Criminal Mediocrity

“Your danger and mine is not
that we become criminals,
but rather that we become
respectable, decent, commonplace,
mediocre Christians.



















The 21st century temptations that really
sap our spiritual power are the television,
banana cream pie, the easy chair and the
credit card.” -Ray Ortlund


God help me! Perhaps today
we could include
the Computer Screen...
one of my own great
potential time munchers.

Oh the discipline, the hard and fast determination
to remain on course... what can be the rescue!

Vision.
Having a vision.
I mean, a vision straight from God as to what it is
I should be setting my heart and time on. And
then....

Going for it.

Infallible? Yes!.

Ask me if I believe the Bible is infallible...
and I will answer a resounding...

...Yes!

Without reservation!

I'm talking about those versions
of the Bible translated from the
original texts.











There are publishers who take
such classics as The Pilgrim's
Progress, or Uncle Tom's Cabin,
or Les Miserables,
and they simplify the text to
make it easier to understand
(some call it dumbing down).

You would then have a paraphrase -
or an abridged version of the Classic.

Those "abridged" translations of the Bible
are not what I'm referring to.
I'm referring to the Bible that was translated
with the author's original intent in mind -
and mind you - that is not hard to determine.

Not only because we have plenty of documents
supporting the original texts, but because
I know my God is not a limited God...

If He was capable of creating this world...
surely He was capable of leaving His Word.

Am I being childlike...
naive-like?

Yes, I am.

And I love it.











Ask the Spirit of God
to open His Words to you, for
Without Him, His Word is
incomprehensible.

Go.

Ask.

Read.

Feed.

It was written
with you
in Mind.

Start with the Book of John.
And believe...


"Open Thou mine eyes, that I might
behold wondrous things out of thy law."
Psalm 119:18

(Psalm 119 is written entirely
on the subject and glory of
God's Word. Check it out!)

Is Mommy's Slip Showing?

"Moms, don’t be surprised
when the seeds you have planted
by the way you respond to your husband,
to men in general, and to your pastor's
leadership take root in your children."
Nancy Leigh De Moss


If I buck authority,
so will the children.

If with airs, I "correct" authority,
so will the children.

If I choose being right,
(and think God in-capable
of making things right)
so will the children.









They don't miss a thing...


They have their own
bent on sin, I know...
but how much of it
do I demonstrate?

Slips like this are
too destructive
to leave unattended.

I'm taking a good long
look at what comes out
of my mouth. I'm learning
to pay attention and
to pull up the slip
before it shows...

So help me, Father.

Rejoice in Truth

Truth can hurt,
Truth can delight,
Truth can bring despair,

But Truth from the One
who loves you wholeheartedly,
will set you free.

And with His truth,
you can't go wrong.

So, Go for it.
Ask for it.
Seek it out.

What have you got to lose?



"Love rejoices in Truth"
1 Cor. 13:6

Oh God... I Need...

"Yet prayer is nothing but desiring God
to give us the greatest and best things
we can have and that can make us happy."
Jeremy Taylor













So why do I have such a hard time praying?

For me, it's probably a control issue.
I want control of my life, thank you.

Then I wonder why things are still a mess.
Or remain unchanged, or dry, or pointless.

Get on with it, Jocelyne,
prayer is the smartest
use of your time.

Spend it!
Use it up!
Splurge!
Happily!

Peace It Is

It was recommended at a fellow blogger's site...
that we choose a word for this year, and just
be creative with it. Examine it, see it, feel it,
own it, grow into it, spread it around, lift it up,
decorate with it, write it down on wood...
you get the idea.

Well - I picked my word.

Peace.


I chose peace because I am the insecure type.
That's me.
Caring too much about what other people think.
Worrying too much about appearances.
Thinking too much about how I come across.
Fussing about other peoples feelings.
Like it's my business... or my job to fix things.
Wow.
I'm tired just thinking about it.

So - peace it is.


















(Photo taken by Joseph Sade, in Brown City, Mi.)


First and foremost,
I already have
Peace with God.

By the grace of God,
it's signed, sealed
and delivered.

Then there's Peace within.
Not easily attainable.
Peace of heart.
Peace of mind.
Peace of God.

And that is why I chose peace.
To let it Rule my heart and mind
as I relinquish control of each
moment of my life
and lay it into His loving,
merciful,
nail-pierced
Hands.



" And let the peace of God rule in your hearts..."
Col 3:15