I had quite an interesting chat with a co-worker today
It’s just amazing what people can share in so much a short space of time
It started as just a “hi, I just thought I’d pass by and say hi!”
The end was a spiritual uplift for both of us
There so many issues we keep on our minds for the whole day and don’t talk about or try to find solutions to
We keep them saying that’s the way life goes
But, guess what?
Life goes the way you want it
Well, if you’re Christian you’ll agree with me
It’s because of how we stand in the battle
I’ll elaborate on that tomorrow
For now let’s look for that chapter in Ephesians
A shout of praise
I’m the happiest girl on this planet right now!
Why?
I just cannot help it
That’s just how it works
I’m on top of my game if I may call it that
Things still look rosy
Why you still ask?
I know in whom I’ve put my trust
He’s handling all the baggage that could be excess
So I’m a free girl with no worries
It’s just so great
I cannot describe it
I thank God for all my happiness
Why?
I just cannot help it
That’s just how it works
I’m on top of my game if I may call it that
Things still look rosy
Why you still ask?
I know in whom I’ve put my trust
He’s handling all the baggage that could be excess
So I’m a free girl with no worries
It’s just so great
I cannot describe it
I thank God for all my happiness
Jerseys
So last week Tuesday I had a great time sort of catching up with a friend. He got married last year and you know that singles and married folks aren't that close unless they're family. I do know the wife but you know how it is- you can't be too close to the guy coz there just may be issues and stories making their rounds.
Back to my story.
So, we got talking about fellowship. He asked f I was still Methodist and I said I still was. Said he also still is but had wandered off at some point and came back. Right now he still sups elsewhere when he's not filled.
We both agreed that somehow coz w grew up in this church we can see when it's having problems -like now.
Right now my church's asleep. It may be just the two branches-mine and my friend's. But bottom line is that it's asleep. Not that there's no activity all across the board. Far from it there's plenty happening. My church's strength is really administration- another friend and I agree on this.
So the focus right now is not on the individual but doing what the church is meant to be doing. It's not always that way. We'll get to a point when they'll see that the people are malnourished spiritually and then they'll pick that thread up.
I call it a thread as there's a jersey in the making for every church. For mine I say it's strong in admin coz they know they've got something to show at the end. So they focus on making the jersey. Most churches do that. The difference is that some forget that the jersey needs to be finished by the end of the day and that it has to look like a jersey. At the end of the day all churches need to submit their jersey fro marking. Some will have finished, some wouldn't have, some will to be jersey but they'll be knit, I have a weird feeling some won't have anything to submit. The final decision no one will know how many will get credit for their submissions. But at the end of the day all will need to account for what they were making and to whom they've submitted their finished product. To whom as they'll be asking why they've got the result they've got. Not that that'll be in all sincerity as we all know to whom we're making our jerseys to.
And so it is with the individual.
We ought to know what we're making at that it needs to be finished for us to have a good mark at the end of the day.
No matter how we make the jersey or how long it takes to make it, it's the final submission that'll matter. I've got a creepy feeling that even what won't look like a jersey will still get credit based on the time and effort taken to make whatever is submitted at the end of the day. Unfortunately the jersey cannot be made in one day and we keep it for the final day. As long as there's breath in us the jersey's unfinished. Stitches may fall out but they need to be picked up. We may get side tracked, but we still nee to keep on knitting. We may feel the wool's finished but if we take time for others we'll discover that there's loads of wool all around us.
For the perfect jersey we need to know that the wool's free for the taking, there's variety, and what matters is the quality of the final submission and the effort put in to get the final result.
Will the effort justify the final result? Will we have something to submit?
I really love the parable of the labourers hired in the vineyard. The parable is unique to the book of Matthew.
Whatever you agreed to get when you started making the jersey is just what you'll get.
Back to my story.
So, we got talking about fellowship. He asked f I was still Methodist and I said I still was. Said he also still is but had wandered off at some point and came back. Right now he still sups elsewhere when he's not filled.
We both agreed that somehow coz w grew up in this church we can see when it's having problems -like now.
Right now my church's asleep. It may be just the two branches-mine and my friend's. But bottom line is that it's asleep. Not that there's no activity all across the board. Far from it there's plenty happening. My church's strength is really administration- another friend and I agree on this.
So the focus right now is not on the individual but doing what the church is meant to be doing. It's not always that way. We'll get to a point when they'll see that the people are malnourished spiritually and then they'll pick that thread up.
I call it a thread as there's a jersey in the making for every church. For mine I say it's strong in admin coz they know they've got something to show at the end. So they focus on making the jersey. Most churches do that. The difference is that some forget that the jersey needs to be finished by the end of the day and that it has to look like a jersey. At the end of the day all churches need to submit their jersey fro marking. Some will have finished, some wouldn't have, some will to be jersey but they'll be knit, I have a weird feeling some won't have anything to submit. The final decision no one will know how many will get credit for their submissions. But at the end of the day all will need to account for what they were making and to whom they've submitted their finished product. To whom as they'll be asking why they've got the result they've got. Not that that'll be in all sincerity as we all know to whom we're making our jerseys to.
And so it is with the individual.
We ought to know what we're making at that it needs to be finished for us to have a good mark at the end of the day.
No matter how we make the jersey or how long it takes to make it, it's the final submission that'll matter. I've got a creepy feeling that even what won't look like a jersey will still get credit based on the time and effort taken to make whatever is submitted at the end of the day. Unfortunately the jersey cannot be made in one day and we keep it for the final day. As long as there's breath in us the jersey's unfinished. Stitches may fall out but they need to be picked up. We may get side tracked, but we still nee to keep on knitting. We may feel the wool's finished but if we take time for others we'll discover that there's loads of wool all around us.
For the perfect jersey we need to know that the wool's free for the taking, there's variety, and what matters is the quality of the final submission and the effort put in to get the final result.
Will the effort justify the final result? Will we have something to submit?
I really love the parable of the labourers hired in the vineyard. The parable is unique to the book of Matthew.
Whatever you agreed to get when you started making the jersey is just what you'll get.
Food
Ever noticed there are many things we don’t agree on as Christians
The list is endless if you ask me
The one which I still do not understand why we still are not in agreement over is food
Maybe becoz of my view of the two testaments
I lean toward the view that the coming of Jesus came with a new covenant and laws for me
Hence my view on this issue
Paul must have had it tough with the believers in the churches
Just read his letters to them
At some point he actually sounds very agitated
Nonetheless, he still gave them guidelines on their issues
I’ll ramble on what I’ve covered so far
Oblige me, please
“But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumbling block to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1 Corinthians 8:8-13
It’s all about liberty for those who have the knowledge
I’ll assume most of us have the basic knowledge over food laws and the Bible
Now the liberty Paul talks of is for those who are stronger in the faith
Yes, the stronger ones
The liberty to eat comes when we have knowledge and understanding
But all the same he still gives guidelines on how we’re to go about it
We don’t live in a vacuum and so our actions have impact
Here he’s talking of the person who sees us eating meat offered to idols
He says it’s ok to eat it as really it’s being offered to a non-existant god so at the end of the day it has no effect
BUT
When someone believes that as it’s offered to idols it has an effect because of their faith and understanding. DO NOT EAT
Quite simple really
I extend this to all food and life in general
We live also for our brothers
We ARE our brother’s keeper
In chapter 10 of the same letter, he goes on to say don’t eat food offred to idols
Now here the context is different
It’s the actual partaking in the ritual that he say we should not indulge in
Verse 15 should be taken note of….he speaks as to wise men
He also says “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
I may seem to be going round in circles but at the end of the day it’s quite simple really
Do all to the glory of God.
The list is endless if you ask me
The one which I still do not understand why we still are not in agreement over is food
Maybe becoz of my view of the two testaments
I lean toward the view that the coming of Jesus came with a new covenant and laws for me
Hence my view on this issue
Paul must have had it tough with the believers in the churches
Just read his letters to them
At some point he actually sounds very agitated
Nonetheless, he still gave them guidelines on their issues
I’ll ramble on what I’ve covered so far
Oblige me, please
“But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumbling block to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1 Corinthians 8:8-13
It’s all about liberty for those who have the knowledge
I’ll assume most of us have the basic knowledge over food laws and the Bible
Now the liberty Paul talks of is for those who are stronger in the faith
Yes, the stronger ones
The liberty to eat comes when we have knowledge and understanding
But all the same he still gives guidelines on how we’re to go about it
We don’t live in a vacuum and so our actions have impact
Here he’s talking of the person who sees us eating meat offered to idols
He says it’s ok to eat it as really it’s being offered to a non-existant god so at the end of the day it has no effect
BUT
When someone believes that as it’s offered to idols it has an effect because of their faith and understanding. DO NOT EAT
Quite simple really
I extend this to all food and life in general
We live also for our brothers
We ARE our brother’s keeper
In chapter 10 of the same letter, he goes on to say don’t eat food offred to idols
Now here the context is different
It’s the actual partaking in the ritual that he say we should not indulge in
Verse 15 should be taken note of….he speaks as to wise men
He also says “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
I may seem to be going round in circles but at the end of the day it’s quite simple really
Do all to the glory of God.
Where to?
So it’s been quite a struggle just to get a post out.
This has been bugging me for a while and I guess it’s the subject matter that’s caused the delayed posts & somehow managed to keep me busy thus far
So here’s what I’ll do
Put on my garb and fight
It’s a spiritual battle once again
This time it’s also manifested itself in the flesh
And when it gets to that point it’s quite tricky to acknowledge it at all
Only when you can acknowledge that it’s spiritual can you start fighting the spiritual battle
Winded it sounds
It’s about us Christians
I now understand about the lukewarm Christians and why they are not the desire as there’s not really a fence when it comes to believing in God
Either you do or don’t
Either you believe Him to be your Saviour or not
Either you believe Jesus died for you or you don’t
It’s the fence that keeps this battle so long
Yes it’s already won
But when you decide to see yourself on the fence
Then the doubt comes in
Are you really there?
How do you know?
One person asked someone if they knew whether they’ll go to heaven or not
For now I’ll leave it at that
Ask yourself where you see yourself going at the end of it all?
Are you prepared for that destination?
What makes you sure that you’ll go there?
I guess that’s what helps each of us at the end of the day fight the spiritual battle
When you know on whose side you’re on I believe you’ll know whose fight you’re fighting and why
Quite a mouthful but definitely what we all ought to be asking ourselves each day if we really are true to ourselves and whom we serve.
This has been bugging me for a while and I guess it’s the subject matter that’s caused the delayed posts & somehow managed to keep me busy thus far
So here’s what I’ll do
Put on my garb and fight
It’s a spiritual battle once again
This time it’s also manifested itself in the flesh
And when it gets to that point it’s quite tricky to acknowledge it at all
Only when you can acknowledge that it’s spiritual can you start fighting the spiritual battle
Winded it sounds
It’s about us Christians
I now understand about the lukewarm Christians and why they are not the desire as there’s not really a fence when it comes to believing in God
Either you do or don’t
Either you believe Him to be your Saviour or not
Either you believe Jesus died for you or you don’t
It’s the fence that keeps this battle so long
Yes it’s already won
But when you decide to see yourself on the fence
Then the doubt comes in
Are you really there?
How do you know?
One person asked someone if they knew whether they’ll go to heaven or not
For now I’ll leave it at that
Ask yourself where you see yourself going at the end of it all?
Are you prepared for that destination?
What makes you sure that you’ll go there?
I guess that’s what helps each of us at the end of the day fight the spiritual battle
When you know on whose side you’re on I believe you’ll know whose fight you’re fighting and why
Quite a mouthful but definitely what we all ought to be asking ourselves each day if we really are true to ourselves and whom we serve.
Books, books, books, facts
There’s a book I skimmed over which had the warning that it wasn’t meant for those who cannot think on their own. Now I understand why it had that warning.
It’s just contra to what most of us know and hold true.
Not that sort of contra but it challenges what some of us hold as the fundamentals of why we believe what we do believe
At the end of the day I had a deeper insight as to why people have chosen to believe what they believe and why they feel strongly about their beliefs and ours as well
I’m just trying to be rational and not call their stance nonsense
Wow! -now I write politically
As I was saying, I now understand some written works and beliefs
It’s people who’ve got nothing better to do than poison simple people’s minds with untruths based on the vast knowledge they have
We all have some general knowledge about many things
I’m being vague
This is about religion and the Bible
Due to the sparse facts we have and the stories pedalled through generations we are all open to some sort of intellectual abuse
This is my view of how it’s done
Take the generalities and patch them together
You can patch them with what you want to also be linked to the widely held beliefs
Becoz one doesn’t have the 100% facts about their general knowledge and won’t bother to find it,
It’s quite easy to come up with what you’ll call the 100% fact book they need
And VIOLA!
We’re caught up in the web of trying to understand our beliefs and we don’t have a stand
Actually we end up not able to take a stand
There are so many of these people around with the resources to make their own facts and we end up one day coming across their work
Not many are as ‘nice’ as the ones with the book I saw and will put a warning for the reader
The whole thing about books and info now becomes a sort of “caveat emptor” issue, doesn’t it?
I ought to call this post “the grass is blue”
Tell as many people as possible that the grass is blue as many times as possible and it becomes well....a fact.
It’s just contra to what most of us know and hold true.
Not that sort of contra but it challenges what some of us hold as the fundamentals of why we believe what we do believe
At the end of the day I had a deeper insight as to why people have chosen to believe what they believe and why they feel strongly about their beliefs and ours as well
I’m just trying to be rational and not call their stance nonsense
Wow! -now I write politically
As I was saying, I now understand some written works and beliefs
It’s people who’ve got nothing better to do than poison simple people’s minds with untruths based on the vast knowledge they have
We all have some general knowledge about many things
I’m being vague
This is about religion and the Bible
Due to the sparse facts we have and the stories pedalled through generations we are all open to some sort of intellectual abuse
This is my view of how it’s done
Take the generalities and patch them together
You can patch them with what you want to also be linked to the widely held beliefs
Becoz one doesn’t have the 100% facts about their general knowledge and won’t bother to find it,
It’s quite easy to come up with what you’ll call the 100% fact book they need
And VIOLA!
We’re caught up in the web of trying to understand our beliefs and we don’t have a stand
Actually we end up not able to take a stand
There are so many of these people around with the resources to make their own facts and we end up one day coming across their work
Not many are as ‘nice’ as the ones with the book I saw and will put a warning for the reader
The whole thing about books and info now becomes a sort of “caveat emptor” issue, doesn’t it?
I ought to call this post “the grass is blue”
Tell as many people as possible that the grass is blue as many times as possible and it becomes well....a fact.
