Easter generally gets me ruminating . . .

Thinking how when Jesus “showed-up” he revealed the eternal God in time … thats a “story to tell and follow” … story it is - it ain’t no fable …

Peter (and friends who were in the event) see it all this way …

"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.” II Peter 1:16-18

Fables don’t just “possibly” lead one up the garden path, since that’s where they started, that’s where they’ll end. Christian truth is lineal -revelation, not circular reasoning.

Ever tried demasticating discouragement?

That is don’t let discouragement chew you up ... reflect on it and “chew it up” . . . some thought as you chew . . .

Discouragement is the wrong decision in the face of difficulties … face difficulties with a determination empowered by the Divine … when you think its hard, remember they killed Jesus, you’re still alive --- and kicking!

The writer to the Hebrews put it this way . . .

10:35 "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."

The Immense God has nowhere to go ... He's already there!!

Been ruminating on how the greatness/bigness of God assures the reality of His constant presence ... here's some of the thinking going on in my thinker ...

God’s “felt absence” is not non-existence. For as He is with me in His presence, He is just as so in His “absence”. I best read absence to mean silence. There are times of loss. Loss of friends … such loss is generally accompanied by sorrow. It’s in sorrow I need faith, faith in the One who is “Oh too silently within me”. Times of losses of; friends, sensing the Divine presence, being empowered by open joy are identified with emptiness. In such times, faith is inspired by hope. A hope that recalls the past blessings, reminds the self of the greatness and goodness of the “silent One who is with me”. When in such faith I must listen as “one with ears called to hear”.

Close, Big and Everywhere

Been thinking about God being big? small? close? far away? ... chewing it over I've come up with "four mouthfulls" (ruminations) ... the last one is the "big mouthfull" . . .

Because God is Close … He is Big!

God is close to you …

He is close to me …

He is close to all of us …

To be that close He’s can’t be small …

Because He’s SO close ….

It shows us that He is BIG!!!

By myself I struggle, but together … we get it right

Just been reading the apostle Peter’s second letter to the churches, chewing over "how by himself he was a struggler, yet developed greater clarity and confidence with others" . . .

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain … notice a “wee bit of we language” ….

Like him we struggle (I read he achieves seven separate "stuff-ups" in the New Testament - wish I could keep it down to such a low number) getting and outworking life and belief answers by ourselves … often forgetting we are called to a biblical faith, revealed by God Himself - a faith held with others … “later-life-faith is not struggling individualistic-authentication, its confidence in personal and corporate belief”.

A'Kempis on Temptations

Today I've been reading A'Kempis "On Temptations" ... in putting down the book, here's my "chew on it" ...

"Temptation and temptations are tests to raise or fall; they are not opportunities to “stay just the same.” When I am tempted I am “in company” with all humans, from the first-born (Jesus), to greatest born (John the Baptist), to least-born (Paul), to latest born (those born, even as I write).

Temptations will always be part of life, their frequency and intensity will vary … so I will go through them, I can growth through them, but I will not live or grow without them. While God may not be behind them all, He will be with me in them all."