Illustration:
A Cup of Tea
A Japanese master received a student into his home. The master served tea and poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring. The student watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself.
“It is overfull, Master. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” the master said, “you are full of your own opinions. How can I teach you unless you first empty your cup?”
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Read the rest of this entry »I know I’m not regular with my posts on this blog but, as I said earlier it’s more for my sake than anyone else. So, that being said, it’s me that loses out. It’s an apology to self.
Since my last post I have started a bible study on Wednesday nights. I have found it very encouraging just to be regularly looking at God’s Word. Last night was about Prayer and I have been very encouraged and challenged.
I’ve also been to Katoomba Mens Conference with past weekend. That was great ’cause I’d heard so much about it but had never been. The most encouraging thing to me was simple the fact the so many Christian men (2500) where willing to give up a weekend to meet together to hear from God’s Word.
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Development of the website for Impress Printers NSW Pty Ltd.
1 Peter 5:8-10
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
I read an interesting article today on Blue Letter Bible in a section called “Sayings Not Found in Scripture,” titled “Once Saved, Always Saved.” I am not sure as to who writes this article and it does seem to be written with a high degree of intellect. Although I think it is well worth a read.
Read the rest of this entry »It astounds me how often people seeing the word ‘baptize‘ automatically think of water. When in a clear example like Mark 1:8 it says,
“I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”
This mentions water baptism in the first half then goes on to say in the same verse the Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. There is no mention that this second Spirit Baptize will be through water. What it does say in 1 Peter 3:21
…not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.
Note the difference between the physical (dirt) and spiritual (conscience). Similarly in John 3 when Jesus speaks to Nicodemus.
5Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
Irrelative of how you interpretate “water” here the distinction can still be made that water is physical and Spirit is spiritual (stating the obvious). My view here is that water refers to physical birth (or waterbirth) but I’d like to do more study on this.
edit: 12/06/09
4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 4:4-6
“One baptism” mentioned here is talking about Christ’s baptism. Then in Romans 6:3 we were baptized into his death.
Read the rest of this entry »I was originally going to do a Thai language study but I was reminded of something my wife said. She encouraged me to give time to God. and so this is what I am doing.
BLB – Day by Day August 29
I have learned today that I should trust God more. Todays reading from Numbers 14:6-9
tells about Joshua and Caleb having returned from spying out the Promised Land. They are reminding the people not to be rebellious. I’d not thought of it this way before although in this passage it is quite clear. “…do not rebel against the LORD.” [v9] To not trust is to rebel. It’s quite sobering. We think we’re OK when we are actually rebelling by not trusting.
Using man’s wisdom the other spies saw the enemy and thought, “We can not overcome them.” I think I use worldly wisdom too much too.
This also fits in so well with something Greg was sharing with me this morning. He shared about David and how he trusted God through so much – even while Saul was chasing him wanting to kill him.
Cutting this short but I just want to say that God is so Awesome. how he brings these things into our lives to teach us.
later….
Read the rest of this entry »I have decided to start this blog as an online devotional journal for myself. It is not really intended for anyone to read it so if no one does, that’s okay. It’s really for my own benefit. If someone happens to come by and have a read, well, that’s okay too – and feel free to make comments. we’ll see where it takes us.
I’d like to start with mentioning this site – Topical Bible. With it’s “What does the Bible say about ______.” I think I’ll find this useful in my journey. I hope you do too.
I used this tonight to look at the word motivation. I found a lot of helpful verses. Some that, at first glance seem to contradict but after looking into it I realize that it depends on what is driving your motivation as to weather it’s seen as a good thing or a bad thing.
We are all fighting a battle within ourselves and, like I heard in a sermon recently, it depends which dog we feed. The illustraion goes like this – there is a old Indian chief telling a story about how each of us have 2 dogs, a good dog and a bad dog. Sometimes it seems like the good dog is winning other times it appears like the bad dog is winning. till one of the tribal members asks, “so, how do you know which one will win?” To which the chief reply’s, “It depends which dog you feed.” – It’s so true, isn’t it! – Let’s feed our good dog.
Till next time….
jyther
