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madewithonerib · 3 years

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Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the LORD (Ebook) | By Michael Reeves

Our inner convictions & values shape our lives & our ministries.

And at Union—the cooperative ministries of Union School of Theology/Publishing/Research/Mission (www.theolo.gy)—we long to grow & support wo/men who will delight in GOD, grow in CHRIST, serve the Church, & bless the world.

This Union series of books is an attempt to express & share those values.

They are values that flow from the beauty & grace of GOD.

The living GOD is so glorious & kind, HE cannot be known without being adored.

1.] True Love

Those who truly know HIM will love HIM, & without that heartfelt delight in GOD, we are nothing but hollow hypocrites.

That adoration of GOD necessarily works itself out in a desire to grow in CHRIST-likeness.

2.] Servant Heart

It also fuels a love for CHRIST's precious bride, the Church, & a desire humbly to serve—rather than use—her.

3.] Share HIS Concerns

And lastly, loving GOD brings us to share HIS concerns, especially to see HIS life-giving glory fill the Earth.

Each exploration of a subject in the Union series will appear in two versions: A full volume & a concise one.

The idea is that Church leaders can read the full treatment, such as this one, & so delve into each topic while making the more accessible concise version widely available to their congregations.

My hope & prayer is that these books will bless you & your Church as you develop a deeper delight in GOD that overflows in joyful integrity, humility, CHRIST-likeness, love for the Church, & a passion to make disciples of all nations.

Read Chapter 1: Do Not be Afraid!

CH1: Do Not be Afraid!

As children we were sacred of the dark & the monsters under the bed. We were both fascinated & repelled by our fears.

And not much changes when we grew up: Adults love scary movies & thrills that bring us face-to-face with our worst fears..

Fear is probably the strongest human emotion.

But it is one that baffles us.

1.1] To Fear or Not to Fear?

● Is fear a good thing or a bad thing? ● Is fear something to embrace or flee?

Many times SCRIPTURE clearly views fear as a bad thing, from which CHRIST has come to rescue us.

[1 John 4:12,18, Luke 1:74-75, Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7]

● 1 John 4:18 | ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

● 1 John 4:12 | ¹² No one has ever seen GOD; but if we love one another, GOD remains in us, & HIS love is perfected in us.

● Luke 1:74-75 | ⁷⁴ deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve HIM without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness & righteousness before HIM all the days of our lives.

● Romans 8:15 | ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the SPIRIT of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! FATHER!”

● 2 Timothy 1:7 | ⁷ For GOD has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, & self-control.

The author of Hebrews agrees, arguing that CHRIST came specifically to “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” [Hebrews 2:15]

Hebrews 2:14-16 | Now since the children have flesh & blood, HE too shared in their humanity, so that by HIS death HE might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ & free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not the angels HE helps, but the descendants of Abraham.

In deed, the most frequent command in SCRIPTURE is:

“Do not be afraid!”

Yet again in SCRIPTURE we are called to fear.

Perhaps even more strangely, we are called to fear GOD.

The verse that quickly comes to mind is Proverbs 9:10.

Proverbs 9:10 | ¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, & knowledge of the Holy ONE is understanding.

But while that is the best known, it is far from alone. At the start of the Book of Proverbs we read,

Proverbs 1:7 | ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom & discipline.

David prays,

Psalm 86:11 | ¹¹ Teach me YOUR way, O LORD, that I may walk in YOUR truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear YOUR name.

Isaiah tells us that “the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure” [Isaiah 33:6]. Job’s faithfulness is summed up when he is described as “a blameless & upright man, who fears GOD” [Job 1:8].

And this is not merely OT state of affairs that the NT rises above. In the Magnificat, Mary says that [Luke 1:50]

● Luke 1:50 | ⁵⁰ HIS mercy extends to those who fear HIM, from generation to generation.

● Isaiah 33:6 | ⁶ He will be the sure foundation for your times, a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, & knowledge. The fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.

● Job 1:8 | ⁸ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered MY servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless & upright, who fears GOD & shuns evil.”

JESUS describes the unrighteous judge as one “who neither feared GOD nor respected man” [Luke 18:2].

Luke 18:2 | ² “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared GOD nor respected men.

Paul writes, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body & spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of GOD” [2 Corinthians 7:1];

& again, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the LORD” [Colossians 3:22].

Clearly, the NT agrees with the “Preacher” when he concludes Ecclesiastes: “The end of the matter; all has been heard.

Fear GOD & keep HIS commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” [Eccles. 12:13]

In fact, the fear of GOD is so important a theme in SCRIPTURE that Professor John Murray wrote simply,

“The fear of GOD is the soul of godliness.” ¹

The seventeenth-century Puritan John Owen likewise argued that in SCRIPTURE, “the fear of the LORD” means “the whole worship of GOD, moral & instituted, all the obedience which we owe unto HIM.” ²

And Martin Luther taught in his Small Catechism that the fulfillment of the law means “we are to fear, love, & trust GOD above all things.” ³

Walking his people through the Ten Commandments, Luther wrote that a right understanding of each meant knowing “we are to fear & love GOD.”

All of which can leave us rather confused.

On the one hand, we are told that CHRIST frees us from fear; on the other, we are told we ought to fear—& fear GOD, no less.

It can leave us discouraged & wishing that “the fear of GOD” were not so prominent an idea in SCRIPTURE.

We have quite enough fears without adding more, thank you very much.

And fearing GOD just feels so negative, it doesn’t seem to square with the GOD of love & grace we meet in the GOSPEL.

Why would any GOD worth loving want to be feared?

It is all made worse by the impression that fear & love are two different languages preferred by two different Christian camps—perhaps two different theologies.

The one camp speaks of love & grace & never of fearing GOD.

And the other camp seems angered by this & emphasizes how afraid of GOD we should be.

The fear of GOD is like cold water on the Christian’s love for GOD.

We get the impression that the fear of GOD must be the gloomy theological equivalent of eating your greens:

something the theological health nuts binge on while everyone else enjoys tastier fare.

My aim now is to cut through this discouraging confusion.

I want you to rejoice in this strange paradox that the GOSPEL both frees us from fear & gives us fear.

It frees us from our crippling fears, giving us instead a most delightful, happy, & wonderful fear.

And I want to clear up that often off-putting phrase “the fear of GOD,” to show through the BIBLE that for Christians it really does not mean being afraid of GOD.

Indeed, SCRIPTURE will have many hefty surprises in store for us as it describes the fear of GOD that is the beginning of wisdom.

It is not what we would expect.

Take just one example for now.

In Isaiah 11:1–3 we are given a beautiful description of the Messiah, filled with the SPIRIT:

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, & a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the SPIRIT of the LORD shall rest upon HIM, the SPIRIT of wisdom & understanding, the SPIRIT of counsel & might, the SPIRIT of knowledge & the fear of the LORD.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

Those last two statements should make us question what this fear of the LORD is. Here we see that the fear of the LORD is not something the Messiah wishes to be without.

Even HE, in HIS sinless holiness & perfection, has the fear of the LORD—but HE is not reluctant about it.

It is not that HE loves GOD & has joy in GOD but finds [unfortunately] that to fulfill all righteousness HE also must fear GOD.

Quite the opposite:

the SPIRIT who rests on HIM is the SPIRIT of the fear of the LORD, & HIS delight is in the fear of the LORD.

It forces us to ask, what is this fear, that it can be CHRIST’s very delight? It cannot be a negative, gloomy duty.

Today’s Culture of Fear

But before we dive into the good news the BIBLE has about our fears & the fear of GOD, it is worth noticing how anxious our culture has become.

Seeing where our society now is can help us understand why we have a problem with fear—& why the fear of GOD is just the tonic we need.

These days, it seems, everyone is talking about a culture of fear.

From Twitter to television, we fret about global terrorism, extreme weather, pandemics, & political turmoil.

In political campaigns & elections, we routinely see fear rhetoric used by politicians who recognize fear drives voting patterns.

And in our digitalized world, the speed at which information & news are disseminated means we are flooded with more causes of worry than ever.

Fears that once we would never have shared cross the world in seconds & are globally pooled.

Our private, daily routines are filled with still more sources of anxiety.

Take our diet, for example:

If you choose the full-fat version on the menu, you’re heading for a heart attack. Yet we’re regularly confronted with the latest discovery that the low-calorie alternative is actually carcinogenic or harmful in some other way.

And so a low-grade fear starts with breakfast.

Or think of the paranoia surrounding parenting today.

The valid but usually overblown fear of the kidnapper lurking online or outside every school has helped fuel the rise of helicopter parenting & children more & more fenced in to keep them safe.

Small surprise, then, that universities are now expected to provide previously unheard-of “safe spaces” to protect or quarantine students.

Children have grown up so protected that they are not expected to be able to cope with opposing viewpoints or criticism.

It is just one indicator that they are considered more fragile than students were a generation ago.

However, it is wrong to single out the pejoratively named Generation Snowflake:

as a whole, we are an increasingly anxious & uncertain culture.

Anyone in management knows about the staggering proliferation of bureaucratic red tape around health & safety.

Yet it has not made us feel safer.

If anything, we triple-check our locks even more obsessively.

The certain safety we long for evades us, leaving us feeling vulnerable, like victims at the slim mercy of everyone & everything else.

And therein is an extraordinary paradox, for we live more safely than ever before.

From seatbelts & airbags in our cars to the removal of lead paint & asbestos from our homes, our safety is guarded more than our shorter-lived ancestors could have imagined.

We have antibiotics to protect us from infections that in other centuries would have been all too easily fatal.

But rather than rejoicing, we worry we’re becoming immune & so heading into a post-antibiotic health apocalypse.

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pope-francis-quotes · 5 years

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21st May >> (@ZenitEnglish) #Pope Francis #PopeFrancis Urges Reforms and Collegiality for Italian Bishops. Full Tex of May 20 Address to 73rd General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference

On 20th May 2019, Pope Francis opened the 73rd General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference (C.E.I.), taking place in the Synod Hall in the Vatican through May 23, on the theme: “Ways and Instruments for a New Missionary Presence.” After the opening prayer and the greeting of Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, Archbishop of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, the Pope gave the CEI’s Assembly the address we translate below.

In his address, the Holy Father stressed the importance of collegiality in the episcopal conference, urged the bishops to move forward on the reform of the marriage review process, and stressed the importance of the relationship between bishops and their priests.

* * *

The Holy Father’s Address

Dear Brothers,

I thank you for this meeting, which I would like to be a moment of help for pastoral discernment on the life and mission of the Italian Church. I thank you also for the effort you make every day in taking forward the mission that the Lord has entrusted to you and in serving the People of God with, and according to, the Heart of the Good Shepherd.

I would like to speak to you again today about some questions we treated in our previous meetings, to reflect further on them and integrate them with new questions to see together at what point we are. I will give you the floor later to address to me the questions, the perplexities, and the inspirations, the criticisms, all that you bear in your heart. There are three points I would like to talk about.

1 Synodality and Collegiality

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, observed on October 17, 2015, I wished to clarify that “the way of synodality is the way that God expects from the Church in the third millennium [. . . ] it is a constitutive dimension of the Church,” so that “what the Lord asks us is, in a certain sense, already all contained in the word Synod.”[1]

The new document of the International Theological Commission on synodality in the life and mission of the Church, affirmed also in the course of the Plenary Assembly of 2017, that, “in the ecclesiological context, synodality indicates the specific modus vivendi et operandi of the Church People of God, which manifests and realizes concretely its being communion in walking together, in coming together in assembly and in all its members taking part actively in its evangelizing mission.” And it continues thus: “Whereas the concept of synodality calls for the involvement and participation of all the People of God in the life and mission of the Church, the concept collegiality specifies the theological meaning and the way of the exercise of the Bishops’ ministry at the service of the particular Church, entrusted to the pastoral care of each one and in the communion between the particular Churches within the one and universal Church of Christ, through the hierarchical communion of the Episcopal College with the Bishop of Rome. Collegiality, therefore, is the specific way in which ecclesial synodality is manifested and realized, through the ministry of the Bishops, on the level of communion between the particular Churches in a region and on the level of communion between all the Churches in the universal Church. Every genuine manifestation of synodality calls, by its nature, to exercise the collegial ministry of the Bishops.”[2]

Therefore, I rejoice that this assembly has desired to reflect further on this argument, which in reality describes the “medical record” of the Italian Church’s state of health and of your pastoral and ecclesiastical work.

In this context, it might be helpful to address the eventual lack of collegiality and participation in the conduction of the CEI Conference, be it in determining the pastoral plans, be it in the economic-financial programmatic commitments.

On synodality also, in the context of a probable Synod for the Italian Church — I heard a “rumor” lately about this, it reached Saint Martha’s! –, there are two directions: synodality from the bottom up, namely of having to take care of the existence and good functioning of the Diocese: the councils, the parishes, the involvement of the laity . . . (Cf. CCC 469-494 – start with the dioceses: a great Synod cannot be done without going to the base. This is the movement from the bottom up – and the assessment of the role of the laity; and then the synodality of the top down, in conformity with the address I gave to the Italian Church in the 5th National Congress at Florence, November 10, 2015, which is still in force and must accompany us in this path.. If someone thinks of doing a Synod on the Italian Church, it must begin from the bottom up, and from the top down with the Florence document. And this will take off, but one will walk on what is certain, not on ideas.

2 The Reform of the Marriage processes

As you well know, with the two Motu Proprio Mitis Iudex Dominus Jesus and Mitis et Misericors Iesus, published in 2015, the marriage processes were reordered ex integro, establishing three types of processes: ordinary, shorter and documentary.

The need to streamline the procedures has led to simplifying the ordinary process, with the abolition of the double mandatory compliant decision. Henceforth, if there isn’t an appeal in the times foreseen, the first sentence that declares the nullity of the marriage becomes executive. There is, then, the other type of process: the shorter. This form of process is to be applied in cases in which the said nullity of the marriage is upheld by the joint question of the spouses, evident arguments, the proofs of the marriage nullity being of rapid demonstration. With the question made to the Bishop, and the process instructed by the Judicial Vicar or by an instructor, the final decision, of declaration of nullity or of resending of the cause to the ordinary process, belongs to the Bishop himself, who — in virtue of his pastoral office — is with Peter the major guarantor of the Catholic unity in faith and in discipline. Whether it is the ordinary process or the shorter they are in any case processes of a purely judicial nature, which means that the nullity of the marriage can be pronounced only when the judge obtains the moral certainty on the basis of the acts and proofs collected.”[3]

Thus the shorter process has introduced a new typology, namely, the possibility to go to the Bishop, as head of the Diocese, asking him to pronounced himself personally on some cases, in the most manifested cases of nullity. And this because the Bishop’s pastoral dimension includes and also exacts his personal function as judge, which not only manifests the closeness of the diocesan Pastor to his faithful, but also the Bishop’s presence as a sign of Christ sacrament of salvation. Therefore, the Bishop and the Metropolitan must proceed with an administrative act to the erection of the diocesan tribunal, if it has not yet been constituted, and in the case of difficulty, they can also access a diocesan or inter-diocesan neighboring Tribunal. This is important.

This procedural reform is based on closeness and on gratuitousness. Closeness to wounded families means that the judgment, in as much as possible, is held in the diocesan Church, without procrastination and without useless prolongations. The term gratuitousness refers to the evangelical mandate according to which one has freely received and one must freely give (Cf. Matthew 10:8), so it requires that the ecclesiastical pronouncement of nullity is not equivalent to a high cost that disadvantaged persons are unable to sustain. This is very important.

I’m well aware that, in the 71st General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference and through various communications,[4] you foresaw an updating regarding the reform of the administrative regime of the Ecclesiastical Tribunals in marriage matters. However, I regret seeing that, after more than four years, the reform remains very far from being applied in a great part of Italian Dioceses. I confirm with clarity that the Rescript given by me in December 2015 has abolished the Motu Proprio of Pius XI Qua Cura (1938), which instituted Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunals in Italy and, therefore, I earnestly hope that the application of the above mentioned Motu Proprio will find its full and immediate implementation in all the Dioceses where it has not yet been provided.

In this connection, dear brethren, we must never forget that the reforming thrust of the canonical marriage process, characterized — as I already said above — by closeness, speed and gratuitousness of the procedures, is geared to show that the Church is Mother and has at heart the good of her children, which in this case are those marked by the wound of a broken love; and, therefore, all the operators of the Tribunal, each one on his part and his competence, must act so this is realized and, consequently, not put before anything thing else that can impede or slow down the application of the reform, of whatever nature or interest it may be.

The success of the reform passes necessarily through a conversion of the structures and of the persons. Therefore, let us not allow the economic interests of some lawyers, or the fear of some Judiciary Vicars of losing power, to halt or retard the reform.

3 The Relationship between Priests and Bishops

The relationship between us Bishops and our priests represents, indisputably, one of the most vital questions in the life of the Church; it is the spine on which the diocesan community is ruled. I quote the wise words of His Eminence Cardinal Bassetti when he wrote: “if this relationship were to deteriorate the whole body would be weakened. And the message itself would end up weakened.”[5]

The Bishop is the Pastor, the sign of unity for the entire diocesan Church, the father and guide of his priests and of all the community of believers; he has the binding task to take care in primis and attentively to his relationship with his priests. Unfortunately, some Bishops struggle to establish acceptable relations with their priests, thus risking ruining their mission and in fact weakening the mission itself of the Church.

Vatican Council II teaches us that the presbyters constitute with their Bishop one Presbytery, although destined to different offices (Cf. Constitution Lumen Gentium, 28). This means that a Bishop doesn’t exist without his presbytery and, in turn, a Presbytery doesn’t exist without a healthy relationship cum episcopo. The conciliar Decree Christus Dominus also affirms: “All the priests, be they Diocesan or Religious, take part in union with the Bishop in the one priesthood of Christ and, therefore, are providentially constituted co-operators of the Episcopal order. [ . . .] Therefore, they constitute one sole Presbytery and one sole family, of which the Bishop is the father” (n. 28).

The solid relationship between the Bishop and his priests is based on the unconditional love witnessed by Jesus on the cross, which represents the only true rule of conduct for Bishops and priests. In reality, the priests are our closest collaborators and brothers. They are the closest neighbor! It’s based also on mutual respect, which manifests fidelity to Christ, love of the Church, adherence to the Good News. In truth, hierarchic communion collapses when it is infected with any form of power or of personal self-gratification; but, on the contrary, it is strengthened and grows when it is embraced by the spirit of total abandonment and of service to the People of God. We Bishops have the duty of presence and closeness to the Christian people, but in particular to our priests, without discrimination and without preferences. A true Pastor lives in the midst of his flock and his presbyters, and he knows how to listen to and receive all without prejudices.

We must not fall into the temptation to get close only to likable or adulating priests and avoid those that, according to the Bishop, are unlikeable and frank; to give all responsibilities to willing priests or “climbers” and discourage introverted or meek or timid priests, or problematic ones. Be father to all one’s priests; to be interested in and to seek all; to visit all; to always be able to have time to listen, every time that someone asks for it or needs it; to be such that each one feels esteemed and encouraged by his Bishop. To be practical: if the Bishop receives a priest’s call, he must respond that day, or at most the next day, so that priest will know he has a father.

Dear brethren, our priests feel themselves continually under the media’s attack and often ridiculed or condemned because of some errors or crimes of some of their colleagues and they have a real need to find in their Bishop the figure of the elder brother or of the father who encourages them in difficult periods; who stimulates them to spiritual and human growth; who heartens them in moments of failure; who corrects them with love when they are mistaken; who consoles them when they feel alone; who lifts them when they fall. This requires, first of all, closeness to our priests, who have need to find the Bishop’s door and his heart always open. It requires being Bishop-father, Bishop-brother!

Dear brothers, I wished to share with you these three arguments as points of reflection. Now I give you the floor and I thank you in advance for your sincerity and frankness. Thank you so much!

[1] AAS 107 (2015), 1139.

[2] http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_20180302_sinodalita_it.html

[3] Application aid of the Motu Proprio Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus: http://www.rotaromana.va/content/dam/rotaromana/dpcmenti/Sussidio/Sussido%20Mitis%20Iudex%20Dominus%20ITA.pdf

[4] http://giuridico.chiesacattolica.it/il-motu-proprio-mitis-iudex-dominus-iesus-e-la-riforma-dei-processe-matrimoniali-2/

[5] “The Relationship between the Bishop and his Priests to Serve the People of God,” L’Osservatore Romano, March 7, 2015.

Translation by Virginia M. Forrester

21st MAY 2019 16:24EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES

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lanreamusan · 4 years

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*Aligned with God’s will* 27 AUGUST 2020 ‘You do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.’ James 4:3 NIV When we’re praying for things that aren’t specifically promised in the Bible, we should say, ‘If it’s Your will.’ The Bible says, ‘When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives.’ Sometimes we can find it difficult to accept this truth because we’re sure we know what’s best and our requests are justified. But we can’t see the bigger picture, so we might be praying for things that actually wouldn’t turn out to be good for us or for God’s kingdom. The Message says: ‘We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist’ (1 Corinthians 13:12 MSG). Only God understands the complete picture. So we need to pray with hearts that are full of God and with our will fully in line with His. John said: ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears – whatever we ask – we know…we have what we asked of him’ (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). When we’re not sure if the thing we’re praying for is aligned with God’s will, we should pray, ‘If it’s Your will,’ and then accept that God might not give us exactly what we want. This doesn’t mean our faith is weak. Instead, it shows that we love and trust God enough to say, ‘Lord, I want this thing, but only if it’s Your will, fits in with Your plan, is Your best for me, and it’s in Your timing.’ So let’s pray in faith, and trust God for the right results. What Now? Divide a piece of paper into two columns. In one column, write a list of things you’re praying for. In the other, write ‘If it’s Your will’ next to each prayer point. Use your list when you pray to remind yourself to accept God’s will. Ecclesiastes 1-3, 2 Corinthians 4 (at RCCG Covenant Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYYheKJ6eb/?igshid=1doh97efnqbb4

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olaluwe · 5 years

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I may not know what your faith is - Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, name it; but one thing I know for sure is that 'redeeming the time' is one thing that's common or applicable to all.

It has always been and will always be. It's, therefore, a topic worthy of listening to or reading about, even of your own free will.

Let me, however, concede to the fact that this post would rely more on materials freely drawn from the bible.

It wasn't an idea borne out of the logic of the superiority of the faith but because it's one with which I'm conversant to an appreciable degree as a Christian and growing; and of which I've been stunned, lately, by a revelation that I'm a messenger by the will of God almighty through his only begotten son Christ Jesus.

Knowing this; I’m most humbled and seeking in all sincerity and truth for the best ways to fit into doing his will which he has set before all whom he had called as partakers and ambassadors of his riches in glory.

So, I crave your understanding as you come along. My prayer and hope is that you're richly blessed reading it.

Now before we proceed, let me quickly attempt defining the two ideas or concepts encapsulated in the post title namely 'redeem and time' for nothing is more dangerous than assumption.

What is time?

Time is the passage, circle or sequence of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years in the life of everyone and everything. Since it is a circle or sequence, it has a starting and also a closing point. It's finite, at least, to everything and every work under the sun.

What does it mean to redeem?

To redeem is to buy back or recover something or someone that has been pawned, lost, or endangered. It also means to accomplish a set goal, desire, dream, glory, and destiny.

As living souls, we live to accomplish our earthy purposes in space and time.

And you may never know the true significance of redeeming the time until you have lost or crave for something - a car, a house, a wife, a husband, a child(ren), a job, name it; but can't have it even when your soul yearns for it the most.

Of essence, therefore, time is central to everything we do or become as human beings. So much so that the bible says 'to every purpose and everything under heaven there is time and season.' Ecclesiastes 3: 1.

There is a time to be born, and a time to die; and a time to plant and a time to pluck what’s planted. The list goes on and on and on. . .

On top of that, it is frighteningly short and quick; however, we look at it because it always catches up with us in all that we do.

In this present age, the maximum of a long life is roughly a hundred years and it's so full of troubles. Even at that, it would surprise you how it is quickly lived or fast spent.

Of course, there is a lot that we can achieve within the allocated period. It’s no gainsaying that these things must be accomplished with a measure of godly violence too. They must be redeemed, I mean to say.

After all, the Bible also says "that from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and only the violent take it by force." John 11:12.

To corroborate the position of the bible, I remember as a teenager the popular saying among my hustling brothers and uncles then that "the way of the mouth is the way of heaven.

This in a literal sense means what to eat and drink take preeminence over other existential matters. That goes to show how they prioritize their work over lazying about. That's, of course, redeeming the time as far as surviving is concerned for them.

The same mentality, if not more is required when it comes to what we're here to accomplish. There's a popular saying that 'may we not let what we're going to eat take preeminence over the glory we're here to fulfill; the destiny we’re here to accomplish’.

From the foregoing, we all can see clearly how time can be redeemed through a combination of factors.

But how can you and I redeem the time, if its nature or attributes if you like, and to all what it serves as an agency we know very little about.

Having said that, I think it's only sensible I devout the next paragraph to listing out what I personally consider as the characteristics of time as it were.

In no particular order of importance, the following are some of the characteristics of time or the agency work it does.

(1) Time is glory (2) Time is destiny (3) Time is money (4) Time is success (5) Time is failure (6) Time is family 7. Time is knowledge and its applications thereby mutating into wisdom (8) Time is birth (9) Time is death (10) Time is salvation (11) Time is peace and safety (12) Time is relationships (13) Time is friendships (14) Time is work or labor (15) Time is rest (16) Time is reward (17) Time is reconciliation (18) Time is war (19) Time is fashion (20) Time is taste (21) Time is love (22) Time is hatred

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 expanded.

You can see that it's almost all-encompassing and hardly is there any aspect of life not covered. But then, if you can think of more, you're highly welcome to specify them in the comments section.

But rather than go the whole hog with the details of how time functions in relation to each of its attributes above, I'd concern myself first with redeeming the time as it relates to accomplishing your purpose and my purpose under the sun.

And secondly, as time functions regard the salvation of your soul and my soul that was purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ at a great price.

Why must time be redeemed?

Time must be redeemed because like I said earlier it's short as apportioned unto each and every one. It's on a quickening pace such that it is hardly sufficient to get all that we desire done.

Secondly, time must be redeemed importantly because the days are evil.

The days of a glorious earthly man are evil because desperately arrayed against him are stronger humans by position, connection, wealth, riches and glory; power and principalities, attitudes, beliefs, name it.

Why are these ones arrayed against him?

It a mystery that I think, among others, finds expression in the often-quoted line: The test of fire makes the finest steel.

Those things arrayed against you are the proverbial tests of the fire which you must pass to claim your glory even if you're the anointed of God.

To illustrate the picture I'm trying to paint above, I'll cite two bible stories of King David and Joseph and how they redeemed the time concerning fulfilling their glorious destiny. Some of us who’re Christians are already familiar with them.

True, David was anointed a king over the nation of Israel at a tender age after God zero his mind on taking the kingdom away from King Saul and his lineage. 1 Samuel 16:12-13

But he was not going to ascend to the throne immediately because his hour has not yet come.

Not only that, the way must be cleared which isn't going to happen in one day. He must also be seen to be capably deserving of the huge responsibility that's about to be entrusted into his charge.

Echoing in advance what would later be played out with our Lord Jesus Christ at the wedding in Cana of Galilee when his mother approached him with the report of exhausted wine by reproving his mother 'woman, what is this your concern have to do with me. My hour has not yet come.' John 2:4.

Continuing the story above, a deadly game of throne simply ensued between a young David and the incumbent King Saul. To cut the long story short, repeated attempts were made on David's life by the out-of-favor king Saul.

But he was able to survive the king's murderous onslaught, let me emphasize, not by wishful thinking. He followed some specifics.

At the same time, David had the opportunity to take the king's life because he played into his hands during his blind pursuits but he didn't, recognizing him still as the anointed one of God to whom no harm should come.

The next is Joseph. Joseph dreamt dreams detailing his glorious future. But the same God hide from him the trials that lay ahead to redeeming it possibly because he knew he had what it requires to pull through.

But again he could have failed if he didn't take the ownership of the Godly revelation concerning him.

So he went from being sold into slavery by his siblings to being tempted by the Potiphar’s wife and being sent to jail.

These are real life's stages upon which he must act his parts well to redeeming the time apportioned to him.

And he puts his soul in the role to emerge one of the most beloved bible characters to all through the ages.

Do not make the mistake of thinking the time was all theirs for the taking, after all, there's a revelation to that effect and more so because it comes with an anointing.

For there are examples even in the same bible of people who had the revelation got what was promised but in the end, lost it because they couldn't keep their sanity.

What did David and Joseph do to redeem their glorious destiny?

Or put differently, how can you and I redeem the time in practical terms?

1. Put God first

God is the source of all the purpose, glory, and destiny under the sun. And so his authority must be recognized at all times. Abiding by his plans is far beneficial than following the dictates of our limited mind. John 3:27. Putting God first entails worship, praying, thanksgiving, supplications, and work.

2. Be circumspect

There is a need for us to act with what I call 'divine caution' in the matters of fulfilling our purposes in the land of the living. Ephesians 5: 15-16.

3. Always act wisely

Wisdom is the principal thing. And the bible admonishes us that in all we do we should seek it. And wisdom is nothing but the practical application of knowledge. Knowledge, on the other hand, is a collection of facts about things in heaven, on earth and beneath it. Ephesians 5: 15-16

4. Show self-restraints

There's a perpetual need for us to act with self-control and not to put our glory and destiny on the line for a few seconds of earthly pleasure. Pleasure divinely ordained and programmed for an appointed time is far better.

What Joseph courageously avoided from the Potiphar’s wife would've been seen by someone lacking in self-restraints as an opportunity that must not be allowed to slide. But the end would've been disastrous.

5. Focus

Being focus entails not losing the sight of the prize or goal for which you and I have been called to fight. We must learn to press towards it and not allow ourselves to get distracted by diversionary and temporary things of this world. Philippians 3: 13-14.

6. Perseverance

Perseverance is staying the course come what may. When your goal and glory and destiny have to been declared by God who owns the earth and its fullness thereof, of necessity, it is that you endure the path he's taking you. The bible says it is not given unto you and I to direct our steps.

7. Be obedient

Obedience, the bible says, is better than sacrifices and fat of rams. 1 Sam 15: 22-23. No doubt, you can make sacrifices to God in praises, thanksgiving, supplications, and doing good to the people. But they would amount to nothing if you neglect the obedient part.

8. Keep faith

Faith, the bible says is the evidence of something not seen; substance of something hoped for. When God declares anything concerning you, he keeps faith to see that it is accomplished in his own time.

And so of necessity, you and I must keep the faith because God honors his words more than his name.

9. Movement

It has been observed that movement is key to achieving any goal in life. As a marathoner, you don't stop until you reach the finish line.

Life also has been compared to running a marathon. Because you have to keep moving, it requires endurance. It requires maturity. It requires dedication. Besides, until you move not moves in your life.

10. Humility

Pride the bible says comes before a fall. The haughty God says he would humble. So it is better to stay on the side of God by being humble. Humility brings divine wisdom and understanding which are needed to safely navigating the dark alley of the labyrinth called life whose every second, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years are evil.

Finally, as regards so great a salvation of your soul and mine for which our Lord Jesus Christ has purchased at a great price of his precious blood which was shed on the cross, it's now and not tomorrow for a second delay may prove costly.

The door of the ongoing grace opened to you and I when he showed up two millennia ago may just be shut if we remain hesitant in deciding and, if peradventure death comes suddenly. For the bible says it's appointed unto man to die once and afterward judgment follows.

Today's chance for the salvation of your soul is a rare opportunity. It's more precious than gold, silver, and the riches and glories of this world.

Arise, make haste to redeem it. The time is fast counting down. Take your chance now! Receive him as your Lord and personal savior. Shalom!

#IFTTT #Blogger

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donoliver · 7 years

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40 Day Fireproof Marriage...

Day 1: Resolve to say nothing negative about your spouse today. Ephesians 4:2 “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” Day 2: Do at least one unexpected gesture to your spouse as an act of kindness. Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Day 3: Buy your spouse something that says, “I was thinking about you today.” Romans 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Day 4: Contact your spouse sometime during the day and ask how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them. Psalm 139: 17-18 “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.” Day 5: Ask your spouse to tell you three things that cause him or her to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking them. Proverbs 27:14 “Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing.” Day 6: Choose to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Proverbs 16:32 “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Day 7: On a sheet of paper, write out positive things about your spouse. At some point during the day, pick a positive attribute from the list and thank your spouse for having the characteristic. I Corinthians 13:7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Day 8: Share with your spouse how glad you are about a success he or she recently enjoyed. 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.” Day 9: Think of a way to greet your spouse today to reflect your love for them, and then do it with a smile and enthusiasm. I Peter 5:14 “Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” Day 10: Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse. Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Day 11: What need does your spouse have that you could meet today? Example: Choose a gesture that says “I love you” and do it with a smile. Ephesians 5:28 “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” Day 12: Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your spouse. Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Day 13: Talk with your spouse about establishing healthy rules of engagement and resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs. Mark 3:25 “And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Day 14: Purposefully neglect an activity you would normally do so you can spend quality time with your spouse. Ecclesiastes 9:9 “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.” Day 15: Choose a way to show honor and respect to your spouse that is above your normal routine. I Peter 3:7 “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” Day 16: Pray for three specific areas where you desire for God to work in your spouse’s life and in your marriage. 3 John 2 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” Day 17: Determine to guard your mate’s secrets and pray for them. Proverbs 17:9 “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” Day 18: Prepare a special dinner at home and focus this time on getting to know your spouse better. Proverbs 3:13 “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding,” Day 19: Ask God to show you where you stand with him, and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination. I John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Day 20: Dare to take God at his word and trust Jesus Christ for salvation. Romans 5:6 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Day 21: Make time to pray and read your bible today. Isaiah 58:11 “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Day 22: Choose to be committed to love even if your spouse has lost most of their interest in receiving it. Hosea 2:20 “I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.” Day 23: Remove anything that is hindering your relationship, stealing your affections and turning your heart away from your spouse. I Corinthians 13:7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Day 24: Identify every object of lust in your life and remove it. I John 2:17 “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Day 25: If there is anything you haven’t forgiven in your spouse, forgive it today. 2 Corinthians 2:10 “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ…” Day 26: Ask for God’s forgiveness for your areas of wrongdoing, then humble yourself enough to admit them to your spouse. Romans 2:1 “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” Day 27: Think of one area where your spouse has told you you’re expecting too much, and tell them you’re sorry for being so hard on them about it. Psalm 25:20 “Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.” Day 28: Purpose to do what you can to meet the greatest need in your spouse’s life right now. I John 3:16 “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” Day 29: Before you see your spouse again today, pray for them by name and for their needs. Ephesians 6:7 “rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man…” Day 30: Ask the Lord to reveal anything in your own heart that is threatening oneness with your spouse and, if appropriate, discuss it openly and seek God for unity. John 17:11 “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” Day 31: Commit to God and your spouse to make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship. Genesis 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Day 32: If at all possible, try to initiate sex with your spouse today (in a way that honors them). I Corinthians 7:3 “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.” Day 33: Tell your spouse that you desire to include them in your upcoming decisions, and that you need their perspective and counsel. Ecclesiastes 4:11 “Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?” Day 34: Verbally commend your spouse about a recent time when they demonstrated Christian character in a noticeable way. I Corinthians 13:6 “[love] …it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” Day 35: Find a Christian marriage mentor. Ask God to direct your decisions and discernment. Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Day 36: Commit to reading the bible every day. If your spouse is open to it, see if they will commit to reading with you. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Day 37: Ask your spouse if you can begin praying together. Matthew 18:19 “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Day 38: Ask yourself what your spouse would want if it was obtainable, then map out a plan for meeting some (if not all) of their desires. Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Day 39: Spend time in personal prayer, then write a letter of commitment and resolve to your spouse. Leave it in a place where your mate will find it. I Corinthians 13:8 “Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” Day 40: Write out a renewal of your vows and place them in your home. Ruth 1:16 “But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

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