tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post6003876685133088312..comments2023-07-23T09:53:50.773-04:00Comments on Bags All Packed: So Many Questionsmeemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09104303592278897991noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-62703241369879686812020-06-11T15:57:36.362-04:002020-06-11T15:57:36.362-04:00Burl Ives. Haven't heard that name in ages. LO...Burl Ives. Haven't heard that name in ages. LOL! meemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104303592278897991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-21511826974666768262020-06-11T11:14:41.999-04:002020-06-11T11:14:41.999-04:00Was listening to Burl Ives on youtube sing "b...Was listening to Burl Ives on youtube sing "brighten the corner where you are" and it says "someone far from harbor you can guide across the bar." Guess it's time to set sail? :DNannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752706598297857540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-12251802770239284602020-06-11T10:27:00.843-04:002020-06-11T10:27:00.843-04:00Oswald Chambers, T. Austin-Sparks, Vance Havner, a...Oswald Chambers, T. Austin-Sparks, Vance Havner, and several others of the old teachers, the ones who had the spirit of the word, not just the letter - I lean on them a lot. <br /><br />Here’s a little aside - years ago I had an epiphany. I figured out one way (at least) to discern the difference between a real teacher and a good sounding false one - the real one causes you to pick up your Bible to learn more. The false one just wants you to pay attention to him and buy his books.<br /><br />I copied this a couple days ago from Chambers - <br /><br />By Oswald Chambers<br /><br />If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. —John 13:17<br /><br /><br />Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment.<br /><br />When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. Examine where you have become sluggish, where you began losing interest spiritually, and you will find that it goes back to a point where you did not do something you knew you should do. You did not do it because there seemed to be no immediate call to do it. But now you have no insight or discernment, and at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-controlled. It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.<br /><br />The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. It is easier to sacrifice yourself than to fulfill your spiritual destiny, which is stated in Romans 12:1-2. It is much better to fulfill the purpose of God in your life by discerning His will than it is to perform great acts of self-sacrifice. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Samuel 15:22). Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know…” (John 7:17).meemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104303592278897991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-84217843293947307322020-06-11T08:32:37.948-04:002020-06-11T08:32:37.948-04:00Psalm 119:74 Those who fear You shall see me and...Psalm 119:74 Those who fear You shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in Your word.<br /><br />Oswald Chambers: Remember that you can never give another person what you have found, but you can cause him to have a desire for it.<br />Nannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752706598297857540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-47524442183857290522020-06-07T14:03:49.214-04:002020-06-07T14:03:49.214-04:00Good questions, Nann. I can only speak for myself ...Good questions, Nann. I can only speak for myself and respond that I have practiced the discipline of listening, obeying, and trusting, for most of my adult life. This absolutely makes me out of step with the world. On good days, I’m very okay with it, on weak days I feel huge defeat. <br /><br />Where I waffle is when to speak and when to hold my tongue, because being ‘right’ isn’t always the best rationale. Of late, I have been stirred to simply write what is on my mind and in my heart. But, not knowing for sure if it is the right thing to do, I have opted to simply put it here and let God direct whomsoever He wishes to read it. That includes most of my friends and family. They don’t subscribe but rather expect me to send out a group email announcing a new blog post. This time I sent it to one person because I knew he would understand. <br /><br />I see the handwriting on the wall, we are as divided as we were during the Civil War and it is not my desire to cause dissension but neither can I remain silent. I’d really rather float above the fray, keeping my posts philosophical but is that a cowardly excuse? I don’t know the answer to that either. Maybe it comes back to being fine-tuned to listen, obey and trust. Speak or be silent depending on the prompt? meemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104303592278897991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-79033488594430797172020-06-07T12:52:08.497-04:002020-06-07T12:52:08.497-04:00Being in the world - but not of it - is often very...Being in the world - but not of it - is often very difficult to navigate for me. News reports, etc., are not produced by disciples of Christ so when is it ok/not ok to listen to all that? As followers of Christ we should hear HIS voice and proceed accordingly. How many Christians hear His voice?<br /><br />When we believe we hear Him, we are often way out of step with those around us. That may cause us to doubt. That may cause us to be the recipients of ridicule or worse. What's a true follower of King Jesus to do??<br /><br />I echo you, Meema, God help us indeed.Nannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752706598297857540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-43727514203123836432020-06-06T17:05:39.151-04:002020-06-06T17:05:39.151-04:00God help us indeed. I was just reading Acts 22 - s...God help us indeed. I was just reading Acts 22 - some serious corrolaries there. Seems as though Scripture becomes more profound, even those words we've read a hundred times, when current events sharpen the focus. Again, my prayer life lately is reduced to 'and deliver us from evil' and protect us from tragedy. :-[meemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104303592278897991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9044571629293488418.post-67143242417453338572020-06-06T16:21:21.341-04:002020-06-06T16:21:21.341-04:00I was re-reading Screwtape Letters back at the beg...I was re-reading Screwtape Letters back at the beginning of this pandemic, and wow--kept finding parallels to our situation and the designs of the evil one. I am a slow processor of current events, but I hear so much contradiction in the way we are handling everything. God, help us when the time comes that we are actually in a life or death situation as a nation!Michele Morinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814119096056835884noreply@blogger.com