Quote Commentary 13...Smith Wigglesworth

God wants us all to have an audacity of faith that dares to believe for all that is set forth in the Word.

-- Smith Wigglesworth.

Almost ten years into the 21st century and a lot has changed since the inspiration for the Word of God descended from the supernatural to the pens and hearts of the apostles and the Christian church and before that Israel and the prophets. However, one thing has not changed, and that is the ever-constant, living and moving Almighty God.

At some point through the thick eras of education and sciences, explanations and secularism the world has let go of something. Something that was dismissed simply because it was misunderstood, and we humans could not wrap our brains around it. We craved a state of knowing, and when we could not grasp it in an area, we dismissed it as fiction. Our egos disallow us to believe there are things we can't comprehend. We've decided to leave any unatural phenomena to entertain our fears and desires. We've given them to the campfire talebearers. We keep it safe inside the libraries in the F section and confined to cinemas, but we are careful not to confuse it with reality.

I'm not only speaking of the temporal world. Christianity has, for some people become something we tell our children to get them to sleep at night, or even if you believe in God, we scoff at such things as faith healing and being blessed for serving or paying tithes. For many, our beliefs stop at salvation. If that is the case for any of you, you are only cheating yourself. We live in such a "watered-down" nation. We're realists, and we like to pick and choose. Maybe it's because we don't want to have fools made of ourselves, I don't know. I know the disbelief is out there, and I know it plagued me for a long time, and still, unfortunately, does to a certain degree.

But, recently I was given a book, from the library. It was entitled "Smith Wigglesworth: Apostle of Faith" I want this title to be understood, so once again, let's look to one of my dearest sites of reference, http://www.merriam-webster.com/. There are several definitions. A few are: 1. one sent on a mission. 2. a person who initiates a great moral reform or who first advocates an important belief or system. Smith Wigglesworth was both of these things for Faith. For many I'm sure he was the answer to a prayer. Perhaps the same sort of entreaty that the father of the demon-possessed child in Mark 9:24 said to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” He's still doing it, because when I read this book and realized the truth in it all, my faith was brightened severely. Little things going through the day became something to pray for, and not just pray for, but believe to come to pass. Already my faith has been rewarded. The truth is this, God does answer prayers. Christ's name is powerful. It's spelled out in the Word. In John 14:13, 14 "You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" We just lack that boldness, the ride against the common current. We have to have that kind of audacity in our Faith to believe everything that is in the Word of God, and he will show us the way.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

http://www.wikipedia.org/

http://www.biblegateway.com/

Mentalities.

The mind is probably the most troublesome, wearisome, and constantly targeted part of a human being. Between it's right and wrong applications it's quite the paradoxal feature.

I do not believe that the mind is beyond control. Far from it, depending on your stand with the Almighty. Right now I'm focusing hard on breaking in a new pair of shoes for this ol' mind of mine.

The fact is my natural mentality is always to try and please people. It's a terrible way to walk through life. I'll tell you why: 1. They will never be pleased. 2. It will get you nowhere.

Directly contradictory to my crooked creed I've discovered something that works. The trick is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (Big shoutout to www.biblegateway.com) and it reads, "...Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our heart."

It's so frustrating when I find myself working for people and trying to gain favor in human eyes. The tangibility of it all is so tempting, and yet the true reward does not come from the visible flesh that pats me on the back and has a better outlook on me.

And honestly, we know from Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good for those who love God. I believe that if you make God you priority and constantly have Him in mind and aim to please Him instead of people. Then everything will fall into place.

Don't be a people pleaser.

Quote Commentary 12...Jordan Groom

"If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king"
-- Jordan Groom (variations of this also credited to G. K. Chesterson, Thomas Carlyle and Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

I got lost in trying to find out who Jordan Groom is and it isn't vital to this blog, so I relented, anxious to carry on with this composition.

This blog isn't about missions at all. It's about the call of God. Anything that isn't what God has purposed for you to do is "stooping," taking it a step down. It isn't the highest call on your life. No matter what sort of wealth it brings, no matter what the title and position entail, nothing measures up to the plans God has for you. If God calls you to be a garbage man, don't stoop to be a Manager of a monopolizing franchise, because you'll always be missing something and looking and searching. That void is the fulfillment that would be if you were following the path God has mapped for you. Nothing that God asks you to do is worthless. He's got it all planned out.

Sneezing

I've played with several different titles for this inane blog. Namely What Sneezing Can Do For You and An Aspiring Humorist's Take On Sneezing and The Things I Dwell On At Concerts, before finally settling on Sneezing.

This past school year when I was aiding for my 7th and 8th grade English teacher I stopped my cruel paper editing long enough to listen to her explain to her students the history of the positively antagonizing rebuttal to sneezes everywhere, "Bless You." She told of a certain plague in some part of Europe and that one of the symptoms were sneezing. The ignorant civilians exhibited there fixation with the supernatural by assuming that the sneeze meant that they were cursed and an evil spirit was attacking them. To counteract this omen they would respond with, "Bless You."

Tonight at my church, in the middle of a John Waller concert I had a seemingly useless epiphany of sorts. A woman three rows up sneezed. I somewhat automatically said, "Bless You." Then it ocurred to me that I blessed her without her even knowing. She'll probably never know, that a boy she'll never know, blessed her this night. I entertained the idea among Waller hits like "The Blessing" and "Ancient Words." I conversed in my head recalling times where I had wondered, "What did I do to deserve such a blessing?" The answer of course was nothing. I went on to do some of my strange and often avante garde guesswork on the subject. What if those bewildering benedictions are the product of someone's behind the scenes sneeze response. It's kind of comical. We never specify as to what way we should bless them, so in theory (my wild and strange and probably useless theory) I would think that the blessing would be shifted to the greatest area of need. I continued to wonder about the maximity of the blessings in relation to the proportions of the sneeze. If you sneeze bigger does the same blessing count for more, or maybe the enunciation of the blessing in response to such a sneeze is what makes for a better reward. So, a large sneeze might grant you a new car and a smaller one might bless you with a nickel on the sidewalk.

Look around you, how many of your blessings might you suppose were the product of a sneeze? A sneeze in which we wonder why comes. A sneeze that is maybe annoying or unpleasant.

A sneeze.

Why does my mind work this way?

Quote Commentary 11...Mark Twain

Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest
--Mark Twain

Our featured today is all-American author and humorist Samuel Langhorne Clemens who prefers his self-endowed sobriquet entailing common riverboating slang meaning that the depth of the water where they currently floated was equal to two fathoms, or twelve feet. Twain meaning literally, two.

In this obscure quote Mr. Clemens tells us that there are twain responses to our desicion to do right. The first is the minority of people that expected us to, and they will be the ones to breath a sigh of satisfaction and well-deserved trust on your part. The second are the majority who are stunned by your show of selflessness and humility, but will walk a way with a much greater feel of respect towards you.

As far as principles go, this adage would be well suited among the elite in your catalogue of character. Bringing it to mind in each instance where you have to choose to gratify your self and the majority, and thus astonishing and disappointing the minority, or vice versa. Chances are most people want to see you do the wrong thing. They want a show, some drama.

For instance, if one wrongs you, your instinct and desire will want to repay the injustice. And you can bet the whole crowd will be feeding that fire. They'll buy tickets to see the eye for the eye and the tooth for the tooth, but will throw produce at anyone who tries to turn the other cheek. The only fire that should be fed is one that will truly heap the coals on the enemies head, and that fire is fed by maintaing your kindness and love despite the disservice. You'll find that your unshakeable integrity and character will astonish those who thought you weak, and gratify those you knew who you weren't. Though those astonished will criticize your peace-keeping, I believe that you will have earned their respect and trust, and those cannot be bought.

Always do what is right. Be unshakeable.

Quote Commentary 10...Leeland Mooring

There are many prodigal sons
On our city streets they run
Searching for shelter
There are homes broken down
People’s hopes have fallen to the ground
From failures
This is an emergency

--Leeland Mooring "Tears of the Saints"

Leeland Mooring is the lead singer and songwriter for Contemporary Christian Rock Band Leeland. This comes from there first album The Sound of Melodies.

This song came to mind amidst an intense Wednesday night service delivered by a wise man spewing with a newfound since of urgency. Well, not newfound, more like recently sharpened into an uncomfortable and burdensome yet prosperous passion. Going home I listened to the song ringing in my head. The verses are great and they ring true to the critical state of the world, reminding us that it isn't a game, but a dire emergency. But the chorus of this beautful song trash the second step that follows realizing we are in a mad state of peril. Responsibility. The chorus goes on to somberly say, "Hear the tears of the saints, for the lost and unsaved, they're crying for them come back home."

Well Saints of America, it will take a lot more than your do-nothing lamentations to make a change in the prodigal's doomed anecdote. Blood is hard to wash from your hands, but it comes as long as we ignore it on theirs. This is an emergency and it's time to answer the call.

Digging...Wise Man II

I walked a mile today in the uncomfortable sunshine of my cloned subdivision. My blue jeans stuck to my legs with sweat and one smart-alecky mosquito yelled "Drinks all around" after a gulp from my forearm. Thankfully though, all the familiar distractions were smashed right in the middle of the tracks by my unusually stalwart train of thought. I had two alarmingly simple revelations. The first was I need a notebook or the like when I take these walks, so I will never have to repeat the impractical method of detailing my thoughts in blue ink from a shang-haied post office pen all over my palm. While it would be easy to shift the cause of the second inspiration to the thought-provoking lyricisms of punk group Relient K ringing in my ear, I truthfully and whole-heartedly blame God, and I thanked Him for understanding and relevant situations gleefully and vigorously right as I walked (with a quicker and peppier pace too). I was pondering the words of God and godly men, and remembering a few particular words I was offered on a long bus ride with my neck craned to hear and trying to lock away what I was listening to in my head. The gist of the monologue (for I wasn't much of a conversational asset) was "digging" for things and never slow down or relent in your search, and look anywhere and everywhere for something from God. "Dig" in unlikely, unwanted, and difficult places. Figuratively, dig where the rocks are, dig where there isn't likely to be a treasure, not just on the sandy beaches or smooth soil, but in the swamps or in the grass or in the abandoned mines. Literally, go for the books that never sold, or the programs that no one watches or are filmed poorly, don't just search for things that please you, but try to learn something about yourself in hard hitting words. I made the connection then, between this wise man and the wise man mentioned in my Proverbs blog. When it was suggested I really attack the Proverbs as far as self-relevancy and understanding, I did so with a fervor and was nominally perturbed at the constant apply your heart to wisdom, or search for understanding, or seek it like this or that. It was telling me over and over throughout the whole thing to just "seek it" "seek it" "seek it." I grew frustrated with this, because I thought that was what I was doing by reading Proverbs. Give me some wisdom already! The only way I could figure to really seek after wisdom like it instructed was to just pray. And pray I did and do since then, but I also know that "...as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." --James 2:26 (NKJV) On that bus ride being fed with the words of my second wise man I made the connection. Here was my works. I had to dig. Of course you have to work for wisdom. You have to "seek it" "seek it" "seek it" just as the Proverbs properly repeat. So thank you Lord for your multi-purpose, seemingly unrelative, genious, and perfect grant of the advice of two wise men and Your gift of understanding. And May you bless those wise and unwary men you used.