Rest and Reflect

Proverbs 25:15 (BBE) “A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.”

“Do as little as possible, and that unwillingly, for it is better to receive a slight reprimand than to perform an arduous task.” The corollary to this is that an awful lot of life’s problems solve themselves.

“The only thing we learn from history is that people learn nothing from history” – Hegel

I believe in rehabilitation not retribution.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing. – Natalie Kocsis

Even hundredfold grief is divisible by love. – Jareb Teague

Insanity: Doing the same thing and expecting different results

“You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.”

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean

God’s demonstration of his powerful character of love. Creation, Deliverance (Exodus), Return (from Exile), Redemption, Recreation.

“I rest my case”

Listen to Ty Gibson at about 0:30:00

http://www.heavenlysanctuary.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=200705262033398

He talks about why Adventists are missing the mission — confusing our purpose. We are baptising people into 28 points, not into God. Isolated points, but far from the centre of God.

Just like Alcoholics Anonymous: Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

Once a sinner saved by grace, always a sinner saved by grace. A saint is merely a sinner held in the arms of God. I must never forget where I came from, because when I do I risk becoming the most arrogant, critical, judgmental, self-righteous hypocrite the world has ever seen.

Once a sinner saved by grace, always a sinner if not for grace.

The struggle of Romans 7 is the struggle of every person. Is there anyone here who would deny that?

“Our vocation is, I believe, to build good out of evil. For if we try to build good out of good, we are in danger of running out of raw material.” Paul Tournier

Deut 7:16-23

Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the LORD your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
“If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. You shall not be terrified of them; for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. And the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed.

Our illness is chronic. Had it not been…

There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. We are living in perilous times, and it does not become us to accept everything claimed to be truth without examining it thoroughly; neither can we afford to reject anything that bears the fruits of the Spirit of God; but we should be teachable, meek and lowly of heart. There are those who oppose everything that is not in accordance with their own ideas, and by so doing they endanger their eternal interest as verily as did the Jewish nation in their rejection of Christ. The Lord designs that our opinions shall be put to the test, that we may see the necessity of closely examining the living oracles to see whether or not we are in the faith. Many who claim to believe the truth have settled down at their ease, saying, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” But Jesus says to these self-complacent ones, Thou “knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Let us individually inquire, Do these words describe my case? If so, the True Witness counsels us, saying, “Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.”

{RH, December 20, 1892 par. 1}

Grant them peace,
Most precious gift of all,
Keep the worried world
Far away and small.
When they return
May quiet fill their souls
Dearest Lord, keep them safe
Within its walls

May the stone
Be cool beneath their feet,
The canyon breezes
Circle soft and sweet.
When darkness falls
The stars and opal moon
Find them wrapped in each other,
Ever warm.

May it be a refuge for their love,
A harbor for their deepest prayer.
May they come to flourish in the grove,
Grow ever nearer to you there.

Many a burdened friend
In their company rises.
A heavy heart
Is soon released to fly.
May their table be blessed with laughter and with grace,
And by the comfort of kinship
Be surprised.

May the cold winds
Blow far from their front door.
May the winter rains
Never bring them harm.
May their hearth fires
Burn throughout the night.
Grant them sleep
Until morning’s perfect light.

From David Person’s article in Adventist Today: http://atoday.com/content/price-membership

“What’s disturbing is that [me/you/we] doesn’t agree [with some particular thing - in the case of this article - jewelry]. They seem to think it’s their church and the rest of us are just here because they are benevolent hosts.”

Sometimes I need to remind myself that this isn’t “my” church. It’s Christ’s! And I don’t have the right to play referee.

One comment was very thoughtful and balanced:

On June 6th, 2009 statefarmsteve says:

Wouldn’t it be interesting if sermons came with 2 sides, or a second sermon were to follow the first from a different perspective?

I’m no theologian, but I’d encourage all to listen, take in the minister’s sermon, and then let it simmer and percolate in your heart. If it hits home, then fine. If not, then after the closing prayer, walk from your seat, out the center isle, jingling and jangling like a pocketfull of change at a double dutch competition. Then next week, come back, and listen to the next message. It might hit home or fit more into what you might need.

I’m sure the pastor enters into each of his studies with the earnestly prayerful desire that his words help, not hurt. If you’re not hurt, stay. If you are hurt, stay, but let him know. I don’t think he’s trying to push any of his flock out of the door. Who knows? This particular sermon may have really hit home to someone who needed it. I’m not saying the pastor was right, or that his message was on perfectly on point, but I believe that God uses us all, including pastors, to further his work. Sometimes we let him down. When we do, and we will, the best we can do is keep trying to move forward in our spiritual growth.

A lot of good pastors and adventists have to say “oops” every now and again.

Some insights from another comment:

I am somewhat disappointed at the comments on David’s opinion piece. No, I’m not surprised at Sorensen’s and his kin’s comments; they are consistent with their belief and approach. I am surprised at the reaction of those who feel the preacher shouldn’t have preached that sermon on jewelry. I am not sure we are consistent. My experience has been that the very “conservative” have been intolerant of their brother’s opinion, but the non-traditional have been very tolerant–some of my saints used to criticize us for allowing “pluralism”! But in the comments I find the non-traditionalist advocating walking out on the sermon. No, I wouldn’t preach that sermon against Jewelry. In fact, you should have seen my reaction when I found a guest lay-speaker preached that sort of sermon in my church while I was away at my small church that Sabbath. (and my wife almost did walk out on the sermon!)

But shouldn’t we leave that sort of reaction (walking out on the sermon) to the more narrow minded among us. (as “they” have walked out on my sermons!)

Yes, I would speak with the pastor (who I would have been friends with) about my concern for the sermon and its results. Yes, I probably would find somewhere else to worship if this was usual weekly type of sermon. But, walk out on the sermon? No, I don’t think anyone gains by that approach. I do like the idea of having a time at church for a good discussion of the sermon over “coffee,” though!

If I want people to take the time to understand and allow me my opinions, I must do the same for others. There is no situation in which the least gracious response (walking out, arguing) can be the right one. Let us have this attitude – the one that God has towards us even when we are sinning – come let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18).

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/ashes.htm
http://www.freewill-predestination.com/unchanged.html

http://www.greatcontroversy.org/reportandreview/kir-gracelink-oi.php3

Well written piece.

Especially appreciate this line:
“The gospel is not there to beat us down, but it is not given either to lesson our interest in obeying God or our anxiety when we sin.”

Totally agree. Jesus didn’t die to make us “feel” better. He came to make us actually better.

From the Valuegenesis book:

“In college he [a former student of Roger Dudley] became enamored with the teachings of a professor who presented righteousness by faith as composed of justification alone. The work of salvation was completely objective — removed from our experience. It had only to do with the cross; nothing with daily living. . . . [after later being thrown in jail for intoxication] He was particularly sustained by his religion. Remembering what his professor had told him about righteousness by faith, he recalled, ‘Not for a moment, even while drunk in that dismal jail cell, did I forget that I was in right standing with God.’” Then follows the author’s analysis, and an amazing analysis it is: “Few of us understand righteousness by grace through faith in such a complete sense.”

Just because God loves us unconditionally. It does not follow that God necessarily approves of all our actions.

The theologian is obligated to be critical of every special expression of his ultimate concern. He cannot affirm any tradition and any authority except through a “No” and a “Yes”. And it is always possible that he may not take the risk of being driven beyond the boundary line of the theological circle. Therefore, the pious and powerful in the church are suspicious of him, although they live in dependence upon the work of the former theologians who were in the same situation. Theology, since it serves not only the concrete but also the universal logos, can become a stumbling block for the church and a demonic temptation for the theologian. The detachment required in one’s theological work can destroy the necessary involvement of faith. This tension is the burden and the greatness of every theological work.

2 Cor 5:14-6:2

I believe it sums up what I presently believe to be important as a Christian.

http://www.heavenlysanctuary.com/filemgmt/index.php?id=292

Excellent Sermon

“These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23).

http://www.inspirasjonsuken.no/en/dan.htm
http://ekebyholm.adventkyrka.se/tyrifjord

http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/column/2009/06/05/expert

The value of theological training

http://conversationsofgod.blip.tv/

On Ellen White:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2AD09HvWg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6tkn01iJoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nKpoaDvlb4

On diversity:

http://arthurandteresabeem.blogspot.com/2009/04/19th-century-millerite-headlines.html

http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/doctrines/au2002conference/guy/guy27origin.htm