FROM: Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ABOUT ME: Living the highs and lows of life in the adventurous pursuit of God Himself and of who I'm meant to be as the Bride of Christ.
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Thursday, June 28, 2007,8:32 p.m.
A COUPLE OF GREAT QUOTES
Through the medium of this blog, a bunch of people have been lately asking questions like, How can I be closer to God even if I don't feel Him? I'm hurt - how do I get healing? And other things along those lines. Here's a great quote from William Temple (Archbishop of Canterbury, 1942-44) in his Readings in St. John's Gospel (first series):
"Both for perplexity and for dulled conscience the remedy is the same; sincere and spiritual worship [John 4:23-24]. For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to His purpose - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin. Yes - worship in spirit and truth is the way to the solution of perplexity and to the liberation from sin."
Here's another couple of quotes that are great (I'm reading a new book on worship by Warren Wiersbe - really good, especially what he gleans from other people and shares all in one place!).
"Whoever seeks God as a means towards desired ends will not find God."
- A.W. Tozer
"The worship of God is not a rule of safety - it is an adventure of the spirit, a flight after the unattainable."
- Alfred North Whitehead
And a quote from Wiersbe himself in response to the idea that you must put all your troubles and hurts and worries aside to come to the throne of worship: "I may be wrong, but I carry my cares and burdens with me right into the worship service, because it's there that I can get the perspective I need to deal with them successfully. (Real Worship, page 22)"
I think I might go one step further and wonder how you could put aside your burdens to worship when we're supposed to be worshipping all the time. I love the idea of gaining the perspective by looking at the throne of the Almighty.
Lastly, a quote that speaks to worship being both about attitudes (awe, reverence, respect) and actions (bowing, praising, serving): "Worship is not an unexpressed feeling, nor is it an empty formality. True worship is balanced and involves the mind, the emotions, and the will. It must be intelligent; it must reach deep within and be motivated by love; and it must lead to obedient actions that glorify God. (Real Worship, page 20-21)"
Anyway, I thought they were all good - hopefully there's something there to chew on for a bit.
"Both for perplexity and for dulled conscience the remedy is the same; sincere and spiritual worship [John 4:23-24]. For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to His purpose - and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin. Yes - worship in spirit and truth is the way to the solution of perplexity and to the liberation from sin."
Here's another couple of quotes that are great (I'm reading a new book on worship by Warren Wiersbe - really good, especially what he gleans from other people and shares all in one place!).
"Whoever seeks God as a means towards desired ends will not find God."
- A.W. Tozer
"The worship of God is not a rule of safety - it is an adventure of the spirit, a flight after the unattainable."
- Alfred North Whitehead
And a quote from Wiersbe himself in response to the idea that you must put all your troubles and hurts and worries aside to come to the throne of worship: "I may be wrong, but I carry my cares and burdens with me right into the worship service, because it's there that I can get the perspective I need to deal with them successfully. (Real Worship, page 22)"
I think I might go one step further and wonder how you could put aside your burdens to worship when we're supposed to be worshipping all the time. I love the idea of gaining the perspective by looking at the throne of the Almighty.
Lastly, a quote that speaks to worship being both about attitudes (awe, reverence, respect) and actions (bowing, praising, serving): "Worship is not an unexpressed feeling, nor is it an empty formality. True worship is balanced and involves the mind, the emotions, and the will. It must be intelligent; it must reach deep within and be motivated by love; and it must lead to obedient actions that glorify God. (Real Worship, page 20-21)"
Anyway, I thought they were all good - hopefully there's something there to chew on for a bit.
Thursday, June 14, 2007,6:47 p.m.
NOT STILL - AGAIN
I had some interesting revelation last night. It comes on the heels of some other "revelation" that came about a month ago. What I discovered last night was that the original bit of "revelation" was not revelation at all, but a clever lie of the enemy. And I fell for it - hook, line and sinker.
Some of the biggest healing that I have received from the Lord in my life has been for issues of rejection. Not news to many who know something of my life, and not much different from what many people walk through in their lives. But the healing did come - in fact, I pursued it hard, and the Lord was utterly faithful to give it.
I believe that we often experience healing in layers - some intense healing at one time, then the Lord may get us to revisit the issue later and go through some more intense healing until the roots of the issue are completely dug up and removed.
So, knowing that this has been the pattern in times past, I thought I was simply going into a deeper layer of this issue. Not that I was pleased about it, mind you, I really thought this was all said and done a long time ago - I wasn't all that interested in discovering that there was more to be dealt with. But it seemed that was the case.
Seemed is the operative word. It seemed like I was still wounded, still reacting and hurting from a place of brokenness. It seemed like I was about to walk into another season of painfully allowing God into broken corners of my life. And frankly, though I was ready to do it, I wasn't exactly excited about it.
But in talking to a good friend on the phone last night, she reminded me that I actually am experiencing all these things that are hurting me at the moment. These aren't residual reactions from past hurts - these are current reactions from current hurts. And all of a sudden it hit me - I'm not STILL broken. I'm broken AGAIN. Over the particular situations that are happening at this moment. The Lord HAS healed me. Hallelujah.
And then the second revelation came: Satan is a jerk. Deep, eh? But what I mean is that he knows enough about me to know where the wounds have been and how to counterfeit them and make it seem like this is all the same as it ever was. He also knows the lies that used to torment me, and he has been speaking them afresh in an attempt to have me buy into them once again.
My answer to this revelation is: NO DICE. All of this must be obedient to Christ. The first revelation was not a revelation of truth. I am not still broken. I am broken again, over the situations currently happening. And it's OK to be broken about them at this time, because they are things that are hurting me. I am not still wounded. I am just wounded over this. I am not any of those lies that the enemy is trying to feed me. I am everything that the Lord continually tells me I am.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
The weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
AMEN.
Faith.
Truth.
Love.
Healing.
GOD THE ALMIGHTY.
Some of the biggest healing that I have received from the Lord in my life has been for issues of rejection. Not news to many who know something of my life, and not much different from what many people walk through in their lives. But the healing did come - in fact, I pursued it hard, and the Lord was utterly faithful to give it.
I believe that we often experience healing in layers - some intense healing at one time, then the Lord may get us to revisit the issue later and go through some more intense healing until the roots of the issue are completely dug up and removed.
So, knowing that this has been the pattern in times past, I thought I was simply going into a deeper layer of this issue. Not that I was pleased about it, mind you, I really thought this was all said and done a long time ago - I wasn't all that interested in discovering that there was more to be dealt with. But it seemed that was the case.
Seemed is the operative word. It seemed like I was still wounded, still reacting and hurting from a place of brokenness. It seemed like I was about to walk into another season of painfully allowing God into broken corners of my life. And frankly, though I was ready to do it, I wasn't exactly excited about it.
But in talking to a good friend on the phone last night, she reminded me that I actually am experiencing all these things that are hurting me at the moment. These aren't residual reactions from past hurts - these are current reactions from current hurts. And all of a sudden it hit me - I'm not STILL broken. I'm broken AGAIN. Over the particular situations that are happening at this moment. The Lord HAS healed me. Hallelujah.
And then the second revelation came: Satan is a jerk. Deep, eh? But what I mean is that he knows enough about me to know where the wounds have been and how to counterfeit them and make it seem like this is all the same as it ever was. He also knows the lies that used to torment me, and he has been speaking them afresh in an attempt to have me buy into them once again.
My answer to this revelation is: NO DICE. All of this must be obedient to Christ. The first revelation was not a revelation of truth. I am not still broken. I am broken again, over the situations currently happening. And it's OK to be broken about them at this time, because they are things that are hurting me. I am not still wounded. I am just wounded over this. I am not any of those lies that the enemy is trying to feed me. I am everything that the Lord continually tells me I am.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
The weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
AMEN.
Faith.
Truth.
Love.
Healing.
GOD THE ALMIGHTY.
Saturday, June 09, 2007,9:46 a.m.
PERSPECTIVE
This post is dedicated to Mr. Stephen P. Bell, who, in the most concise manner possible, has kicked my butt for not writing as often as I used to. Stephen, this one's for you. OK, well, actually, this isn't written specifically for you, but I will allow you to think that it is. (In school we used to call this method of "writing more" padding - how am I doing? Writing enough for you? Not quite what you meant, eh? But still....it's more....) :P
I have been thinking about perspective this week. I have a really close friend who likes trees. Now, I like trees as much as the next person. I especially like to climb trees, but that's another blog altogether. This friend of mine likes to walk under a tree and look straight up. She made me do this recently when we were out for a walk together, and it is truly a different experience. It's beautiful, and each tree offers a unique experience. I would bet that most people miss this beauty, simply for a lack of knowing where to look or that this beauty is there to be found. The perspective of those who have not yet looked up into a tree remains, to date, somewhat limited.
It's made me think about the perspective that I have as a Believer. I choose to check with the Lord before moving left or right. I choose to believe in impossible things and things never seen. I choose to see beauty and light and hope.
I choose to look up.
Just like when a car drives by the side of road and sees my friend and I staring up into the branches of a tree like fools (it does look mighty weird), those who do not understand the perspective of faith in God might consider my believing and trusting in His words and love to be foolish.
Well, cool.
I'd rather be thought a fool for the sake of Christ than disregard His guidance and love and be known to be a fool.
What's funny to me is that often in my desire to be looking up to the Lord and gaining wisdom and guidance from Him alone, other Believers think that I am being foolish. Now this, I must admit, I don't understand. I'm not speaking of times when other Believers come alongside and rebuke or gently correct wrong perspectives or beliefs that don't jive with the scriptures. These things are necessary and the very reason that we are in a body together. I think I am more referring to the times when I feel the Lord has guided me somewhere, and my response of obedience has confused and even angered some people.
But I'm not sure that everyone understood why Moses had to go back to Egypt, perhaps not even Moses. But he went because He was told to go.
I'm not sure that everyone (anyone!) understood why Noah was building an ark, perhaps not even Noah. But he built one because He was told to.
I'm not sure that everyone understood why Jesus deliberately walked all the way to the cross and death, and though I believe that He understood what He was doing, He went because He was told to go.
Perhaps I don't need to know why this dynamic in the church is the way it is, at least not at this time. For now, I will choose to believe. I choose to follow.
I choose to do my best to look up.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5;25)
I have been thinking about perspective this week. I have a really close friend who likes trees. Now, I like trees as much as the next person. I especially like to climb trees, but that's another blog altogether. This friend of mine likes to walk under a tree and look straight up. She made me do this recently when we were out for a walk together, and it is truly a different experience. It's beautiful, and each tree offers a unique experience. I would bet that most people miss this beauty, simply for a lack of knowing where to look or that this beauty is there to be found. The perspective of those who have not yet looked up into a tree remains, to date, somewhat limited.
It's made me think about the perspective that I have as a Believer. I choose to check with the Lord before moving left or right. I choose to believe in impossible things and things never seen. I choose to see beauty and light and hope.
I choose to look up.
Just like when a car drives by the side of road and sees my friend and I staring up into the branches of a tree like fools (it does look mighty weird), those who do not understand the perspective of faith in God might consider my believing and trusting in His words and love to be foolish.
Well, cool.
I'd rather be thought a fool for the sake of Christ than disregard His guidance and love and be known to be a fool.
What's funny to me is that often in my desire to be looking up to the Lord and gaining wisdom and guidance from Him alone, other Believers think that I am being foolish. Now this, I must admit, I don't understand. I'm not speaking of times when other Believers come alongside and rebuke or gently correct wrong perspectives or beliefs that don't jive with the scriptures. These things are necessary and the very reason that we are in a body together. I think I am more referring to the times when I feel the Lord has guided me somewhere, and my response of obedience has confused and even angered some people.
But I'm not sure that everyone understood why Moses had to go back to Egypt, perhaps not even Moses. But he went because He was told to go.
I'm not sure that everyone (anyone!) understood why Noah was building an ark, perhaps not even Noah. But he built one because He was told to.
I'm not sure that everyone understood why Jesus deliberately walked all the way to the cross and death, and though I believe that He understood what He was doing, He went because He was told to go.
Perhaps I don't need to know why this dynamic in the church is the way it is, at least not at this time. For now, I will choose to believe. I choose to follow.
I choose to do my best to look up.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5;25)
Wednesday, June 06, 2007,9:49 p.m.
FACEBOOK
So here's a question:
What's the big deal about Facebook anyway?
I kid you not, I have received at least forty invitations to join Facebook, but since I have to sign up just to look at what it is, I have no desire whatsoever to do that. And if you've been one of the last twenty people or so to invite me, I haven't even responded to your e-mail to say thanks but no thanks.
Is it really all that great?
Or is it just another chance to spend more time having friendships through the computer instead of face to face? Friendships that tend to lack intimacy and depth?
I realize I haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, because I haven't got a clue what's it's like to be on Facebook. People tell me it's neat to reconnect with old friends from Elementary School. Really? Some of the people that have invited me to Facebook live less than 30 minutes away but haven't actually spoken to me or spent any time with me in months. Perhaps it's because they're too busy reconnecting with people they haven't seen for ten or twenty years. It's a shame - I miss them. Thankfully there are still a few people who seem to prefer "in person" friendships.
Am I just venting? Yes, a little. Will I eat my words someday and join Facebook? It's possible, I suppose. Though I imagine if I've resisted thus far, I'm probably not going to sweat it. I just don't get the replacement of deep, personal friendships with Internet interaction. I never have.
Maybe one day I'll understand, but for now, I really just don't get Facebook.
PS - If you happen to be a great Facebook lover, do your best not to crucify me just for having an admittedly under-informed opinion.
What's the big deal about Facebook anyway?
I kid you not, I have received at least forty invitations to join Facebook, but since I have to sign up just to look at what it is, I have no desire whatsoever to do that. And if you've been one of the last twenty people or so to invite me, I haven't even responded to your e-mail to say thanks but no thanks.
Is it really all that great?
Or is it just another chance to spend more time having friendships through the computer instead of face to face? Friendships that tend to lack intimacy and depth?
I realize I haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, because I haven't got a clue what's it's like to be on Facebook. People tell me it's neat to reconnect with old friends from Elementary School. Really? Some of the people that have invited me to Facebook live less than 30 minutes away but haven't actually spoken to me or spent any time with me in months. Perhaps it's because they're too busy reconnecting with people they haven't seen for ten or twenty years. It's a shame - I miss them. Thankfully there are still a few people who seem to prefer "in person" friendships.
Am I just venting? Yes, a little. Will I eat my words someday and join Facebook? It's possible, I suppose. Though I imagine if I've resisted thus far, I'm probably not going to sweat it. I just don't get the replacement of deep, personal friendships with Internet interaction. I never have.
Maybe one day I'll understand, but for now, I really just don't get Facebook.
PS - If you happen to be a great Facebook lover, do your best not to crucify me just for having an admittedly under-informed opinion.