Daily pages of reflection...for knowledge, understanding, to wisdom
Section of The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci Section of The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci

The End of the Earth

December 16, 2016
Year 1, Day 350 | No Comments
Section of The Taking of Christ, Caravaggio, 1602

There appears to be little doubt among those who work extensively on the matter that earth life will end.  Reasons differ among theorists, but conclusions are negative.  The scientists believe life will end in some future millennia, perhaps when the energy in the solar system runs down.  There is general agreement – the end is presumed.  It might come with the crash of a mighty meteorite to earth making life sustenance impossible.  Or it may come with a great flammable burp of methane gas from the oceans.  Persons of faith also believe it will end, not because of natural failure in sustaining forces, but because God tolls the last knell, closes the creation as it exists at the time, and… Read more

Heroics

December 15, 2016
Year 1, Day 349 | No Comments
Section of Adoration of the Magi, artist unknown

King David had thirty mighty men.  They were important to his success as a warrior and king.  They appear to have been admired by the foot soldiers fighting with them.  They were hale and hearty leaders, well met.  Of all their exploits and some of those are recorded in Scripture, Benaiah seems to have been foremost in dramatic presentation of physical and soldierly prowess.  The people made him a celebrity, gaining high interest.  He was a dare-devil.  Although personally fearless he seems not to have possessed the leadership qualities to gain the forefront.  Primary in bravery, he was lesser in other gifts, so was not numbered with the Three.  The Three stood closest to the King in friendship, leadership, counsel… Read more

Animals

December 14, 2016
Year 1, Day 348 | No Comments
Section of The Infant Jesus and St. John the Baptist, Guido Reni, n.d.

A creche is common on background during the Christmas season.  A creche is a figure conceptual presentation of the circumstances of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.  It is a group of human figures, of Mary and Joseph, the Babe in a manger, several shepherds and three oriental wise men.  There are usually animals as well, including sheep, perhaps a camel or two, and a donkey.  Sometimes there are birds.  (In his release of his biography of Jesus, the Pope, in 2012, suggested there were no animals present.)  A creche may be found in a painting, or in carved figures situated in a model stall, or even a live depiction with persons dressed in garb reminiscent of the ancients. They… Read more

Magnetism

December 13, 2016
Year 1, Day 347 | No Comments

As a young Christian I felt guilt about the unevenness of my participation in the matter of evangelism, the privilege and humble duty to witness Christ – principally to non-Christian persons with whom I related.  This attitude was not that others did not respect Christ, even that they might call themselves Christian, but that they needed to believe that Christ provided redemption for their sins, and a definable faith life.  It is more than being a good person.   So I should aid in persuading persons to be contrite to God about their basic condition, in their nature (inherited in birth) and conduct (sometimes objectionable to God, even when inadvertent), and accept the redemption of Christ, achieved through his crucifixion and… Read more

Evil

December 12, 2016
Year 1, Day 346 | No Comments
Section of The Crucifixion, Pedro Orrente, ca. 1625–30

Basic to qualifying as a mystery is its unknowns.  Something is known about a mystery but not enough to answer all important, nagging questions, the answers to which might provide solution and closure for those probing the mystery.  The Bible does not shy away from admitting that there are divine mysteries.  The Lord acknowledges that there are mysteries in the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, and that he grants resources to stewards of the mysteries of God.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that to speak in an unknown tongue is to extend mystery.  The New Testament recites a number of mysteries such as revelation from God, the wisdom of God, the resurrection of the dead,… Read more

Heart Spirituality

December 11, 2016
Year 1, Day 345 | No Comments
Section of Christ and the Adulteress, Lucas Cranach the Younger and Workshop, ca. 1545–50

From the Epistle of James we find references to the double minded person. (1:8; 4:8) The double minded person, we learn, is unstable.  He will not be consistent.  The description includes persons vacillating in opinion or purpose. The term is formed from two words that, taken together, mean two-spirited.  The meaning presumes the concept that God is single minded, whereas man is double minded – human/spiritual.  Singularity is endemic with God, but difficult for man with God.  God tells His children to learn single mindedness.  The Scriptures accent the single mind in various words and analogies.  Some persons use mind and heart as interchangeable terms, although not really synonyms. There is strong support for maintaining distinctions when it comes to… Read more

Distractions

December 10, 2016
Year 1, Day 344 | No Comments
Section of Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Benedetto Luti, 1715-20

Life is riddled with distractions.  Not all distractions are negative, but all should be understood and managed. I once distracted a man who threatened me with a gun.   Perceiving the situation, I determined a way to distract him so managed the moment for my safety.  Animal trainers are adept in distracting animals so to get them to do what the animals might not do in native environment.  Teachers have sometimes distracted students from negative to affirmative behaviors through teaching skills, moving dilatory minds from detours to main highways of learning and reality for developmental growth. As distraction may occur for good consequences, they are commonly less beneficial.  Distractions tend to reduce human effectiveness.     Society is adept at using distractions, a… Read more

Courageous Courage

December 9, 2016
Year 1, Day 343 | No Comments
Section of Adoration of the Magi, artist unknown

In the context of this discussion, there are two words for courage in the New Testament.  One is courage that is rather normal, which is what may be shown by many persons placed in situations requiring courage.  Such courage may be shown in boldness, or any well-known conduct that serves good purpose from the point of view of the courageous person, or for those served by an act of courage.  This is seen in the conduct of many soldiers; or in meeting demands of a dangerous occupation, like doctoring a patient’s contagious disease; or, in holding ground before a rabble crowd; or birthing a child.  But there is another word, used by the Apostle in this Romans text which means… Read more

Judgment

December 8, 2016
Year 1, Day 342 | No Comments
Section of The Descent from the Cross, Rogier van der Weyden, c. 1435

What a startling summary statement.  That is to say, that it tells all relative to the meaning of judgment in nature.  Nature includes not only our external environment but also the human body.  As nature has its tornadoes and floods so the human body has its cancers and infections.  Human nature does not handle well: prosperity, peace, health, pleasure, knowledge and creation’s additional benefits.  The rich often use the wrong attitudes and motives, even when they share their riches.  When we enjoy good health we tend to test it through personal excesses or ill habits, including risk.  With time for pleasure, we diminish it through distortions of scintillations, gambling, addictions and other excesses for pleasure.  When nature renews itself through… Read more

Worship

December 7, 2016
Year 1, Day 341 | No Comments
Section of Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michaelangelo, 1508-1512

God is to be honored, if for no other reason than that He is God.  Man needs to be reminded that God is not the divine vacuum sweeper in the sky sucking up all the nice things that man may say about Him.  God doesn’t need egomania as invitation for man’s praise, thanks, adoration, and whatever other worshipful expression one might conjure to achieve purpose.  There appears to be too little understanding about the concept of worship.  We do not create human celebrity for God, making Him shallow in recognition.  The common words, Oh God, so often repeated without meaning and respect are violations of the meaning of God and usually swear words in public. If God doesn’t need or… Read more

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