“The fashion of the world is the standard by which men in general regulate their conduct: but the Christian takes the word of God for his guide, and the example of Christ for his pattern;”
Charles Simeon (1832-63)
Christianity, Monday, February 13, 2006
Feeling alone or unloved on Valentine’s day? God has something that can lift your spirit.
From today’s entry in “The Christian’s Secret of a Holy Life”,
My sister has had a glorious experience during her recent illness. She has entered into this life of abiding in Jesus, and is finding that it is a blessed life. She says she has been baptized with the Holy Ghost?that she feels that she never before has known what it is to be buried with Christ and risen with Him to newness of life. She is just overflowing.
Yesterday I had a similar letter from Abby Folwell who has also entered upon the way of holiness. She says that always before this Jesus has been in Heaven and she on earth, and faith has built a bridge between her soul and Him. But now, He is with her, is dwelling in her and it is no more she that lives but Christ that lives in her.
And I, too, know what it is to abide in Christ and to have Him abiding in me! I never did before. I never dreamed there was such a life to be lived before. One with Jesus! Oh how perfectly wonderful it is! All His wisdom and His righteousness and His sanctification are mine now, just as before His redemption was. I have had no wonderful manifestations, such as others seem to have had, but I have Jesus! He is my all and in all, and I am satisfied that He lives in my very soul. I could write all day of Him, of His love, His mercy, His grace, His power. I trust Him & He does save me.
?To Sally, 1866
Smith, H. W., & Dieter, M. E. (1997). The Christian’s secret of a holy life : The unpublished personal writings of Hannah Whitall Smith (February 13). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
What a wonderful joy they experience with Jesus. Everyone who wants this can have it. It may have cost God a lot, but he doesn’t charge you anything.
“The Spirit and the bride say, ?Come!? And let him who hears say, ?Come!? Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17, NIV)
News, Friday, February 10, 2006
Experts feared the bird flu might reach Africa. This is a prime place for the virus to mutate. There is very little veterinary infrastructure to handle the infection of birds in Africa.
When birds become infected, they need to be killed so that they do not continue to infect other birds. This requires veterinary and other services to manage the bird population. However, Africa is severely lacking in this area. So the virus has more opportunity to mutate and perhaps become capable of transmitting from human to human.
Read the entire article at CNN’s website: Click Here
Family, Friday, February 10, 2006
Want a happy valentines day? How about every day?
Recent studies show that “altruistic” love, or self-sacrificial love is shown to make married people happier. But in general, people who show altruistic love are generally happier people. For Christian’s, Jesus Christ is the ultimate model of altruistic love. He sacrificed his life for our eternal happiness.
Read the complete article on WebMD: Click Here
Christianity, Friday, February 10, 2006
” ... I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-13, NIV)
Stoics were people who seeked contentment by removing all desires and wants. Perfection, for the Stoic, was attained by being so self-sufficient, that even the death of a wife would not bother the Stoic. Their path to contentment also caused a path to an uncompassionate, inhuman heart.
In Philippians, Paul shows us a better contentment that can handle both the lack of and the abundance of the gifts of God. It is a contentment that is not based on Stoic self-sufficiency, but on the Christian’s God-sufficiency.
Personal, Thursday, February 09, 2006
Last night in junior high ministry we played a game called Stupid Cupid. It involved splitting into groups and using clues to drive around and gather proof that we went to various locations. The point is also to find something or someone that is “Stupid Cupid”. Last year stupid cupid was a little stuffed animal that was held by someone.
This year, Jenn, I, Matthew and 4 other girls piled into the SUV and headed off to find Stupid Cupid. It was a little difficult this year because the clues were much harder. We were driving in the wrong direction and wasting time. One of the clues read something like “The Dangerous way is full of troubles, but the ____ ____ is secure and easy”. So we had to go to Safe Way. Unfortunately, we were already headed in the wrong direction when we did this. Jenn wasn’t able to stay with us the entire time because Matthew was getting fusy and started crying in the car seat. I dropped Jenn and Matthew at a Starbucks and picked them up later.
Another clue read “Small 2 1/2 _________” The answer was “Big 5”, a sporting goods store. While at the store, a lady stepped up to the car and asked for some money. She even had a print out of the hotel she was trying to stay at with her and her family ($40 per night). I gave her some money, but when the girls had saw that I gave money, one said that you shouldn’t give money to the poor because they could spend it on drugs. Well, hopefully they don’t spend it on drugs, and I agree to some point. But people should help them in any way they can, and it’s the responisbility of the homeless person to make use of the resources given to them. If I give a homeless person money and they blow it on drugs and remain hungry and homeless, then the irresponsibility lays on them, not me.
Ideally, it would be nice if I always had some spare food on me, or had enough time to really help someone find shelter or a job. The reality is that money is much easier and convenient to give than my time and efforts.
I also talked about this with Jenn this morning and an important point came up. God blesses us with so many things, and how often have we misused those blessings. I think nearly everyone is guilty of misusing the blessing from God. So then, what position are we to withhold a blessing to a poor person because they might misuse it. We are not in this position. Besides, even if you give to 10 people and only 1 person uses the blessing appropriately, it is still worth it to have helped 1 person.
