Birthing wind series 3: Pain in vain

Birthing wind series 2: Falling short of our goals

Taking the kingdom - part 5 - The women with issue

Taking the kingdom part 4 - Ruth, Kingmaker

Taking the kingdom part 3 - Tamar makes her righteous stand

Practical Christianity 1: What comes first, chicken or egg, practicality or spirituality?

Let's start at the very beginning

And now we have a motive too … ISIS felt that Parisians had to die because “that city is a place of infidels and prostitution”, but probably more because of its "crusade" against them.

Of course it didn’t mention the captured women that ISIS regularly sells or the children they feed to its leaders. You don’t need more details – it is sordid, but I do wonder why they don’t sort out their backyard mess before sorting out everyone else’s?

However, it’s not limited to them. Although long-forgotten, Catholicism was as pernicious in the dark ages. Other groups around the world are as intolerant and brutal.

The French connection

In the movie, “Now you see me”, the actors are at pains to remind us that illusionism is about keeping your mind focused there while they do their thing here. It is about distraction.

I might add that the modern illusionist has taken such deception to unprecedented levels, to make planes or bridges disappear, while others walk on water or drive coins through glass.

During the French revolution, the illusionists were never seen. They used a stage hand, Robespierre, to do out there what detracted from what the puppet masters did over here. 

When they had had enough of Mr R, his head rolled as well.

Its a world full of people

A client related a great story to me. A woman accidentally shut herself inside a cold room on a Friday afternoon. 

No one heard her shouts and her body temperature was falling rapidly. Then, a good while later, a security guard found her. "What led you here", she asked? 

"Mam", he added, "of all the employees who work here, you are the reason I come to work. You greet me in the morning, you wave to me at night and when you can you chat or give me some food. So I wouldn't have missed anyone else, but I was expecting you to come out of the building and wave to me as you went home, and when you didn't appear I knew something was wrong. I searched all over until I found you down here, in this cold room".

My cup runs over

Our moods ebb and flow in cycles. We are oft desensitized to that because of contemporary lifestyles, diets, “feel the same every day” stimulants or the demands of life.

So, as I am feeling spiritually flat right now, I googled that and found a topic at the top of my search list, which seemed off subject. It was about menstruation.

Before artificial light dominated our world, the full moon stimulated the pineal gland to induce ovulation, but the darkness of a new moon induced menstruation.

That ebb and flow ensures her mystique. The menstrual pause heightens sexual sensitivity, to add the tension that saves the relationship from becoming predictable.

Walk in the shadow of a friendly giant

How many live with regrets that, if left unresolved, will go with us to the grave? How many have longed to take the plunge in life, to live an enviable life, to rise to the moment, to be more than we are instead of remaining trapped in a vicious cycle of doubts and fears?

The moment when Israel reached the River Jordan and spied out the land ahead, to decide whether they would push on into their inheritance, reflects the choices facing us all.

They turned back thanks to the negative perceptions of ten not so spiritual, faithless spies, whose influence swayed the vote against the two tried and proven witnesses who only saw possibilities ahead. Let’s face it, for every two voices of faith in you, there will inevitably be six voices telling you to turn back, to doubt, to question or to see giants where others see milk and honey.

Its all in the mind - or not

I believe Depression is fully treatable, not with chemicals, but with sound application of biblical truth. I believe many psychosomatic or autoimmune disorders are as treatable. I believe we can enjoy more vibrant, fulfilled lives. I believe we can truly experience the power of the cross.

There I have said it. Take me apart if you must, but hear me first.

A friend today reminded me of a book written by Spurgeon, somewhere as far back as the 40’s and 50’s, in which he highlighted a disturbing rise in extra-biblical teachings.

Reality perceived

When Michelangelo finished carving his marble statue of Moses, legend claims that the sculpture was so real that he willed it to speak out. Legend also claims that he got so frustrated that he threw a chisel at it and nicked the knee of the great man. Well his knee has a nick, but it seems that vandals did the dirty on him. 

That said, Michelangelo did crush an earlier Pieta statue with a mallet and chisel, removing the arms of Jesus and breaking arms. Someone repaired it later, but there is no doubt he did it.

Standing tall

The human sense of consciousness revolves around three spheres: the mind, the body and the soul. C S Lewis argued that the soul is not an entity but a state of being. Traditional bible views are that the soul is the seat of our emotions. I am assuming the latter although I also accept the former.

Thus, we have an intellectual, emotional and physical pillar.

The Law of Moses argued that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength (body). In our vernacular that implies intensity, the kind of intensity I would reserve for my wife or my children.

Walk the line

I had this dream last night of four young people walking along a rope that spanned the Thames, near to the Palace of Westminster.

It was an interesting metaphorical contrast, for the houses of parliament are the quintessential symbol of solid, enduring government and the stability of that great nation, whereas the youngsters on their rope were dicing with death.

It was a prophetic dream and I will interpret it accordingly. 

The picture attached to this post probably says it all more eloquently than I ever could, but well let me have my say anyway.

A better refuge

I saw this amazing picture of two hippos fighting. It is a fearsome beast and one of the deadliest animals around, second only to the mosquito.

Aside from being a really angry, territorial beast, the hippo only really feels safe in water, so if you come between it and its watery refuge, it will charge you down. That is especially true if your actions leave it feeling vulnerable or bewildered. It rarely stops to check anyone's motives, just charges. Very few have survived a hippo attack.

Keep going until it makes sense

So much of life proves that waiting is useful. 

A top restaurant will insist that good food takes times. 

A mother with child knows that once her course is run her joy will be full. 

A student pushes through the years of learning, motivated by the prize beyond and the value of waiting for it. 

A farmer reconciles himself to the idea that what seems like nothing is happening will yet bear fruit. 

Watch me Dad

One of the most primal cries of all children, is "watch me Dad". It is driven by a human instinct for approval.

The symbol of that approval is inevitably our highest known point of reference and it timing in our lives is akin to a pilot setting his gyro compass and altitude before taking off, so he can have a reliable reference system for navigation.

End First

Stephen Covey said that we should always start with the end in mind. The bible does that too. A key example is a verse in Ephesians 4:13, which says "... until we all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man".

Growing up

I am sure that words like empowerment and autonomy don't sit comfortably with all, although this site speaks to people in the workplace, not theologians.