Tag God

A Franciscan Benediction

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

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“If then you were raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2)

May God bless you with DISCOMFORT …
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with ANGER …
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with TEARS …

To shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war.

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them And to turn their pain into JOY.

And may God bless you with enough FOOLISHNESS…
To believe that you can make a difference in this world,
So that you can DO what others claim cannot be done. Amen

The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of Assisi

Gregorian Chants: The Franciscan Monks of Assisi

Gregorian Chant: Early Recordings

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“Pop Goes the Gospel” Blog Carnival November 30th Edition

Allen Frederick 4 Comments

jesusinaboxWelcome to the November 30, 2008 edition of Pop Goes the Gospel. As usual I received many more submissions than I could include in this edition. In order to make every edition the best it can be I choose only the best submissions from each author and only allow one article per author to be published.

All article submissions must meet the guidelines set forth on the article submission page and must set forth a clear Christian perspective in the article. If you have submitted an article to this Carnival and do not see it published here please check the submission guidelines again to be sure your articles meet the requirements set forth there.

Now that all the rules and regulations have been laid out on with the carnival.

Gather up a few minutes and be sure to stop by each vendor and sample what they have to offer. All of these authors have taken the time to present to you a sampling of their wares free of charge. The information contained in one of these articles may be life changing for you. So feel free to sample each offering and then be kind and submit an offering of your own for the next edition of ‘Pop Goes the Gospel’, where the Gospel intersects culture. Until next time Eagle out.

Culture

A Sower presents Will We Be Sodom? posted at A Sower’s Heart. A thought provoking article answering the questions has America become like Sodom? The author cites the Sodomites were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned. Sounds a little like God’s condemnation to the church in Laodicea.

Church Life

JCL presents Tithing on Gross vs. Net – What Exactly is Gross Income? posted at The Real Estate Investing Journey, saying, “A Christian perspective on tithing as it relates to real estate investments.”

Kathryn presents Did Jesus Giggle? posted at Living the Proverbs 31 Life, saying, “It is okay to enjoy life!” Kathyrn presents a well written article on Jesus and laughter. I say God has to have a sense of humor because He puts up with me. Besides a merry heart does one good as medicine. If we all laughed a bit more perhaps we could laugh ourselves well.

Education

Trevor Watkinson presents Servitude is Personal Development for Christians posted at SaveYourSweat.com Blog, saying, “Why having the heart of a servant is important!” Trevor has been an active contributor to this blog carnival since its first edition hit cyberspace and he is back again with another fine article on servitude. Putting others before self, he explains, is the biblical way to achieve success.

Family

ChristianPF presents 5 Bible verses about money every Christian should know posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog. ChristianPF another frequent contributor to this blog carnival comes through once again with a fine 5 point financial primer. His 5 bible verses about money should help you stave off economic disasters. Try them you may just like them. I do.

Tiffany Partin presents Fathom Deep: Sounding the Depths of God: This Thursday is NOT Turkey Day! posted at Fathom Deep: Sounding the Depths of God. Reflections from the Thanksgiving table. The true meaning of giving thanks. Thank you Tiffany for another fine post.

Unlike a Thanksgiving dinner choke full of every imaginable side dish and dessert this edition of ‘Pop Goes the Gospel’ may not appear to be filling but once you sink your teeth into each entrée I am sure you will come away full. So until next month be blessed and be a blessing to others.

That concludes this edition.

Be sure to submit your blog article to the next edition of
Pop Goes the Gospel
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

blog carnival index page.

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The Original High Speed Communication Device

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

 

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”

A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org

And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’ Acts 2:21Open Link in New Window (NKJV)

 

Holy Spirit Jesus God Trinity

Image by TheChristianAlert.org via Flickr

The Holy Spirit is the original High speed communication device. Instantaneously we can have contact with the Father via the prayer line to heaven. It is initially installed in all new believers in Christ. This high speed connection is always on and never gets a busy signal. There are no traffic congestions on the highway to heaven. There are no stop signs and traffic lights to hinder your call to heaven. There are however many obstacles to constant connectivity. Our wiring can get rusty from lack of use. We can cut ourselves off from this holy hotline by refusing to listen to the advice offered on the other end. Sin and deception in our lives brought about by the enemy of our souls can cause us to doubt in the usefulness of this heavenly hotline. Our own actions can cause the line to heaven to be severed. If we grieve the Holy Spirit it is possible to hinder our access to the heavenlyhotline. It is a toll free call but it does cost you the time and effort it takes to place the call. Jesus promises that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be heard and a answer will be dispatched.

 

I have had times in my life where that high speed hotline seemed to have been blocked or otherwise rendered ineffectual. During those times it was difficult to remain fearless in waiting on that line to be connected again. I know from personal experience the angst that is present when the heavens seems like brass. When we are waiting for an answer it is hard to wait patiently. The enemy of our souls would have us think that God does not care and is ignoring us. The devil would have us doubt the love of God and His ability to help us in our time of need. The devil would have us think that when we need Him the most God is going to turn His back on us and leave us to struggle on our own.

All these are just static on the hotline to heaven. It is nice when we have a constant clear connection but at times there is a great deal of static on the line we must sift through. The noise and distractions brought on by this static can be very unnerving. God does care. He promises to be with us even until the end of the age. There is no where we can go to escape the presence of God for He is everywhere. Therefore we have confidence when we pick up the hotline to heaven that we will always have a connection.

Anyone who has had a high speed internet connection for any time knows that there are times when the connection is not available. Service outages are common, although infrequent they do occur. Service outages are common in the life of a Christian as well. Although God is always present we are also bombarded with the fiery darts of the evil one. These darts are meant to cause us to doubt God and His word. We need to rely upon the validity of God’s word which is our guarantee of His faithfulness. He gives us a service guarantee when He sends us His Spirit. The presence of God’s Spirit in our lives is our service guarantee from heaven. As long as the spirit is active in our lives then we have the assurance of heavenly protection.

Therefore do not disconnect yourself from the Spirit of the living God for He is your hotline to heaven.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

 

 

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Songs of Faith and Devotion

 

The Keys of the Kingdom

Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent

God’s Kind of Love

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

 

 

Sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean in Hollywood

Image via Wikipedia

Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe Me.”
Look what happens
with a love like that,
It lights the Whole Sky. –Hafiz

 

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“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 45 In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust. Matt 5:43-45 (GW)


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Columbus Day, a Voyage of Discovery

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”
A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb 11:8-10 (NKJV)

In the year 1492 Columbus set sail on a voyage of discovery. Being an accomplished mariner he had sailed the Mediterranean and traveled to parts of Africa, to Ireland, and probably even to Iceland. He boasted later in life, “I have gone to every place that has heretofore been navigated.” He knew the Atlantic as well or better than anyone, and he probably knew more about how to read currents, winds, and surfaces of the sea than do sailors today. Driven by what he described “a hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that it would be possible … and he opened my will to desire to accomplish that project.… The Lord purposed that there should be something miraculous in this matter of the voyage to the Indies.”

Part discoverer and part missionary Columbus never gave up on his internal quest to seek that which others said could not be found. His was a journey of discovery. With a burning desire to fulfill what he felt was God’s purpose for his life, he tirelessly lobbied the courts of Spain for nearly seven years to be granted permission to set sail for the Indies. Finally permission was granted and the rest as they say is history. A devote Catholic Cristóbal Colón sailed the high seas, driven by the wind and an inner strength, to discover a new land.

We, like Christopher Columbus can also set sail on the winds of the Holy Spirit to find that inner strength that can only be found in our discovery of Christ. As we start this week let us set sail for new discoveries to the riches of God found hidden between the covers of His inspired word. If you feel you have sailed over the same seas many times and there remains nothing new to discover I want to challenge you to open up your heart and allow the Lord to burn a new hope within you. Allow the Lord to give you a new vision of a greater place, a greater purpose, a new insight in His word.

Perhaps like Columbus you too have been discouraged many times as you set sail on life’s seas to fulfill the Lord’s purpose for your life. Do not give up! For like Columbus himself said, “If it strikes often enough, a drop of water can wear a hole in a stone.” Although at times the wind may be blowing against you, do not give up. If the seas of life get tempest tossed, do not give up. If those closest to you rise up against you, do not give up. Although you may not be able to see the shore line do not give up hope because the Lord promises to be with you, to never leave you nor forsake you. You are not alone. If you are on a journey of discovery with God, you too shall find a safe haven in the midst of life’s storms. If you continue to seek the Lord with all your heart, mind, body and strength, then you too will discover new places in God. You too will find a new land.

Columbus knew in his heart it could be done, Abraham believed God to be faithful, both set out to discover a new place, a new land; they sought the fulfillment of hope. Neither were disappointed. Neither will you be if you put your hope in God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Prov 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Like Columbus and Abraham and you too can sail into the unknown holding onto the hand of God. If you but trust Him, He will never leave you comfortless. He is your hope, He is your destiny, He desires for you to discover the riches of God through Christ Jesus.

Here’s to your journey of discovery! Ship Ahoy!

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)