Faith Builders

The Half Empty Glass Is Leaking

Do you consider yourself an optimist? Why (or why not)?

I’m doing a talk this week for an Optimist Club, so I’m thinking about optimism. I did a little research to find out what optimism is, where it originates, why some folks have it and some don’t.

Frankly, for much of my life I was a confirmed pessimist. I not only saw the glass as half-empty, but I was certain it was leaking and eventually would be completely dry.

I was the second person in this exchange.

Optimist:”This is the best of all possible worlds.”

Pessimist: “If that’s the case, then things can never get any better.”

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Why Read The Bible?

Why do you read the Bible?

I suppose answers vary with individual needs and life’s seasons. At different moments we seek knowledge, inspiration, encouragement, comfort, and guidance.

When I thought through this idea (I actually do that occasionally) I wondered if there was a single, best, right answer. Since The Bible Is About God I was going to offer something profound like “…acquiring a better, more intimate knowledge of God” (thanks Clark).

It’s always comforting to have a nice, tidy answer to such a complex question, even if it’s far too simplistic.

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He is All

You’re my music in the morning
You’re the joy that brings the dawn
You’re the sun that warms our faces
When the winter’s bearing on
Warm me ’til my lonely shivering
Heart’s inspired to kneel and pray
And I look to joyful dawning
On that final brightest day.

In tumultuous times of trouble
May we still Your songs employ
To dispel the growing darkness
That would all our faith destroy
When we feel our strength receding
May we still then seek Your face
In the midst of our heart’s bleeding
Send us oceans of Your grace.

You pour out Your sweet libations
Lord how great Thou truly art
Onto thirsty errant nations
Your sweet fragrance You impart
Lead us to the Living Water

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God with Me!

1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Almighty God has many titles and descriptions. He is Creator of the universe which means, that while He can exist within our universe, He also exists outside of it and apart from it. We cannot, at least in these present forms, separate ourselves from the universe and its laws. We cannot ignore gravity and fly through the air or ignore time and travel to distant pasts. We cannot stop breathing and continue to live nor separate our atoms and continue to exist. But God is separate from all these things. He is God and as Creator is apart from creation.

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Tremors

somewhere between physical reality and spiritual mentality
a chord was struck
and I resonated

tremors led to trephining truths
timeless tipped
targeting the center of my existence

midst all the quaking
my excuses became quiet
reacquainted with the ground of my being

when shaking ceased
I found a crease
and a Rock
where I stand amazed.

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Reasons for Not Worrying

George MacDonald tells of a castle in which lived an old man and his son. Though they owned the castle, they were yet very poor. They could scarcely get enough bread to keep them from starving. Yet all the time there was great wealth, which, if they had known about it, would have supplied all their wants. Through long generations there had been concealed within the castle—very valuable jewels, which had been placed there by some remote ancestor, so that if he or any of his descendants should be in need, there would be something in reserve.

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Press On!

I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

When the load becomes so heavy & you feel like you can’t go on –
lay it down at the feet of Jesus & Press On!

When your critic’s try to waste your time – With their faithless chatter –
Just ignore them & Press On!

When you get lost in the darkness of the night –
Keep stepping out in faith & Press On!

If you’re sick and tired of the hatred –
Press On!

If you’re tired of the condemnation & shame –
Receive His Grace & Press On!

I know that your heart was broken – But it’s time to forgive –

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The Bible: Can We Trust It?

Since the Bible claims to be the only inspired Word of God, it has become the focus of many attacks. The critics of the Bible have tried to discredit it by chipping away at its authority and credibility.

The Bible is not without its difficulties. After all, some of its older books were written 3,000 years ago in a radically different culture than our own. There are cultural barriers to overcome as well as contextual issues to consider when delving into the Bible. Nevertheless, there are those who sit in judgment of God’s Word.

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