You are currently browsing the daily archive for February 13, 2012.
My wife and I were flying back from North Carolina yesterday. She leaned over and started reading off my screen. I was reading an essay by Tolkien on fairies. That might sound funny to you, but let me try to unpack it. So Tolkien was used by God in mighty ways to share the gospel and ultimately see converted a man named C.S. Lewis, who was a professor of medieval literature at Oxford. Tolkien was also a professor at Oxford, although a bit older than Lewis. He would engage Lewis around this conversation. In a secular day and age, we’re still drawn to certain stories and certain things. So we all, in our culture, spend millions if not billions of dollars on entertainment driven around some pretty consistent themes.
We want a love that’s unbreakable. So we’re going to buy books that teach on that, and we’re going to go watch movies on that. Tell me that all romantic comedies aren’t the same exact thing over and over again. There’s love, it’s fun, could this be it? there’s a secret, then they get outed, then there’s a break up where surely all is lost, it will never work and then the crescendo is that it works. Now you know that’s what’s going to happen, you know that’s how it’s going to work and you’re still spending $25 to go watch it.
But that’s not the only theme we like. We want good to triumph over evil. We want to see evil crushed. So we spend billions of dollars watching movies, reading books and playing video games that show good conquering evil.
And Tolkien’s point to Lewis is the reason we’re drawn into these stories is because it’s the story that we’re actually in. He took it to a whole other level of nerdom. He literally created the elvish language. It got weird quick. His argument to Lewis is this. The reason why we’re all drawn to this, the reason why we want so badly to be a part of something like this is because we were actually designed for it and in Christ we’re walking in it
~ Matt Chandler
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Proverbs 2:1-6, 9-11
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 4:11-12
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:25-27
the first 4 chapters of proverbs remind us how important wisdom is – how it is more valuable than tangible riches and how it will guide us and keep us on a righteous path. without wisdom we drift into sin and foolishness. the thing is also that wisdom must be sought and fought for, won and discovered – it is a gift yes and we can ask God for more, but we must seek for it and choose it and be disciplined in gaining it.
wisdom will help you in demonstrating love and grace to people, responding to them in the right way.
wisdom will help you have strong successful relationships
wisdom will help you avoid sin and stay obedient
wisdom will help you say the right thing in the moment
wisdom will help you know the truth about who you are and who you are called to be
wisdom will help you appreciate the times and seasons and leading and will of God
wisdom will help you set boundaries that will protect your heart
wisdom will help you be teachable and open
let us be people who seek God’s ways and His will and His wisdom. it will bring satisfaction and completeness in our life.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:33 NIV
But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right) , and all these things will be given to you as well. Matt 6:33 AMP
my beautiful girl started ballet last week. she has the loveliest teacher and is in a delightfully small class. and she loves it. of course we’ve had lots of twirls and first positions and other such things…
i so love our church. its the best church in the world. i love what God is doing in it and through it and i love our people and i love our leaders. i love been involved. last night we had our first night service for the year, starting at a new time of seven pm, instead of five pm which is what we had for the last few years. FIVE had a very young adult focus but the new services will have a very MORE GOD focus, open for all. last night i was so joyed by all the prophetic words my housegroupies got and the awesome things God was doing, seeing people ignited afresh and feeling His presence. sooooo good!
i so love our housegroup and housegroupies. we’re busting at the sides, which is a good problem to have, though we’re watching to see how the term pans out with assignments and uni and things. ebbs and flows. we’ve had 2 weeks of social stuff, getting connected. this week we’re having our first God night – and i’m talking about the love of God – and getting first things first… loving Him. we’re going to have some extended worship and i’m so excited and full of expectation about what God will and can do, not just this week but every week!
last week we played cranium in housegroup – the ol boys vs girls challenge. pains me to say that for the first time the boys won. was a good game though, fantastic for different personalities and giftings and vertedness (introverted and extraverted) and so much fun!
and as always. i love Jesus with all i am and all my heart and all my soul and all my days. For His glory and the building of His kingdom and the rescue of the lost.
so what are you totally loving this week?
… check out what other peeps are loving whatever day of the week it is over at Paisley Jade
"In the pursuit of following Him, He brought my destiny to me. I didn’t have to chase my destiny. It came. My eyes fixed on Him, walking to Him and He aligns my steps" Kim Walker Smith –
When we love God and fix our eyes on Him, He orders our steps into the plans and purposes that He has for us. His promise is to complete the good work He has started! i can be CONFIDENT in His goodness and ablenes and faithfulness!
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