God Smiled At Me

I am a real skeptic but this did give me a shiver.

I had a problem pronouncing the word 'face' in Verse 4 of the text below which forced me to do a very unusual music notation which resulted in what looked like a "face smiling back and winking at me".

"God of host, bring us back;
let your face shine on us 
and we shall be saved."
~ Psalm 79:19 (Greek, UK, Singapore)
~ Psalm 80:19 (Hebrew, USA)

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Who Do We Need to Love? ~ by PGA
First Posted: Wednesday, 2013 Jan 09 at 03:14 PM
Updated: Friday, 2013 Jun 28 at 08:00 AM

We do not need... the whole world to love us... we just need...
the love of those who... WERE... chosen to love us, and
the love of those who... HAVE... chosen to love us.

I do not need... to love the whole world... I just need...
to love those who... HAVE BEEN... chosen for me to love, and
to love those who... I... HAVE... chosen for me to love.

Only after then... we NEED to love...
the whole world... and God above.
For we need the time... on Earth to learn,
as we make our way... to God in heaven

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Message from GOD

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Message from GOD

• It's not the end of the world. Not until I say so, anyway. 

• Don't forget to your umbrella, I might water the plants today. 

• Please don't drink and drive, you're not quite ready to meet me yet. 

• If you think Mona Lisa is stunning, you should look at my masterpiece... in the mirror. 

• What do I have to do to get your attention? Take out an ad in the paper? 

• I was thinking of making the world black and white. Then I thought... naaah. 

• Could you imagine the price of air, if it were brought to you by another supplier? 

• I am here.

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Agnostic Catholic (or Agnostic Roman Catholic)

~~~

Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—

especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, 

but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable.

~ excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism

An Agnostic is a person who believes... 

... that the existence or non-existence of GOD... 

... or the truth of any religion cannot be proven.

An Agnostic Catholic (Roman Catholic)... 

... is a person who, while still an Agnostic... 

... chooses to believe in Catholic Religion.

~~~

Why do you find it so hard to believe?

I find it difficult trying to understand this TV Series... but the 3 lines from this show does help in understanding the meaning of the word 'Believe'.

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Video Dialog:

[shouts at each other]
John Locke: Why do you find it so hard to believe?
Dr. Jack Shephard: Why do you find it so easy?
John Locke:  It's never been easy! .

Lost (TV Seires) ~ http://youtu.be/blBDxrxWqyY

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Agnostic Catholic ~ Pope Benedict says conscientious agnostics may be closer to God than ‘social’Catholics

Wow! You can actually believe in anything... 
and still be Catholic... 
and YAY! to being Catholic.

First, I'll have to find a way to verify if this is true that Pope Benedict did actually say this in his homily.

If he did say this, than I have hope as an Agnostic Catholic.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Date: Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 10:27 AM
Subject: Agnostic Catholic ~ Pope Benedict says conscientious agnostics may be closer to God than 'social'Catholics

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Pope Benedict says conscientious agnostics may be closer to God than 'social'Catholics

BY DEACON NICK,ON SEPTEMBER 25TH,2011

http://protectthepope.com/?p=3805

During his homily at Freiburg Pope Benedict,reflecting on Matthew's Gospel about prostitutes and tax-collectors being closer to the Kingdom of God than those hard of heart who rejected John the Baptist and himself,updated the parable to refer to conscientious agnostics and Catholics who only participate in the Church out of social convention:

'The Lord concludes his parable with harsh words: "Truly, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness,and you did not believe him,but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him,and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him"(Mt 21:32).

Translated into the language of our time,this statement might sound something like this: agnostics, who are constantly exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer on account of our sin,are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose life of faith is "routine"and who regard the Church merely as an institution,without letting their hearts be touched by faith.

The words of Jesus should make us all pause,in fact they should disturb us. However,this is by no means to suggest that everyone who lives in the Church and works for her should be considered far from Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Absolutely not! On the contrary,this is a time to offer a word of profound gratitude to the many co-workers,employees and volunteers,without whom life in the parishes and in the entire Church would be hard to imagine'

comment: Far from being a strident polemicist Pope Benedict's words reveal his thoughtful understanding of the complexity of peoples'struggles with ultimate questions behind such labels as 'agnostic'.

The contrast between the Holy Father's thoughtful words and the insults and caricatures of many protesters hawked around the world by the media during his State Visit to Germany couldn't be more striking.

http://www.romereports.com/palio/popes-homily-in-freiburg-god-placed-a-limit-on-his-power-by-recognizing-freedom-of-his-creatures-english-5002.html

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Pope's homily in Freiburg: God placed a limit on his power by recognizing the freedom of his creatures

2011-09-25 13:30:35,

http://www.romereports.com/palio/popes-homily-in-freiburg-god-placed-a-limit-on-his-power-by-recognizing-freedom-of-his-creatures-english-5002.html

September 25, 2011. (Romereports.com) "There are theologians who, in the face of all the terrible things that happen in the world today, say that God cannot be all-powerful. In response to this we profess God, the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth". 

"We have to be aware that he exercises his power differently from the way we normally do. He has placed a limit on his power, by recognizing the freedom of his creatures. We are glad and thankful for the gift of freedom. However, when we see the terrible things that happen as a result of it, we are frightened. Let us put our trust in God, whose power manifests itself above all in mercy and forgiveness. (...) God respects our freedom. He does not constrain us".

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is moving for me to be here once again to celebrate this Eucharist, this Thanksgiving, with so many people from different parts of Germany and the neighbouring countries. We offer our thanks above all to God, in whom we live and move. But I would also like to thank all of you for your prayers that the Successor of Peter may continue to carry out his ministry with joy and faithful hope, and that he may strengthen his brothers in faith.

"Father, you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness", as we said in today's Collect. In the first reading we heard how God manifested the power of his mercy in the history of Israel. The experience of the Babylonian Exile caused the people to fall into a crisis of faith: Why did this calamity happen? Perhaps God was not truly powerful?

There are theologians who, in the face of all the terrible things that happen in the world today, say that God cannot be all-powerful. In response to this we profess God, the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth. We are glad and thankful that God is all-powerful. At the same time, we have to be aware that he exercises his power differently from the way we normally do. He has placed a limit on his power, by recognizing the freedom of his creatures. We are glad and thankful for the gift of freedom. However, when we see the terrible things that happen as a result of it, we are frightened. Let us put our trust in God, whose power manifests itself above all in mercy and forgiveness. Let us be certain, dear faithful, that God desires the salvation of his people. He desires our salvation. He is always close to us, especially in times of danger and radical change, his heart aches for us and he reaches out to us. We need to open ourselves to him so that the power of his mercy can touch our hearts. We have to be ready to abandon evil, to raise ourselves from indifference and make room for his word. God respects our freedom. He does not constrain us.

In the Gospel Jesus takes up this fundamental theme of prophetic preaching. He recounts the parable of the two sons invited by their father to work in the vineyard. The first son responded: "'I will not go', but afterward he repented and went." Instead the other son said to the father: "'I go, sir,' but did not go." When asked by Jesus which of the two sons did the father's will, those listening respond: "the first" (Mt 21:29-31). The message of the parable is clear: it is not words that matter, but deeds, deeds of conversion and faith. Jesus directs this message to the chief priests and elders of the people, that is, to the experts of religion for the people of Israel. At first they say "yes" to God's will, but their piety becomes routine and God no longer matters to them. For this reason they find the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus disturbing. The Lord concludes his parable with harsh words: "Truly, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him, and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him" (Mt 21:32). Translated into the language of our time, this statement might sound something like this: agnostics, who are constantly exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer on account of our sin, are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose life of faith is "routine" and who regard the Church merely as an institution, without letting their hearts be touched by faith.

The words of Jesus should make us all pause, in fact they should disturb us. However, this is by no means to suggest that everyone who lives in the Church and works for her should be considered far from Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Absolutely not! On the contrary, this is a time to offer a word of profound gratitude to the many co-workers, employees and volunteers, without whom life in the parishes and in the entire Church would be hard to imagine. The Church in Germany has many social and charitable institutions through which the love of neighbour is practised in ways that bring social benefits and reach to the ends of the earth. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all those working in Caritas Germany and in other church organizations who give their time and effort generously in voluntary service to the Church. In the first place, such service requires objective and professional expertise. But in the spirit of Jesus' teaching something more is needed – an open heart that allows itself to be touched by the love of Christ, and thus gives to our neighbour, who needs us, something more than a technical service: it gives love, in which the other person is able to see Christ, the loving God. So let us ask ourselves, how is my personal relationship with God: in prayer, in participation at Sunday Mass, in exploring my faith through meditation on sacred Scripture and study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Dear friends, in the last analysis, the renewal of the Church will only come about through openness to conversion and through renewed faith.

The Gospel for this Sunday speaks of two sons, but behind them, in a mysterious way, there is a third son. The first son says "no," but does the father's will. The second son says "yes," but does not do what he was asked. The third son both says "yes" and does what he was asked. This third son is the Only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has gathered us all here. Jesus, on entering the world, said: "Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God" (Heb 10:7). He not only said "yes", he acted on it. As the Christological hymn from the second reading says: "Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a Cross" (Phil. 2: 6-8). In humility and obedience, Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father and by dying on the Cross for his brothers and sisters, he saved us from our pride and obstinacy. Let us thank him for his sacrifice, let us bend our knees before his name and proclaim together with the disciples of the first generation: "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:11).

The Christian life must continually measure itself by Christ: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5), as Saint Paul says in the introduction to the Christological hymn. A few verses before, he exhorts his readers: "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind" (Phil 2:1-2). Just as Christ was totally united to the Father and obedient to him, so too the disciples must obey God and be of one mind among themselves. Dear friends, with Paul I dare to exhort you: complete my joy by being firmly united in Christ. The Church in Germany will overcome the great challenges of the present and future, and it will remain a leaven in society, if the priests, consecrated men and women, and the lay faithful, in fidelity to their respective vocations, work together in unity, if the parishes, communities, and movements support and enrich each other, if the baptized and confirmed, in union with their bishop, lift high the torch of untarnished faith and allow it to enlighten their abundant knowledge and skills. The Church in Germany will continue to be a blessing for the entire Catholic world: if she remains faithfully united with the Successors of Saint Peter and the Apostles, if she fosters cooperation in various ways with mission countries and allows herself to be "infected" by the joy that marks the faith of these young Churches.

To his exhortation to unity, Paul adds a call to humility: "Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:3-4). Christian life is a life for others: existing for others, humble service of neighbour and of the common good. Dear friends, humility is a virtue that does not enjoy great esteem today. But the Lord's disciples know that this virtue is, so to speak, the oil that makes the process of dialogue fruitful, cooperation simple and unity sincere. The Latin word for humility, humilitas, is derived from humus and indicates closeness to the earth. Those who are humble stand with their two feet on the ground, but above all they listen to Christ, the Word of God, who ceaselessly renews the Church and each of her members.

Let us ask God for the courage and the humility to walk the path of faith, to draw from the riches of his mercy, and to fix our gaze on Christ, the Word, who makes all things new and is for us "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6): he is our future. Amen.

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Printable version ~ http://www.romereports.com/palio/modules.php?name=News&file=print&newlang=english&sid=5002

Pope's homily in Freiburg: God placed a limit on his power by recognizing the freedom of his creatures Date: 2011-09-25 13:30:35 September 25, 2011. (Romereports.com) "There are theologians who, in the face of all the terrible things that happen in the world today, say that God cannot be all-powerful. In response to this we profess God, the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth".  "We have to be aware that he exercises his power differently from the way we normally do. He has placed a limit on his power, by recognizing the freedom of his creatures. We are glad and thankful for the gift of freedom. However, when we see the terrible things that happen as a result of it, we are frightened. Let us put our trust in God, whose power manifests itself above all in mercy and forgiveness. (...) God respects our freedom. He does not constrain us". FULL HOMILY Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is moving for me to be here once again to celebrate this Eucharist, this Thanksgiving, with so many people from different parts of Germany and the neighbouring countries. We offer our thanks above all to God, in whom we live and move. But I would also like to thank all of you for your prayers that the Successor of Peter may continue to carry out his ministry with joy and faithful hope, and that he may strengthen his brothers in faith. "Father, you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness", as we said in today's Collect. In the first reading we heard how God manifested the power of his mercy in the history of Israel. The experience of the Babylonian Exile caused the people to fall into a crisis of faith: Why did this calamity happen? Perhaps God was not truly powerful? There are theologians who, in the face of all the terrible things that happen in the world today, say that God cannot be all-powerful. In response to this we profess God, the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth. We are glad and thankful that God is all-powerful. At the same time, we have to be aware that he exercises his power differently from the way we normally do. He has placed a limit on his power, by recognizing the freedom of his creatures. We are glad and thankful for the gift of freedom. However, when we see the terrible things that happen as a result of it, we are frightened. Let us put our trust in God, whose power manifests itself above all in mercy and forgiveness. Let us be certain, dear faithful, that God desires the salvation of his people. He desires our salvation. He is always close to us, especially in times of danger and radical change, his heart aches for us and he reaches out to us. We need to open ourselves to him so that the power of his mercy can touch our hearts. We have to be ready to abandon evil, to raise ourselves from indifference and make room for his word. God respects our freedom. He does not constrain us. In the Gospel Jesus takes up this fundamental theme of prophetic preaching. He recounts the parable of the two sons invited by their father to work in the vineyard. The first son responded: "'I will not go', but afterward he repented and went." Instead the other son said to the father: "'I go, sir,' but did not go." When asked by Jesus which of the two sons did the father's will, those listening respond: "the first" (Mt 21:29-31). The message of the parable is clear: it is not words that matter, but deeds, deeds of conversion and faith. Jesus directs this message to the chief priests and elders of the people, that is, to the experts of religion for the people of Israel. At first they say "yes" to God's will, but their piety becomes routine and God no longer matters to them. For this reason they find the message of John the Baptist and the message of Jesus disturbing. The Lord concludes his parable with harsh words: "Truly, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him, and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him" (Mt 21:32). Translated into the language of our time, this statement might sound something like this: agnostics, who are constantly exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer on account of our sin, are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose life of faith is "routine" and who regard the Church merely as an institution, without letting their hearts be touched by faith. The words of Jesus should make us all pause, in fact they should disturb us. However, this is by no means to suggest that everyone who lives in the Church and works for her should be considered far from Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Absolutely not! On the contrary, this is a time to offer a word of profound gratitude to the many co-workers, employees and volunteers, without whom life in the parishes and in the entire Church would be hard to imagine. The Church in Germany has many social and charitable institutions through which the love of neighbour is practised in ways that bring social benefits and reach to the ends of the earth. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all those working in Caritas Germany and in other church organizations who give their time and effort generously in voluntary service to the Church. In the first place, such service requires objective and professional expertise. But in the spirit of Jesus' teaching something more is needed – an open heart that allows itself to be touched by the love of Christ, and thus gives to our neighbour, who needs us, something more than a technical service: it gives love, in which the other person is able to see Christ, the loving God. So let us ask ourselves, how is my personal relationship with God: in prayer, in participation at Sunday Mass, in exploring my faith through meditation on sacred Scripture and study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Dear friends, in the last analysis, the renewal of the Church will only come about through openness to conversion and through renewed faith. The Gospel for this Sunday speaks of two sons, but behind them, in a mysterious way, there is a third son. The first son says "no," but does the father's will. The second son says "yes," but does not do what he was asked. The third son both says "yes" and does what he was asked. This third son is the Only-begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has gathered us all here. Jesus, on entering the world, said: "Lo, I have come to do thy will, O God" (Heb 10:7). He not only said "yes", he acted on it. As the Christological hymn from the second reading says: "Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a Cross" (Phil. 2: 6-8). In humility and obedience, Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father and by dying on the Cross for his brothers and sisters, he saved us from our pride and obstinacy. Let us thank him for his sacrifice, let us bend our knees before his name and proclaim together with the disciples of the first generation: "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:11). The Christian life must continually measure itself by Christ: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5), as Saint Paul says in the introduction to the Christological hymn. A few verses before, he exhorts his readers: "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind" (Phil 2:1-2). Just as Christ was totally united to the Father and obedient to him, so too the disciples must obey God and be of one mind among themselves. Dear friends, with Paul I dare to exhort you: complete my joy by being firmly united in Christ. The Church in Germany will overcome the great challenges of the present and future, and it will remain a leaven in society, if the priests, consecrated men and women, and the lay faithful, in fidelity to their respective vocations, work together in unity, if the parishes, communities, and movements support and enrich each other, if the baptized and confirmed, in union with their bishop, lift high the torch of untarnished faith and allow it to enlighten their abundant knowledge and skills. The Church in Germany will continue to be a blessing for the entire Catholic world: if she remains faithfully united with the Successors of Saint Peter and the Apostles, if she fosters cooperation in various ways with mission countries and allows herself to be "infected" by the joy that marks the faith of these young Churches. To his exhortation to unity, Paul adds a call to humility: "Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:3-4). Christian life is a life for others: existing for others, humble service of neighbour and of the common good. Dear friends, humility is a virtue that does not enjoy great esteem today. But the Lord's disciples know that this virtue is, so to speak, the oil that makes the process of dialogue fruitful, cooperation simple and unity sincere. The Latin word for humility, humilitas, is derived from humus and indicates closeness to the earth. Those who are humble stand with their two feet on the ground, but above all they listen to Christ, the Word of God, who ceaselessly renews the Church and each of her members. Let us ask God for the courage and the humility to walk the path of faith, to draw from the riches of his mercy, and to fix our gaze on Christ, the Word, who makes all things new and is for us "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6): he is our future. Amen. This article comes from ROME REPORTS TV News Agency http://www.romereports.com The URL for this story is: http://www.romereports.com/palio/modules.php?name=News&file=article&newlang=english&sid=5002

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MAXINE ON JESUS!

Someone just sent me this.

This probably apply to those who have problems believing in God but for some reason or other, have no problems believing in Ghosts or the Devil.

However, I do understand that believing in Jesus and Christianity is not easy... but believing in God isn't difficult... really... if you believe in Ghosts and the Devil, believing in God is much easier.

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MAXINE  ON JESUS!

This is the best Maxine ever! 

So great, you will love it 

This doesn't get around as much as the other

Maxine cartoons. But, it should!

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Story ~ A Baby's Hug

Someone just sent me this lovely story. I hope you enjoy it too.

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A Baby's Hug

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.

We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy.. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?'

Erik continued to laugh and answer, 'Hi.'

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.'

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk.

My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time.

I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.'

Somehow I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.'

I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.'

I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. How did God feel when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God , we must become as little children.'

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Burnt Biscuits ~ A Story on Love and the 'Concept of God'

Someone just sent me this via email. 

It's a story on love and the 'Concept of God'. 

Is your 'Concept of God'... ONLY... to grant your wishes? Or is it more than that? 

I like the 'Concept of God' suggested in this story where ~ "[God is] ... the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!"

I know I'll have to get pass the 'Concept of God' because the the 'Concept of God' is only just... MY... 'Theory of Evolution'. 

Now... all I need to do is to get pass the "Concept of" and to really get to know "God". Who is HE? What more can I do to know him better? What more must I do that I have not already done? I'm limited. The ball is on HIS side of the court. Maybe it's not my time yet... but till then... I'll just have to be contented with just the 'Concept of God'... and I must say that... the 'Concept of God' does excite me... for now.

I've learnt that...

a concept is only an onset of what I feel to be real, and the 

"Concept of God" is the only think that excites me, for now.

I'm looking forward to when it will no longer be... a concept.

I know that this will happen... although I do not know when.

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The Burnt Biscuits (Story)

When I was a kid, my mom would prepare special breakfast every now and then. And I remember one night in particular, after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: Honey, I love burned biscuits.

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned.

He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone! You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like some people do. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other?s faults - and choosing to celebrate each other?s differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship."

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.

God Bless You..... now, and always....

So Please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.!.!.!.!

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Your Smiling Soul

Dedicated to all those who need to smile a bit more.

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‎"Discovering Your Smiling Soul. When you shift into spiritual awareness, you may appear to be living the same life as before, with the same ambitions, joys, and sorrows as before. However, inside, you have a radiant smile that may or may not be visible to the world. Your spiritual soul smiles through the good times and the bad. In fact, as your smiling soul shines more and more into the world around you, the world also begins to reflect your smile back at you. Do you ever find yourself smiling even when no one else is around? If not, try it! Smile to yourself. Smile at being alive. Smile to God, who is always present where you are -- closer than your own breath." ~ Unknown

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Life Without God...

Life without God is like 

an unsharpened pencil 

... it has no point!

~ unknown

Love God, Love your neighbor

Jesus gave a New Commandment... 

'Love God, Love your neighbor'.... ~ see 'Mark 12:28-31' and 'John 13:34-35'

Mark 12:28-31 (NIV) ~ The Greatest Commandment

[28] ~ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" [29] ~ "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] ~ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' [31] ~ The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] There is no commandment greater than these."

John 13:34-35 (NIV) ~ A New Commandment

[34] ~ "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] ~ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

A Short Story ~ God Speaks

I received this story today via email. If you ever wonder, does God still speak to his people... or if you wonder, does he exist... well, give this a try. You may be surprised at the outcome. I remember small instances when I was growing up and testing God in little ways and each time having a wonderful surprise encounter with God. As I got older, I stopped doing this for various reasons like 'not putting God to the test' and 'feeling silly doing this'. I think it's OK to do this once a while especially when there's a small prompting from withing you to try this. Who knows? I might do this again soon.

~~~.

A Short Story ~ God Speaks

A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does God still speak to people?' 

After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. 

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'God...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.' 

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. 

He shook his head and said out loud, 'God is that you?' He didn't get a reply and s tarted on toward home. 

But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. 

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. 

'Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. 

As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.' 

This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection. 

Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street . 

At the next inters ection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. 

Half jokingly, he said out loud, 

'Okay, God, I will.'

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. 

Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give t he milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. 

'Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. 

Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.'

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could get away. 

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. H e looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?' 

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.' The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. 

Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. 

The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.' 

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?' 

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and w alked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers. 

~~~.

Bitterness, Fear, Hope & God

Someone sent me this via email.

This is what I learnt today.

~~~.

Bitterness Is Fear In Disguise

With ref to ~ Ephesians 4:17–31 (scroll down below)

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, 
along with every form of malice." ~ Ephesians 4:31

It's just not fair!' 

~ says the 8-year-old when his parents say they can't afford to buy him a Nintendo DS; 

~ and the 18-year-old X Factor hopeful as she's voted out of the competition; 

~ and the 28-year-old computer programmer when his application for promotion is turned down for a second time; 

~ and the 38-year-old woman when yet another month has passed and she's still not pregnant; 

~ and the 48-year-old who finally gives up on her hope of getting married; 

~ and the 58-year-old who is made redundant years before he is ready to retire; 

~ and the 68-year-old whose children and grandchildren move to Australia without her; 

~ and the 78-year-old who is forced to sell her house to pay for her care; 

~ and the 88-year-old who fears she will die alone. It's just not fair.

'Hope deferred makes the heart sick, 
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life',
says Solomon in the Book of Proverbs (13:12). 

A sick heart can eventually turn into a bitter heart, and a bitter heart into a twisted one. Bitterness takes root when we give in to the fear that our deepest desires will never be met – and we hold it against God. So can a bitter heart ever be made sweet again? Yes, but we need to forgive and we need to let go of our unfulfilled hopes, dreams and disappointments. I don't know why God doesn't sometimes grant us our heart's desire – and, indeed, it doesn't seem fair that other people get the thing we want most. But I do know that God asks that He be our heart's desire above all else. If we put Him first we will never be disappointed.

'Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, 
and he will give you everything you need' (Matt. 6:33, NLT).

~~~.

Ephesians 4:17-31

(New International Version, ©2010)

Instructions for Christian Living

17 ~ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 

18 ~ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 

19 ~ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 ~ That, however, is not the way of life you learned 

21 ~ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 

22 ~ You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 

23 ~ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 

24 ~ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 ~ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 

26 ~ "In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 

27 ~ and do not give the devil a foothold. 

28 ~ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 ~ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

30 ~ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

31 ~ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Footnotes:

[a] Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)

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Labels:

Bitterness, Fear, Hope, God, Bible Fav,

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Fear Vs Faith

What I learnt from today's first reading.

Note... I did NOT write this...
... someone sent me this via email...
... I do not know who wrote it...
... but I found it very good...
... so I'm posting it on my BLOG.

It helped me understand that Faith is the opposite of Fear.
We normally Fear what we are unable to see or understand.
Faith gives us Hope... which is definitely...
... a whole lot better than the feeling of Fear.

~~~.

Saturday, 19th Feb 2011

Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(From today's First Reading ~ Heb 11:1-7)

Faith is being SURE of what we HOPE for and CERTAIN of what we do not SEE. ~ Heb 11:1

By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, 

so that what is visible came into being through the invisible. ~ Heb 11:3

Faith Not Fear ~ You may notice that all the fears we have looked at so far are linked to things we can't see, control or understand. It's in that gap between what we know and what we don't that fear lies. But God has something else to fill that gap: faith. But what is it? In today's passage (Heb 11:1-7) I would like to point out a few key words.

Firstly, 'sure' and 'certain'; those are concrete terms: while fear is linked to uncertainty, faith is far more tangible, objective and sure.

Fear = Uncertainty
Faith = More Tangible, Objective & Sure

Secondly, 'hope'. 'Hope' is my favorite word in the Bible. It is forward looking and full of abundant potential. Hope is what gives me purpose. The times when I've lacked it have been the most miserable periods of my life. Faith results in hope and hope is the result of faith.

And, finally, 'see'. Faith is linked to vision. Seeing through the eyes of faith gives us hope and certainty. These are the opposite of fear and uncertainty. Ask God to fill you now with faith. Remember this is faith in His ability – not your own.

~~~.

1ST Reading

Heb 11:1-7

Faith is the realization of what is hoped for

and evidence of things not seen.

Because of it the ancients were well attested.

By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,

so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.

By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain's.

Through this, he was attested to be righteous,

God bearing witness to his gifts,

and through this, though dead, he still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death,

and he was found no more because God had taken him.

Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.

But without faith it is impossible to please him,

for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists

and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen,

with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. 

Through this, he condemned the world

and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.

~~~.
Some bibles have this verse...
Faith is being SURE of what we HOPE for and CERTAIN of what we do not SEE. ~ Heb 11:1
... as...
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. ~ Heb 11:1

... which is about the same... which is...
SURE = realization
HOPE = hoped
CERTAIN = evidence
SEE = seen
~~~.
Labels:

Favorite Bible Quote, Faith, God, 

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God ~ What is man that you are mindful of him?

~~~

What is man that you are mindful of him, 

The son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little less than angels 

And crowned him with glory and honor.

~ Psalm 8:4-5

~~~

Do you not know that we will judge angels? 

How much more the things of this life!

~ 1 Corinthians 6:3

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Psalm 8 (New International Version)

http://niv.scripturetext.com/psalms/8.htm

1 ~
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.

2 ~
From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 ~
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 ~
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 ~
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 ~
You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 ~
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 ~
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 ~
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

~~~

Doubt ~ by James A. Fowler

I found this article (commentaries & study outlines) very interesting although I have difficulty understanding some of the stuff... now where's that dictionary?

~~~

Doubt ~ by James A. Fowler

http://www.christinyou.net/pages/doubt.html

© 1999 James A. Fowler
You are free to download this outline provided it remains intact without alteration. You are also free to transmit this outline electronically provided that you do so in its entirety with proper citation of authorship included.

DOUBT

I. Bibilical references to "doubt."

A. Greek word distazo - from dis meaning twice or double.

• Matt. 14:31 - (to Peter) "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
• Matt. 28:17 - (disciples) "they worshipped Him, but some were doubtful."

B. Greek word diakrino - dia = through; krino = to judge, determine

• Matt. 21:21 - "if you have faith, and do not doubt"
• Mark 11:23 - "does not doubt, but believes..."
• Rom. 14:23 - "he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because not from faith"
• James 1:6 - "ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."
• Jude 1:22 - "have mercy on some, who are doubting."

C. Greek word dialogismos - dia = through; logizomai = to reckon, consider
• Luke 24:38 - "why do doubts arise in your minds?"

D. Greek word diaporeo - dia = through; aporeo = perplexed (KJV)
• Acts 2:12 - "they continued in amazement and great perplexity"
• Acts 10:17 - "Peter was greatly perplexed in mind"
• Acts 10:20 - "accompany them without misgivings"

II. Defining "doubt."

A. English word derived from Latin dubitare or dubius from which we get dubious."

B. Two different concepts of "doubt."
• 1. Unbelief, disbelief, rejection, denial, agnosticism, faithlessness.
a. "Cartesian doubt" begins by doubting all things, but refuses to doubt its doubts.
b. Skeptics and scoffers begin with contempt and derision to prove their preconceived unbelief.
• 2. Uncertainty, lack of confidence, reservation, problematic, misgivings, skeptical, questioning, wavering, indeterminate.

III. Faith and doubt.

A. Differentiating between belief and faith. Greek word pistis.
• 1. Belief ­ Mental assent, cognitive acceptance, dogmatic assertion comprising intellectual certainty. (static)

• 2. Faith ­ Volitional receptivity and availability allowing for functional certainty of God's activity. (dynamic)

B. Relating doubt to belief and faith.
• 1. Belief and doubt.
a. The intellectual certainty of mental belief does not allow for unbelief, rejection or denial.
b. The intellectual certainty of mental belief does not allow for the uncertainty of questioning, reservations or misgivings.
(1) This is the basis of fundamentalism, fideism, credulity and "blind faith."
• 2. Faith and doubt.
a. The functional certainty of receptive faith is founded upon belief in God, and therefore not functional when there is unbelief and rejection of God.
b. The functional certainty of receptive faith is not functional if we consider it impossible, unlikely or doubtful that God will function faithfully and sufficiently in accord with who He is.
(1) The divided mind or double-mindedness of doubt affirms belief in God (a), but questions God's character or ability (b).
(2) Most of the New Testament references pertain to such double-mindedness.
c. The functional certainty of receptive faith allows for mental and emotional questioning, reservations and uncertainty.

(1) When we are living by faith that is receptive and available to God's function in our lives:
We don't know where God is taking us into the unknown and uncharted territory.
We don't know where this adventure will end.
We don't know what God will do next.
We don't know how God is going to work this out.
We don't know when this situation will be settled.
We don't know why God is allowing this circumstance or why God is acting as He does.
(2) The situation where we find ourselves is indeterminate and problematic. We are questioning, uncertain and perplexed. We are forced to recognize our inadequacy, inability and our own lack of faith as we remain receptive to God's activity.
Mk. 9:24 - "I believe; help my unbelief."
Jude 1:22 -"have mercy on some who are doubting"
(3) God is big enough and understanding enough to accept our doubts, to convince us and assure us of His character and sufficiency, and to bring us along to increased faith.

IV. Quotations about "doubt."

A. Chinese proverb - "With great doubts come great understanding; with little doubts come little understanding."

B. French proverb - "Only the one who knows nothing doubts nothing."

C. Blaise Pascal - "One must know when it is right to doubt, to affirm, to submit. Anyone who does otherwise does not understand the force of reason."

D. Francis Bacon - "If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties."

E. Martin Luther - "Knowledge and doubt are inseparable to man. The sole alternative to "knowledge-with-doubt" is no knowledge at all. Only God and certain madmen have no doubts!"

F. Alfred Lord Tennyson - "There lives more faith in honest doubt, Believe me, than in half the creeds."

G. George MacDonald - "Doubt can be a tool in God's hand weilded, in the lives of those who allow it, for the strengthening, not the destruction of faith."

H. C. S. Lewis - "If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt. If doubt is eventually justified, we were believing what clearly was not worth believing. But if doubt is answered, our faith has grown stronger. It knows God more certainly and it can enjoy God more deeply."

~~~

Imperfection & Holiness is Compatible

"Despite our shortcomings and limitations, 

God chooses to dwell in our human condition. 

When we become aware that this way is God's choice, 

We can NO LONGER say that Imperfection... 
... is Imcompatible with Holiness" 

~ from the 'Advent Reflections 2010 - God Is With Us'

~ form Daily Nourishments 2010 Dec 17, Friday

Understanding Life's Ups & Downs ~ by Rick Warren

I received this via email...

You may have received this... if you have, please ignore.

Here's my disclaimer:

For those who believe, no proof is necessary...

For those who don't believe, no amount of proof is enough.

~~~

Understanding Life's Ups & Downs ~ by Rick Warren You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having ‘wealth’ from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, ‘Purpose Driven Life ‘ author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said: People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body–but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act – the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness. This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys – you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don’t believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it’s kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you’re going into self-centeredness,’which is my problem, my issues, my pain.’ But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people. You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don’t think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72 First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free. We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God’s purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don’t get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do. That’s why we’re called human beings, not human doings. Happy moments, PRAISE GOD. Difficult moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD. Painful moments, TRUST GOD. Every moment, THANK GOD.

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