"Christian Voices" (1-22-04)

May 27, 2010

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HUMOR

Friendly Pastor

After the birth of their child, an Episcopal priest, wearing his clerical collar, visited his wife in the hospital. He greeted her with a hug and a kiss, and gave her another hug and kiss when he left.

Later, the wife's roommate commented, “Your pastor is sure friendlier than mine.”

.....from "Laugh Yourself Healthy" by Charles and Frances Hunter by way of Docs Daily Chuckle (pkaine@woh.rr.com) and "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

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THOUGHT PROVOKING – INSPIRATIONAL

Knowing Jesus

Even though many of us have walked with Jesus for most of our lives, we may not know Him as thoroughly as might be expected. We study the Bible; we go to church; we have good example from senior saints. Still we are slow to grasp the loving power, the Presence, the guidance in our lives. We do not always see him in the hungry child, the hurting teen, or the lonely widow, in the disabled, the prisoner, or the blind.

We are not alone in the slowness to grasp the radiant "is-ness" or warm reality of his love, the plan and purpose of his sacrifice, and the nature of God's agape love.

Those on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) did not recognize the resurrected Jesus at first either. Something about the way He broke bread, allowing each to take his own portion, caused them to be aware of the presence of their Lord. If we, as the body of Christ, are "broken" for fellowship, then we learn to get along with each other. If we choose our degree of service and our growth in that service, our progress and success relies on the love of Jesus and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Such awareness opens our eyes to the freedom and discipline in the Savior's manner...and

the power of His loving guidance. We grow in our ability to know Him.

The disciples, perhaps the closest to Jesus of all, did not always understand his purpose, his mission, or his way. Even after all the contact, the resurrected Jesus is still the stranger on the shore in John 21--until the gentle authority of his words and the bounty of the catch cause John to know that the stranger wanting fish is their precious Lord and Savior. Sharing the bread and fish in His characteristic way again assured these slow of understanding that they were in the presence of the Lord. "Feeding the sheep" with faith and loving service will allow them all to grow in the ability to know and love the Lord.

.....Mary-Ellen Grisham (meginrose@gmail.com) (eternal_ink@associate.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

Bottom of Form

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CLEANING THE SPIRITUAL EYE

For weeks I worried about my dusty, grimy windows. Each day I planned to wash them tomorrow. Something always prevented my window washing. Spring came in all her glory making even the "grouch" praise the beauty of the day. The grime on my window pane, though distorting the view, could not block out the beauty of the day.

My heart leaped with joy as I looked out through the dust, dirt and grime. The outside world was beautiful--so intense it could penetrate my "dirt and grime" and reach through to me.

I realized the only things blocking my beautiful day were my own personal problems. Immediately, I went for the paper towels and window cleaner and started to work.

As I worked, I thought of the spiritual implications. That which blocked my view of the beautiful, the pure and the good, was dust and grime in my spirit blocking the goodness, pureness and love of the world around me. The spiritual eye cannot function well if it has to look out through the grime and dust of spiritual problems blocking its light. Hate, jealously, envy, worry, unsettled minds, lack of faith and indecision block the spiritual eye.

I've always had a desire to know my Creator and his Son Jesus Christ. There has been something within telling me to serve him, learn of him, obey him and call on him for my spiritual needs.

At times, I've been too busy to clean my spiritual glasses or at least, I thought so.

In later life, I begin hearing the words of Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God." (NIV) Deep within, I wanted to "be still and commune with God." I wanted to write about my experiences of living and how Christ had walked with me through life. I could not find the time or, to be honest, I did not take the time.

My retirement years arrived. However, I was filled with excessive energy and a consciousness that said: "Get up and get moving. If you become a 'couch potato' you'll get fat, your body will deteriorate and cause problems." I joined the YMCA and worked out faithfully. I planted a vegetable and a flower garden and joined the Garden Club. I soon found I was busier in my retirement than I had been during my working years.

I wanted to write, to study, to meditate, to pray, but I did not want to take the time to do so. In fact, I felt guilty taking the time. I had been programmed by my faith to believe I must be active in serving others.

To communicate with God requires time. It requires living in a world that may be different from those around us. It may require being labeled "lazy".

I've gathered together my spiritual cleaning materials: my Bible, my pen and paper, my kneeling pad and I'm thinking about a sign to hang on my door. Should it read: "In Bible Study and Prayer, do not disturb?"

.....Ivie Bozeman (ivie@rose.net) by way of Eternal Ink (eternal_ink@associate.com) and "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)

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