J. Randal Matheny

I sometimes think there are two kinds of people: those that think there are two kinds of people and those that don’t that agree with Socrates (like me) and those that just like to get on with life without any need for introspection (the eponymous protagonist of Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel Zorba the Greek , with his zest for life and distaste for navel-gazing springs to mind).

Perhaps the same justification could be put forward for poetry (at least some forms of poetry), not that it needs any.

My interest in the quote is the reference to poetry, which the author sees as getting its justification, if it needs such, from the principle of introspection. I doubt he'd see that as an exclusive one, but much poetry indeed does look inward.

Perhaps that's one reason why poetry finds such a happy place in Christianity, with such great emphasis upon the mind, motivations, and the evaluation of the inner life. "Examine yourselves," urges the apostle Paul (2Cor. 13.5).

Poetry serves wonderfully as a tool for such analysis, if the utilitarians among us need a rationale for the time and energy spent on its writing and reading. Then, again, maybe poetry was a pasttime of Zorba the Greek, too.

In suffering one can find greater devotion to God. When we suffer, humans look above themselves for the solution. It is not wrong to ask God why. One of the things Job did when he suffered was ask why (Job 3:11-23; 10:2-18). If suffering causes us to turn to God’s word to find the answers, then we can increase our understanding and love of God.

Cick the link above for the whole article. Worth your while.

3. Christianity is a Life of Self Denial

• The only way to surrender and to truly love.
• Mk 10:21.
• Learn to distinguish between: Trivial, Important, All Important
• A stain on my tie is trivial.
• Supporting / loving my family is important.
• Faithfulness to God is all important.
• Too often we ‘Major in what is minor and Minor in the major” or “We worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.”
• Focus Again on What is All Important – Matt 6:33-34.

From Scott McCown. Click above for the whole lesson.

There are a lot of reasons why I became a Christian but the main one which drove me above all the rest is that I recognize that we are living in a material world that could only have gotten here as a result of the will, actions and purpose of a creator.  In short, I recognize and acknowledge that there is a creator God who is powerful enough and intelligent enough to bring about what we can see in the observable universe.  It's a big and complex universe we live in so the creator has to be bigger and more powerful than our universe and He has to possess the intelligence to accomplish it.  With this acknowledgement of a creator naturally comes the realization that there was intent and purpose connected to this creation.  In short, what does our creator expect out of His creation?  The writer of Revelation penned this in chapter 4:11, "...thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  Isaiah wrote in 43:7, "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."  Yes God has expectations of His creation and according to Isaiah's inspired words, mankind figures prominently in God's purpose. 

Ralph P. Martin wrote that Paul's theology can be summarized in the concept of reconciliation. Getting back to God. David remind us that God created us for a purpose, to live with him, and he has overcome the sin which claimed us and brought us back to himself.

At a Democratic fundraiser on Monday night, President Obama once again misquoted the Declaration of Independence’s most famous sentence and once again omitted its reference to our “Creator.” According to the text of his remarks published on the official White House website, he said: “[W]hat makes this place [America] special is not something physical.  It has to do with this idea that was started by 13 colonies that decided to throw off the yoke of an empire, and said, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that each of us are endowed with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’”  

Not likely a coincidence that this has happened twice. Seems like there was another time shortly after the first. And the Dems wonder why people question his supposed Christian faith.

The girl who sells deer licenses at Wal-Mart? Her name is Bambi. Swear.

Jay wonders if her superiors put her there on purpose. May have. However she got there, a clear case of being in the wrong spot.

Some people are called Christians, and they're often in the wrong place or doing the wrong thing. You can be sure it wasn't their management who did that, but they went off on a lark, took a wrong turn somewhere. May they find their way back on track.

I'm not against hunting deer. But wearing the name of Christ and getting out of step with him never comes out well.