An Odd Ship and Crew

     As we sail upon life's seas, the tranquility of the calm and sun-drenched days soothes our souls.  All the while, in the deep recesses of our minds, we know without doubt the mayhem that surely follows Eden.  A menacing storm tracks us hidden from our sight over the next horizon while awaiting its chance to ambush.  Most sailors view the approaching tempest with an anxious fear from the knowledge of the storm's destructive power.

     My interest in this matter is concerning the curious event that takes place within these horrid storms.  Ships, fleeing the storms wrath, encounter a ship here and there sailing on the opposite course deep into the monster.  Most sailors know of the crew and their captain on these peculiar ships.  Though they jeer and scoff on their passing, inside and in private sailors harbor a deep respect and admiration for the crews and their captain.  Some of the sailors that jeer and scoff have at one time or another had the good fortune to be rescued by these strange ships and their crews.  Occasionally, a sailor will leave their ship to join the crew of one of those strange vessels, but, the discipline being a little bizarre and restrictive to their thinking, some return to their former ships.

     Those strange ships are sailed by what is commonly called Christians.  Their captain, known as Jesus, sails his ship and her crews into the least and mightiest of storms, but never does he have an alternate course in mind.  It's to the storm and to the rescue of those in distress and crying out for mercy.  Such a strange lot his crews with their, shall we say, different ways.  However, if you encounter a storm, have no doubt those ships with their odd crews are within and saving lives.

     

    

Lost Children

     Some of us lose our children.  Children can become rebellious against their parents and their parents set of beliefs.  This may include Christianity if that is the faith of the parents.  This act can be devastating in itself.

 

     The average parents initial reaction is anger.  In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus tells the parable about the prodigal son.  Keep this foremost in your thoughts when dealing with the rebellious child.  We raise them to become independent, and, when they begin to exhibit that independence, we panic.  In the beginning, the acts of independence are usually immature in nature.  They are committed with immature thinking based on little experience.  Rebellion is always against authority.  As a parent, you are the primary authority figures in their life at a young age.

 

     As a Christian, God commands you to continue to love and show it in your actions.  Do not alienate the child.  A bird is rarely successful on their first flight.  The first few flights are ugly and sometimes dangerous.  Be there to offer guidance.  Do not force feed them Christianity.  Force feeding can result in forcing them away even faster and can plant a seed of guilt in their minds.  Love is the key.  I cannot overstress love.  Let them know that God will always be here, and, if they decide to return, will be loving and welcoming.  I write these things from experience.

     God has a bad image many times.  This comes from Christian anger against non-believers or those believers that have doubts or questions.  Anger is an outward pronouncement of judgment, and we know what God thinks of our judging others.  Many times, Christians inform people that they are going to hell for their actions.  They should be telling people what I said above; God is always here waiting for you with unconditional love when you are ready.  His loving arms are a safe haven for those souls lost on the dark and stormy sea of life.

COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE

I am in the process of building a website...as time allows or should I say, as God allows.

     Does that look like a wrathful God in a constant state of anger?  Not my God.  He is loving beyond description.  Rejoice, for he loves you unconditionally...not very happy about your sinning, but, with faith, He will change you back into the beautiful, loving person he originally created.  God Bless you all.

What Is Grace?

     "We have to be on our guard against the supposition that grace is an abstract quality; it is an active personal principle, showing itself in our dealings with those by whom we are surrounded.  ... in the great proportion of passages in which the word grace is found in the New Testament, it signifies the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man, effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit.  We have gradually come to speak of grace as an inherent quality in man, just as we talk of gifts; whereas in reality the communication divine goodness by the inworking of the spirit, and through the medium of Him who is 'full of grace and truth.'"  - Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1871) p. 179.

     Grace, such an important facet of our relationship with God.  But do we really know and understand it?  We cannot and God does not expect us to fully understand Him and his ways.  However, He does give us in this human form the ability to understand Him sufficiently to know, love, and serve Him.

     What Mr. Girdlestone is saying is that grace is not an abstract, a quality apart from its object, thing, but a real thing; example: poetry is abstract and poem is concrete.  As Christians, we know God is real.  He exists and is a living God and a God of the living.  Therefore his gift of grace is real.  Grace is God operating within and communicating with us through His Holy Spirit.

     He really is within us.  That is why our body is a temple of the Lord.  He talks with us through the Holy Spirit He gave to us as Christians.  Does that not make you feel extraordinary?   You should treat your body as His temple.  The words that come from you to others are coming from the Temple of God.  It makes one think.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

     Do not be afraid of God's grace...embrace it making your body a temple worthy of His Holy Spirit within.  He knows we all are fixer-uppers.  Remember, he chose us and not the other way around.  Rejoice in his grace.