Futurama

The future turns into the past far too quickly.
(Except for those times when you actually want it to.)

Be Smart

Intelligence and wisdom are not the same thing.
They are vast worlds apart (though they are often mistaken for each other).

A highly educated person might not understand there is a difference,
whereas the wise person fully comprehends they're not one and the same.

Our educational systems excel in boosting the intelligence of students but far too often fail in bringing about growth and maturity in wisdom.

The reverse, opposites of intelligence and wisdom are 'uneducated and foolish'.
These opposite cousins can freely be mixed, thus producing...
'Intelligent but foolish'
and
'Uneducated but wise'

When seeking advice, be sure you fully understand what type of advice you actually need! Otherwise, you'll only be hurt in the long run.

-((NOTE: Yes, a person can have both. It's not always one or the other.))-

Solitaire

Some aspects of our inner personal growth can be compared to a game of spider solitaire. A team effort is of no benefit and can even prove to hinder the final results... you have to play the game alone! Thinking ahead is quite beneficial and helps you develop skills of reasoning, expectation, and deduction. No matter how well you are doing, unexpected surprises will be met which can instantly change your strategic plans and set you behind... or stop you dead in your tracks. But if you do too well at the start and fail to notice what areas need to be filled, you end-up hurting your self and have to purposely go back in the other direction just to finish worse-off than if you had began with more hindrances.

So teach us to number our days that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. (Psalms 90:12)

Invisibility

So, are you one of the invisible people?
Are you one who doesn't stand out in a crowd or turn heads when you enter a room?
Is it usually someone else who is picked or called-on again and again (though they might have lesser skills and abilities)?
Well, God can use invisible people!
Actually, He would rather use invisible people.
Jesus chose to surround Himself with invisible people... then He made them shine, radiate, and be fully seen.

Too much dirt on a windshield makes it difficult to drive, but clean invisible glass allows the driver to clearly see, steer, and move ahead.
Be the type of windshield that allows God to drive... and take you where He wants you to be.

Back from the Dead

So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “ Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (John 11:3-4)

Jesus intentionally allowed the women's brother to die! He could have easily healed him while he was still sick but made the choice to wait until he was dead to travel to where he was. At first this seems so uncaring, heartless, and drastic, but Jesus clearly explains the purpose. He states that this will be an event so overwhelmingly above and beyond anything that normal people are familiar with and are capable of that it will be proof to all generations that God is who He says He is and Jesus will receive the glorious authentication/ validated/ stamped with approval/ proof beyond all other as being His Son of might and glory! An aspect of Jesus' glory is that He should never be referred to in the same league as any other prophet or religious person. He alone is who He says He is!

Jesus then went on to take Lazarus, who was a decaying, stinking four-day-old corpse and bring him back to a fresh new life. (This event had many witnesses and was well-known and talked about beyond the region. It was even referred to by those in high political positions.)

____________________

NOTE: If interested in the rest of this amazing account, read the remainder of John chapter 11. It is recorded in such an amazing style filled with drama, theological answers, human emotion, impact, timing, doctrine, depth, and angst that it surpasses all other factual historical accounts and practically any fictional writings by the very best authors and/or historians! There has never been a Hollywood movie that was able to show this event with the full impact that it has!

Don't Bother Me

Don't be bothered
If people are bothered
By what you have to say
If what you have to say
Is bothersome.

(Note to spellcheck... Bother and brother are too separate words, don't confuse one for the other)

Know God

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." — Isaiah 55:8

Whoa! Time to stop, rest, and take a status check on your concept of God. He has revealed Himself and it's up to us to acknowledge He has... and realize there is no possible way we can put Him in our box of preconceived ideas. Our concept of God can only be based upon those aspects of Himself that He has chosen to reveal. It can never be centered on our own imaginings and misconceptions. If we remain far and distant from Him, our ideas of Him will be totally inaccurate. But if we draw close to Him, we can savor in the beauty of what He has made known!

wwJd at all times

When a person criticizes a Christian, it's as if they are saying, "I know the things that I do are quite wrong, but they are even more wrong when a person who is supposed to be like Jesus does them. You appear hypocritical when you act like me."

Christians... keep your focus on the Lord and keep a WWJD mentality at all times. That's the way it is, and others know when you don't.

Betrayed

It's far too easy to accuse someone of being a betrayer when the person who often betrays us the most is our very self! Daily we battle self in every possible way.

1) We are betrayed by our mind. "I did my research and was so sure, and yet I was still wrong." "Wow! That's not the way I remember it. My memory must be going." "You should listen to me, I have more education than he does."

2) Our body constantly betrays us. "I don't even recognize the person in the mirror. Surely that's not me?!" "I tried with everything I have and still couldn't place." "Where are all these aches and pains coming from?"

3) Emotions betray by their very nature. "I can't understand why this didn't work out. I was so sure this would be so right. I trusted my feelings." "I didn't intend to lose so much, but I felt this would be the big win for me." "I fall in and out of love too easily... I just can't resist."

4) We are betrayed by our confidence. "I trust my driving more than anyone else and yet I just didn't see that car coming." "I really should have listened to them and I wouldn't be in this mess today." "Don't blame me for losing the game, anyone could have missed that ball."

5) We are betrayed by our spiritual insight. "I believe god is anything you want it to be." "I don't believe in what I cannot see." "I believe that all people are good on the inside."


Yet we distance or disown the other person when we would never consider disowning our self.

How about reconciling with someone you feel has wronged you... they're really not your worst enemy. It's the best thing you can do.

Tainted

Just because we live amongst tainted humanity doesn't mean we have to remain in this condition and still be covered in stench when we depart.

Your definition is wrong

If the dictionary has to change it's definition to reflect current thought, that should trigger a red flag and make you question popular usage as opposed to the real meaning of the word.

Literalist

Are you a literalist? If so, it is absolutely mandatory when reading poetical writings to shift out of literal interpretation over into metaphorical reasoning. The meaning does not change! A poetical symbol boldly represents the truth for which it reflects. Do not take that symbol and turn it into a 'reliable concrete absolute' which it was never intended to be! It represents... understand it in that way and enjoy the writing in the way it was intended. When finished reading, you can go back to being a literalist once again. The world does have a need for your reasoning prowess.

Fifty Years ago Today

Fifty years ago in June of 1962, the Beatles entered the Abbey Road recording studio for the first time. Those of us who were music listeners at that time were taken on a roller coaster of musical experiences and cultural change which has never been paralleled or equaled, before or since.

As a child I had not been particularly interested in music, but that changed overnight when hearing "Meet the Beatles" for the first time. We knew instinctively that this was different and not like what we had heard before. This was us. Things were changing, and the Beatles were introducing and preparing us for that change.
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"It was fifty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play."

Snow White

On one hand you have 1939's 'Snow White' Disney cartoon. It portrays a very unrealistic (even for then) portrayal of a simple, sweet, and innocent heroine. Now we have 2012's 'Snow White & the Huntsman' which distorts the main figure even worse than the old cartoon did... but in the opposite direction this time around.

Are we so unrealistic in our expectations of fairytales/women/virtue and what's natural that we are totally incapable of having respect for fiction that doesn't adhere to our modern culture's perverse 'dumbing down' mentality? Perhaps we have strayed so far from wholesomeness that we no longer understand it or have the slightest inkling what it's all about.

Are we that 'perverse generation' that we were warned about so many years ago?

The Psalmists Sonata

The Psalmists Sonata
~ (words and music by me, 2004)

Your hymns elevate as they gently resonate.
~ Brightening the midnight hour as they illuminate.
Glancing over the land at Your handiwork,
~ My spirit rises skyward, ever higher and higher!

Reflection… Meditation!
~ A time to spend alone with You, my Lord.
Communion… Inspiration!
~ I love to deeply delve in the study of Your Word.

Painted with a palette of spiritual hues…
~ Revealing God’s poetry of truths.
A cornucopia filled with meaningful sonnets…
~ Reflect a vast smorgasbord of You.

You’ve exalted above all things….
~ Your name and Your Word.
~ Your name and Your Word.

Humble Yourself

I like this point from this morning’s study, so I’m sharing it… 



“If you want to be used by God, be faithful in the little things. You can never be too small for God to use—only TOO BIG. If you are willing to do whatever God wants you to do and be faithful in that, just watch what God will accomplish through your life.”

Judgment Day - Autumn

Judgment Day - Autumn

We have taken a simple statement "do not judge" which Christ made to emphasize that we are not the supreme judge who hands down the verdict of where a person's soul is at, and we have twisted it in being a total license to sin. No, this statement was not aimed at the recipient of the judgment... He spoke numerous times about the outcome of that person's actions as based on the wrongful motives of their heart. We must be careful to not use the 'do not judge' card when our actions are crying out for judgment... that day will come sooner than we like.

'Judgment Day' is the next to the last piece in the Alpha & Omega Suite.

Power

The power goes out sometime around 8pm and comes back on at 3am. I don't know what your feelings are about the utility companies, but aren't you glad that you aren't the one having to put lines back up and restore power--- in the middle of the night--- while a storm is raging!?