I 've been talking to some friends who celebrate the American Thanksgiving celebration and it really appeals to me. I've been talking to Bev and its seems like a celebration that we should pick up as a family. I don't think New Zealanders as a nation are grateful for the things we have been blessed with in this country. I don't think as Christians in the western world we are grateful for the things God has given us.
I found it interesting that it is actually a legislated holiday in the United States. It has been declared so twice. Firstly by President Washington declares Thanksgiving as a national day of thanksgiving and prayer on November 26. President Roosevelt determined Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday of November in 1941. I feel that to truthfully follow Washington's original everday needs to have an element of gratitude every day.
"Thanksgiving Day comes by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of grattitude will allow." Edward Sanford Martin.
I believe working on an "attitude of gratitude" and honouring on a regular basis allows the actual
celebration and honouring on Thankgiving Day to have real meaning beyond just a custom. If we are truly grateful to God and to others and honour them appropriately it bless both them and us.
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Sometimes life's a struggle.
It is funny how little bits of information sometimes grab your attention. I was reading some scripture in Genesis about Jacob becoming Israel.
Genesis 32: 28
Then the man said, "Your name will longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
The name Israel means "He struggles with God". A nation and the people of God were identified with this name. The modern church is sometimes called the "new Israel", but I wonder if this name is something we really want to aspire to. Do we really want struggle with God? Is this what Christ died for?
I believe that Christ died to restore us to the freedom of the "Garden of Eden". To walk with God the Father, not to struggle with Him. However so many of us spend our time struggling with God and what He is doing, rather than learning to enjoy Him.
I, for one, have had enough of the struggle, I choose to spend time with my Father whenever I can. I am learning to identify the presence of God and then take the time to enjoy Him. For me, it can be as simple as walking in my own garden and marvelling at HIS creation.
Life has it's own struggles - it doesn't seem much point in struggling with God as well!
Genesis 32: 28
Then the man said, "Your name will longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
The name Israel means "He struggles with God". A nation and the people of God were identified with this name. The modern church is sometimes called the "new Israel", but I wonder if this name is something we really want to aspire to. Do we really want struggle with God? Is this what Christ died for?
I believe that Christ died to restore us to the freedom of the "Garden of Eden". To walk with God the Father, not to struggle with Him. However so many of us spend our time struggling with God and what He is doing, rather than learning to enjoy Him.
I, for one, have had enough of the struggle, I choose to spend time with my Father whenever I can. I am learning to identify the presence of God and then take the time to enjoy Him. For me, it can be as simple as walking in my own garden and marvelling at HIS creation.
Life has it's own struggles - it doesn't seem much point in struggling with God as well!
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Craftsman or Artist???
I was at a spiritual retreat on Saturday last weekend and I found it very interesting as it again brought to mind "God the Craftsman". Scripture talks about us being his workmanship: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them".
I beleive that God is the master craftsman that draws out the essence of our being; the gifts of the spirit, and the natural talents and gifts that have been embedded deep within us. He places us in situations that draw out these parts of who we are, often parts that he knows are there and we may not. Even if we are aware of them we may not know how or when to use them. Often God describes us as trees, in such a way that it requires us to look at the whole picture, what can be seen and what can't. He describes us as such in Jeremiah 17:7-8
But Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord
whose confidence is in him
He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes
its leaves are always green
It has no worries in ayear of drought
and never fails to bare fruit.
I believe that God works the situations around us to determine the fruit crop that he wants at the time. Our situations create opportunities to develop the "Fruits of the Spirit" to enable the "Gifts of the Spirit" to be maximised. I guess for me those with the fruit of the spirit are like the difference between a guided and unguided missile - both are powerful, but one is expenientally more useful. God uses our circumstances to mold us much like the Bonsai Master, creating the tree we need to be. Fortunately or unfortunately the bonsai process can be long, difficult and restrictive for the tree. The result however is beauty and art.
M. Scott Peck makes a statement that "Life is Difficult......Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand it and accept it - then life is no longer difficult" This is an interesting concept that bares thinking about and struggling with, but that is another blog.
I will finish with this quote:
I beleive that God is the master craftsman that draws out the essence of our being; the gifts of the spirit, and the natural talents and gifts that have been embedded deep within us. He places us in situations that draw out these parts of who we are, often parts that he knows are there and we may not. Even if we are aware of them we may not know how or when to use them. Often God describes us as trees, in such a way that it requires us to look at the whole picture, what can be seen and what can't. He describes us as such in Jeremiah 17:7-8
But Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord
whose confidence is in him
He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes
its leaves are always green
It has no worries in ayear of drought
and never fails to bare fruit.
I believe that God works the situations around us to determine the fruit crop that he wants at the time. Our situations create opportunities to develop the "Fruits of the Spirit" to enable the "Gifts of the Spirit" to be maximised. I guess for me those with the fruit of the spirit are like the difference between a guided and unguided missile - both are powerful, but one is expenientally more useful. God uses our circumstances to mold us much like the Bonsai Master, creating the tree we need to be. Fortunately or unfortunately the bonsai process can be long, difficult and restrictive for the tree. The result however is beauty and art.
M. Scott Peck makes a statement that "Life is Difficult......Once we truly know that life is difficult - once we truly understand it and accept it - then life is no longer difficult" This is an interesting concept that bares thinking about and struggling with, but that is another blog.
I will finish with this quote:
“He
who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.” ― St. Francis of Assisi
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.” ― St. Francis of Assisi
GOD: Craftsman or Artist?
I will let you decide.
p.s. I am very time poor at the momment, but have lots of thoughts, so bare with me for the next couple of weeks. I will be back to writing write a couple of times a week, after another two weeks.
Regards Paul
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Something Tookish Woke Up
"Most of the time we are burrowed away in our Hobbit holes and don't give a thought to our heritage.
Bilbo Baaggins certainly didn't. Not until Gandalf entered his life.The magician entered his life through the front door of the hobbit's burrow. Before the door shut, a dozen mottley dwarfs followed on his heels, and on the turn of it's hinges, the quiet world of Bilbo Baggins dramatically changed.
Suddenly he found himself saddled with the unwanted responsibility of hosting a houseful of strangers.After emptying his pantry to satisfy their ravenous appetites, the exhausted Bilbo plopped on the hearth of his fireplace before a crackling fire. as he rested there, the dwarfs joined in singing an ancient song, and as he listened "something Tookish woke up inside him and he wished to go and see the great mountains and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves and wear a sword instead of a walking stick" "Paraphrase and Quote by Ken Gire of J. R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.
When I read the phrase "something tookish woke up inside him" It excited my spirit, I remembered God's word says "Deep calls unto Deep." The Spirit of God calls to things that are buried deep within. The Spirit of God calls to things God the Father has planted. Things that have been there since the Dawn of Time.
There are things that are being awakened in my spirit as God calls to me. Do you feel like strapping on a sword and going and seeing your great mountains? The music, the book, the movie may excite you but remember it is the Spirit of God that calls you!
I took the road less travelled and it made all the difference" Robert Frost
Bilbo Baaggins certainly didn't. Not until Gandalf entered his life.The magician entered his life through the front door of the hobbit's burrow. Before the door shut, a dozen mottley dwarfs followed on his heels, and on the turn of it's hinges, the quiet world of Bilbo Baggins dramatically changed.
Suddenly he found himself saddled with the unwanted responsibility of hosting a houseful of strangers.After emptying his pantry to satisfy their ravenous appetites, the exhausted Bilbo plopped on the hearth of his fireplace before a crackling fire. as he rested there, the dwarfs joined in singing an ancient song, and as he listened "something Tookish woke up inside him and he wished to go and see the great mountains and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves and wear a sword instead of a walking stick" "Paraphrase and Quote by Ken Gire of J. R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.
When I read the phrase "something tookish woke up inside him" It excited my spirit, I remembered God's word says "Deep calls unto Deep." The Spirit of God calls to things that are buried deep within. The Spirit of God calls to things God the Father has planted. Things that have been there since the Dawn of Time.
There are things that are being awakened in my spirit as God calls to me. Do you feel like strapping on a sword and going and seeing your great mountains? The music, the book, the movie may excite you but remember it is the Spirit of God that calls you!
I took the road less travelled and it made all the difference" Robert Frost
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