Greatest Mistake—

Greatest mistake I ever made was convincing myself ‘certain things I thought of were impossible.’ I learned that whatever I thought was impossible have already been attempted by many and accomplished by some.

Book Blurb…

Daring to Draw Near: People in Prayer by John White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

this book as been sitting on my shelf for a longest time [bought this years ago at urbana missions conference]. finally began reading…and my, what a pleasant surprise! gave me a new, fresh perspectives on the way we should approach our prayer. i particularly liked the last chapter – deals w/ topic we might not necessarily be comfortable thinking about, but, must all face one day.

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Jammin’—

Walked out last night and realized how much I enjoyed just making music w/ friends – there was no agenda, no goal, no expectation, just playing music. As I was thinking about that, I realized that music will always be part of me and how much I enjoyed and appreciated this thing God has given me.

On Jordan’s Stormy Banks…

words: samuel stennett
music: christopher stennett

i first learned this song while reading thru prof. al groves’ blogs, as he was fighting thru the last stages of his cancer. and at his memorial service, this hymn left a huge impression on my life. since then, this has been one of my favorite hymns…so, in memory of our beloved professor from wts…

Son of Revolution –

gives a nice detailed insight into the struggle people faced under the cultural revolution in a 1st person account. but, the author shares his real motive behind writing this book: ‘…by experiencing disaster my generation did learn one terribly important thing–the danger that lies in blind obedience.’ probably a must read for anyone, especially students, who are forced to take in so much information without having time to process/critique and come up with their own ideas.

Irony—

It is doubtful that the method of non-violence employed by Mahatma would have ever succeeded except that he was appleaing to the conscience of the Christianized people. – Bertrand Russell

These are the words of an atheist, describing the efforts of a pantheist, who succeeded because of a theist. – R. Zachariahs

Cooked Their Own Children—

With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed. – Lamentations 4:10

It’s rather shocking to find how many references to cannibalism there are in the OT!  When we actively choose to disobey God, the consequences we reap are horrendous.  And there is no limit to how far we humans can go if we allow our sinful nature to take over w/out the aid of common grace.  Even in our past century, we humans have witnessed tremendous violence and horror.  I don’t doubt for a minute such devastation coming at the heels of the whole Enlightenment philosophy.  The lesson to be learned is the fact that no one is immune to the possibility of becoming a monster.  Records such as these must be kept to remind us of the potential we possess as sinners living in a broken world.

If only you had paid attention—

‘If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.’ – Isa 48:18

I think one of my great temptations is to not to listen to God’s voices.  Someone once told me that I listen to the voice of the enemy too much.  And sure enough, that’s where much of my frustration comes from.  God’s voice is often harder to accept b/c he’s taking us to place we can’t go on our own.  On the other hand, the voice of the enemy often sounds sweeter b/c he’s telling us only the things we want to hear.  I have to fight the temptation of perceiving the voice of the enemy as better than God’s words.

Longing–

Drops of rain, misty feeling; my eyes swell up w/ tears of longing
This side of eternity, there’re only shades of gray.

Longing for the loved ones long gone.
Longing for the perfect future never seems to come
Longing for the home I’ve never been
Longing for the misty fog burn away w/ the coming Son.

Parable of Good Samaritan According to Some Country Preacher—

Once there was this man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho.  And he fell among the thorns.  And the thorns sprung up and choked him.

And as he went on, he didn’t have any money and he met the queen of Shiva.  She gave him a thousand talents of gold and thousand changes of raiment.  Then he got onto a chariot and drove furiously.  When he was driving under a big juniper tree, his hair caught on the limb of that tree and he hung there many days.  And the ravens brought him food to eat and water to drink.  And he ate 5,000 loaves of bread and 2 fishes.

One night, as he was hanging there asleep, his wife Delilah came along and cut off his hair.  And he dropped and fell on a stony ground.  But, he got up and went on and it began to rain for 40 days and 40 nights.  So, he hid himself in a cave and lived on locus and honey.

Then he went on and met a servant who said, ‘come, let’s have a supper together.’  But, he made an excuse saying, ‘no I won’t, I married a wife and I can’t go.’  And the servant went out to the high ways and hedges and compelled him to come in.

After supper, he went down to Jericho.  And when he got there, he looked up and saw that old queen Jezebel sitting down, high up on that window.  She laughed at him and he said, ‘throw her down out there.’  And they threw her down.  And then he said throw her down again.  And they threw her down 70 times 7.

And of the fragments that remained, they picked up 12 baskets full, besides women and children.  And they said, ‘blessed are the piece makers.  Now who’s wife do you think she will be in that judgment day?’

Hmmm…quite a distortion…