I Wonder ~ by Ruth Harms Calkin
You know, Lord, How I serve You
with great emotional fervor in the limelight.
You know how eagerly I speak for You at a Women’s club.
You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study.
But how would I react, I wonder,
if You pointed to a basin of water
and asked me to wash the calloused feet
of a bent and wrinkled old woman
day after day, month after month,
in a room where nobody saw and nobody knew.?
“Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on
your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Msg)”
Ever had a (duh!) Ah-Ha!! moment? I have them all the time when it comes to teaching my children in the way that they should go! Makes me most thankful for the sisters and brothers that have come along side our children, helping us to teach them as we all grow.
So, last night I found a paper on the kitchen counter
(in the fruit bowl no less, really!) that states:
“Memorizing and reciting the Apostles’ Creed
will be the Honor step for earning the Intro to
our Church Unit.”
Ah-Ha!! Time (or past time maybe) to get on
with teaching the Creeds of our faith to our daughter.
Thought I’d share just how the beginning to that sort
of worked out this morning.
Me: Do you understand what the Apostles Creed is and how we got it?
Jewel: Mom, I don’t know who that Calvin guy is!!
Me: LOL!!
See her Stars teacher had written: “He descended into hell. (see Calvin)”
Ah-Ha!! Um, yes we have some other lessons to do with her also! But am thinking we’ll just start with her knowing the Creeds before we dive into learning about “that guy Calvin…”
This is my favorite version of the Apostles’ Creed in song by Rich Mullins; which is his original version. If you have teenagers they probably would like the 3rd Day version better.
"Then he said to me, "This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. (Zechariah 4:6)"
~ Clarke’s Commentary: "This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel – This prince was in a trying situation, and he needed especial encouragement from God; and here it is: Not by might, (of thy own), nor by power, (authority from others), but by My Spirit – the providence, authority, power, and energy of the Most High. In this way shall My temple be built; in this way shall My Church be raised and preserved. No secular arm, No human prudence, No earthly policy, No suits at law, shall ever be used for the founding, extension, and preservation of My Church. But the spirit of the world says, "These are all means to which as we must have recourse; otherwise the cause of God may be ruined." Satan, thou liest!! (Clarke’s Commentary)"
<< 2 Corinthians 10:4 >> "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."
~ Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: * For the weapons of our warfare – The means by which we hope to achieve our victory. * Are not carnal – Not those of the flesh. Not such as the people of the world use. They are not such as are employed by conquerors; nor are they such as people in general rely on to advance their cause. We do not depend on eloquence, or talent, or learning, or wealth, or beauty, or any of the external aids on which the people of this world rely. They are not such as derive advantage from any power inherent in themselves. Their strength is derived from God alone.
* But mighty through God – Margin, "to." They are rendered mighty or powerful by the agency of God. They depend on him for their efficacy. Paul has not here specified the weapons on which he relied; but he had before specified them 2 Corinthians 6:6-7, so that there was no danger of mistake. The weapons were such as were furnished by truth and righteousness, and these were rendered mighty by the attending agency of God. The sense is, that God is the author of the doctrines which we preach, and that he attends them with the agency of his Spirit, and accompanies them to the hearts of people
. It is important for all ministers to feel that their weapons are mighty only through God. Conquerors and earthly warriors go into battle depending on the might of their own arm, and on the wisdom and skill which plans the battle.
The Christian goes on his warfare, feeling that however well adapted the truths which he holds are to accomplish great purposes, and however wisely his plans are formed, yet that the efficacy of all depends on the agency of God. He has no hope of victory but in God. And if God does not attend him, he is sure of inevitable defeat.
* To the pulling down of strongholds – The word rendered here as "strongholds" (ὀχύρωμα ochurōma) means properly a fastness, fortress, or strong fortification. It is here beautifully used to denote the various obstacles resembling a fortress which exist, and which are designed and adapted to oppose the truth and the triumph of the Christian’s cause. All those obstacles are strongly fortified. The sins of his heart are fortified by long indulgence and by the hold which they have on his soul. The wickedness of the world which he opposes is strongly fortified by the fact that it has seized on strong human passions; that one point strengthens another; that great numbers are united. The idolatry of the world was strongly fortified by prejudice, and long establishment, and the protection of laws, and the power of the priesthood; and the opinions of the world are entrenched behind false philosophy and the power of subtle argumentation. The whole world is fortified against Christianity; and the nations of the earth have been engaged in little else than in raising and strengthening such strongholds for the space of 6,000 years. The Christian religion goes forth against all the combined and concentrated powers of resistance of the whole world; and the warfare is to be waged against every strongly fortified place of error and of sin. These strong fortifications of error and of sin are to be battered down and laid in ruins by our spiritual weapons.“ (Barnes)
<< 2 Corinthians 6-13 >> in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.
"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)"
“Satan hindered us.”
~1Thessalonians 2:18
Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in the vanguard and in the rear, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan hinders us.
If we toil in the field, he seeks to break the ploughshare; if we build the wall, he labours to cast down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict-everywhere Satan hinders us.
He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. Fierce conflicts we had with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he endeavours to hinder the completeness of our personal character.
You may be congratulating yourself, “I have hitherto walked consistently; no man can challenge my integrity.” Beware of boasting, for your virtue will yet be tried; Satan will direct his engines against that very virtue for which you are the most famous.
If you have been hitherto a firm believer, your faith will ere long be attacked; if you have been meek as Moses, expect to be tempted to speak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will peck at your ripest fruit, and the wild boar will dash his tusks at your choicest vines.
Satan is sure to hinder us when we are earnest in prayer. He checks our importunity, and weakens our faith in order that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Nor is Satan less vigilant in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition.
As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah begin to labour, Sanballat and Tobiah are stirred up to hinder them. What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hindereth us, for it is a proof that we are on the Lord’s side, and are doing the Lord’s work, and in His strength we shall win the victory, and triumph over our adversary.
LORD, how are they multiplied that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against me.
Many there are who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me on all sides.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for Thou hast smitten all my enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth to the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Your Headquarters for Creating the Business You Love
Theme: Rubric. Blog at WordPress.com.
