tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1230536941975750042024-03-13T12:45:34.040-07:00We Are BecomingToday's choices reflect tomorrow's character
(Monday through Friday Devotional)Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comBlogger1444125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-15278662383039943572015-01-20T20:45:00.001-08:002015-01-20T20:50:50.569-08:00The Last Book - The Last DayDue to unforeseen changes in my life, 2 Peter will be the last book I cover and this the last day. As I am sure you have noticed I have no longer been consistent with my entries. I think this is a strong indication that the life of this blog has come to an end.<br />
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I have enjoyed looking going through the books of John, Romans, Hebrews, Ephesians, Galatians and others. <br />
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I apologize to my faithful readers whom I have recently let down by falling short of daily entries. I thank you for your prayers when I told you I needed them. I continue need them.<br />
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May the Lord Greatly bless you as you continue getting to know our Savior through the writings of the Holy Spirit.<br />
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<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-91829327966769004432015-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:002015-01-16T04:00:06.861-08:00Playing Cards<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
I went to a funeral where the highest praise anyone could give the woman was how well shr played bridge (an American card game).</div>
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God has revealed to Peter that he is about to be killed for his testimony (2 Peter 1:12-15). And yet he takes the time to remind his readers to seek after bodily character and love. Hw wants them to remember these things long after he is dead.</div>
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Do we emphasize godly things to the point that after we are dead, that is what people will say of us? “He/she always encouraged me in my walk with God.” Or will they say be, “She/he sure loved playing games.</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-9389061619643941992015-01-15T05:32:00.001-08:002015-01-15T05:33:35.328-08:00A Sure Promise<br />
If I want my life to be fruitful, I must not only try to be virtuous, kind, godly, knowledgable, patient, control myself, show brotherly kindness, and love, I must diligently pursue them. That is to put every effort into making them be part of my character. Every action is to be measured by this standard.<br />
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The Holy Spirit tells us through Peter, if I don't, I am blind and have forgotten that </div>
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God purged me from my old sins (2 Peter 1:9). But if I make these part and parcel to who I am, how I respond and give every effort to act this way, then I will never fall. </div>
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Notice, he did not say I would never fail (make a mistake), but I will never fall, meaning never be away from God. God judges the heart, not just actions.</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-75812994028286441092015-01-14T04:00:00.000-08:002015-01-15T05:20:37.323-08:00Not Enough Time Can Be a Good ThingPeter also says if we diligently pursue faith, virtue, knowledge, self- control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness; and love, we will not be idle.<br />
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To maintain this type of character takes a strong commitment and lots of work. There simply isn't enough time to be idle.<br />
<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-40253531904870875912015-01-13T21:20:00.001-08:002015-01-13T21:22:29.571-08:00How to Be Spiritually SuccessfulHave you ever wondered if your life had any spiritual value to others? Have you ever felt ineffective, useless, like your Christian influence over anyone else was minimal if not nonexistent?<br />
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Peter says if we diligently pursue faith, virtue, knowledge, self- control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness; and love, we will not be unfruitful (2 Peter 1:5-8).Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-56459649682954624852015-01-09T04:48:00.003-08:002015-01-13T21:12:04.948-08:00Gaining Spiritual Eye SightTo kindness we need to add love (2 Peter 1:7). Without love, our kind act can be condescending. <br />
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It may seem counterintuitive, but being aware our own foibles, our faults, our weaknesses will help us appreciate and love others. Our self righteousness blinds us to who we really are, neither can we see others clearly. When we experience losses due to our shortcomings and we see how our behavior has harmed others, we are far more patient when we experience loss as a result of other peoples choices.<br />
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Jesus put it this way, "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" ( Mathew 7:4).<br />
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To honestly love we must be able to accept the fact that we are all equally in need of a savior. We must recognize both healthy and poor behavior so that we can do the loving thing that fits the circumstance. Sometimes love is telling someone no. Sometimes love is saying yes. Open and honest communication will go a long way to understanding what is the most loving and kind decision.<br />
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<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-23831512025306728832015-01-08T04:45:00.000-08:002015-01-08T04:45:00.294-08:00Blinded by Spirituality <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
Job’s friends are a prime example of virtue, knowledge, faith, self control without brotherly kindness. </div>
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One of Job’s Friends called Eliphaz told Job that he had seen a spirit that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. From this dream or vision Eliphaz concluded that Job had to have done something wrong for all the bad things to have happened in Job’s life, and he urges Job to repent of whatever evil Job has been secretly committing (4:12-21).</div>
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Job responds, “When I say my bed is a comfort to me , my couch shall ease my pain; then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me with visions, so that I rather hang myself than live. I loathe it!”</div>
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Eliphaz thought he had faith, virtue and knowledge, but if he did he was sorely lacking in brotherly kindness to someone who had just lost his entire family and his income. </div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-75081311548907941082015-01-07T04:00:00.000-08:002015-01-07T04:47:56.591-08:00How My Faith is Made Ineffective<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
Let’s say I have faith - I believe God can do anything. I have virtue - I don’t steel, kill, or lie. I have knowledge of God’s word and his commandments. I have self control; I don’t over indulge in anything. And I am patient. I am willing to wait for things. I consider myself very godly. I have all the things going for me on Peters list thus far; faith, virtue, knowledge, self control, patience and godliness (2 Peter 1:4-5).</div>
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But…I am unkind. I tell other believers what I think is wrong in their lives. I obnoxiously share my faith. I make everyone dread what I will say or do next. In my own eyes I am righteous.<br />
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If you have ever dealt with anyone like that, you know the devastation and death it can bring. That is why we need to diligently add kindness (2 Peter 2:6). Without it, I make all other qualities void. </div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-32138283186959019472015-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:002015-01-06T04:00:04.504-08:00Lady in the Choir<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
Years ago I had a lady in the choir corner me and say some very unkind things to me. I attempted to apologize for any unknown infractions, and I explained the reason for my choices in the kindest way I knew how. My explanations were acceptable to her. She wanted to be angry at someone and I was the most available person at the moment. She then proceeded to verbally attack the pastor’s wife. </div>
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It was not enough to have faith, to have virtue, or to know how to act. I needed to use self control to keep from reciprocating her offense toward me and our pastor’s wife (2 Peter 2:6).</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-54539528266889193922015-01-05T06:20:00.000-08:002015-01-05T06:20:05.428-08:00Self Discipline<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
Let’s continue our analogy of planning to go to Paris. I have done my research and know where Paris is located. I know how much I need for the airplane ticket, hotels, tours and meals, but I do not have enough money to go. Now I need self control (temperance).</div>
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I need to save up the money to go. I need to spend less on going ti the movies, eating out, going on shopping sprees, and buying chocolate. </div>
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So it is with our walk with God. It is not enough to have faith, to be virtuous, to know right from wrong. We must discipline ourselves to act in the way we know is right (2 Peter 1:6).</div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-10335326768067882032015-01-02T06:32:00.003-08:002015-01-05T06:19:09.412-08:00Paris Anyone?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;">
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Lets say I want to go to Paris. It is one thing to make the decision to go, but I need to know where Paris is and how to get there. </div>
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I cannot drive my car there from America. I will most likely have to take an airplane. I will need to know much money I need to buy the airplane tickets. How much do I need for hotel rooms, food and tours I want to take? Who will take care of my three chihuahuas while I am away? One needs knowledge. </div>
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So it is with faith and virtue. At times, despite my good intentions, I have learned that my actions were harmful more than they were helpful. Research and learning is necessary even in the world of faith (2 Peter 1:5). </div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-22503455583447672252014-12-31T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-31T04:00:10.586-08:00Adding Virtue<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
First on Peter’s list for us to pursue is to add to faith, virtue. What exactly is virtue? The apple dictionary defines virtue as :</div>
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“<span style="font-family: Baskerville;"><b>1 </b></span>behavior showing high moral standards:<i> paragons of virtue</i>.</div>
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• a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person:<i> patience is a virtue</i>.</div>
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• a good or useful quality of a thing:<i> Mike was extolling the virtues of the car</i> |<i> there's </i><b><i>no virtue in</i></b><i> suffering in silence</i>.</div>
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• <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light'; font-size: 13px;">archaic </span>virginity or chastity, especially of a woman.</div>
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The message? Faith is known or show by actions. The old proverb rings true, “Your actions speak louder than your words.”</div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-71809514084827881262014-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-30T04:00:08.033-08:00The Project List<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
We also have responsibilities that accompany these great and precious promises. Peter immediately tells us to diligently pursue, virtue, knowledge, self control, patience, brotherly kindness and charity. </div>
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We will begin to examine tomorrow why the Holy Spirit gave Peter this list in a particular order. </div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-36868356304792337992014-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-29T21:03:21.673-08:00His Divine Nature Shared<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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One of the greatest promises is in this very letter fromPeter; that we might partake of Jesus’ divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) AND to escape the that is in this world through lust.</div>
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Amazing! How can we participate, share, or in any way partake of his divine nature? I have absolutely no idea how God imparts that, I just know scripture tells us he does. He gives to us the ability yo overcome every temptation (Romans 6, Philippians 4:13). </div>
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We no longer have to suffer at the whims of our bodies. We can control our unhealthy appetites through scripture, prayer, obedience, and self discipline.</div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-14390415814222855192014-12-26T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-26T04:00:04.917-08:00The Day After ChristmasTwas the day after Christmas and all through the house<br />
were broken toys and a dead rubber mouse.<br />
The stockings were empty by my cracked leather chair<br />
It looked like a tornado and just passed through here<br />
I did not receive a single present<br />
but gave all I had to the make others content<br />
I had in my spirit a feeling not so nice<br />
thinking I had out given other more than twice<br />
When suddenly I was struck by a far reaching thought<br />
Jesus gave all, my salvation he bought<br />
The mess in the house seemed much smaller then<br />
I smiled as I refocused on him<br />
<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-85140505048425303552014-12-25T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-25T04:00:01.141-08:00Merry ChristmasMerry Christmas Everyone. We have a lot to celebrate; eternal life, grace, hope, strength, peace; all because he came as a baby, grew to be a man and died that we might live both now and with him in eternity.<br />
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Merry Christmas indeed!<br />
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<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-41667863043770704602014-12-24T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-24T04:00:07.807-08:00All That Pertains<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).</div>
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We can live a righteous life. We can make right decisions. We can choose to follow Jesus’ character in all things. We have that ability because God gives it to us. </div>
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Call out to him when you are tempted to act out in an ungodly manner. He will answer quickly, giving you the strength to choose to be faithful to godly principles.</div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-51150695656233793742014-12-23T05:31:00.002-08:002014-12-23T05:31:45.914-08:00Large GiftsGrace is a word that carries compounded meanings; forgiveness, righteousness, strength, wisdom; that is simply naming a few gifts included in God's grace.<br />
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Peace indicates an inner assurance, an untroubled soul regardless of circumstances. Peace does not come from ignorance nor ignoring reality. One can experience sorrow and peace at the same time. Peace could be described as fully knowing what could happen or what is happening, yet feeling a calm assurance that Our Father is with us and will give us power to come out victorious in our days on earth or take us home in a victorious death.<br />
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The more I know God and his Son, the greater experience of grace and peace I obtain. That makes me want to know him all the more.Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-75980085925432591792014-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-22T04:00:00.139-08:00Know You, the Only True God"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," (2 Peter 1:2).<br />
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Notice the source of grace and peace. These gifts come through knowing God and Jesus Christ. Jesus prayed, "And this is life that they should know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.<br />
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Part of knowing God necessarily includes learning more about his character, his past actions, his promised future actions and experiencing living with him in our daily focus or awareness.<br />
<br />Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-2895303310664886092014-12-19T05:34:00.001-08:002014-12-19T05:34:36.914-08:00Our Brother<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
“Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).</div>
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Peter address his second letter to “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing”. All who have faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are brothers and sisters of Christ and therefore of one another (Hebrews 2:11-13) though our circumstances, age and cultures differ from one another. We have all obtained faith “by the righteousness of Christ.” </div>
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We did not save ourselves.</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-87887892880828775952014-12-18T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-18T04:00:05.201-08:00Peter Ends His Letter<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
Peter ends his letter by saying, “I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.” ( 1 Peter 5:12).</div>
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What is “the true grace”? The “this” is all he has been saying; that we suffer for Christ, That Satan is out to destroy us (5:8), but God will sustain us (5:6-7); That Jesus is our Shepherd (5:1) and that he suffered for us (5:1); and in all Christ will be glorified (5:11).</div>
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May you find comfort and strength when you review all of Peter’s letter.</div>
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Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-72239691293461800032014-12-17T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-17T04:00:05.420-08:00In All Things and Situations"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 5:10"<br />
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"If you can live through a moment, you can live through a day, and how you live a day is eventually how you live your life" (Philip Yancy, <i>Rumours of Another World ,</i> Zondervan Publishing2003 pg 56).<br />
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He quotes Joan Chittister, a modern Benedictine, "Everything we are, everything that is said to us, everything that happens to us is some kind of call from God. In fact, everything that happens is God's call to us either to accept what we should not change or to change what we should not accept so that the Presence of God can flourish where we are..." Then Yancy writes, "The goal of contemplation is to see life as God sees it, unity of two worlds {physical and spiritual} and not a division. That encompasses both a lifetime of practice and rare, single flashes of revelation" (pg 57).<br />
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We will go back to Peter's letter for the final point. "To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen"Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-45747409582753459402014-12-16T21:13:00.001-08:002014-12-16T21:13:26.264-08:00The Enemy Behind the RockToday, I had someone attempt to shame me in public. He overtly attacked my character. When I asked the reason for his behavior he said, "I have my reasons and that is all I am going to say."<br />
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There are people who do not have legitimate reasons for treating us with disrespect, and there is little to nothing that will stop the behavior. Because we do not know of any direct relationship with their negative attitude toward us, we tend not to think of it as suffering for Christ's sake.<br />
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We forget that often attacks from Saran come from behind a rock, the real culprit hidden from view. As scripture says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God..." (Ephesians 6:12).Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-55503147243886731962014-12-15T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-15T04:00:02.146-08:00Stronger Still<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).</div>
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Suffering has a way of calling us toward God because we are so aware of our need. We are more ready to trust in him, because we know he alone holds the answer. We may feel depleted of faith and weak. We may feel like our lives are chaotic with no direction. </div>
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But when at last the particular suffering comes to an end we will find we are restored in our faith, firm in our conviction of Gd’s mercy and love, stronger to face the next hurdle, and established in our relationship with God.</div>
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Or….we can refuse to wait for God’s hand and make matters far worse in the long run….</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123053694197575004.post-55137733674373547912014-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:002014-12-12T04:00:02.045-08:00The First Time called Christian<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;">
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When Peter writes about believers suffering as Christians, it is interesting to know the history of the word Christian. Jamieson, Faust, and Brown Commentary gives us some insight.</div>
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“a Christian-- the name given in contempt first at Antioch. Ac 11:26; 26:28; the only three places where the term occurs. At first believers had no distinctive name, but were called among themselves "brethren," Ac 6:3; "disciples," Ac 6:1; "those of the way," Ac 9:2; "saints," Ro 1:7; by the Jews (who denied that Jesus was the CHRIST, and so would never originate the name Christian), in contempt, "Nazarenes." At Antioch, where first idolatrous Gentiles (Cornelius, Ac 10:1, 2, was not an idolater, but aproselyte) were converted, and wide missionary work began, they could be no longer looked on as a Jewish sect, and so the Gentiles designated them by the new name "Christians." The rise of the new name marked a new epoch in the Church's life, a new stage of its development, namely, its missions to the Gentiles. The idle and witty people of Antioch, we know from heathen writers, were famous for inventing nicknames. The date of this Epistle must have been when this had become the generally recognized designation among Gentiles (it is never applied by Christians to each other, as it was in after ages-- an undesigned proof that the New Testament was composed when it professes), and when the name exposed one to reproach and suffering, though not seemingly as yet to systematic persecution” (Jamieson, Faust, and Brown Commentary; Olive Tree Programs for computers).</div>
Shirley Engebretsen Ph. D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06644092255352740279noreply@blogger.com