above 10^25 and elementary particles or strings (Do they have dimensions?) are below 10^-15).

Source: http://www.astrobio.nau.edu/~koerner/ast180/lectures/pic/cdrom/art_low-res/es01/figure-I-03.jpg

I loved numbers and making connections so this painting was the source of contemplation and imagination for many hours. I liked the idea of numbers and size relationships so much that one time while carrying English ivy that my father was trimming along the driveway, I asked him what the largest number was.  He replied that it was similar to an eight turned on its side. I didn’t figure out for years that this was the infinity symbol (∞). Sometime near the end of elementary school I decided to write my numbers as high as possible. Was I trying to write to infinity, or some highest number, or just a very big number? I have no idea, but frequently the young are too idealist to notice the possible failure rate of poorly laid plans. I also know that author John Piper says he believes we are drawn to bigness in its various forms because we are made in God’s image with an ability and afinity for seeing the beauty of God which we cannot clearly see at the moment. At any rate (or perhaps a specified rate within limits of one factor of ten) I had one of the old large rule writing tablets with dotted lines for teaching beginners to write their letters. I would write each number interval of 100 on a page. I don’t now know where I stopped but I do remember it was over 10,000.  Obviously these antedotes mean that I was (am?) silly, but they also partially introduce why I think “order of magnitude” thinking is important and partly explain how I know it is largely missing in education. When students crunch numbers on calculators they mindlessly accept what number it spits out not considering that perhaps they put in inappropriate numbers or incorrect key strokes. You may not immediately know what 1,549,000 times 361 equals but you should be able to know that 55,918,900,000 is not the answer by inspection because it is two orders of magnitude (100x) too large. You may not know a comparison between miles per hour and meters per second but if I tell you that a person walks at 1.5 meters per second you should be able to tell that any normal car is not likely to be traveling at 150 meters per second (unless transported to a war zone in a C-5A perhaps). If this rambling of childhood memories in any way spurs you on to consider at all or again powers of ten or orders of magnitude I have included a fun link that is useful for imparting the concept as well as firing the imagination. Enjoy it and share it with some young person who needs an introduction to magnitude so that their future answers might at least be in the ballpark.

 http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/     (As I understand it I may not link this site for copyright reasons but you may go to the site by copying and pasting it into your address line. Enjoy!)

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I’m happy that snow is white. In fact I don’t believe there is anything whiter. Paint store white, white white, ultrawhite don’t compare and everything else looks dingy.

Ibex sp.? (anyone know?)

“‘Come now, and let us reason together’, says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow…'” (Isaiah 1:18)

“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.” Psalm 51:7

The wet Christmas snow comes down in the wind

The roadway with its sand and salt and slush is nasty but the snow reminds me that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

The White-headed elders guard town hall

Forgiven and reminded by snow and happy for its stilling and brightening effects I agree with the purpose of this messenger as with the one in the proverb: “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his master.” (Proverbs 25:13)

White Christmas

White Christmas is rare in these parts but not so rare and fine as the time when the Glorious One comes Whose “head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and HIs eyes were like a flame of fire…” (Revelation 1:14). This whiteness will have been dimmed; this joy trivialized, but as it reminds me of my freedom from sin and the sight the pure in heart will one day see, I enjoy it all the more.

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A prayer more than a poem really, but the heart fixed on Jesus
finds reality in it.

 

Looking for better, a longing within,
God is the answer, the place to begin.
Oh, to be like Him, to gaze on His face,
Full joy and longing, to live by that grace.
 
But how the flesh pulls, it tugs on my heart,
Promises good times, it looks like it’s smart.
But, oh, it deceives, it robs you of joy,
Go ahead do it, no harm is the ploy.
 
The Spirit is strong, depend on His voice,
Listen, it’s quiet, His way the right choice.
Overcome the flesh, world, and the devil,
Peace and rest are found, vanquishing evil.
 
God’s Word is a sword, the truth in my hand,
It cuts to my sin, can heal all this land.
When with ears to hear, my cup is filled up,
The lost see Jesus, God is lifted up.

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Yeh, you read it right, rap! You’ll need some bling, yo, ’cause this rap involves some “great and magnificent promises” says II Peter 1:4, “so that you may become partakers of the divine nature…” Yeh, that’s rich!
Begins within the trinity
In the far past eternity
Love expressed to infinity
Through interactive Deity

Refrain:
The Ultimate Love Story told
Love eternal never grows old
Reject it and your life will fold
Receive it for a new life bold

A story of marriage lovely
Of promises kept totally
Same and discontinuity
All patterned with typology

Father loves Son eternally
Loves rebellious humanity
Loves His people distinctively
Loves sinners that they might be free

God loves all providentially
He loves so sacrificially
Perfectly and perfectingly
His own want holy living see

God chooses to love us freely
Because God loves His Son you see
It benefits both you and me
Bring God much honor and glory

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It totally makes sense and points to His glory that we should be creative. Since we are made in His image and He is the Creator, then we should be creative.  We are not amazed at much these days because we think we’ve seen it all.  Well, we haven’t.  “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9). I can’t wait for glory!  But since I am, I can enjoy His creativity expressed in the creativity of people.  “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29) Maybe you’ve seen this and its a yawn to you but I was amazed. Check out the website:   http://www.theeggshellsculptor.com/Gallery.html

Cranes

 

//

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I made a new aquaintence in church today. We exchanged interests and learned that one was classical music and another was potentially poetry.  He wrote down a poem from memory and gave it to me at the end of church.  At home I sat down to read the poem.  I was really enjoying it, but then I got to the last three lines and felt disappointed.  Perhaps the author did not know the good news that I know, or perhaps his focus was elsewhere. At any rate I include the poem here and two verses that I quickly added (in a different color) to, as they say in music, resolve the dissident chords, caused in me at any rate. In defense of both Dr. Stidger’s thoughts and mine, I remind you of what it says in John 13:10: “Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'”  I believe Jesus means both that Judas was unclean and that His disciples can pick up dirt from this world, that though they are clean, “needs only to wash”.  Oh, how glorious, I’m clean!

  

 

I saw God wash the world
     by Dr. W. L. Stidger                                   

Junco

 
I saw God wash the world last night
With His sweet showers on high
And then when Morning came
I saw Him hang it out to dry
 
He washed each tiny blade of grass
And every trembling tree
He flung His showers against the hill
And swept the billowing sea
 
The white rose is a cleaner white
The red is more red
Since God washed every fragrant face
And put them all to bed
 
There is not a bird, there is not a bee
That wings along the way
That was a cleaner bird or bee
Than it was yesterday
 
I saw God wash the world last night
Ah, would He had washed me
As clean of all my dust and dirt
As that old white birch tree!
 
But oh, He has and cleaner yet
But not with rain and wind
He washed me in the blood of Christ
And I’m completely cleansed
 
Yet I will have dirt settle on me
As indeed will flower and tree
But my soul is cleansed of all its sin
And could not cleaner be

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What happened?  In a moment from life to death, from intimacy to estrangement, from bliss to dread.  Oh that we, the beloved, might imbibe the last state of our soul as readily as the former.  His grace shines in the latter all the more in the light of our former. He has rescued us as “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (II Corinthians 5:21) 

Temptations rife
Hazard all
Indiscretions, fall
Shame, strife
 
Blame wife
Cover all
Oh the gall
Death not life
 
Pay the fife
Lost all
Darkness fall
Sorrows rife
 
Took the knife
Once for all
Order tall
Gave us life

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 Click on

May the Blessing of God   for an original song speaking blessing over you.

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Bee on flower in mutual dance

Mare with colt on a beautiful prance

Sword fishes school marshal every lance

Not a chance

 

Four main forces balanced precisely

Fingers on key board glide adeptly

Sun, Moon, and stars trace paths exactly

Not likely

 

All of life programmed in DNA

Beauty and function have interplay

Complex fossils in low strata lay

Hey, no way

 

Unless an all sufficient first Cause

Transcendent of effect, without flaws

Made it all, His rule the written clause

Let give pause

Bumblebee on Woodland Sunflower?

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I seem to be in an extended season of difficulty.  This time around I wondered what I could have done to cause the problem.  How had I strained my ankle?  Rain and responsibility had kept me from doing much activity for several days before the swelling and pain.  It turns out that it was not structural at all but rather inflamation.  It is yet another time to reflect on God’s goodness and man’s condition. 

Pain and pleasure juxtapose
First grow thorns and then the rose
Why these two rise side by side
One we cherish one deride

 

Must it be that we suppose
Foulness comes with the sweet dose
Neither so before the Fall
Nor in heaven eternal

 

Better does it good disclose
More thankful now more repose
By suffering our wants end
God does good superintend

 

Now I enjoy more the rose
Beauty of its top stem pose
Thorns diminish all one day
In His presence I will stay

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This poem does not feel complete to me, but it is all that I know to do with it now.  We are all saved by grace but I believe that God has and is dealing with us through different adminstrative dispensations.  This poem attempts to touch on that theme but as I say needs much “filling out”.

Set up for praise, honor, and fame
This good promise to Israel came
Nations are not treated the same
For the sake of God’s holy name
 
Obey His commands was required
Know your God and Him be desired
Never in idol worship mired
Not in doing the good be tired
 
It was by Him sovereignly planned
Blessing or curse on Israel’s land
And offspring few or like the sand
Obey and trust His gracious hand
 
We are the people of the Lord
By Christ’s blood salvation afford
Love Him well, keep His word the sword
In trusting Him comes great reward

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The more I read the Old and New Testaments, the more I think that God is most usually repeating Himself in the New and expanding on the thought.  When He repeats Himself He must have a reason and we had better listen carefully. For instance, we tend to believe Leviticus to be the driest of reading and yet Jesus quotes it several times in the Sermon on the Mount and other places throughout Matthew. Hebrews also frequently uses Leviticus; we should look closer at it.  Among the most repeated Old Testament passages are those of Psalms 110.  I have long been fascinated by the repetition of verse one in the New Testament which reads, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’”  It is indeed important and the unfolding of its interpretation in the New Testament is quite interesting.

          In order to understand the train of thought it is helpful to have some understanding of the psalm itself.  In just seven verses it packs in amazing insight on three persons and two groups of people.  The first person in sequence and in priority is the LORD (Yahweh in Hebrew), the Great I AM, who is the covenant-keeping God revealing Himself to Abram in Exodus 3:14-15, and who is declared Creator (Exodus 20:11) as He acts as Law-giver in the conveying of the Ten Commandments.  He is speaking to the Lord (Adonai in Hebrew), who Yahweh declares will rule (v.2) and preside as a permanent priest (v.4) and reside at Yahweh’s right hand.  The third person indicated in the psalm by “my” is David, who wrote the psalm, the present king of Israel. Because he refers to “my Lord” he clearly identifies himself as a servant of Adonai.  He is perhaps standing at the foot of the throne as Yahweh makes these declarations to Adonai in verses 1-4 and Adonai responds in verses 5-7.  And Adonai’s response is just as bold as Yahweh’s declarations as He affirms that He will fulfill His position and role.  From this position of strength, at the right hand of Yahweh, Adonai will act as a warrior king, smashing the enemies among whom He rules (v.2,6).  As a picture of the victorious champion He will lift up His head from drinking (v.7) as He pursues His enemies, fully confident of the outcome, which is, His enemies as a footstool (v.1). His people are those who freely volunteered when He came to power, plentiful as dew and sanctified (holy array) from the inception of His rising (dawn) (v.3).  His people are greatly blessed by walking in the victory He is given by Yahweh and secures by His rule, while His enemies, the kings and their nations will be shattered and their corpses spread over a wide country (v.6).  When the enemies are subdued He will continue as a priest among His people even as Melchizedek, king of peace and righteousness (Hebrews 7:2).  Melchizedek, and therefore Adonai by Mechizedekian priesthood, is clearly greater than Abraham, the father of the Hebrews (Hebrews 7:4-7), because Abraham blesses him.  Thus, He will fulfill being “a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices” (Zechariah 6:13).  But who is this “Branch” (Zechariah 6:12), this Lord, this king, this priest, this champion?  The proclamation of who is laid out in careful sequence with abundant evidence in the New Testament.  I want to write about that another day.

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During the collection of insects last semester one of my students collected a moth.  After a day in the ziplock there were small round dots in the container. “What are they?”  We put them under a microscope and there appeared these translucent moth eggs.  They contain an embryo you can see, looking almost like crystals, and ridges on the outer coat.  A “hair” projects off to the left.  There is little doubt that a knowledgeable scientist could identify the species of moth by these characteristics.  My students and I were fascinated by the intricate design. And why shouldn’t we be considering the Infinite Designer?  And in six short days; is it any wonder many try to deny such a mind boggling display of intelligence and power?  “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11)

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Like most anyone else I have experienced ambitions to succeed at this or try that or do the other.  As the years have passed my thoughts of ambition have continued to some small degree though experience has quelled the impulse to apply action to those desires.  The desires to do something noteworthy that have most bewildered me are those I thought to be directed at glorifying God.  Evidently all too many of them were colored by personal ambition I did not understand.  As I reflected on God’s goodness, my failure to take ahold of Him to the degree I desired or serve Him in the way I thought desirable, I saw in my mind’s eye what my ambition should be.  I possess because of His gift a most precious resource.  I don’t want misunderstanding of my poem so consider that holding the jug means to possess the gospel while raising it refers to witness, that is, offering the gospel, and pouring would equate with praying with someone to receive Christ:
Only a lowly servant holding a water jar
But oh, refreshing contents rescued the very same
Now to offer water to travelers near and far
Brings joy to him and to his Master fame
 
Standing by the seated Master pouring on command
As one by one thirsty souls file past the servant there
Water offered unto all, received by those pre-planned
Await the Master’s nod, then pour with flare
 
Why so rarely raised the jug Master offers to all?
Servant holding back more for self that supply not fail?
The joy is more when raised or poured, not one drop will fall
Every single draught will for sin avail
 

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My family and I have watched a 12 part BBC series on the Charles Dickens comedy Pickwick Papers.  Many scenes are funny and others sobering.  And since it is evidently true to the book, I could recommend either.  Without giving away the story, there is a despicable character named Mr. Jingle whose oddity is speaking in one to three word phrases with dramatic intonations and short pauses.  There is a complete economy of words and yet a rich and clearly understood meaning to all that he says.  I do not encourage his actions but his speech compels me to want to learn this mode.  While reflecting on this speech the other day I attempted to write a poem in that form.  I will know if I have succeeded if you understand the poem.  If you know the subject about which the poem speaks, comment your knowledge below:
 
Temptations rife
Hazard all
Indiscretions, fall
Shame, strife
 
Blame wife
Cover all
Oh the gall
Death not life
 
Pay the fife
Lost all
Darkness fall
Sorrows rife
 
Took the knife
Once for all
Order tall
Gave us life

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Myrela

Exploring nature, ancient civilizations, art, photography, and written reflections through stories, visuals, and cultural inspiration.

Overflows from the Heart

"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart…" Matthew 15:18

CreatorWorship

Pointing to the One who made, saved, and sustains