A Prayer

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, his might to stay
His ear to hearken to my need
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in mouth of friend or stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, the One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word,
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

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Weekly Meanderings

Here’s some stuff I came across this week…

Have a great weekend!

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The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks

Abortions will not let you forget.
You remember the children you got that you did not get,
The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair,
The singers and workers that never handled the air.
You will never neglect or beat
Them, or silence or buy with a sweet.
You will never wind up the sucking-thumb
Or scuttle off ghosts that come.
You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh,
Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.

I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed
children.
I have contracted. I have eased
My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck.
I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized
Your luck
And your lives from your unfinished reach,
If I stole your births and your names,
Your straight baby tears and your games,
Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches,
and your deaths,
If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths,
Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate.
Though why should I whine,
Whine that the crime was other than mine?–
Since anyhow you are dead.
Or rather, or instead,
You were never made.
But that too, I am afraid,
Is faulty: oh, what shall I say, how is the truth to be said?
You were born, you had body, you died.
It is just that you never giggled or planned or cried.

Believe me, I loved you all.
Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you
All.

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Bad Joke of the Week

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The Dead by James Joyce (Part 4 of 10)

When their turn to cross had come he was still perplexed and inattentive. Miss Ivors promptly took his hand in a warm grasp and said in a soft friendly tone:

“Of course, I was only joking. Come, we cross now.”

When they were together again she spoke of the University question and Gabriel felt more at ease. A friend of hers had shown her his review of Browning’s poems. That was how she had found out the secret: but she liked the review immensely. Then she said suddenly:

“O, Mr. Conroy, will you come for an excursion to the Aran Isles this summer? We’re going to stay there a whole month. It will be splendid out in the Atlantic. You ought to come. Mr. Clancy is coming, and Mr. Kilkelly and Kathleen Kearney. It would be splendid for Gretta too if she’d come. She’s from Connacht, isn’t she?”

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John 14 – The leading of the Holy Spirit

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.’”

We need to be responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. By listening to the Holy Spirit we are able to keep Jesus’ word. However, we have to actually pay attention to the Holy Spirit. We can easily ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit; we can easily convince ourselves that we know better than the Holy Spirit. We need to practice quieting our hearts and minds so that we can hear God speaking to us.

When was the last time you intentionally quieted your heart and mind? When did you last spend time listening to God, without speaking? How can you train yourself to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

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A Prayer

Almighty God, who has given us at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their request: fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth; and in the world to come life everlasting.

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Weekly Meanderings

I wanted to make my quarterly statement that I do not necessarily endorse anything linked in the Weekly Meanderings; this is a list of items which I believe add to the Christian conversation.

Here’s some stuff I came across this week…

Have a great weekend!

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John 13 – Humility

“Then [Jesus] poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

I have a really difficult time humbling myself to the level Jesus was willing to humble himself. We Christians talk a good game about “the first being last” and being “a servant of all”. But overall I don’t think we’re very good at living out lives focused on serving others.

What can I do this weekend to focus on being less selfish? What can I do to be more humble? What am I currently unwilling to do, that I need to get over?

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John 12 – More thoughts on judging

“Jesus cried out and said, ‘He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.’”

There will be a time of ultimate judgment, and the one who makes the judgment is God.

What is the role for judgment in the world today? Are we to judge? What are we to judge? Who are we to judge?

I should be constantly judging my heart and determining if I am receiving and acting on the words of Jesus and on the leading of the Holy Spirit. Beyond that, my responsibility is to reveal Jesus to the world around me by my words, actions, and attitude. If my focus is on revealing Jesus then I can speak the words of Jesus and say, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.”

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I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.

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John 11 – The fatalism of Thomas

“Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.’”

It is better to die with Christ than to live for self.

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Bad Joke of the Week

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John 10 – Thieves and “Other” Sheep

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.’”

Jesus is the only one who can bring us into a relationship with God. Without Jesus we would be separated from God by our sins. With Jesus we can be reunited with our maker and creator; the Lord of all.

There have been, are, and will be lots of people who claim to be able to unite us with God. These people are thieves and liars who come to steak and kill and destroy. These people are seeking out power, wealth, and self-salvation. The only true power is the power of God, the only true wealth is the blessing of the Holy Spirit, the only true salvation is the salvation which comes through Jesus Christ.

I find Jesus statement in 10:16 interesting: “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”

Is this a reference to gentiles? Is this a reference to other nationalities or ethnicities? Is this a reference to other religious systems (don’t label me a heretic for asking the question)? Is this a reference to individuals without direct knowledge of Jesus responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

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The Dead by James Joyce (Part 3 of 10)

A red-faced young woman, dressed in pansy, came into the room, excitedly clapping her hands and crying:

“Quadrilles! Quadrilles!”

Close on her heels came Aunt Kate, crying:

“Two gentlemen and three ladies, Mary Jane!”

“O, here’s Mr. Bergin and Mr. Kerrigan,” said Mary Jane. “Mr. Kerrigan, will you take Miss Power? Miss Furlong, may I get you a partner, Mr. Bergin. O, that’ll just do now.”

“Three ladies, Mary Jane,” said Aunt Kate.

The two young gentlemen asked the ladies if they might have the pleasure, and Mary Jane turned to Miss Daly.

“O, Miss Daly, you’re really awfully good, after playing for the last two dances, but really we’re so short of ladies tonight.”

“I don’t mind in the least, Miss Morkan.”

“But I’ve a nice partner for you, Mr. Bartell D’Arcy, the tenor. I’ll get him to sing later on. All Dublin is raving about him.”

“Lovely voice, lovely voice!” said Aunt Kate.

As the piano had twice begun the prelude to the first figure Mary Jane led her recruits quickly from the room. They had hardly gone when Aunt Julia wandered slowly into the room, looking behind her at something.

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John 9 – Some thoughts on judgment

“[Jesus] said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’  [The man who had been blind] answered, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’  Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.’  And he said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped Him.  And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.’  Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, ‘We are not blind too, are we?’  Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, “We see,” your sin remains.’

How does Jesus statement “For Judgment I came into this world” gel with his statement in John 3:17: “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Judgment in 9:39 is the Koine Greek Word krima; John 3:17 uses the word krinw.

In general krima refers to a legal preceding, deliberation, decision or action. BDAG makes special note of krima used in John. “In J k. shows the same two-sidedness as the other members of the krinw family (‘judgment’ and ’separation’; s. Hdb. on J 3:17), and means the judicial decision which consists in the separation of those who are willing to believe [from] those who are unwilling to do so”.

krinw, on the other hand, generally means to set apart so as to distinguish or separate. BDAG makes note that krinw in John 3:17 speaks to the judicial process of the divine tribunal, specifically to the condemnation or punishment which follows the Divine Judge’s verdict.

So, in John 9:39 Jesus is saying that he came into the world to be the dividing point upon which ultimate judgment is made; those that receive Jesus will be ultimately separated from those that do not.

In John 3:17 Jesus is saying that the time of judgment has not yet come. Jesus’ first incarnation on earth was to bring about the opportunity for salvation. Divine judgment and its related punishment/reward is reserved for a later time.

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Friendly Theology: Barclay’s Catechism – Chapter V (part 4 of 6)

CHAP. V. (cont.)

Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man: The Universality and Sufficiency of God’s Grace to all the world made manifest therein.

Q. How can it be proved, that there is a day wherein People may know things concerning their Peace, which afterwards may be hid from them?

A. And when he was come near, he beheld the City, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy Peace; but now they are hid from thine Eyes [Luke 19:41-42].

Q. Is there any further Scripture Proof of the Lord’s willingness to gather a People, who would not, and therefore were condemned?

A. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, How oft would I have gathered thy Children together, even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, and ye would not? [Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34]

Then his Lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou Wicked Servant! I forgave thee all the Debt, because thou desiredst me; shouldst not thou also have had Compassion on thy Fellow-Servant, even as I had Pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the Tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him [Matt. 18:32-34].

Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of Everlasting Life, lo we turn to the Gentiles [Acts 13:46].

Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my Hand, and no man regarded: But ye have set at nought all my Counsel, and would none of my Reproof; I also will laugh at your Calamity, I will mock when your Fear cometh [Prov. 1:24-26].

And at what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it; If it do Evil in my Sight that it obey not my Voice, then I will Repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them [Jer. 18:9-10].

Q. Doth God’s Spirit strive then for a season, and afterwards forbear?

A. And the Lord said, my Spirit shall not always strive with man [Gen. 6:3].

Q. May it then be resisted?

A. Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Heart and Ears, ye do always Resist the holy Ghost, as your Fathers did, so do ye [Acts 7:51].

For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of man, who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness [Rom. 1:18].

***

Barclay points out that there are scriptures which show a people given the opportunity to know God, but who instead refuse God. Barclay, it would seem, believes that salvation is universally available but is not universally received.  Further, Barclay seems to suggest that there may be a point when God will cease in his pursuit of a person.

I would take issue with the idea that God ceases in his pursuit of anyone, but I would concur that it is possible for people to resist the God who pursues them.

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A Prayer

In the beginning was God,
Today is God
Tomorrow will be God.
Who can make an image of God?
He has no body.
He is as a word
which comes out of your mouth.
That word! It is no more,
It is past, and still it lives!
So is God.

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Weekly Meanderings

Here’s some stuff I came across this week…

Have a great weekend!

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John 8 – Why must I believe in Jesus?

‘And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.”

They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free ‘?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”

They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. You are doing the deeds of your father.”

They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”’

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