Flames of Fire

Have you ever sat quietly in front of a fireplace, a candle or open fire roasting marshmallows while contemplating; Psalm 104:4b “He makes His ministers flames of fire .” (Also, see Hebrews 1:7)

That is God’s open fire potential opinion of us! Are we a steady burning Blue Flame? A fire with Rose glow? A Flying Spark as I am now seeing in my burning fireplace? It only takes a love spark to get a fire going!

I, now, have battery operated candles even flickering ones sitting all around. They are pretty, give nice contained light and safer but it’s NOT a burning flame. As, I pause to gaze upon both, a fake candle sitting nicely on my mantle above a hot burning fireplace, this early Sunday Morn, one reminds me of being lukewarm in fervor to Christ.  While the other reminds me of  being burning hot flames with sparks for Christ. An Angel warned us in Revelation 3:15-16, not to be lukewarm!

Do you hear what I hear;

Christmas will soon be here and many enjoy decorating homes and businesses with poinsettias, wreaths with colorful bows, roping and fresh floral arrangements. Others like something a bit different, such as a blooming cyclamen, Christmas cactus or amaryllis. Whichever of these is your favorite, we invite you to visit Monroe Technology Center’s annual Christmas Sale if you are in the Leesburg, Virginia area. In addition to these, we will have a great selection of hand-sewn pet scarves in all sizes and patterns. These “Faithful Friends” Stitches slip on collar scarves by Patricia Woolard Woodley make great gifts! Sale days and hours are December 2: 10am – 7pm; December 3: 10am – 5pm and December 4: 10am – 4pm. Sale proceeds go towards scholarships for our agriculture students.

Merry Christmas, Debi

A Poem, Ruth Graham

Had I been Joseph’s mother
I’d have prayed
protection from his brothers:
“God keep him safe;
he is so young,
so different from
the others.”
Mercifully she never knew
there would be slavery
and prison, too.

Had I been Moses’ mother
I’d have wept
to keep my little son;
praying she might forget
the babe drawn from the water
of the Nile,
had I not kept
him for her
nursing him the while?
Was he not mine
and she
but Pharaoh’s daughter?…

Had I been Mary –
Oh, had I been she,
I would have cried
as never a mother cried,
“…Anything, O God,
anything…
but crucified!”
With such prayers
importunate
my finite wisdom
would assail
Infinite Wisdom;
God, how fortunate
Infinite Wisdom
should prevail!

This poem is from Ruth Bell Graham’s “Collected Poems.” It’s also available in This Christmas Night: Reflections from Our Hearts to Your Home.

Jealousy and Envy

Have you ever experienced envy and jealousy either from yourself to others or others to you? In reading these (7) seven Bibical scriptures, if be true, it seems to be war!  What should one do if they find themselves a victim of another(s) envy and jealousy? Or, if you find yourself trying to harm others because of your envy and jealousy? It seems to be one harms them selves greatly when they are jealous and envious of others.

Please help me break down these verses one by one into life changing for individuals, and groups of people.

“Song of Solomon 8:6 – Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.

Philippians 2:3 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

James 3:14-15 – But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Psalm 37:1-3 – Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

James 3:16 – For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Proverbs 14:30 – A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

 

A Prayer by John Calvin

“Nowe let us kneele downe in the presence of our good GOD with acknowledgements of our faultes, praying him to make us feele them better than we have done, so as our whole seeking may bee to submit our selves unto him, and hee may vouchsafe to reach us his hand, not suffering us to bee any more given to our own fancies and affections, but that wee may magnify his goodness which he uses towardes us, and fare the better by it by yielding him the obedience that hee deserveth: specially because hee hath vouchsafed to bring us his lawe and declare it to us, and hath not only showed us the way how to live well, but also vouchsafed to adopt us to bee his children, and to shewe himselfe to be our father and Saviour for our Lorde Jesus Christes sake. That it may please him graint this grace not only to us, but also to all people.”

A prayer of John Calvin from his Sermons Upon the Fifth Book of Moses

Old English as from Calvin’s Day

Information in conflict

FullSizeRender“The Lord says, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.” – Isaiah 66:13 (NRSV)

It seems each day brings a basketful of decision making chores. Things that one thinks should be so simple seems like a load to heavy to carry when placed in a mind. My brother as he looked near death in the face would so often say to me, “too much information.” I began to label all information, both incoming and outgoing, either TMI (too much information) or NEI (not enough information).

Granted, I, hopefully, knew and know the difference between withholding valuable information. Timely information. Wrong information. But, there seems to be a lot of information I’m not sure what to do with and why I even have it. As well as information others withhold and handle so untimely and even giving untruthful and/or distorted information. This information gig has fighting red horns! This brings me to the reason I choose for my meditative thoughts this scripture found in Isaiah, the Lord will comfort me and you just like a loving Mother comforts her child.

Let us think about the many times in our lives when God has comforted us with love and grace in moments of hurt and uncertainty. These memories bring us comfort and peace as well as gratitude and humility that God would intervene in our life on this intimate personal level. Each day may bring, TMI or NEI and information may feel like an emotional whip but loving arms are always open to hug away our tears.

My summary on why I think dealing with information to be so difficult; “lack of love.” What info do you have to offer?

Chris’ Drone showing Autumn Beauty

Chris Mar has once again captured Fall Beauty from his drone flying from above. How peaceful to view a garden from angles that delights the whole being. Looking down from up above you seem to find your soul living in clusters of beauty. Yes, blooming, healing and living. Pause and enjoy the beauty of an Autumn Garden today.

C.S. Monroe Technology Center Fall Plant Sale

Fall Plant Sale 2015 from Chris Mar on Vimeo.