He who does not first examine himself before God does not even have his foot on the starting block.
He who does not continue to examine himself will not make much progress.
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Thursday 22 April 2010
WORDS
They can be 'valiant couriers of oak-cleaving thunderbolts'.
A sense of 'carelessness and power'
They can also 'set the whole course of life on fire' and are as destructive as a forest blaze.
Yet again they are 'words of life', seeds planted to bring forth fruit.
A sense of 'carelessness and power'
They can also 'set the whole course of life on fire' and are as destructive as a forest blaze.
Yet again they are 'words of life', seeds planted to bring forth fruit.
MEN OF CAMBRIDGE
John Rutter is able to turn his pain into music which glorifies God in His creation and lifts men's spirits.
Darwin turned on God and did irreparable damage to His glory in creation and men's faith.
Both lost a child.
'The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1: 18-23
Suffering brings out the 'antagonism at the heart of the world'.
Darwin turned on God and did irreparable damage to His glory in creation and men's faith.
Both lost a child.
'The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1: 18-23
Suffering brings out the 'antagonism at the heart of the world'.
THE GREEK WAY
'Poetry is the finest alchemy that turns pain into glory'
'Words are the symbols of creative thought expressed in the midst of tragedy'.
The death of Christ is the highest tragedy in the universe. It was as He promised during the last coversation with His followers. The Resurrection turned it into glory.
His followers walk the same road.
'Words are the symbols of creative thought expressed in the midst of tragedy'.
The death of Christ is the highest tragedy in the universe. It was as He promised during the last coversation with His followers. The Resurrection turned it into glory.
His followers walk the same road.
Wednesday 21 April 2010
BALANCE
The frame is the wideness of life. The picture, the detail. We need both to admire the scene.
Sunday 18 April 2010
BABY BOOMERS
We have always sat in a 'generational bubble' living for self, creating the world in our image, sidelining our elders and forgetting the generation to come.
We've promoted abortion and encouraged euthanasia. Comfort at any price. Sucked in by consumerism, the immediate satisfaction of our desires.
No surprise then if our children regard us as expendible commodities.
Heaven help us when we are of the aged
We've promoted abortion and encouraged euthanasia. Comfort at any price. Sucked in by consumerism, the immediate satisfaction of our desires.
No surprise then if our children regard us as expendible commodities.
Heaven help us when we are of the aged
TREE OF KNOWLEDGE
Surfing the net should not only be about plucking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.
We need to sit in its shade and spur one another on to excellence of character and life.
We need to sit in its shade and spur one another on to excellence of character and life.
Friday 16 April 2010
TRULY HUMAN
What is it to be truly human?
This should be answered by studying perfect man in the image of God.
Who is such a one?
Man in his falleness is a distorted image so to whom shall we look?
The early Greeks examined man and the meaning of life and came to see that the dignity of man resided in the virtues. How were these expressed? There was a striving to control the appetites, developing self-respect and desiring to lead others to this end.
The truly human man to them, could see the comedy in life, taking pleasure in all of the world outside of himself. But he could also see the tragedy of life, suffering in the midst of the brokeness of life. To them man achieved greatness when he was able to exalt in suffering. Men who felt deeply about both comedy and tragedy.
As in all of God's world there is the balance, and few there are who find it.
This should be answered by studying perfect man in the image of God.
Who is such a one?
Man in his falleness is a distorted image so to whom shall we look?
The early Greeks examined man and the meaning of life and came to see that the dignity of man resided in the virtues. How were these expressed? There was a striving to control the appetites, developing self-respect and desiring to lead others to this end.
The truly human man to them, could see the comedy in life, taking pleasure in all of the world outside of himself. But he could also see the tragedy of life, suffering in the midst of the brokeness of life. To them man achieved greatness when he was able to exalt in suffering. Men who felt deeply about both comedy and tragedy.
As in all of God's world there is the balance, and few there are who find it.
Monday 5 April 2010
DEMOCRACY
The intellect flowered under the Greek philosophers who took great pleasure in discussing new thoughts. To Aristotle it was a pursuit of excellence, striving to master the virtues to enable man to rule himself to the benefit of others
It is this which lies at the heart of democracy and is impossible without it. To our shame it has never been truely reached as man is driven by self-centredness and is out for personal gain.
It was the Greek civilisation that cradled the gospel in its early days, a language fit for the King of Kings, the one true, virtuous man who gave Himself for the greater good of all.
It is this which lies at the heart of democracy and is impossible without it. To our shame it has never been truely reached as man is driven by self-centredness and is out for personal gain.
It was the Greek civilisation that cradled the gospel in its early days, a language fit for the King of Kings, the one true, virtuous man who gave Himself for the greater good of all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)