tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-363318912012-02-01T11:59:46.072+11:00Stories to amuse, provoke thought, or provide a laugh...revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.comBlogger19311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-3759998047463809622012-02-01T07:03:00.000+11:002012-02-01T07:03:00.174+11:00

The Beatitudes offer us a self-portrait of Jesus. At first it might seem to be a most unappealing portrait - who wants to be poor, mourning and persecuted? Who can be truly gentle, merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, and always concerned about justice? Where is the realism here? Don't we have to survive in this world and use the ways of the world to do so?Jesus shows us the way to be in the

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-75068231279897433152012-01-31T06:59:00.001+11:002012-01-31T06:59:00.324+11:00

Psalms presents a world that fits together as a whole, with everything upheld by a personal God watching over it. This message, above all, leaped out at me during my frustrating attempts to read the Psalms in Colorado. I could not fit together all the contradictory messages I was reading, but the magnificent wilderness setting at least affirmed the message of God's grandeur, His worthiness.

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-44209869723806297822012-01-30T06:56:00.001+11:002012-01-30T06:56:00.172+11:00

Ministry must be done in a rhythm of engagement and withdrawal. Wise followers of Christ have always understood solitude to be the foundational practice. Jesus engaged in it frequently. But what makes it so important? Solitude is the one place where we gain freedom from the forces of society that otherwise relentlessly mold us. It is (in one old phrase) the "furnace of transformation."Dallas

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-71709951102847747992012-01-29T06:55:00.000+11:002012-01-29T06:55:00.081+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed Child of the Father, is a peacemaker. His peace doesn't mean only absence of war. It is not simply harmony or equilibrium. His peace is the fullness of well-being, gratuitously given by God. Jesus says, "Peace I leave to you, my own peace I give you, a peace which the world cannot give, this is my gift to you" (John 14:27).Peace is Shalom - well-being of mind, heart, and body,

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-1448808532227902492012-01-28T07:04:00.000+11:002012-01-28T07:04:00.225+11:00

Jesus, the Beloved of God, has a pure heart. Having a pure heart means willing one thing. Jesus wanted only to do the will of his heavenly Father. Whatever Jesus did or said, he did and said it as the obedient Son of God: "What I say is what the Father has taught me; he who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I always do what pleases him" (John 8:28-29). There are no divisions

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-34946839772795868892012-01-27T07:00:00.000+11:002012-01-27T07:00:03.442+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed Child of God, is merciful. Showing mercy is different from having pity. Pity connotes distance, even looking down upon. When a beggar asks for money and you give him something out of pity, you are not showing mercy. Mercy comes from a compassionate heart; it comes from a desire to be an equal. Jesus didn't want to look down on us. He wanted to become one of us and feel deeply

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-80652691589481578332012-01-26T07:02:00.000+11:002012-01-26T07:02:00.471+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed Son of God, hungers and thirsts for uprightness. He abhors injustice. He resists those who try to gather wealth and influence by oppression and exploitation. His whole being yearns for people to treat one another as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same God.With fervour he proclaims that the way to the Kingdom is not saying many prayers or offering many

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-17473343109379369582012-01-25T07:11:00.000+11:002012-01-25T07:11:00.047+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed One, mourns. Jesus mourns when his friend Lazarus dies (see John 11:33-36); he mourns when he overlooks the city of Jerusalem, soon to be destroyed (see Luke 19:41-44). Jesus mourns over all losses and devastations that fill the human heart with pain. He grieves with those who grieve and sheds tears with those who cry.The violence, greed, lust, and so many other evils that have

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-76079079355011369762012-01-24T06:53:00.001+11:002012-01-24T06:53:00.154+11:00

"From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" (2 Corinthians 5:16,17)There is no union with God without transformation.Paradoxically, the person who has struggled with personal transformation and become psychologically stronger is the person who can be empty

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-77068096197221107562012-01-23T06:47:00.001+11:002012-01-23T06:47:00.717+11:00

People often save their most important instructions, their most profound thoughts, their deepest concerns, and their most heartfelt expressions for last . . .The Holy Spirit did not miss the opportunity to record the last words of Jesus before He left this earth. And as we might expect, those words are deeply significant. In both the Gospel of Matthew and the books of Acts, we read our Lord's

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-65665943621337833242012-01-22T07:06:00.000+11:002012-01-22T07:06:00.143+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed One, is gentle. Even though he speaks with great fervour and biting criticism against all forms of hypocrisy and is not afraid to attack deception, vanity, manipulation and oppression, his heart is a gentle heart. He won't break the crushed reed or snuff the faltering wick (see Matthew 12:20). He responds to people's suffering, heals their wounds, and offers courage to the

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-61184925605664365012012-01-21T07:01:00.001+11:002012-01-21T07:01:00.162+11:00

Eugene Peterson is just about the best and most eloquent biblical interpreter that we have today. He keeps urging us to keep close to the theological purposes of the church and its ministry. We are not merely commanded to reach out to the world, we are commanded to reach out in the name of Christ. In a consumeristic culture, if we are not careful, the church becomes reduced to just another

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-37404085524515600782012-01-20T07:03:00.000+11:002012-01-20T07:03:00.295+11:00

Jesus, the Blessed One, is poor. The poverty of Jesus is much more than an economic or social poverty. Jesus is poor because he freely chose powerlessness over power, vulnerability over defensiveness, dependency over self-sufficiency. As the great "Song of Christ" so beautifully expresses: "He... did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, ... becoming as

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-91080339379787053722012-01-19T06:58:00.001+11:002012-01-19T06:58:00.267+11:00

Recently, I got angry in public. That still feels like an accomplishment to me-to express anger rather than focus it inwards. I just wish I knew how to do it better. I tend to store up anger until I can say it 'right' or do the 'right' thing. Sometimes, when I can't control my reactions, I come on way too strong. This is my worst fear-to rage like my father did-but I know that I can express anger

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-59469191495142481942012-01-18T06:57:00.000+11:002012-01-18T06:57:00.870+11:00

Jesus says: "Blessed are the poor, the gentle, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for uprightness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness" (Matthew 5:3-10). These words offer us a self-portrait of Jesus. Jesus is the Blessed One. And the face of the Blessed One shows poverty, gentleness, grief, hunger, and thirst for

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-16200711787302933802012-01-17T06:53:00.000+11:002012-01-17T06:53:00.229+11:00

Jesus is the Blessed One. The word benediction, which is the Latin form for the word blessing, means "to say (dicere) good things (bene)." Jesus is the Blessed One because God has spoken good things of him. Most clearly we hear God's blessing after Jesus has been baptised in the river Jordan, when "suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him'" (

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-52623200925623922162012-01-16T06:55:00.001+11:002012-01-16T06:55:00.512+11:00

From Saul Bellow's collection of traditional Jewish tales comes this story:In a small Jewish town in Russia, there is a rabbi who disappears each Friday morning for several hours. His devoted disciples boast that during those hours their rabbi goes up to heaven and talks to God.A stranger moves into town, and he's skeptical about all this, so he decides to check things out. He hides and watches.

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-56576786993663485482012-01-15T06:41:00.000+11:002012-01-15T06:41:00.260+11:00

Jesus is called Emmanuel which means "God-with-us" (see Matthew 1: 22-23). The great paradox of Jesus' life is that he, whose words and actions are in no way influenced by human blame or praise but are completely dependent on God's will, is more "with" us than any other human being.Jesus' compassion, his deep feeling-with us, is possible because his life is guided not by human respect but only by

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-34936519286083792112012-01-14T06:59:00.000+11:002012-01-14T06:59:00.353+11:00

Jesus was truly free. His freedom was rooted in his spiritual awareness that he was the Beloved Child of God. He knew in the depth of his being that he belonged to God before he was born, that he was sent into the world to proclaim God's love, and that he would return to God after his mission was fulfilled. This knowledge gave him the freedom to speak and act without having to please the world

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-46825278548042494532012-01-13T06:53:00.000+11:002012-01-13T06:53:00.596+11:00

Sooner or later in all of our lives we come to a fork in the road where we have to make a choice. Either we go on putting our trust in our own strength and in that which others may offer us in the human realm, or we choose the other realm and make our journey toward God. Hope in God is a decision we make. It is something that we choose.- David Jeremiah in "Jesus' Final Warning"

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-13611839171621815402012-01-12T10:30:00.000+11:002012-01-12T10:30:02.336+11:00

Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image. - A. W. Tozer, "The Pursuit of God"

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-32453480978159450062012-01-11T07:07:00.000+11:002012-01-11T07:07:00.429+11:00

What makes us cling to life even when it is time to "move on"? Is it our unfinished business? Sometimes we cling to life because we have not yet been able to say: "I forgive you, and I ask for your forgiveness." When we have forgiven those who have hurt us and asked forgiveness from those we have hurt, a new freedom emerges. It is the freedom to move on.When Jesus was dying he prayed for those

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-18926622728713667332012-01-10T07:11:00.000+11:002012-01-10T07:11:00.216+11:00

When we speak about the Holy Spirit, we speak about the breath of God, breathing in us. The Greek word for "spirit" is pneuma, which means "breath." We are seldom aware of our breathing. It is so essential for life that we only think about it when something is wrong with it.The Spirit of God is like our breath. God's spirit is more intimate to us than we are to ourselves. We might not often be

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-75671169018876635772012-01-09T06:59:00.002+11:002012-01-09T06:59:00.778+11:00

This is good; I'll never look at my hands the same!Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-92014530445955776992012-01-08T06:20:00.000+11:002012-01-08T06:20:00.844+11:00

Many times I have treated God the Father like the prodigal did. I have cried out for the quick fix. I have demanded that God bail me out, fix me up, and move with power on my behalf."Lord, just solve this problem; I don't want to wait. I need help now!" In the parable, the father did not go drag the son out of the pigpen. And God will not do that for us, either. Because He loves us so deeply, He

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-67287880271073378162012-01-07T06:56:00.000+11:002012-01-07T06:56:00.925+11:00

Hope and faith will both come to an end when we die. But love will remain. Love is eternal. Love comes from God and returns to God. When we die, we will lose everything that life gave us except love. The love with which we lived our lives is the life of God within us. It is the divine, indestructible core of our being. This love not only will remain but will also bear fruit from generation to

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-40742988802309856602012-01-06T07:04:00.000+11:002012-01-06T07:04:01.294+11:00

Remember The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy ran away so that old meany Myra Gulch wouldn't take away her dog, Toto. Dorothy's return was interrupted when a tornado hurled her into the land of the Munchkins. From there she journeyed to the wizard, and then home. The whole adventure was both wonderful and terrible.As a child, I was mesmerised and initially thankful when the Good Fairy, Glinda, pointed

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-64169192360044396002012-01-05T06:49:00.000+11:002012-01-05T06:49:00.851+11:00

In prayer we gain the confidence that, in the midst of all that is happening, God is at work bringing about a good that we can never anticipate (Romans 8:28). If we feel God-forsaken (and there will be such times), prayer will drive away that despair. In prayer we experience the indescribable assurance of the Holy Spirit that all will be well. I love the verse that reads, "For ye have not

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-40964735532784691792012-01-04T07:11:00.000+11:002012-01-04T07:11:00.222+11:00

How do we make our deaths gifts for others? Very often people's lives are destroyed, harmed, or permanently wounded by the deaths of their relatives or friends. We have to do whatever we can to avoid this. When we are near death what we say to those who are close to us, whether in spoken or in written words, is very important. When we express gratitude to them, ask forgiveness for our

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-34900117579943269792012-01-03T06:59:00.001+11:002012-01-03T06:59:00.449+11:00

When you're in severe pain or distress, life becomes pretty simple. You're in survival mode, and you have neither the heart nor the strength to spread around your emotional energy. As Chuck Swindoll might say, "Life gets boiled down to the nubbies."Instrument-certified pilots know what this is all about. When visibility drops to nil, and storms rage around them, it is second nature for them to

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-75804071989560712722012-01-02T06:58:00.001+11:002012-01-02T06:58:00.353+11:00

We often wonder how death will occur for us. Through illness, accident, war, or a natural disaster? Will our deaths happen suddenly or gradually? There are no answers for these questions, so we really should not spend time worrying about them. We don't know how our lives will end, and this is a blessed ignorance! But there is an important question that we should consider: When our time to die

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-48172660743378879632012-01-01T07:06:00.000+11:002012-01-01T07:06:00.670+11:00

Because we cannot see Christ, we cannot express our love to Him, but our neighbours we can always see, and we can do to them what, if we saw Him, we would like to do to Christ- Mother Teresa in "Life in the Spirit" -

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-56433992756081889002011-12-31T06:55:00.000+11:002011-12-31T06:55:00.239+11:00

Many people say, "I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid of dying." This is quite understandable, since dying often means illness, pain, dependency, and loneliness.The fear of dying is nothing to be ashamed of. It is the most human of all human fears. Jesus himself entered into that fear. In his anguish "sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44). How must we deal with

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-8194053525268280002011-12-30T06:25:00.000+11:002011-12-30T06:25:00.576+11:00

Emptiness and fullness at first seem complete opposites. But in the spiritual life they are not. In the spiritual life we find the fulfillment of our deepest desires by becoming empty for God.We must empty the cups of our lives completely to be able to receive the fullness of life from God. Jesus lived this on the cross. The moment of complete emptiness and complete fullness become the same. When

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-52735926773808666272011-12-29T06:53:00.000+11:002011-12-29T06:53:00.562+11:00

The story is told of Monica, the mother of St. Augustine. This fourth-century woman had a son who was so perverse that almost anyone else's child would have been considered to be no problem at all in comparison. But through Augustine's difficult years of rebellion, Monica never stopped praying for her son and she lived for the time when he might give his life over to God.One day, Augustine

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-9726525271341371242011-12-28T07:19:00.000+11:002011-12-28T07:19:00.244+11:00

Some years ago author Samuel Coleridge wrote a book called "Youth and Age" in which he reflected over his past and the strength of his younger years. One of the most moving lines in his entire book is the statement: "Friendship is a sheltering tree...".How true...how terribly true! When the searing rays of adversity's sun burn their way into our day, there's nothing quite like a sheltering tree -

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-67467729388412850182011-12-27T08:22:00.000+11:002011-12-27T08:22:00.967+11:00

After firmly holding the cups of our lives and lifting them up as signs of hope for others, we have to drink them. Drinking our cups means fully appropriating and interiorising what each of has acknowledged as our life, with all its unique sorrows and joys.How do we drink our cups? We drink them as we listen in silence to the truth of our lives, as we speak in trust with friends about ways we

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-31577174131055638432011-12-26T07:25:00.000+11:002011-12-26T07:25:00.232+11:00

Lord, as I grow older, I think I would rather be known as …- thoughtful, rather than gifted,- loving, versus quick or bright,- gentle, over being powerful,- a listener, more than a great communicator,- available, rather than a hard worker,- sacrificial, instead of successful,- reliable, not famous,- content, more than driven,- self-controlled, rather than exciting,- generous, instead of rich,-

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-60139069591436125652011-12-25T06:59:00.001+11:002011-12-25T06:59:00.480+11:00

Jesus is God-with-us, Emmanuel. The great mystery of God becoming human is God's desire to be loved by us. By becoming a vulnerable child, completely dependent on human care, God wants to take away all distance between the human and the divine.Who can be afraid of a little child that needs to be fed, to be cared for, to be taught, to be guided? We usually talk about God as the all-powerful,

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-17679973408665572912011-12-24T07:22:00.001+11:002011-12-24T07:22:00.570+11:00

"What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1:3b-5 NRSV)What might happen to us and within us and among us if we were indeed to prepare our hearts and follow the star...?We might begin to believe that the Light will indeed shine in the darkness and that the darkness will never

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-76403043355243152202011-12-23T07:11:00.001+11:002011-12-23T07:11:00.697+11:00

"So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God is with us'." (Matthew 1:22,23 NKJV)I have often referenced the quote by the talk show host Larry King, in his response to a particular question: "If you could select

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-74330222218779562762011-12-22T06:44:00.002+11:002011-12-22T06:44:00.803+11:00

All these changes did the Merciful One make,stripping off glory and putting on a body;for He had devised a way to reclothe Adamin that glory which he had stripped off.He was wrapped in swaddling clothes,corresponding to Adam's leaves,he put on clothesin place of Adam's skins;He was baptised for Adams sin,He was embalmed for Adam's death,He rose and raised Adam up in His glory.Blessed is He who

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-57005356927831330742011-12-21T06:57:00.001+11:002011-12-21T06:57:00.105+11:00

When we hold firm our cups of life, fully acknowledging their sorrows and joys, we will also be able to lift our cups in human solidarity. Lifting our cups means that we are not ashamed of what we are living, and this gesture encourages others to befriend their truths as we are trying to befriend ours. By lifting up our cups and saying to each other, "To life" or "To your health," we proclaim

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-68682861113440052682011-12-20T07:00:00.000+11:002011-12-20T07:00:08.687+11:00

"Sometimes it's really hard to get up in the morning," the rabbi told us.He was middle-aged, but he had a very young, enthusiastic spirit as he told us about his synagogue in Jerusalem where people with intellectual disabilities not only were welcome but had become key members of the community. We laughed as he told us funny stories about how people with disabilities had helped to break down

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-48130846994270705952011-12-19T06:55:00.000+11:002011-12-19T06:55:00.040+11:00

We all must hold the cups of our lives. As we grow older and become more fully aware of the many sorrows of life - personal failures, family conflicts, disappointments in work and social life, and the many pains surrounding us on the national and international scene - everything within and around us conspires to make us ignore, avoid, suppress, or simply deny these sorrows. "Look at the sunny

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-88506818895836591732011-12-18T07:13:00.001+11:002011-12-18T07:13:00.390+11:00

'What, after all, would it look like if the true God came to deal with evil? Would he come in a blaze of glory, in a pillar of cloud and fire, surrounded by legions of angels? Jesus of Nazareth took the total risk of speaking and acting as if the answer to the question were this: when the true God comes back to deal with evil, he will look like a young Jewish prophet journeying to Jerusalem at

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-4543678549044955662011-12-17T07:37:00.001+11:002011-12-17T07:37:00.436+11:00

Advent is a season of preparation. During Advent, we know that we are about to celebrate Christ's birth, which is cause for joy. But we may also feel a little nervous, wondering if this event is more than we can handle. This seems natural; after all, we are about to celebrate a life-changing, world-changing event. Christ's birth is no easy thing to understand. As we anticipate an event of

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-81860500665057298012011-12-16T06:51:00.001+11:002011-12-16T06:51:00.062+11:00

The God of love and liberation remembers who we are and who we can be. This Divine Artist sees beneath the surface of our worst behaviour the depths and heights of our actions, the light and shadow of our motivations, and the length and breadth of our capacity for compassion and love.On this day, if you and I will only listen to this amazing God, we will discover God' s great care for us. We are

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-31835857001052585792011-12-15T06:52:00.001+11:002011-12-15T06:52:00.772+11:00

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me."(Micah 7:7, NIV)If you're like me, you have those times in your Christian walk when you think that God's not listening. "He has better things to do," you think, "than listen to me pray for the umpteenth time about this problem." When I start to have those thoughts, it helps me to remember that God

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-82197337928354070462011-12-14T07:10:00.001+11:002011-12-14T07:10:00.274+11:00

God's astounding and radical intervention in our human history cannot be contained in the tame and timid displays of Christmas lights, catchy slogans, or the exchange of gifts.Advent confronts us once again with God's unparalleled effort to communicate the message that all humankind is embraced and held close by a God of love. Jesus Christ has come, is present with us, and will come again in

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-2064266327405213072011-12-13T08:00:00.002+11:002011-12-13T08:00:01.395+11:00

By far the most significant event in the whole course of human history will be celebrated, with or without understanding, at the end of this season, Advent. What we are in fact celebrating is the awe-inspiring humility of God, and no amount of familiarity with the trappings of Christmas should ever blind us to it. God’s intervening into human history came about with an almost frightening

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-76834827482389593612011-12-12T06:31:00.000+11:002011-12-12T06:31:00.126+11:00

When the mother of James and John asks Jesus to give her sons a special place in his Kingdom, Jesus responds, "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" (Matthew 20:22). "Can we drink the cup?" is the most challenging and radical question we can ask ourselves. The cup is the cup of life, full of sorrows and joys. Can we hold our cups and claim them as our own? Can we lift our cups to offer

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-24806436206309245572011-12-11T07:00:00.000+11:002011-12-11T07:00:02.579+11:00

God is a god of abundance, not a god of scarcity. Jesus reveals to us God's abundance when he offers so much bread to the people that there are twelve large baskets with leftover scraps (see John 6:5-15), and when he makes his disciples catch so many fish that their boat nearly sinks (Luke 5:1-7). God doesn't give us just enough. God gives us more than enough: more bread and fish than we can eat,

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-51821036358046442582011-12-10T06:41:00.000+11:002011-12-10T06:41:00.493+11:00

How do we know about God's love, God's generosity, God's kindness, God's forgiveness? Through our parents, our friends, our teachers, our pastors, our spouses, our children ... they all reveal God to us. But as we come to know them, we realise that each of them can reveal only a little bit of God. God's love is greater than theirs; God's goodness is greater than theirs; God's beauty is greater

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-53510266418637171482011-12-09T06:58:00.000+11:002011-12-09T06:58:00.500+11:00

Through me let there be kind words,a warm smile, and a caring heart.Through me let there be a willingness to listenand a readiness to understand.Through me let there be dependability,steadfastness, trust and loyalty.Through me let there be compassion,forgiveness, mercy and love.Through me let there be every qualityI find, O Lord, in Thee.source unknown

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-39773580312056855352011-12-08T06:52:00.001+11:002011-12-08T06:52:00.191+11:00

Gratitude causes us to share the gospel of Christ boldly. We want others to experience this great thing that Christ has done in us. This truth is beautifully illustrated in a story my teacher, Dr. J. T. Seamands, loved to tell about a clubfooted boy in England. He lived in a small town with his widowed mother. Because of his deformity he could not walk properly. A businessman, who was a

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-57245915313163215182011-12-07T06:38:00.000+11:002011-12-07T06:38:00.351+11:00

Often we think that we do not know enough to be able to teach others. We might even become hesitant to tell others what we know, out of fear that we won't have anything left to say when we are asked for more.This mind-set makes us anxious, secretive, possessive, and self-conscious. But when we have the courage to share generously with others all that we know, whenever they ask for it, we soon

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-50361768824600553632011-12-06T06:44:00.000+11:002011-12-06T06:44:01.537+11:00

The opposite of a scarcity mentality is an abundancy mentality. With an abundancy mentality we say: "There is enough for everyone, more than enough: food, knowledge, love ... everything." With this mind-set we give away whatever we have, to whomever we meet. When we see hungry people we give them food. When we meet ignorant people we share our knowledge; when we encounter people in need of love,

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-76992388750762301332011-12-05T06:33:00.000+11:002011-12-05T06:33:00.190+11:00

As fearful people we are inclined to develop a mind-set that makes us say: "There's not enough food for everyone, so I better be sure I save enough for myself in case of emergency," or "There's not enough knowledge for everyone to enjoy; so I'd better keep my knowledge to myself, so no one else will use it" or "There's not enough love to give to everybody, so I'd better keep my friends for myself

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-5602785592076242592011-12-04T07:40:00.001+11:002011-12-04T07:40:00.273+11:00

It is Advent again. We call this time Advent because it reminds us of what comes from God for the creation of his kingdom on earth. There are many today who sigh to heaven, “Saviour, come now!” But they are not sighing for the sake of God’s kingdom. They cry out like this only when they are in trouble and want God to help them. And they don’t know of any help that is more effective than to have a

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-19886191695714914422011-12-03T06:56:00.001+11:002011-12-03T06:56:00.649+11:00

Like an effective sports coach it is essential to get to know both the strengths and the weaknesses of each culture and to position them accordingly. This idea is hinted at in a poster found in Switzerland that declares:HEAVEN isa French chef,a German engineer,an Italian loverand everything organized by the Swiss.HELL isan English chef,a German police officer,a French engineer,a Swiss loverand

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-24251189886800047662011-12-02T06:45:00.001+11:002011-12-02T06:45:00.280+11:00

We often have a kind of notion, as part of this highfalutin, noble picture of ourselves as pray-ers, that when we pray we need to be completely attentive and we need to be fully engaged and we need to be concentrating and we need to be focused. But the fact is, if prayer is our end of a relationship with God, that's not the way we are with the people we love a large portion of the time. We simply

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-33926855099684344742011-12-01T07:11:00.000+11:002011-12-01T07:11:00.593+11:00

Though Advent (literally "arrival") has been observed for centuries as a time to contemplate Christ's birth, most people today acknowledge it only with a blank look. For the vast majority of us, December flies by in a flurry of activities, and what is called "the holiday season" turns out to be the most stressful time of the year.It is also a time of contrasting emotions. We are eager, yet

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-49346568706104853052011-11-30T07:00:00.001+11:002011-11-30T07:00:06.478+11:00

[Jesus said] "But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out." (Luke 13:27-28)Hockey fans have great hopes for their favourite teams in the. NHL playoffs. Players are quoted

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-36829072125926525802011-11-29T07:02:00.000+11:002011-11-29T07:02:00.459+11:00

A mosaic consists of thousands of little stones. Some are blue, some are green, some are yellow, some are gold. When we bring our faces close to the mosaic, we can admire the beauty of each stone. But as we step back from it, we can see that all these little stones reveal to us a beautiful picture, telling a story none of these stones can tell by itself.That is what our life in community is about

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-48206054606133123872011-11-28T07:22:00.001+11:002011-11-28T07:22:00.398+11:00

There is perhaps nothing we modern people need more than to be genuinely shaken up. Where life is firm we need to sense its firmness; and where it is unstable and uncertain and has no basis, no foundation, we need to know this too and endure it. We need to recognize that we have stood on this earth in false pathos, in false security, in spiritual insanity.For this is the message of Advent: faced

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-655185668745980472011-11-27T06:41:00.001+11:002011-11-27T06:41:01.037+11:00

As a college junior, I am at a critical point in my life. In the next ten years, I will attempt to find a job, enter a marriage, and think about children. The transition from childhood to adulthood at times overwhelms me. Every decision that I make now - who to date, what my major should be, what companies to interview with, how I treat my closest friends and family - seems to have a resounding

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-17225334894228108902011-11-26T07:10:00.000+11:002011-11-26T07:10:00.319+11:00

No two friends are the same. Each has his or her own gift for us. When we expect one friend to have all we need, we will always be hypercritical, never completely happy with what he or she does have.One friend may offer us affection, another may stimulate our minds, another may strengthen our souls. The more able we are to receive the different gifts our friends have to give us, the more able we

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-69260932394876128692011-11-25T06:59:00.000+11:002011-11-25T06:59:00.138+11:00

We need friends. Friends guide us, care for us, confront us in love, console us in times of pain. Although we speak of "making friends," friends cannot be made. Friends are free gifts from God. But God gives us the friends we need when we need them if we fully trust in God's love.Friends cannot replace God. They have limitations and weaknesses like we have. Their love is never faultless, never

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-46869148035003243702011-11-24T07:46:00.000+11:002011-11-24T07:46:00.752+11:00

As a child, I could never put the holiday and the purpose of giving thanks together. Aunt Dorie would come drunk and weep at the table. No one ever knew why, and no one asked. Grandpa refused to speak to Grandma. My older brother showed his face only at the meal. Otherwise, he was conspicuously absent. In trying to make everything perfect, Mum would always have a migraine, and Dad would be

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-75536112131914035872011-11-23T07:01:00.000+11:002011-11-23T07:01:00.331+11:00

The great paradox of life is that those who lose their lives will gain them. This paradox becomes visible in very ordinary situations. If we cling to our friends, we may lose them, but when we are nonpossessive in our relationships, we will make many friends. When fame is what we seek and desire, it often vanishes as soon as we acquire it, but when we have no need to be known, we might be

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-33757425845387605152011-11-22T06:56:00.001+11:002011-11-22T06:56:00.677+11:00

Studying the Way is like planting a tree -if you cut it just when it branches out,it can be used for firewood;if you cut it when it's about to reach full growth,it can be used for rafters;if you cut it when it's somewhat stronger,it can be used for beams;and if you cut it when it's old and huge,it can be used for pillars.Could it be that when you take the attainmentover the long run the profit is

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-26664998002847416342011-11-21T06:55:00.000+11:002011-11-21T06:55:00.111+11:00

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself (and doesn't feel even the least bit weird shutting your 'beer drawer' with her foot!)A simple friend has never seen you cry. A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names. A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.A

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-6330045187490148132011-11-20T07:02:00.002+11:002011-11-20T07:02:00.484+11:00

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-63237005173760485052011-11-19T07:01:00.001+11:002011-11-19T07:01:00.237+11:00

Alas, so many intelligent people become preoccupied with dates and linguistic problems concerning the Bible that they have not time to seriously consider the Bible's main theme, God's love for us and our loving response to him. They seem so concerned for truth, yet neglect the real purpose of truth, which is to bring us closer to the God of truth.- William Law in Christian Perfection

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-2948612390254484122011-11-18T07:00:00.000+11:002011-11-18T07:00:03.350+11:00

One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-64585399001937851542011-11-17T06:59:00.000+11:002011-11-17T06:59:00.159+11:00

As disciples following Christ, there is an imperative need for us to neither ignore nor condemn, but rather to confront responsibly the moral and social issues of our times. - John Stott in "Decisive Issues Facing Christians Today"

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-38241591871951777852011-11-16T06:58:00.000+11:002011-11-16T06:58:01.062+11:00

Writing is not just jotting down ideas. Often we say: "I don't know what to write. I have no thoughts worth writing down." But much good writing emerges from the process of writing itself. As we simply sit down in front of a sheet of paper and start to express in words what is on our minds or in our hearts, new ideas emerge, ideas that can surprise us and lead us to inner places we hardly knew

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-77916210335023453402011-11-15T06:57:00.000+11:002011-11-15T06:57:00.542+11:00

Oh Dear God,We come to You because we do not know where else to go.We come to You with more questions than affirmations. We want to ask, "Why?", "Why now?" "Why them?"We can not accept the glib answer that You need them for some angelic choir more than we need them here. It is not so.We can not - we will not believe that it is some direct act of will on Your part that these young persons should

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-69616939987244981042011-11-14T06:58:00.001+11:002011-11-14T06:58:00.632+11:00

Writing can be a true spiritual discipline. Writing can help us to concentrate, to get in touch with the deeper stirrings of our hearts, to clarify our minds, to process confusing emotions, to reflect on our experiences, to give artistic expression to what we are living, and to store significant events in our memories. Writing can also be good for others who might read what we write.Quite often a

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-70639388456373460092011-11-13T07:07:00.000+11:002011-11-13T07:07:00.160+11:00

What are spiritual questions? They are questions from above. Most questions people ask of Jesus are questions from below, such as the question about which of a woman's seven husbands she will be married to in the resurrection. Jesus does not answer this question because it comes from a legalistic mind-set. It is a question from below.Often Jesus responds by changing this question. In the case of

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-8417790418154360762011-11-12T06:55:00.000+11:002011-11-12T06:55:00.790+11:00

My fears are woven into the very fabric of my being. I am only willing to articulate them in the presence of a few close people. I fear of my own anger and the loss of control. I fear running out of money and losing my good health. I fear the death of my wife and children and selfishly, the death of my father, because then I will become the elder of the family. Almost every morning I ask God to

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-34793442624800976572011-11-11T06:43:00.000+11:002011-11-11T06:43:00.462+11:00

One day, a new ideal will arise, and there will be and end to all wars. I die convinced of this. It will need much hard work, but it will be achieved… The important thing, until that happens, is to hold one’s banner high and to struggle… Without struggle there is no life.- Kaethe Kollwitz

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-47139030440437902502011-11-10T06:55:00.001+11:002011-11-10T06:55:00.283+11:00

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them - John Fitzgerald KennedyValour is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul - Michel de MontaigneCourage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die - G. K. ChestertonHow important it is for us

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-11942329034659261252011-11-09T07:01:00.000+11:002011-11-09T07:01:01.030+11:00

One Sunday morning, a simple saying came into my mind. I don't recall ever hearing it before. I was thinking of the word prepared, and the word preprayered came out. So here's the saying: "Be pre-prayered for the day."Then I was reading the devotional "Streams in the Desert" by L.B. Cowman and the March 2 devotional confirmed my saying."Be ready in the morning, and then come up... Present

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-77964470747079895982011-11-08T07:06:00.001+11:002011-11-08T07:06:00.294+11:00

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., is a sombre and gripping place. Each of its four levels details a portion of the horror that left more than six million Jews dead between 1933 and 1945. It is a dark tour through history that you will never forget. Walking through the graphic and heart-wrenching exhibits, you can't help but feel overwhelmed by the sense of

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-85862978408496330282011-11-07T07:00:00.001+11:002011-11-07T07:00:01.726+11:00

We spend a lot of time and energy raising questions. Is it worth it? It is always good to ask ourselves why we raise a question. Do we want to get useful information? Do we want to show that someone else is wrong? Do we want to conquer knowledge? Do we want to grow in wisdom? Do we want to find a way to sanctity?When we ponder these questions before asking our questions, we may discover that we

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-3688723814725295102011-11-06T06:58:00.000+11:002011-11-06T06:58:00.330+11:00

Some of the most obvious considerations, when thinking about the supremacy of Christ, are the claims He made about Himself. Other teachers said they were telling the truth. Christ said, "I ... am the truth" (John 14:6). Other teachers asked people to follow their teachings. Christ asked people to follow Him. More than twenty times in the Gospels Jesus spoke about the need to follow Him. The

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-91042946772997415582011-11-05T06:51:00.000+11:002011-11-05T06:51:00.080+11:00

When we live our lives as missions, we become aware that there is a home from where we are sent and to where we have to return. We start thinking about ourselves as people who are in a faraway country to bring a message or work on a project, but only for a certain amount of time. When the message has been delivered and the project is finished, we want to return home to give an account of our

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-87481655995035538352011-11-04T07:08:00.003+11:002011-11-04T07:08:00.561+11:00

Each of us has a mission in life. Jesus prays to his Father for his followers, saying: "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world" (John 17:18)We seldom realise fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. We act as if we have to choose how, where, and with whom to live. We act as if we were simply plopped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-33516126030268691792011-11-03T07:00:00.000+11:002011-11-03T07:00:03.545+11:00

Sometimes we behave like children in a toy shop. We want this, and that, and then something else. The many options confuse us and create an enormous restlessness in us. When someone says, "Well, what do you want? You can have one thing. Make up your mind," we do not know what to choose.As long as our hearts keep vacillating among these many wants, we cannot move forward in life with inner peace

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-70542442815340098492011-11-02T06:56:00.000+11:002011-11-02T06:56:00.400+11:00

Desire is often talked about as something we ought to overcome. Still, being is desiring: our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our souls are full of desires. Some are unruly, turbulent, and very distracting; some make us think deep thoughts and see great visions; some teach us how to love; and some keep us searching for God. Our desire for God is the desire that should guide all other desires.

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-43973617464631642372011-11-01T06:56:00.000+11:002011-11-01T06:56:00.229+11:00

We ought to be Christians in large type, so that it would not be necessary (for others) to be long in our society, or to regard us through spectacles, in order to detect our true discipleship. The message of our lives should resemble the big advertisements which can be read on the street-boardings by all who pass by.- F. B. Meyer

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-49207078245231091022011-10-31T06:50:00.001+11:002011-10-31T06:50:00.564+11:00

No, not those kinds of lies; these kinds of lies:"I'm too old.""I'm too young.""Love hurts."""I work better under pressure.""Successful people are bad parents.""I can't lose weight.""I can't save money."And the list goes on and on. These negative belief barriers are lies. These lies are powerful motivators that will actually cause you to repel success. You will just push it away like a child

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-25847618589166340032011-10-30T06:59:00.000+11:002011-10-30T06:59:00.382+11:00

The many contradictions in our lives - such as being home while feeling homeless, being busy while feeling bored, being popular while feeling lonely, being believers while feeling many doubts - can frustrate, irritate, and even discourage us. They make us feel that we are never fully present. Every door that opens for us makes us see how many more doors are closed.But there is another response.

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-79093089594754665792011-10-29T06:28:00.000+11:002011-10-29T06:28:00.162+11:00

When you are interiorly free you call others to freedom, whether you know it or not. Freedom attracts wherever it appears. A free man or a free woman creates a space where others feel safe and want to dwell. Our world is so full of conditions, demands, requirements, and obligations that we often wonder what is expected of us. But when we meet a truly free person, there are no expectations, only

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-44865857167675605562011-10-28T07:00:00.000+11:002011-10-28T07:00:00.416+11:00

Doubt is an essential ingredient in a life of faith. Nevertheless, I grew up believing that there was no place for doubt in my life. To be a person of faith, one had to eradicate every doubtful thought. It takes a major paradigm shift to welcome doubt as a friend. On the other hand, doubt can easily become an idol we worship. Because doubt can take on the appearance of academic thoroughness and

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-18690539754383904472011-10-27T06:55:00.001+11:002011-10-27T06:55:00.227+11:00

When we are spiritually free, we do not have to worry about what to say or do in unexpected, difficult circumstances. When we are not concerned about what others think of us or what we will get for what we do, the right words and actions will emerge from the center of our beings because the Spirit of God, who makes us children of God and sets us free, will speak and act through us.Jesus says: "

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-8651306541217268112011-10-26T07:03:00.001+11:002011-10-26T07:03:00.757+11:00

"If these statements are true, that God and men are akin, there is but one course open to men, to do as Socrates did: never reply to one who asks his country, 'I am an Athenian', or 'I am a Corinthian', but 'I am a citizen of the universe.' For why do you say that you are an Athenian, instead of merely a native of the little spot on which your bit of a body was cast forth at birth? Plainly you

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36331891.post-39228841951012894572011-10-25T07:01:00.000+11:002011-10-25T07:01:00.381+11:00

True freedom is the freedom of the children of God. To reach that freedom requires a lifelong discipline since so much in our world militates against it. The political, economic, social, and even religious powers surrounding us all want to keep us in bondage so that we will obey their commands and be dependent on their rewards.But the spiritual truth that leads to freedom is the truth that we

revheardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15071835134875018998noreply@blogger.com0