Christianity 101

Unbelief: Got Help?

I got to the morning of August 12 and read this:

The Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion.—LAM. 3:31,32.

Fear thou not, . . . saith the Lord: for I am with thee; I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure.—For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

Jer. 46:28. -Isa. 54:7,8,10,11.Mic. 7:9.

Selection source: Daily Light on the Daily Path

That is timely for me, almost beyond belief (oh me of little faith).

So here is my most basic response and I’ll leave it at that:

“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

A Millstone for Unforgiveness?

It is very sobering indeed to consider that if I do not forgive a person who is mean to me and then sincerely apologizes seven times a day—and if this is my usual spiritually sloppy and self-satisfied habit—then it would be better for me if a millstone were hung around my neck and I were cast into the sea.

Do read the rest of Andrée Seu’s piece over at World magazine: New thoughts on not offending.

Waiting (on the Lord?)

Sometimes the wait seems…

…so long.

…and fruitless.

…and pointless.

…and well-deserved.

So I keep on waiting.

What else am I to do?

He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

He brought me up . . . out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. —You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world. We all had our conversation in times past in the lusts our flesh.

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. —Out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. —We went through fire and through water: thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.

—PSA. 18:16. —Psa. 40:2. -Eph. 2:1,3.Psa. 61:1,2. -Jon. 2:2,3. -Psa. 66:12.Isa. 43:2.

Source: Daily Light on the Daily Path

Which Are You: Wounded or Broken?

I haven’t tried to figure out my answer.

But I just read (again, after many years) an article by John Coblentz. He begins….

A wounded spirit is one that is hurting, but one in which the hurt has festered into unbearable attitudes and responses. A person with a wounded spirit lives in inner misery that focuses regularly on his injuries.

Then he proceeds to flesh out briefly two short outlines which itemize some characteristics of a wounded spirit and a broken spirit.

According to Coblentz, a wounded spirit lives out:

  1. A negative mind-set.
  2. Victim reasoning.
  3. Grievance mannerisms.
  4. Blame tactics.

In contrast to that, he looks in Psalm 51 and finds these characteristics associated with brokenness:

  1. Acknowledgment of wrong.
  2. Contrition.
  3. Humility.
  4. Seeking after God.
  5. Teachability.
  6. Unworthiness.

Do read the full article: Wounded or Broken? — it’s relatively short…and beneficial.

Above all, love God!