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Archive for the ‘Christ’ Category

Leo Tolstoy’s (1828-1910) Confession…

Posted in Leo Tolstoy, Quotes, Recognizing Christ on February 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, describes his life’s journey this way…

What happened to me was something like this: I was put into a boat (I do not remember when) and pushed off from an unknown shore, shown the direction of the opposite shore, had oars put into my unpractised hands, and was left alone. I rowed as best I could and moved forward; but the further I advanced towards the middle of the stream the more rapid grew the current bearing me away from my goal and the more frequently did I encounter others, like myself, borne away by the stream.

There were a few rowers who continued to row, there were others who had abandoned their oars; there were large boats and immense vessels full of people. Some struggled against the current, others yielded to it. And the further I went the more, seeing the progress down the current of all those who were adrift, I forgot the direction given me.

In the very centre of the stream, amid the crowd of boats and vessels which were being borne down stream, I quite lost my direction and abandoned my oars. Around me on all sides, with mirth and rejoicing, people with sails and oars were borne down the stream, assuring me and each other that no other direction was possible. And I believed them and floated with them.

And I was carried far; so far that I heard the roar of the rapids in which I must be shattered, and I saw boats shattered in them. And I recollected myself. I was long unable to understand what had happened to me. I saw before me nothing but destruction, towards which I was rushing and which I feared. I saw no safety anywhere and did not know what to do; but, looking back, I perceived innumerable boats which unceasingly and strenuously pushed across the stream, and I remembered about the shore, the oars, and the direction, and began to pull back upwards against the stream and towards the shore.

That shore was God; that direction was tradition; the oars were the freedom given me to pull for the shore and unite with God. And so the force of life was renewed in me and I again began to live.”

Tolstoy, Leo (2008-04-24). A Confession (mobi) (Kindle Locations 767-768). MobileReference. Kindle Edition.

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Wild Honey

Posted in Benefits, Decisions, Devotion, Difficulties, Explanations, Faith, In Christ, John The Baptist, tagged , on January 31, 2012| 1 Comment »

“John (the Baptist) wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey” — Matthew 3:4.

A former beekeeper, myself, I know bees don’t take kindly to being robbed. We wore special clothing and took special precautions to avoid being stung — but John ate wild honey. He would just reach in and get some! Why?

Evidently he valued the taste of honey more than the sting.

Now let’s focus on a passage from Saint Paul:

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” — 2nd Corinthians 4:7-10

For the Apostle, following Christ sometimes stung — troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down. Yet he kept at it! Why?

Evidently he valued the taste of Christ more than the sting.

There is sweetness in Christ found nowhere else that, once tasted, causes some to value it more than anything else. That’s what we have — Wild Honey, and it’s great!!

— fritz

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But, Can He Do It Again?

Posted in Assurance, Christ, Crisis, Faith, tagged , on January 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes … And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. — Matthew 16:33

Many don’t know this was the second time Jesus fed a multitude — the first was reported two chapters earlier.

So similar are the two that some think they were the same event. Not so, the timeline and details are different. What is the same is the disciples first reaction — “What?!”, they said both times, “Where are we going to get the food?!”

We stand amazed at those forgetful, faithless disciples — ’till we realize we do the same thing. No?

What is our first response to another danger or need? How often are we in disarray even after God just took care of our last crisis?

God can do again what he did before. We didn’t become too old, too sinful, or too anything to prevent God’s grace in Christ.

I’ve been carrying you on my back from the day you were born, And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old … I’ve done it and will keep on doing it, carrying you on my back, saving you.” — Isaiah 45:4 (Message Bible)

— fritz

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