Firm Foundations

What happened to living The Way that Jesus lived? What happened to being a follower of Christ and a doer as He did?

The pillars of spiritual life which have fallen by the wayside are as follows:

1. Reading the Word of God (Bible) daily and with fervor (it's your only weapon against the enemy, learn to wield it well - Jesus is the Word and Jesus is the Victor, the armor He's given you is of Himself as well - this is a mystery)

2. Praying without ceasing both with understanding and in the spirit (spiritual language/tongues) - the prayer, in order to be effective must come from a righteous person, and also the prayers are to be prayer based on Scripture, that is, what you ask for you don't receive because it isn't in the Father's will, and you don't receive because you don't ask (father and son - stone, bread) - how much greater does your heavenly Father love you (and all good things come from Him)

3. Continual fellowship with other believers - for prayer, worship, confession, fasting corporately, healing, teaching, helping, etc... (we are the Body, don't work alone because Christ didn't work alone; he brought many in as participants and so participate with one another in seeking the Lord's face, investing your gifts for the blessing of the Body and to be a blessing for all of mankind - we glorify God as being in His likeness, reflecting Him)

4. Discipleship with a Christian mentor - someone of the same sex, preferably 15-20 years older who is really following the Lord with their all (deacon, elder, pastor...) Would God have had Paul write so many letters to the churches if He hadn't meant for the process of discipleship to perpetuate? Or are all to learn solely from the Lord alone? Both are right, but God uses others to teach us and direct and guide us. The Holy Spirit is our Wonderful Counselor, and he might counsel us to be in communion with our Christian brother or sister who He also counsels that the Body might be unified and benefit one another. Paul wrote two letters (that we know of) to Timothy, inspired by the God, for His spiritual growth and encouragement in walking in spirit and in truth. Surely if Timothy needs encouragement and a mentor, then we do as well. This is not to say man teaches us, for God alone can teach us His Word, but it is the Holy Spirit in others by which we are taught.

Become as a child who is like a sponge seeking the truth from our spiritual parents. Ask God to refine what you are taught that you may be fruitful with such seed planted in your heart.



"You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory." - Psalm 73:24

"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." - Exodus 15:13

"It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding." - Job 32:8-9

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." - Psalm 32:8

"The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." - John 14:26

God bless
DMS

P.S. I hope all the reads and no comments means that you find this accurate... :)

The week at a glance

This will be a week of turning in papers and taking exams for many college students. If we could keep everyone in our prayers - as there will be stress and anxiety - for guidance and that by casting our cares upon the Lord we can study hard, write well, and not lose focus on the truly important things in life.

Check out what Aristotle wrote in Book 9 of his Nicomachean Ethics

"So goodwill seems to be a beginning of friendship, in the same way the pleasure of seeing is the beginning of falling in love, for no one falls in love without first being pleased by someone's looks, but someone who delights in those looks is not any the more in love, except when he yearns for the absent person and longs for that person's presence."

Think about the spiritual implications of this...and how we often look to the gifts rather than the Giver of those gifts.

More to come....

God bless,
DMS

Poetry’s Cry

Pardon my use of the word "whore" if it offends you, but part of the intent behind using this word rather than others deals with how God relates to the Church.

Two-twenty rolls around and I’m still confusion-bound,
Mind - holding facts like a fist of sand,
Poetry - barren and weak like end rhymes’ slant,
Sound creativity used to flow with my words hand-in-hand.
But good ideas slip away
And my eyes glaze as my mind begins to fade,
Deadline coming quickly, in fact, it’s today.
If only I knew what to say, success – an illusion’s hound.

There’s much to write, but less is more.
Most material is useless, making writing a chore.
When writing is not for love, it becomes the poet’s whore.
Stop whoring my passion; true poetry’s roar.

If you’re silent on the subject, let down the pen and read.
Go to bed, save the words, that’s what poetry needs.

a,b,b',b,c,c',c,a, d,d,d,d, e,e'

Friday is over

What a week this has been...today was pretty sweet. Finalized operation and had a great night.

Maybe tomorrow I'll have time to explain it all in more depth and get into some sweet biblical topics as well.

God bless,
DMS

P.S. stay in the Word and keep up the prayer :)

Poem

I'm so thankful that God is always with me, watching out for me, helping me to make the right decisions and take the rights action.

He says in Joshual 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

In obediance I accept His strength as my own and His courage I will bear. I will have no fear for I have not been given that spirit, but rather I have a Spirit of power, love, and self-control. He told me that He will be with me always, even unto the end of the age. God is so good to us, His glory is revealed in His goodness. We are those "very good" images of the Lord our God. Let's not work to the detriment of ourselves. Instead, let's live for His glory.

He delights perfectly in Himself, and for this reason gave Himself for us that we might receive the Spirit and eternal life through Him. Now that we bear His name and have His Spirit, he can delight perfectly in Himself in us. Blaise Pascal noted about the infinite vacuum within us that only God's all could satisfy for our completion. He, then, is the all in all, that is in us.


As I mentioned on Monday, I'm reading Peter Marshall's War Sermons. They're pretty awesome. At the moment I'm reading his sermon entitled, Why does God permit war? He notes that we cannot categorically answer why, but he does suggest a couple reasons. Prior to the argument, however, he offers the question, "What if war has come because we were not fit for peace?" Then, with his first point, he says that "it may be in order to teach us that war is punishment for sin." He explains, "Sin always leads to suffering and misery and shame, but we are not inclined to become alarmed about it until it breaks out on a large scale. For example, we as a congregation are not concered over the illnes of the Jones family in some alley dwelling in a Washington slum...But, if the illness were some infectious disease that spread until an epidemic laid its yellow clammy hand on our city's life...There are problems in our world which are just as contrary to God's love...His justice and His holiness. Why do we not expect Him to stop them also?" Next he notes that "God permits war in order that we might see what sin really is." Basically by this he means that "What man refuses to learn in times of peace, God teaches him in times of war." He heads toward the idea that "God may be permitting this war to lead us back to Him."


Notes, comments, questions, etc.. bring them all to me

God bless,
DMS

Day of Decision

I'm reading a great book, The Wartime Sermons of Dr. Peter Marhsall: Senior Pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church Washington, D.C. (1937-1949) and Chaplain for the United States Senate (1947-1949).

Any and all prayer would be much appreciated as I'm making some "seemingly" important decisions right now (dealing with school and....the future).

Sorry for all the short posts recently.

God bless,
DMS

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner
parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost
place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be
clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than
snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed
rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in my a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within
me.
Do not cast me from your presence,
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to
sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your
ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your
righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I
would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt
offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise

Psalm 51:1-17