Read …. Genesis 22:11-24 – So Abraham called that place, The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” v.14
I suppose, too often – I am guilty of not seeing God’s pRovision for my life - unless I am in a state of despair. Does that make sense? I mean, the way I tend to “flit around” from one “newest object of popular sensation” to the next – I am even rather gluttenous at times – it’s no wonder I too often fail – to see my Father’s pRovisions for my life, His pRomises and His blessings – much less take the time to nurture a real “R”elationship with Him. 
There is a story that tells of two sailors who were the only ones to survive a terrible shipwreck – and finding themselves adrift at sea – clinging to bits of the ship – ultimately it seemed that all hope of provision or salvation, was lost. Both considered together, if they should pray – and agreed at once, that they should. Just as one began to draw near to God for some pRovision – the other interrupted, “Hold on, don’t commit yourself, I think I saw a sail, just there.”
It seems that too often our Father, God - has to bring us to a position of despair - just the sort of place where Abraham, is found, in his walk of faith – on Mount Moriah, named for the Lord’s pRovision, with a comittal “R” – before we are willing to be totally dependant upon Him for His pRovision and blessing. Only – here, it seems, in this state of despair, with all hope lost – will too many of us even consider acknowledging God, as our only way out.
We are a rather stubborn lot! I suppose, there is no getting around the idea that we are indeed, children – no matter how mature we might believe ourselves to be.
It seems, that in this walk of faith in the pRomises of my Father, God – bringing His Word and my humanity – into ”R”elationship (remember the one with a capitol “R”? here, p=442 ) – This call for obedience, for commitment, for relationship with our Father - in the face of despair – This uncomfortable idea of Ultimate Surrender, born of God’s love – is rather about pRovision! with a comittal “R”!
That golden thread, of the Father God in Relationship with His children – in a walk of faith – down through the ages – winding its way through His Word! – His Son! – right to my front door – is all about his pRovision - for my salvation – with a comittal “R”. My state of despair - imminent death – in sin - falls squarely into this condition.
It cannot be overlooked! That from this mount of Moriah - Abraham’s walk of faith brings me – along with him – face to face with the Beginning and the End! – the Alpha and Omega! – face to face with His pRovision, for my salvation - in the sacrifice of His Only Son – born of God’s Great Love - bringing His Word and our humanity into Relationship! – with a comittal “R”! 
Consider that it was at the very point of Ultimate Surrender – that Abraham looked up and saw a sacrifice – pRovided for him by the Father!
Let that sink in for a bit …. this walk of faith – is all about our Father’s pRovision for a renewed Relationship with Him – through His Son!!
…. I suppose, its rather obvious, then - how that, beyond these events, soon after them in fact – Abraham receives news from his family back in Haran, that his brother Nahor and his wife Milkah, have 8 new baby boys!!! – Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 
And the news of these children being born into Abraham’s family - was surely more evidence to Abraham, in his walk of faith – that the the Lord would surely pRovide! - – after all, we know that of these baby boys – Bethuel had a son named Laban and a daughter named Rebekah, who ultimately married Abraham’s son of pRomise and pRovision, Isaac! and Nahor’s great-granddaughters and Rebekah’s nieces – Rachel and Leah became the wives of Jacob! – that too was, pRovision!
I hope you can you see it! The Golden-Thread – of Relationship with our Father, God – winding its way to your door – calling us, as His children - to a walk of faith?
God blesses us by pRoviding for our every need – past, present and future – and when I obey God – when I surrender all of myself to Him - He gathers up all of the smaller blessings of this life that He has given me before – and he takes them back – then He combines them with His infinite resources - pRomise & pRovision – and pours them back into my life – in the form of His One and Only Son - whose sacrifice takes away the sins of the world! – and brings me back into an intimate Relationship, with my Father, God.
There is another story that tells of a family of five – traveling in a small Volkswagon – creeping along through the countryside in a heavy downpour. Out of the foggy weather they saw a man and a woman walking along the side of the road in the rain. They pulled to the side of the road and asked if there was anything they might do to help. The woman was carrying a baby – doing her best to shelter her from the cold rain. She said that they were from a town some miles back. The lightning from the storms had set their home on fire and they had nearly escaped, with their lives. They were walking to the next town, several miles away to stay with her sister until they could figure out what else to do. Feeling sorry for the family but with no room in the little VW bug, the man pulled out $20 and gave it to the woman and drove off. A few miles down the road the man stopped the car and asked the whole family to gather up all the money they had among them. They gathered up almost $100. He drove back to where the family was still walking and asked if they still had the $20 that he had given them. Confused, the woman agreed that “Yes?” she did still have the money. But when the man asked for it back, her heart fell - as she handed the money back to the man with a look of puzzled despair, in her eyes. He took the $20 bill and added it with the rest of the money and said, “Here, our family wants you to have this”.
Our Father’s incredible love for us - was being pRovisioned for us even on Mount Moriah - - – and down through the ages and ultimately in that He did not spare His own Son – but gave Him up for us! Through Ultimate Surrender – born of God’s Great love – He pRovisioned a way for His greatest desire - to be in Relationship with us – His children – because His Son died for me!
It seems that too often our Father, God - has to bring us to a position of despair - just the sort of place where Abraham, is found, in his walk of faith – on Mount Moriah, named for the Lord’s pRovision, with a comittal “R” – before we are willing to be totally dependant upon Him for His pRovision and blessing.
…. Abraham called that place, The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
January 14 2011 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »
While it may not feel all that comfortable, to admit it – I suppose, this Walk of Faith – is a process, of My Father, God – bringing me to the point of Ultimate Surrender!
Walking ….. Read Genesis 22:1-6
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” v.1
The Father – who promises life – also tests us, for Ultimate Surrender! And it seems that while my Father is most certainly the God of miraculous new life! – He also demands the giving up of that life! I suppose, it is rather difficult to understand God, at times - “outside of a personal Relationship” with Him - in a Walk of Faith! – and “inside a personal Relationship” with Him – there is rather a lot more to a Walk of Faith – than many of us may have bargained for! It seems, that just when I think I may have “figured my God out” – I find, just then, that there is so much more to be learned about His Ways, than I had figured! – and I find myself staring into a mysterious fog of sorts – that unsettles my comfortable routine – and calls me to actions that require no less, than everything! Ultimate Surrender!
Walking ….. Read Genesis 22:7-8
Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. v.8
Now Father Abraham, and his son, Isaac - walked along together in faith. I expect that Isaac, not so very much unlike me - was a bit naive and rather innocent – yet I suppose, he walked along rather confident – trusting in his father - and Abraham, with an anxious and unsettled spirit – walked along with the conviction of faithful obedience. It seems that in the walk of faith - when feelings flutter and confuse us - it is Ultimate Surrender and obedience that keeps us on the path. Go figure!
I rather believe that we too often confuse our feelings with our faith! – and I expect that we have a lot to learn about how to treat our feelings, as what they really are – FEELINGS! - and how to treat our Faith – along the path of obedience – as the provision of the Lamb’s Power, born of God’s love and promise! - shaping us and making us and using us to do His Will, not our own. Ultimate Surrender!
Walking ….. Read Genesis 22:9-12
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. v.9
I suppose, in my Walk of Faith – I am too often guilty – of desiring a Father – who is comfortable to walk along with and who seldom, if ever, stretches me! Perhaps, I am not all that keen on a God whose promises are great! – and whose tests – are equally great! Abraham was tested to the limit! – and his faith took him to the limit! Ultimate Surrender!
Walking ….. Read Genesis 22:13-14
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering, instead of his son. v.13
The same Father God who tests me - is the very same Father God who provides everything I need! I suppose, Abraham’s “surrendering faith” - brought him face to face with ”The Promise” – the very point through which all the nations would be blessed - through him – through his son – and ultimately through God’s own Son, Jesus Christ! By taking Abraham’s Faith Walk - to the very point of killing his son Isaac – the Father allowed him to draw up – so close – In Relationship - that he experienced - as much as is humanly possible - what God Himself experienced - in sacrificing His only Son – while avoiding the penalty of death - yet, saved by his Faith – through Ultimate Surrender!
Our Father knows everything we need and He leads us – right to the place – where we can see! – what He provides – for our salvation! Stay with me here!
Too often my sense of what I think I need - is determined by my own anxious and unsettled spirit – such that too very often, I grab whatever is right in front of me – and in doing so – I miss the provision of HIS GRACE! - while His Will - is just beyond, my immediate vision.
I suppose, I should learn to be still long enough - to become aware of the HUGE WINDOW – through which – I can see all of God’s providence – at work in my life – through Christ Jesus my Savior! Ultimate Surrender!
Walking ….. Read Genesis 22:15-19
“…I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.” v.17a
Having walked along – in faith – through all of the unsettling moments – and the testing moments, too! - It seems, Abraham has entered the surrendering moments, that motivate the Father’s blessings! It seems, there are consequences – as well as blessings – of faith – and they might well be characterized as overflowing – in abundance – and providential in their provision!
Through the years, it seems – God has been “lopping off” bits and pieces of my faith, and Abraham’s, too - in anything except God, Himself!
In Abraham’s Walk of Faith – God has certainly been stripping him of his schemes and plans and efforts to help God along – as it were - with His Promises. It seems, that now Abraham is ready – for the ultimate test of Faith - Ultimate Surrender!
I suppose, the Christian walk of Faith, is a process – of yeilding – all of what I know about myself - to all of what I know about my God. Through the years of walking along with the Father – I suppose, not so very much unlike Abraham – we discover areas of our lives that we once thought we had given over to the Lord - that in reality we haven’t! And before long - the Father begins to remove the props we have been leaning on – until He alone - is left. It can be a very painful process, to be sure! It can even seem rather cruel at times! But Ultimate Surrender is born of God’s love and Promise!
I never really knew how much my own dad loved me until I became a father, myself - then it really hit me: my dad loves me – as much as I love my own child and my Father God loves me more than that!
I seem to recall, Paul said something like, The Father did not keep His own Son. Instead, He gave Him up for all of us! Therefore, wouldn’t God give us everything?! Romans 8
ULTIMATE SURRENDER! – Born of God’s LOVE and PROMISE!
January 02 2011 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »
I suppose, the most extraordinary thing I have discovered – walking along with Abraham on his walk of faith – is how very ordinary a man of faith he actually is!
I suppose, too often - we focus on the extra-ordinary! – even to the degree that the ordinary becomes forgotten! Too often, even – Christian discourse is limited to those events that give us the feeling that our God majors in the spectacular! – - God spoke the universe into creation! He rained down fire and burning coals to destroy the wickedness of Sodom. He sent plagues on the Egyptians and parted the waters of the Red Sea! He provided manna in the wilderness and drew water out of a rock! Woo! Hoo! – Indeed!
Our God is an Awesome God! – to be sure!! But it seems to me that what makes our God such an awesome God isn’t that He majors in the spectacular, at all – rather, that He majors in the common and rather ordinary. And what makes that idea SHINE – is that - it is God, doing His Will through me – to the degree I am steadfast in my faith, that makes the difference. – - - In my walk of faith – I don’t live in the realm of the spectacular – quite the opposite - The majority of my days are filled with very ordinary things like getting ready for the next day, more often than not, after that day has already begun – rushing off to work, getting the pets and/or family fed and the kiddo’s off to school, grocery shopping, paying bills, mowing the lawn, cleaning and repairing the house, etc. - and I fully expect that I am not alone – in my ordinary daily faith walk with the Father.
I suspect, most of God’s people, would best be described as rather ordinary folks – except for one extra-ordinary thing – - their lives have eternal meaning, because they are being molded, made and used by God to help fulfill His promises and His purposes – as ordinary - faithful – followers! It seems that God majors in the ordinarily faithful – rather than in the spectacular! Woo! Hoo! – Indeed! Consider that if God did “major in the spectacular” – well, that would leave most of the rest of us “out”.
Abraham was no more than an ordinary faithful follower. His life wasn’t made up of one spectacular event after another – rather, most days he got up and went about making sure his family and animals and crops were protected and cared for, managing problems of sickness and lost sheep, etc., settling arguments among his family, servants and friends, and making sure there was enough water and food for all – more steadfast – than spectacular - in his faith.
Ordinarily Faithful!
Read Genesis 21:22-34!
Consider that on this day in Abraham’s walk – Abimelech - the same king, by the way, that Abraham had lied to about Sarah being his sister! - drops by for a visit. (You can read more here: p=85) Abimelech seems anxious - to make sure that Abraham knows, that he knows, that God is definately on Abraham’s side! He seems rather concerned that his fate might lie in the hands of God’s ordinarily faithful servant, Abraham – so ordinary, that he cannot be trusted – not to get Abimelech into another situation where Abraham’s God is angry with him - and so he wants to make an agreement of peace with Abraham. It seems, Abimelech is more concerned about not upsetting Abraham’s God than Abraham – after all while Abraham had not proven to be a perfect servant of his God - his God had proven to be one that majors in this ordinarily faithful man of faith – Abraham – - – and Abimelech had witnessed Abraham’s faith relationship with God - enough to know that God was on his side! Remember that although Abraham faithfully followed God out of his homeland, on a journey for the land of Canaan – he was never-the-less, very afraid of the people who lived in these “strange lands” – and he feared they might see his wife and kill him, to have her. Early on, he and Sarah had agreed on a plan of their own to help God along – as it were – with this potential problem - which was to “pass Sarah off” as his sister instead of his wife. But of course, this plan didn’t work – either of the two times that they tried it! – and Abraham’s spirit continued to be unsettled and fearful. Abraham should have figured out by now – that God simply desired for him to be no more than ordinarily faithful and dependant on Him - for the planning and the problem solving - rather than medling in God’s plans with “sure fire” schemes, of his own making. God desires ordinary faithful followers.
Anyway, Abimelech shows up - at what seems to be a very teachable moment for Abraham. God seems to be saying something like - “Look Abraham, I have provided you with the son of Promise – in My own timing – according to My plans – and I have settled your selfish plans regarding Ishmael, and I have even made provision for him in My plans, as well. Do you understand, My Son? I will take care of your needs! Put your faith in Me and learn to depend on Me in everything. Your ordinary faith in Me has been noticed by Abimelech and through your faith in Me – I will use you to do My will. I will protect you. I have not allowed the people of these lands to take your wife from you – not because of your efforts – rather because of My plans for you. I am not even going to allow these people to take your well away from you. I will make sure you have even the water that you need. Now Abimelech has come here – make a peace agreement with him and if you will simply walk with Me so that your faith in Me is evident to others – I will take care of the rest and work My will and My promises in your life. And can you please – resist the desire to “help me out along the way”. Be an ordinary faithful follower and you will receive from Me all that you have previously tried to get through your own deceptive schemes and planning.”
Our God is an Awesome God! – to be sure!! But it seems to me that what makes our God such an awesome God isn’t that He majors in the spectacular, at all – rather, that He majors in the common and rather ordinary. And what makes that idea SHINE – is that - it is God, doing His Will through me – to the degree I am steadfast in my faith, that makes the difference.
December 29 2010 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »
Tacobel Canon - Listen to the Tacobel Canon – Chirstine Lavin
Christine Lavin is a singer/songwriter/guitarist/recording artist living in New York. She has recorded 20 solo albums. She has also produced nine compilation CDs showcasing the work of dozens of songwriters whose work she loves — one of them, the food-themed One Meat Ball, includes a 96-page cookbook that Christine edited. For four years she hosted “Slipped Disks” on xm satellite radio, playing CDs slipped to her backstage by compatriots, and is the occasional guest host for the City Folk Sunday Breakfast Show on WFUV-FM at Fordham University. She also writes freelance for various publications (including The Washington Post, The St. Petersburg Times, The Performing Songwriter, and Delta “Sky” Magazine).
Christine performs concerts all over the US, Canada, and points beyond, and hosts knitting circles backstage prior to each show. Songs of hers have been performed by artists as diverse as Broadway stars Betty Buckley, Sutton Foster, and David Burnham, cabaret divas Andrea Marcovicci. Barbara Brussell, and Colleen McHugh, the college a cappella Dartmouth Decibelles, and The Accidentals, winners of the National Harmony Sweepstakes championship.
December 10 2010 | Tim's Random Collection | No Comments »
John Henry Faulks “Christmas Story” Listen To the Audio Recording
The gifted storyteller and former radio broadcaster John Henry Faulk recorded his Christmas story in 1974 for the program Voices in the Wind.
Faulk was born to Methodist parents on August 21, 1913. The fourth of five children, he attended the University of Texas. For his master’s thesis, he researched ten sermons in African-American churches and gained insight into the inequity of civil rights for people of color. He later taught English at the University and served as a medic in the Marines during World War II.
Before the John Henry Faulk Show debuted in 1951 on WCBS Radio, Faulk hosted numerous radio programs in New York and New Jersey.
He was blacklisted in 1957, but with support from Edward R. Murrow, won a libel suit against the corporation that branded him a Communist. Faulk’s book, Fear on Trial, published in 1963, chronicles this experience.
Later in his career, Faulk appeared on Hee-Haw, wrote and produced the one-man plays Deep in the Heart and Pear Orchard, Texas, and made an unsuccessful bid for a congressional seat in 1983.
In 1990, John Henry Faulk died of cancer in his hometown of Austin. The downtown branch of the public library there now bears his name.
A Transcript of John Henry Faulk’s Christmas Story
The day after Christmas a number of years ago, I was driving down a country road in Texas. And it was a bitter cold, cold morning. And walking ahead of me on the gravel road was a little bare-footed boy with non-descript ragged overalls and a makeshift sleeved sweater tied around his little ears. I stopped and picked him up. Looked like he was about 12 years old and his little feet were blue with the cold. He was carrying an orange.
And he got in and had the brightest blue eyes one ever saw. And he turned a bright smile on my face and says, “I’m-a going down the road about two miles to my cousins. I want to show him my orange old Santa Claus brought me.” But I wasn’t going to mention Christmas to him because I figured he came from a family — the kind that don’t have Christmas. But he brought it up himself. He said, “Did old Santa Claus come to see you, Mister?” And I said, “Yes. We had a real nice Christmas at our house and I hope you had the same.”
He paused for a moment, looked at me. And then with all the sincerity in the world said, “Mister, we had the wonderfulest Christmas in the United States down to our place. Lordy, it was the first one we ever had had there. See, we never do have them out there much. Don’t notice when Christmastime comes. We heared about it, but never did have one ’cause — well, you know, it’s just papa says that old Santa Claus — papa hoorahs a lot and said old Santa Claus was scared to bring his reindeer down into our section of the county because folks down there so hard up that they liable to catch one of his reindeer and butcher him for meat. But just several days before Christmas, a lady come out from town and she told all the families through there, our family, too, that they was — old Santa Claus was come in town to leave some things for us and if papa’d go in town, he could get some Christmastime for all of us. And papa hooked up the mule and wagon. He went in town. But he told us children, said, “Now don’t ya’ll get all worked up and excited because there might not be nothing to this yarn that lady told.”
And—but, shucks, she hadn’t got out of sight up the lane there till we was done a-watching for him to come back. We couldn’t get our minds on nothing else, you know. And mama, she’d come to the door once in a while and say, “Now ya’ll quit that looking up the lane because papa told you there might not be nothing.” And — but long about the middle of the afternoon, well, we heared the team a-jangling harness a-coming and we ran out in the front yard, and Ernie, my little brother, called out and said, “Yonder come papa.” And here come them mules just in a big trot, you know, and papa standing upright in the bed of that wagon holding two big old chickens, all the feathers picked off. And he was just yelling, “Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.” And the team stopped right in front of the gate. And all us children just went a-swarming out there like a flock of chichis, you know, and just a-crawling over that wagon and a-looking in.
And, Mister, I wish you could have seen what was in that wagon. It’s bags of stripety candy and apples and oranges and sacks of flour and some real coffee, you know, and just all tinselly and pretty and we couldn’t say nothing. Just kind of held our breath and looked at it, you know. And papa standing there just waving them two chickens, a-yelling, “Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas to you,” and a-laughing that big old grin on his face. And mama, she come a-hurrying out with the baby in her arms, you know. And when she looked in that wagon, she just stopped, and then papa, he dropped them two chickens and reached and caught the baby out of her arms, you know, and held him up and said, “Merry Christmas to you, Santa Claus.” And baby, little old Alvie Lee, he just laughed like he knowed it was Christmas, too, you know. And mama, she started telling us the name of all of them nuts. They wasn’t just peanuts. They was — she had names for all of them. She — mama knows a heap of things like that. She’d seen that stuff before, you know? And we was, all of us, just a-chattering and a-going on at the same time, us young’uns, a-looking in there.
And all of a sudden, we heared papa call out, “Merry Christmas to you, Sam Jackson.” And we stopped and looked. And here comes Sam Jackson a-leading that old cripple-legged mule of his up the lane. And papa said, “Sam Jackson, did you get in town to get some Christmas this year?” Sam Jackson, you know, he sharecrops over there across the creek from our place. And he shook his head and said, “Well, no, sir, Mister. Well, I didn’t go in town. I heared about that, but I didn’t know it was for colored folks, too. I thought it was just for you white families.” All of a sudden, none of us children were saying nothing. Papa, he looked down at mama and mama looked up at him and they didn’t say nothing, like they don’t a heap of times, but they know what the other one’s a-thinking. They’re like that, you know. And all of a sudden, papa, he broke out in a big grin again. He said, “Dad-blame-it, Sam Jackson, it’s a sure a good thing you come by here. Lord have mercy, I liked to forgot. Old Santa Claus would have me in court if he heared about this. The last thing he asked me if I lived out here near you. Said he hadn’t seen you around and said he wanted me to bring part of this out here to you and your family, your woman and your children.”
Well, sir, Sam Jackson, he broke out in a big grin. Papa says, “I’ll tell you what to do. You get your wife and children and you come down here tomorrow morning. It’s going to be Christmastime all day long. Come early and stay late.” Sam Jackson said, “You reckon?” And mama called out to him and said, “Yes, and you tell your wife to be sure and bring some pots and pans because we’re going to have a heap of cookin’ to do and I ain’t sure I’ve got enough to take care of all of it.” Well, sir, old Sam Jackson, he started off a-leading that mule up the lane in a full trot, you know, and he was a-heading home to get the word to his folks and his children, you know.
And next morning, it just — you remember how it was yesterday morning, just rosy red and looked like Christmastime. It was cold, but you didn’t notice the cold, you know, when the sun just come up, just all rosy red. And us young’uns were all out of bed before daylight seemed like, just running in the kitchen and smelling and looking. And it was all there sure enough. And here come Sam Jackson and his team and his wife and his five young’uns in there. And they’s all lookin’ over the edge. And we run out and yelled, “Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.” And papa said, “Christmas gift to you, Sam Jackson. Ya’ll come on in.” And they come in and mama and Sister Jackson, they got in the kitchen and they started a-cooking things up. And us young’uns started playing Christmastime. And it’s a lot of fun, you know. We’d just play Christmas Gift with one another and run around and around the house and just roll in the dirt, you know, and then we started playing Go Up To The Kitchen Door And Smell. And we’d run up and smell inside that kitchen door where mama and Sister Jackson was a-cooking at, and then we’d just die laughing and roll in the dirt, you know, and go chasing around and playing Christmas Gift.
And we played Christmastime till we just wore ourselves out. And papa and Sam Jackson—they put a table up and put some sheets over it, some boards up over some sawhorses. And everybody had a place, even the baby. And mama and Sister Jackson said, “Well, now it’s ready to come on in. We’re going to have Christmas dinner.” And I sit right next to Willy Jackson, you know, and he just rolled his eyes at me and I’d roll mine at him. And we’d just die laughing, you know, and there was an apple and an orange and some stripety candy at everybody’s place. And that was just dessert, see. That wasn’t the real Christmas dinner. Mama and them had done cooked that up. And they just had it spread up and down the table.
And so papa and Sam Jackson, they’d been sitting on the front porch and they come in. Papa, he sit at one end of the table, Sam Jackson sit at the other. And it was just a beautiful table like you never had seen. And I didn’t know nothing could ever look like that and smell that good, you know. And Sam Jackson, you know, he’s real black and he had on that white clean shirt of his and then them overalls. Everything had been washed and was real clean. Papa, he said, “Brother Jackson, I believe you’re a deacon in the church. I ain’t much of a church man myself, but I believe you’re a deacon. Maybe you’d be willing to give grace.” Well, Sam Jackson, he stood up there and his hands is real big and he kind of held onto the side of the table, you know. But he didn’t bow his head like a heap of folks do when they’re saying the blessing. He just looked up and smiled. And he said, “Lord, I hope you having as nice a Christmas up there with your angels as we’re having down here because it sure is Christmastime down here. And I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you, Lord.
Like I say, Mister, I believe that was the wonderfulest Christmas in the United States of America.”‘
December 06 2010 | Tim's Random Collection | No Comments »
The story goes something like this: Abraham received a promise from God and he accepted it – by faith. He followed where God led him – along with his family. Along the way and through the years – Abraham and Sarah walked an imperfect walk of faith – not so very much unlike my own. And by the time Isaac was born – fulfilling God’s promise – Abraham and Sarah required more than just a few tents set up around their lodging – just to hold all of the “baggage” they had accumulated – along the way. Baggage of sin – namely pride, deception, anger, immorality, and selfishness of one sort or another and the sort of baggage, that didn’t seem so bad – “once upon a time” – like actions of kindness and service to others, giving charitably to others and good deeds of one sort or another. Although many of these “good deeds” – not so very much unlike many of my own – were motivated by the flesh and therefore were in the least, disrespectful of God. Because so much of the baggage that they brought with them to this chapter in their Walk of Faith was born of pride – it amounted to little more than food to feed an inflated self-esteem. Much of the baggage they carried might be described best as human efforts that were mustered along the way – to hasten God’s promises along – a “helping hand” of one sort or another – when God’s promise seemed to be taking too long – or when the expectations of their hearts were out of sync with the divine timing of the Father.
Don’t loose me here! ;)
I mean, remember the “voice of good intentions” that Sarai spoke to Abram - …..(Read more here: p=87) - amounted only to human effort - to hasten God’s promise along – and now …. some 17 years later …. the challenge of faith that “won the day” then - has brought in to their walk of faith, today - disappointment – born of unfulfilled expectations. Quite the challenge of faith – wouldn’t you say?
Genesis 21:8-21 goes something like this: The baby grew to approximately 4 years old and was weaned. So Abraham, threw a big party on the day Isaac was weaned! And then, the sight of Hagar’s son at the feast ripped all of the joy Sarah should have had on that day - right out of Sarah! By this time Ishmael would have been in his teens and would likely have ”inherited” much of the animosity that was between Hagar and Sarah and her son of Promise. Ishmael was mocking Issac – and I must say – that Ishamel - treating Isaac this way at the party – makes me question his maturity level for his age – not to mention the maturity level of the whole lot of them! A bit of a rude and rather immature bullying of one sort or another, I suspect. But Sarah was having none of it! She determined right then and there that something was going to be done once and for all – and with considerable force - she gave Abraham an ultimatum: She told Abraham, “Get rid of this slave woman and her son! No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!”
No wonder – that this situation gave great pain to Abrahams heart - after all, Ishmael, approximately 18 years old by now, was his son – no matter how immature - and he had been born of - ”voices of good intention and of great expectations”. Abraham had kept a careful eye – if not an active involvement in the growth and nurturing of his son, Ishmael all these years. But God spoke to Abraham, “Don’t feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your decendants will come through Isaac. And regarding your maid’s son, don’t worry - I have room for him in my Promise, also – no matter how “ill conceived” – and I will develop a great nation from him – he’s your son, too!”
Abraham got up early the next morning – got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar - put them on her back and sent her away with the child. She and Ishmael wandered off into the desert of Beersheba – while, the disappointment of unfulfilled expections – surely began to take root in the hearts of Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael and even Sarah. When the water was gone – even from the skin it seems - she left the child under a shrub and went off – fifty yards or so – saying, “I can’t watch my son die” and as she sat down she broke into tears.
Meanwhile, God heard the boy crying. The angel of God called from Heaven to Hagar, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. The Father God has heard the boy and knows the fix he’s in. Get up now - go get the boy. Hold him tight. I’m going to make of him a great nation!” Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink.
The Father God was on the boy’s side as he grew up! He lived out in the desert and became a skilled archer. He lived in the Paran wilderness. And his mother got him a wife from Egypt. Golden!
It seems there is a ”golden thread” that is weaving its way through the life of Abraham and Sarah. God the Father Himself – preserving and protecting His Promises and His Will – inspite of an imperfect walk of faith. But that “golden thread” – it’s the same golden thread - that is still, to this day - winding its way right to my front door – and to yours, too! The Promises of God! Relationship with the Father! A walk of faith – no matter how imperfect – bringing Joy! Peace! and Promise!
I suppose, in this chapter of Abrahams Walk of Faith – I am finding that the “rub” comes when I get “out of sync” with God’s timing – out of harmony with His Will – taking matters into my own hands – helping things along, as it were – when things don’t seem to be happening quickly enough to satisfy me.
I suppose, we need to be more realistic in our expectations of what a Faith Walk involves! And in this chapter in Abraham’s walk of faith – I am finding that – “realistic” expections may be the greatest challenge of faith!?! Consider that, while our walk of faith does bring us to great joy - the path to that joy – can very often lead us through great pain – and all too often that pain – is largely due to the unrealistic expectations we have or have had of our God and Father – to fulfill His promises – in our own time – not in His. Too often, we want His promises fulfilled – our way! And very often, NOW! And we all know how prone we are to expect – that if we can just make a few changes in His plan - ”here and there”, to “help things along” – then our faith will surely benefit and His promises will surely follow – – - When, it’s just the opposite way ’round!
A daily walk in faith, cultivates – by its nurturing nature - Ultimate Joy – while, it can also involve great pain. I suppose, the pain comes when God is “lopping off” from our lives – the things that don’t bring honor to Him! I know that I bring all sorts of baggage from my “old life” – “in the flesh” – to my walk of faith – in Christ – we all do. That baggage of the flesh - amounts to “what I can do” - ”by my own power” – apart from any dependence on God. And that simply won’t do, in a Walk of Faith! I bring the baggage of my sin - namely pride, deception, anger, immorality, and selfishness of one sort or another – but, I also bring some baggage of the flesh that may not seem so bad - it may even seem good - like my actions of kindness and service to others, giving charitably to others, and good deeds of one sort or another. But if those “good deeds” – were motivated by my flesh – then they are in the very least - disrespectful of my God – because they are born of pride and they are little more than food for my inflated self-esteem and are more often than not – an attempt on my part - to balance the account of my sin and guilt – on my own -while, neither my sin nor my guilt - can be dealt with – without the promise and the passion and the power of the cross! I suppose, there is pain – because God has to tear away the baggage of my flesh – the good along with the bad – so that I will learn to depend completely - on Him for all that I do!
I suppose, in the Walk of Faith – I should learn to pack a lite bag! and trust that God, My Father will take care of me! That’s His Promise! WALK ON!
November 27 2010 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »
The Walk of Faith – A painful process!
I am gonna toss a “whet-post” at you! ;) - “soaked” with some of the underlying feelings and thoughts - that have been rumbling around in my head and in my heart over the past few months – while I have been digesting this next chapter in Abrahams Walk of Faith. In Part II – I’ll focus on some details from the text.
* “whet-post” – sorry, I made that up – but I made it up to describe that I want to “stir up your feelings” – “stimulate your appetite” – “stir your emotions” – about some of the painful truths that I am finding in this chapter of Abrahams Walk of Faith. - – - Grab your copy of the Word and see if you find the details of the text working on some of these same feelings and thoughts – in your walk, too.
Anyway, …. there is a story that goes something like the following: A married couple was expecting their first child – and the wife had just been to the doctor for the test that would reveal the baby’s gender. OK. So, her doctor asked her if she wanted the office to call her with the news from the test, as soon as the test was processed. The mother said, “No, just mail them to me” – “My husband and I want to share this precious moment together!” – - An envelope from the doctor arrived in the mail, a few days later. The happy couple made special plans for the evening – dining out at a very special restaurant. After the meal, they pulled out the envelope – and opened it together! It was the doctor’s bill!
I suppose - disappointments in life - born from unfulfilled expectations – might just be the single most destructive force – in the life of a Christian believer! I mean, why do we drift away from the Lord and His promises – so very often? Why do we habitually ebb and flow - in our spiritual lives? Why can’t we seem to stay consistent in our faith and in our daily walk with the Father? Abraham certainly had this problem – and I do too! I don’t think we are alone!
Perhaps, it is largely because of disappointments in life – that are born out of unfulfilled expectations.
Stay with me here.
So many of us – come to Christ – because we have heard that God promises to solve our problems and dry our tears and bring joy and peace into our troubled lives! And of course, there is No greater joy – No greater peace – No greater promise – than that of knowing, that in the Promise and Passion of Christ Jesus – our sins are forgiven and heaven is our home!! In some of our most Joyful moments – in the walk of faith - in the Christian life - our Father is answering our prayers – left and right it may seem – and He is using us to lead others to Christ! – and He promises to help them with their problems, too! ….. But, I fear that - along the walk – we can all too often – come to expect – Joy and Peace and All-Things-Wonderful, to be forever with us - without any expectation of pain. – - – Too often, we find that when for example – - all of our problems are not solved “quickly enough” – and inner conflicts of the soul remain unresolved for too long and we begin to feel overwhelmed - and when the human efforts that we muster – to hasten His promises along, don’t live up to our expectations ….. well, …. disappointment sets in and it gets immediately to work - destroying our faith. Am I making any sense, here?
I suppose, we need to be more realistic in our expectations of what a Faith Walk involves! And in this chapter in Abraham’s walk of faith – I am finding that – “realistic” expections may be the greatest challenge of faith!?! Consider that, while our walk of faith does bring us to great joy - the path to that joy – can very often lead us through great pain – and all too often that pain – is largely due to the unrealistic expectations we have or have had of our God – to fulfill His promises – in our own time – not in His. Too often, we want His promises fulfilled – our way and we all know how prone we are to expect – that if we can just make a few changes in His plan - ”here and there”, to “help things along” – then our faith will surely benefit When, it’s just the opposite way ’round!
A daily walk in faith, cultivates – by its nurturing nature - Ultimate Joy – while, it can also involve great pain. I suppose, the pain comes when God is “lopping off” from our lives – the things that don’t bring honor to Him! I know that I bring all sorts of baggage from my “old life” – “in the flesh” – to my walk of faith – in Christ – I know that we all do. That baggage of the flesh - amounts to “what I can do” - ”by my own power” – apart from any dependence on God. And that simply won’t do, in a Walk of Faith. I bring the baggage of my sin - namely pride, anger, immorality, and selfishness of one sort or another – but, I also bring some baggage of the flesh that may not seem so bad - it may even seem good - like my actions of kindness and service to others, giving charitably to others, and good deeds of one sort or another. But if those “good deeds” – were motivated by my flesh – then they are in the very least - disrespectful of my God – because they are born of pride and they are little more than food for my inflated self-esteem and are more often than not – an attempt on my part - to balance the account of my sin and guilt – on my own -while, neither my sin nor my guilt - can be dealt with – without the promise and the passion and the power of the cross! I suppose, there is pain – because God has to tear away the baggage of my flesh – the good along with the bad – so that I will learn to depend completely - on Him for all that I do!
The Walk of Faith ….. It’s a painful process!
Think about it and read Genesis 21, focusing on verse 8 through 21. Part II is coming ……
You might also want to re-read the previous post for reference: http://cbblog.acommonbond.net/?p=442
November 16 2010 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk and Living in the Word | No Comments »
The Book of Revelation– passages specific to God’s Plan for Man’s – SALVATION
Revelation 1
v.5 – …To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, v.6 – and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Revelation 2
v.5 – Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. v.6 – But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. v.7 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 2
v.9 – I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. v.10 – Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. v.11 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Revelation 2
v.14 – Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
v.15 – Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
v.16 – Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. v.17 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Revelation 2
v.23 – …Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. v.24 – Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): v.25 – Only hold on to what you have until I come. v.26 – To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—v.27 – ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’— just as I have received authority from my Father. v.28 – I will also give him the morning star. v.29 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3
v.3 – Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. v.4 – Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. v.5 – He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. v.6 – He who has an ear, let him hear whatthe Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3
v.11 – I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. v.12 – Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. v.13 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3
v.14 – “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. v.15 – I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! v.16 – So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. v.17 – You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. v.18 – I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. v.19 – Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. v.20 – Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. v.21 – To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. v.22 – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 7
v.13 – Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
v.14 – I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
v.15 – Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. v.16 – Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
v.17 – For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 12
v.10 – Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
v.11 – They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
v.12 – Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
Revelation 14
v.3 – And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. v.4 – These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. v.5 – No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
Revelation 14
v.9 – A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, v.10 – he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. v.11 – And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” v.12 – This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Revelation 20
v.4 – I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. v.5 – (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. v.6 – Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Revelation 20
v.11 – Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. v.12 – And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.
Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. v.14 – Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. v.15 – If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21
v.6 – He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. v.7 – He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. v.8 – But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22
v.17 – The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!”
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
November 08 2010 | New Testament - Salvation | No Comments »
The Book of Jude – passages specific to God’s Plan for Man’s – SALVATION
Jude
v.20 – But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and
pray in the Holy Spirit. v.21 – Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
v.22 – Be merciful to those who doubt; v.23 – snatch others from the fire and save
them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained
by corrupted flesh.
v.24 – To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his
glorious presence without fault and with great joy— v.25 – to the only God our
Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
October 08 2010 | New Testament - Salvation | No Comments »
The Book of II John – passages specific to God’s Plan for Man’s – SALVATION
II John 1
v.7 – Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. v.8 – Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. v.9 – Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. v.10 – If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. v.11 – Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.
September 08 2010 | New Testament - Salvation | No Comments »
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