Gullible

Most recently one of my professors made our class keep a "time diary" for a week. We were assigned to write down every activity that we participated in, and keep track of how our time was spent through using an analysis method prescribed by the Docta (Dr. Hothem, that is).

Dr. Hothem made us write a follow-up on the results of our data. Everyone was supposed to get something deep and meaningful out of the way that we spent our past week, participating in activities that we "normally" would do if it wasn't being documented.

Fortunately, I learned a lesson.

I found out that even though I find myself spending huge amounts of time studying and participating in fellowship through a holistic mindset (meaning that all aspects of my life are considered "leisure"--my only obligation is to love the Lord with all my heart and body; everything I do is centered around my Savior), I spend a very minimal amount of time one-on-one with God. At first glance at the calculations for the analysis part of our assignment, my response to my own participation was that it was pathetic. What if I treated my earthly husband the way that I responded to Christ this week?-- it helped to make me become more self-aware. How could it be that I only spent approximately 5 hours per week intentionally drawing closer to my Lord when I was spending approximately 26 hours per week participating in "quality study time" in relation to academics? I assumed that the immense amount of time I spend studying to be a missionary and talking about missionary work, somehow equated (and replaced) prayer and devotional time. My bad.

The assignment reminded me that even if we take life through a holistic, God-centered approach, that doesn't mean that we're spending ["enough"] quality time with our Savior. Personally, I am very glad that God was able to use my time diary to help me refocus on my time with Him. I cannot wait to see what is to come of this realization.

How is He calling you to spend time with Him daily?

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

-Ephesians 3:14-19

Vision of You

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

-2 Corinthians 13:14

Understanding the Trinity can be a complex process.

My family's priest, Father Jack, explained the Trinity extremely well through using the excellent visual given to us by St. Augustine, while adjusting it ever-so slightly:

(>>the original

And when St. Augustin beheld him he marvelled, and demanded him what he did. And he answered and said: "I will lade out and bring all this water of the sea into this pit."

"What?" said he, "it is impossible, how may it be done, sith the sea is so great and large, and thy pit and spoon so little?"

"Yes, forsooth," said he, "I shall lightlier and sooner draw all the water of the sea and bring it into this pit than thou shalt bring the mystery of the Trinity and His Divinity into thy little understanding as to the regard thereof; for the Mystery of the Trinity is greater and larger to the comparison of thy wit and brain than is this great sea unto this little pit."

<<)

There was a little boy playing in the sand by the sea. The boy made a pit in the sand and would collect water from the sea to place in the pit. Once there was enough water pressure, the water would trickle down as a stream back to the ocean.

God is like water. He can be the ocean (Father), the water in the pit (Jesus), and the water flowing down the stream (Holy Spirit) simultaneously. Yet, He is still water--the properties still staying appropriate to the bonding of many water molecules. He is God, and He is everywhere, all at once.

Just as Augustine mentioned, our understanding of the Trinity is above our understanding. However, through God's own creation He is able to reveal even more of His divinity.

Aish Tamid

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 111:10

One aspect of commercialized Christianity (due to Marcion influence) that I have come to realize is that there is a lot of ignorance in reference to what God has to say--namely in relation to most of the Old Testament. Also, whenever beliefs about the New Testament are challenged, we tend to question not only other beliefs attached to the belief in question (that is--if you're "thinking Greek"--see Marv Wilson's notes on this), but we tend to doubt the very existence of our Creator and Redeemer.
But what do we have to worry about?
May we embark on a journey together through the Old Testament?!

Has not Abraham been the best example of a man chosen, not because of who he is, but because of whom God desires for him to become? Was it not for Abraham's faith that we exist today?

Did Joseph (of Jacob) not fully teach the lesson on what it means to count it all joy?

Did Jacob not show us how to love our spouses to the fullest potential, working 14 years for his wife Rachel, saying that it felt as if it were merely days, rather than years, for that was how in love he was with her.

--Theses are just three examples from ONE of the THIRTY NINE books in the original canon!

The Bible will stand its own--We don't have to worry about "making it real" or "proving it's true."

God proves His existence daily, even without our help.

Yeshua

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

-Isaiah 46:4

I was talking to a very, very dear friend of mine on the phone this evening. The call was very encouraging, and very much so edifying. But one part of the conversation stood out to me in particular.

At one point she gave me a disclaimer. She said that the following words that she will speak she will one day regret, and that these thoughts and ideas aren't very "Christian."

Aren't very Christian? What is the Church teaching us? That Christians aren't HUMAN?

When she was done discussing how she currently felt about a life situation, she continued on to another conversation. I stopped her from progressing further, and asked her if we could take a step back. I let her know that how she was feeling was most definitely Christian--for she is 100% Christian, and 100% human. We then talked about the fall briefly, and we reminded each other that God will show us the good and bad within our hearts. God will allow us to see where we are wrong, and because He is so good and allows us to have a relationship with Him, we are encouraged by Him to become more like Him with everything that we do.

Isn't that the point of salvation? We realize that we are not equal to God, and we have fallen and thus need Him to correct and fulfill our relationship with the Creator of our souls?

Unfortunately, oftentimes the Church tells us that what we're feeling isn't "Christian" if it doesn't align with the specific verses and phrases that the Americanized Christian Church has selected and/or come up with. Though we may posses a thought or feeling that may not be that which Christ would respond with, that does not mean that He is not in the situation! We must approach Jesus in a humble manor--with full humility.

It is OKAY to be Christian and HUMAN (in fact, it is required if you are Christian). God is still [always] with you--He desires for you to see where you are weak so that He may give you strength.

When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

-Psalm 73:21-26

A Picnic Few Want to Attend.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another. Colossians 3:12, 13

The poor are a gift from God;

they are who we love the most.

Christ will not ask us how much we have done,

but how much love we have put into our actions.

-Mother Teresa (LL)

Tender: soft, gentle, affectionate, sentimental.

Mercy: to be compassionate or to show kindly forbearance towards someone, regardless of if they're worth showing love or not.

Can you believe that God has tender mercies for us, and only because of His tenderness and mercifulness we have love and salvation?

>>>How will you be tenderly merciful to someone today?

How Great is Your Love

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."

Matthew 22:29

At times, our study of the Scriptures can be powerful and uplifting.

But, how many of us turn towards the New Testament (and only the New Testament) for understanding and encouragement?

Do we forget that the Old Testament is where God first revealed the gospel (good news), and the OT is the Bible that Christ studied and used to evangelize with?

The Bible isn't two books--one that's easy to read and applicable to my life, and one that's so foreign and ancient. The Bible is one book with many promises.

If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed (Gal 3:29). How has Israel impacted you since he/they are your roots? How has the Hebraic language changed your view on the Scriptures, since their style of poetry has created the greatest Love Story that will ever be written? How has the Bible that Christ studied laid down the foundation for love, and the understanding of love in your life?

Christ studied, believed, and acted according to the Old Testament. Why do we not do the same? How will we ever know how great His love is, if we don't even know the God who created us, as well as the people and struggles that we have come from?