Thursday, July 19, 2007

"Just how blessed are you, anyway?"

 

I always was under the impression that the Beatitude Blessings were quaint 'one-liner'  sayings of God that little old ladies embroidered on a linen cloth and hung on the wall.  Even though we memorized them in Sunday School I never really understood their intent until I read them in The Message. 

You see, I had always thought that a Blessing from God was an instant 'heaven-sent-happening' swooping down on me that would make me tingle all over and get goose-bumps on my goose-bumps.  But it ain't that way, folks! At least not according to Jesus!  Blessings come to us in the everyday happenings of our life when we live right (-eously).  The Beatitudes are really the Magna Carta ; the Manifesto of God's Kingdom. 

Visualize a circle of men with Jesus sitting in a yoga position and his disciples squatted around him, hanging on every word He is saying.  I imagine the scenario was something like this:

Matt. 5:1, 2: When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

"O.K. boys, listen up!  If you and those you win over to my Gospel are going to follow me, this is how it's going to be in my Father's kingdom:"

 5:3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

 5:4  "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 5:5 "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

 5:6  "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

 5:7  "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

 5:8  "You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

5:9  "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

 5:10  "You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

 5:11  "Not only that--count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.

 5:12  You can be glad when that happens--give a cheer, even!--for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

 5:13  "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

5:14  "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.

 5:15  If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.

 5:16  Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, your generous Father in heaven."

Point: So now, after reading those statements, how many of them are you incorporating into your everyday life?  Just how blessed are you?

I invite you to read the whole three chapters; Matthew 5, 6, and 7 to get the full content.  Like being salt!  Salt here, in chapter 5, means 'integrity'. Of understanding that from now on God regards and weighs every thought and intent of your heart.  That is chilling news!  It's not so much your actions He weighs; it's when your mouth reveals what's in heart.  That is where the lack of integrity, honesty, genuine,God-like character and caring starts!   YIKES!!!  

"Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me! I want to live a blessed life!"

posted by Greta Sheppard @ 2:45 PM 0 comments

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Flying North!!!!

Tomorrow at this time, we will be in the City of Whitehorse in the Yukon!
A servant of God has folded his tent and gone to glory.  Pastor Edwin Bergman pioneered churches in the Yukon for almost 40 years.  It is an honor for us to be taking part in his memorial service on Sunday.
 
Next week sometime watch for a new blog.  This is a busy time of year as usual. But we continue to thrive on the blessings God sends to our family everyday. We thank Him for our daily bread! For those daily mercies that are 'new every morning'. Now there is something I am trying to figure out!  Are those mercies to cover today or for what I did wrong yesterday?  
 
I was stirred this week by something Brad Jersak said in his newsletter: (freshwind@shaw.ca).  He teaches others how to hear from God in everyday things.  Here's a few of his thoughts:
 
"I'm spending much of my time pondering a few simple phrases and questions that seem to be good for my soul. Perhaps you'll be encouraged, too.
My friend challenged me to listen to God concerning this statement:

"God loves me. Period." (with a very big PERIOD).

He asked me, "Can you stop at the period? What pushes you past the period? What are the 'but, but, but' objections that arise in your heart? Can you present them to God to see how He responds?"

Brad goes on: "Did you notice how much our "remembering" and "reminding" calls us back to listening? Here's a tip the Lord gave us recently: You can use a memory of a time you connected with God to reconnect with Him in a fresh way. Rather than wishing for those great times you've had in the past, you can simply meet God afresh in your memory of those times (even long, long ago). It's not that you are traveling back in time, but rather, you are traveling to a place in your heart that God has already won and where He still resides. Give it a try!"
 
That's it for now..............
 
 
 
 
 
 

posted by Greta Sheppard @ 10:03 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Children's Science Exam . . .

Trivia time!  If you need a laugh, then read through these Children's Science Exam Answers.
Some of them are simply priceless! 
Art Linkletter was correct in his closing comment, after interviewing children on his special T.V. show:
"Kids Say The Darndest Things!"     I am sure you will agree after reading this.
 
Here's the exam questions:

Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants
     like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?( brilliant, love this!)
A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to
     flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a
    vacuum.  I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the Borax and
     the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs,
     and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean? (I do love this one.)
A:  Nearby.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section"
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.


Priceless!

posted by Greta Sheppard @ 10:31 PM 1 comments