A Meditation

When vision fadeth
And the sense of things
and powers dissolve 
like colors in the wind
And no more can I bring any offering 
Nor an ordered prayer....


Then like a great wind from paradise...


Falleth a healing word upon mine ear.


Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening offering


THE LORD DOES HEAR


Amy Carmichael

Be Salty

 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Matthew 5:13




 What is food without salt? Some of it is very tasteless. 


Let me throw an aspect which I'm sure is not new to most of you. 


First , a common fact. Salt makes you thirst. It makes you crave liquid. Simple. 


We as disciples should, in our lives, cause people to thirst after the everlasting water of Christ. Our lives should not need to answer. Because the answer is Christ. We are a means to show others (together) what He looks like.

 Like a mirror.




 The "greatest" men and women in history have pointed to Christ as their strength.

If we as disciples lose our ability to point to Christ as our refuge and salvation..we become useless.

I did another one of my research projects....lol!


For the longest time, I've thought that iniquity had to do with your mind. I wanted to find out what God was forgiving. 




in·iq·ui·ty
1. Gross immorality or injustice; wickedness.
2. A grossly immoral act; a sin.
3.absence of moral or spiritual values; "the powers of darkness"
4.Condition


A condition.
To me it is like in C.S Lewis' "Great Divorce" when the bus passenger was no longer complaining.They were a complaint.


Psalm 32:5
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.


He forgave our condition. We being wicked were forgiven by the very one whom we sinned against.

Can you do that?
Love someone who hates and deeply hurts you more than those that are kind to you?

I know that brings me to tears.

Love himself clothed us in light revealing to us who we are.

What is more shocking is that he didn't turn away in disgust. Instead we are his children and we receive an inheritance.


I hope that this post encourages you to "fight the good fight and finish the course" for stored up for those who do is righteousness.

I feel like I'm falling in love remembering truths about the Lover.

The three relationships..

 This isn't a new  idea but it seemed like a good idea to post on. 


In our walk with Christ, we have three different stages of relationship: stranger, friend,and beloved. Each of these have a different intimacy level, different pains and trials we go through, and deeper joys as we draw closer to Christ. This is one of my thoughts, not necessarily a fact with everyone.




First, we enter the stranger phase with Christ.It is also the point we are servants.This is like being in the outer courts. We only hear what is going on inside. This is sometimes the point we hear about Him, but not always have much experience ourselves. In this stage we are often drawn to Christ fort different reasons. Some for curiosity,hope in a hard time, or many other reasons. We aren't really close to Christ and it is sometimes easy just to walk away. But if we stay, he calls us to become friends.




I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my father. --John 15:15
In the friend stage, we are called to really hear him for ourselves. It is like when the priest entered the inner courts. We get to partake of the feast of his bounty.He speaks to us like he did the disciples. The hardships we go through are like that of the disciples. We must leave our own lives and follow. We often get discouraged because we may have to leave our family and friends to do so. This stage is probably one of great joy and like climbing a  spiritual mountain as well. Then after a while we are thrown into the furnace like gold to be purified....into lovers. 


Into the gems of his delight.As the beloved we lose ourselves. All we are is a reflection of the Lover of All. The pain of leaving his side is absolutely unbearable. This place is both frightening and exciting at the same time. Frightening since we are totally exposed. Exciting because we are exposed to the one who really loves. It is the Holy of Holies to be a beloved. 

A neat poem

"If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." 
-- William Penn




This poem is one of my favorites. It was given to me by a friend about 4 years ago when I was struggling to find God. It is a great definition of what a person who lives for Christ is like. 

:)

I really don't know what to write tonight. We had a neat meeting tonight with all the young/semi-young adults. I felt blessed that God canceled school for me tonight. I don't feel enthusiastic about it right now, but I'm sure it could change in the morning. I also had a few more friends move into the cabin I live in (one of which, I feel this is a second chance for me to really learn to love). Both of them are extraordinary people. Everyone in the house I live in has some unique aspect about them. It doesn't always feel like I know what to do, so I'm asking God to help me just smile more. I feel like tomorrow, I will try this. It's so incredible to be part of a place where you CAN get intimate with God by  just being yourself and letting God do the rest. THAT is easier said than done.

:)LOL :)
Well I'm keeping people up,so I will bid you all good night.

....Hope renewed....even a little..