If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 
Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. 
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. 
When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. 
We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 1 Corinthians 13 - The Message
43 comments:
Trying to get there...it's a rocky road but a sweet journey...
Hello wonderful bloggers,
Yes, full of wonder we are.
Wed night’s message and the Thursday post by Bishop, my favorite topics. Without Love, we are nothing. Praise God , we ARE something because The Love we have is native to our existence. Tying in what Prophet Clement exhorted Sun night, ‘Say what you see, Say what you hear (and added, say what we are ) is summed up in the post, 1 Corinth 13. The message tonight, every knee bows to our Lord, every tongue confesses our Lady speaks of who we actually are. Every one already does, since we exist – here’s why.
There is One God/Lord no matter what name is used to express (God so Loves variety, just check nature) There is One Body. We are ALL part of The Body. If I say any one cell in the body is not Holy, than no cell in The Body is Holy, including me and anything I perceive, including The Body as a whole. Because I Know The Body is Holy and Worthy, I know that every cell of The Body is, See ?
Every knee already bows to The Lord, every tongue already confesses. It is our nature to Love, Forgive, Edify, Honor , etc because that is The Nature of Our Origin, Our Creator. It is the essence of who we are. It is not possible to exist without The Essence of Our Father. ALL experiences to the contrary are pretenses. That is evident by the dis-ease, the frustration, the lack of Peace, the depression, fear, bitterness, anguish we experience. Those are the result of a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. It simply does not work, as we try to be different from Our Nature which is The Nature of God(dess). We have peace when we express our nature, horror when we do not. Each event we do not Love in, is a perversion of who we are, a drama we create that has no benefit for unknown reasons. Does anybody know why anyone chooses discomfort over Peace? Both are available, which do we choose – Drama or Peace – who does each one choose to serve? “ You gotta serve someone, may as well serve The Lord” .
All is assured. Rest easy and know God is God. Allow false prophets (lust of money, lust of power, righteous indignation, mental separation from God, bitterness, conceit, arrogance, you get the jist) to fall to the ground and just lay there. If they can get up on their own, without our worship of them, let them try. They have nothing of their own, so without our worship, they transform to Love and become like us, because We are the only life they know, they have nothing without us, and we have nothing without Love. If there is anyone any of you reading this have not forgiven, forgive them right now… before reading another word, see them as Holy and Worthy, if you cannot do it for yourself, do it for CITN. We need a clean slate to best traverse the path we have ALL come here for. Even if you think this is not your place, if you are reading those very word now, it is. Release yourself from any bondage that prevents you from being 1 Corinth Chap 13, it IS real, and EXTREMELY do-able, and is actually Our Native tongue and nature from The Beginning . If you don’t believe me, re-read the post and the lives mentioned. Adonnai appears daily.
All is assured. Every person ever, knows God and Loves God and their NOW.
Church in the Now. What grace from God the day my finger slipped the click and landed in the fruits of your labors. You are truly reaching the world. How assuredly Gods victory is being played out in front of you and where you see it not. Your borders not bound to Conyers, but reaching out to all the earth.
Conyers is the mountain. And you are standing high, high above what we could have asked or thought. The ecclesia of God, being led out through your offerings, even you’re longsuffering. Which we know is a fruit of the Spirit which bonds us that much closer to Him. Exult for the Harvest! Express joy for the Harvest! Crazy in your Love which is from Him alone.
Thank you all, thank you all so very much for declaring it from the mountain! Ohio is hearing you! The world is hearing you!~!
Do your best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit. Likewise, you were called to the one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all, and in all. Eph. 4: 3-6 (ISV)
THE ABILITY TO LOVE IS IN ALL HUMAN BEING BECAUSE GOD WILL NOT DEMAND US TO LOVE IF HE THINK WE ARE INCAPABLE OF LOVING.
BUT I FEEL THAT TO LOVE DOES NOT COME OUT OF US NATURALLY. WE HAVE TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO LOVE AND WALK IN LOVE. IT IS A DAILY CONSCIOUS EFFORT. THERE WILL BE SOME SET BACKS BUT THE GOD IN US WILL ENABLE US IF WE ARE MAKING EFFORT. THE ROAD TO THE CROSS FOR JESUS WAS NOT EASY BUT HE ENDURED BECAUSE HE HAD SET HIS MIND FROM THE BEGINING TO DIE FOR US.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, SO WE MIGHT AS WELL EMBRACE THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND GOD WILL REALLY HELP US.
IT MIGHT START WITH A SIMPLE PERSONAL PRAYER AS FATHER, TEACH ME TO LOVE. HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR US TO DO ALL THINGS AND WE MUST TRUST HIM TO HELP US. BY OUR EFFORT WE CANNOT DO IT BUT HIS STRENGHTH PERFECTS OUR WEAKNESS.
LOVE , MERCY.
Amen!
God is the Lord of my life because Love is the Lord of my life.
Today and every day I walk in the Spirit and believe in my ability through Christ recognition to be discerning of all things.
Through this ability, I choose to intercede - not criticize. I choose to walk in Love - not intolerance. I choose to forgive - AND forget!
Love never fails!
This scripture is probably among most people’s top ten and for the best of reasons.
In the King James it says Love is not easily angered. That passage was the first in this scripture that lead me to understand the relationship of Love to the God/man, Jesus Christ. Of course that was many years ago and my paradigm has changed with deeper understandings and maturity but it is a good place to start this particular communication. Jesus was not easily angered but did show some of it in his nature influenced by the man.
I’ve heard many preachers describe His anger as righteous indignation but the fig tree that did not produce fruit even though it was not the season for production would probably beg to differ. The important message to get from Love in the story of the fig tree is the same as that expressed by Bishop last night when he described God telling him that he was clear of debt and his own lack of receiving that knowledge because of the natural circumstances that seemed apparent. Bishop related that to the word of authority using a story from his childhood that was of course hilarious.
Recently I was pursuing who I am to God and was told that I am a Brother to the God/man, Jesus Christ. Now that is not as glamorous as it seems because at the same time Holy Spirit told me that Christ is a friend to me that is closer than a Brother. You might well imagine where that would lead so I’ll spare the details for now but the important thing is that I know because of growing up with siblings that they have failed me and I have certainly failed them. As a matter of fact my sharp little tongue, that has spoken indignantly to them face to face, is still in need of their forgiveness. I have received their forgiveness verbally but know that my unrighteous indignation must be reverberating in their mind from time to time. Such is sibling rivalry and that is what Holy Spirit told me about my relationship with Jesus the righteous.
In the natural I would not have thought myself to be a rival to Christ but it is clear that I have spoken my thoughts to just such a degree. In a previous blog I stated that peace and good will toward men, if it ever happened would have to be affected by greater minds than had played their part so far. Some objections were posted to that comment but the best by Mystic who said you must mean one mind then. You never know who is going to speak with the voice of God’s authority so it pays to listen well.
My first reaction in thought was that I was misunderstood because I was referring to anyone and everyone but the Jesus I love but He spoke through Holy Spirit and said no, you were talking about Me, Brother. You see it is impossible to bring accusation against any of My creation without speaking of Me also.
During this growth phase it has become clear that CITN under the anointed teaching of Bishop Jim is headed for a truly wonderful place of great understanding toward the Christ. Recently I have asserted to Bishop Jim that he has been received by me as father. I would certainly hope that he sees me more as a son than a brother. Last night he also revealed his humanity to us pupils in attendance and it was obviously sweet because of the response. I found myself lagging behind and then didn’t go forward because I had not been among the first, just another character flaw.
I truly believe there will be peace on earth in my life time even if I have to live a hundred and fifty years to see it. There is nothing that can be done to prevent it from happening but it has been delayed by the will of us all until now. It requires the will of us all to bring it into existence. The same is true of any relationship between human beings.
We can and will operate as one in response to the God/man’s prayer for unity. That means that we will need the direction and guidance of Holy Spirit for ourselves personally and be able to see that others also have that relationship regardless of our perceived view of Who it is that they say God is.
Holy Spirit said I can go back to calling myself Johnny now.
Peace in unity, and thanks Mystic.
Johnny
The general consensus of most biblical scholars is that out of the 13 (14 if you think Paul authored Hebrews) letters attributed to Paul, only 7 are undisputedly authentic. Included in the 7 are 1&2 Corinthians.
My point is not to provoke debate about this, but merely to say that Paul, having actually written 1 Corinthians, specifically chapter 13, known as the “Love” chapter, may have been unjustly accused of not teaching the way of the pre-resurrected Jesus, who taught that the way of love was the way to God.
The original followers of Jesus called themselves: "the people of the Way". What "Way" was that? I believe it was the "way of Love". And I believe Paul, having a revelation of the Christ manifested through Jesus, followed the same "way". Maybe he wasn't the he-man woman hating homophobe he has been portrayed. Maybe, had his teaching of Christ’s love and inclusion remained pure and undiluted, the way of Love would have been the common thread woven through every belief system on earth.
Maybe “The Way” would not have been renamed "Christianity", that has since laid claim as “the only way" to God.
If that had been the case, would it have shaped a different world and created a different mindset of it's inhabitants and their relationship to one another?
Would the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians been the global credo hanging on the wall of the United Nations, the Pentagon, the World Council of Churches, our schools, churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues?
I guess we'll never know...
PM
PS,
Regardless, the way of love never fails and that never changes. Maybe it’s not too late
There is a lot of history surrounding the poem below but I believe it to be timeless. I have read this poem literally hundreds of times as it was hanging on my auntie's kitchen wall in rural Va. As a kid I re-read this over and over again and I believe it helped shaped my life in some ways.
Whatever the history of Desiderata, the Ehrmann's prose is inspirational, and offers a simple positive credo for life.
desiderata - by max ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
I love this poem, I hope it brings you love today.
Vaughevan
Not a re-write of scripture, just a thought : There is therefore now no COMPETITION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Anon...
That is a good thought which, unfortunately, could be misunderstood as there is a wide range of revelaton here.
Could you maybe elaborate?
Peace
PM
cool that u posted this.. I have just gotten back to my peace log.. and sitting here is so nice.. I remeber the simple thing.. knowing that i dont want to be nice o much as i want to be Godly.. to see ppl the way God does to care the way he does.. and that my friends isnt always "nice"... its far better.. ive also remebered the finer things in life. like the fact that I am alive.. in him.. i mean no need to worry because u didnt worry yourself into your mothers womb GOD put u there for such a time as now.. how cool that God knows me when im 60 he knows me know he has seen it all and heard it all.. but stll lives to see us recognize him in everything and that is where i would like to chill forever.. in his ever. In him.. ahh today is...
PM
If what I said was received by anyone, it was received by them without any explanatation except by the way it was sent. If someone didn't receive it by the explanation it was sent, it very simply wasn't a word for them.
I can think of no other explanation.
PEACE
Well, anon, on the competition tip; i get the whole deal about revelation..could be, could be not, however, i believe you could be led by the spirit and be in competition by the world's standard, as in, say for example you are a sales person and you really love God but you know with His power and dynamite and excellence, in Him, you could be the best salesperson in your territory, your state, the nation.
Honestly, I believe you could, in Christ be led by the spirit and be competitive and rock in sales and still love God and your neighbors. So could be, could be not. I do see how some one could roll that around in their head and say "what or who or are they meaning me?" And I also could see, to the pure at heart all things are pure.
When I was in sales in corporate America, I was the top producer month after month. My teammates would be so upset, because my commissions were much higher and I won all types of things, tickets and gift certificates and they kept saying, you are so competitive...I would say, you think so...could be,could be not...I just do what I do!
I never considered myself competitive, just spirit filled, and I prayed all the time, was led by the spirit, studied my product inside and out, gave my customers white glove treatment and so I rocked, in Christ...I'm just saying.
Thanks for the opportunity for a lively discourse, I appreciate your thoughts!
Water Walker!
Well...by god!
fair enough
pm
PM
I LOVE YOU MAN!
I pray a double annointing of peace today on you and me.
Just let me catch my breath
Ive heard the promises
Ive seen the mistakes
Ive had my share of tough breaks
I need a new voice, a new law, a new way
To take the time, reevaluate
Its time to pick up the peices,
Go back to square one
I think its time for a change
There is something that I feel
To be something that is real
I feel the heat within my mind
And craft new challenges with my eyes
Giving freely wandering promises
A place with decisions Ill fashion
I wont waste another breath
You can feel the waves coming on
(its time to take the time)
Let them destroy you or carry you on
(its time to take them time)
Beginning lyrics from "Take the Time" by Dream Theater- great, powerful rock song-NOT a Christian band, but definitely spiritual.
Going back to SQUARE ONE- 1 Cor:13 ALWAYS APPROPRIATE! LOVE!
Some lyrics from "Luv is a Verb"- DC Talk-
Words come easy but don't mean much
When the words they're sayin we cant put trust in
Were talkin bout love in a different light
And if we all learn to love it would be just right
Hey, tell me havent ya heard?
Luv, is a serious word
Hey, I think its time ya learned
I dont care what they say
I dont care care what ya heard
The word luv, luv is a verb
LOVE is always appropriate...in all your ways ACKNOWLEDGE LOVE, because God IS love...and He will direct your paths...this is walking IN the Spirit...being directed in the way of love- the VERB kind.
Love,
Larry
Bishop-
Loved your word last night fashioned from the struggles & turmoil life often is...
I believe when Jesus said "It is finished" our name changed forever, and we are just trying to find out who that "man in the mirror" is. We walk away for a moment and it's as if amnesia sets in, you know?
To quote Chesterton:
"We have all read in scientific books, and indeed, in all romances, the story of the man who has forgotten his name. This man walks about the streets and can see and appreciate everything; only he can not remember who he is. Well, every man is that man in the story. Every man has forgotten who he is...We are all under the same mental calamity; we have all forgotten our names. We have all forgotten what we are."
This is where I think Erik's post is salient; that who we are has become native again with the work on the Cross, but perhaps, in reality, always was...as in the prodigal son-God never stripping him of sonship. And I love the square peg in the round hole analogy...God has made us a certain way and it's our mission to realize that and walk in the knowledge of that-otherwise it's like a hammer trying to insert screws-worthless!
I am who I am by the grace of God, Lord help us to embrace the real us, help us to run TO the Potter's wheel instead of from it. Help us to be satisfied being the "pinky finger" in the body, help us to be satisfied in abounding AND being abased. Keep us constantly in front of "the mirror" of your Spirit and Word for you alone ARE truth and have the words of truth..
Amen,
Satisfaction & peace,
Larry
ps- "You know my name...look up the number..."
Johnny-
In response to your ..."peace if it ever happens..." line of thinking, I have a quote here from C.S. Lewis', "The Weight of Glory",
"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and godesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare...
There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."
If God can speak though a donkey or even yet a ROCK, think how much wisdom is resident in even "one of the least of these"!
Each creature possesses its own glory, given it by God and therefore must be respected for that glory it brings-
Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. Heb 13:1-3
Peace,
Larry
Wow...really good stuff here today...makes me proud to be your bishop or your pastor or your teacher or your father or your brother or your friend or your blogmaster (is that a word?) or whatever I may be to you...
I'm amazed at what you know, and at how well you communicate and express yourselves...
BLOGINTHENOW is so much like CITN...you really have to get in it to understand it...know what I mean? You can't be an observer and really comprehend it...
I'm really loving you all a whole lot right now...even the arguers and disputers...y'all wear me out sometimes, but I understand your misunderstanding of what goes on here...
Peacemaker, I felt what you said about Paul way down deep inside...so deep, in fact, that it startled me...like it opened up a room that hadn't been opened before...
Again, I'm loving you all big-time right now...but didn't anyone think my pictures were cool? Don't you like my wierd little evangelist boy? I love that pic...
And I love you all, even the haters...
love is the more excellent way...
...yah, yah, we loved the pictures (spoken with a droning voice and eyes rolled up in the head) Just kidding! LOL!
Messin' witcha Bishop!
I especially liked the one with the hands together forming the world...talk about a thousand words...
Did you see the article about the girls who had the pact to get pregnant and the one girls comment about how the babies would show them unconditional love??? How truly sad...but I will say God showed me His unconditional love for me right when my daughter was born and just at a time when I needed Him most!
Cheers & blessings...off to the mountain & angels unaware.
Larry
Good aft, everyone!
Thoughts flying around from prior posts. Just now making time for adequate consideration. Perhaps you'll indulge me?
Abraham - "The Palestinian is on the cusp of extinction... the temporal Isreal rises today, in the now, on real human corpses in the ashes of more than one faith."
Strong & thought-provoking! I feel your pain, though I can't claim to 'know how you feel.' You speak of human rights issues and the absence of justice in the Middle East, and yes, it has and does lead to injustice throughout the world. But most Americans (as you've implied) are only privy to the perhaps tainted knowledge that the gov't allows us to be privy to. Reminds me of the John Mayer song, "Waiting on the World to Change." (And when you trust your television What you get is what you got, Cause when they own the information They can bend it all they want.)
Believe me when I tell you that some of us actually do want the world to change, and are becoming impatient in our waiting. However, I'm not at all certain that we (Americans) would know how to handle the complete and unadulterated truth (on a layperson's level) if it were revealed to us.
DBA - In perusing your pragmatic and sometimes pessimistic pages (you DO claim to be an open book), these are the thoughts that stuck with me: "Peace comes from recognizing that each is valid and has a point of view." And, "Peace is born when we all recognize in one another that there is value in the other beyond the selfishness of nationalism." I agree on both counts. Not sure the first is entirely possible, but the second has been proven time and again in global aid efforts helping nations in times of crises. When push comes to shove, humanity seems to bind together (at least temporarily) to help one another out. Therein lies hope!
There IS a beauty in freely conversing under the protective blog cover, isn't there? Might not be so easy face to face. But there are far too many anons... gets confusing!
BTW, DBA... I'll let the 'right of McCain' statement slide, and will smile and say hello when I see you in GW drag at an Obamafest with your slip showing. All in good fun! Love ya, man :)
More to say. Perhaps later...
PS: I SOOOO misspelled Israel... sorry (knew it didn't look right)!
I know I'm monopolizing, but I can't believe one of my relatives just emailed me the following poem!
You might recognize it...
desiderata - by max ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, EVEN TO THE DULL AND IGNORANT(caps by me) , they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
God you truly are amazing!!
Larry
Has anyone tried to post something so beautiful..and ...LOST IT?? Seriously, that just happen to me. (wah wah wah)--(smile)
Well, it was great!! LOL
Yes, I love the pictures!! That picture of the young boy made me think of you..preach'n to the neighborhood kids. You had me crackin up about the wall being green..NO I mean BLACK..don't slap me. I wonder you changing the blog to black made you think of that.(funny stuff)
Last night--talking about One Lord. I'll say very powerful. Something we all needed to hear. Even the name thing--(one letter difference) I never really thought of that..my birthname was Chris Ann. I didn't know it until I was in my 20's. When I found my birthmother, she was calling me "Chris Ann" I know she was disappointed my name wasn't what she thought it was all these years.
Was thinking too..how I got my daughter to start calling me "Mama" and now its "Mommy" soon "Mom. How does that change?(like a over night thing) I guess its a growing up thing.
All we need is Love!! All we need is Love, love, love!! All we need is LOVE!!
------------------
Ok. Now I am going to save this..before I try to post it.(smile)
Love ya all,
L.W.
Okay, Larry, that's a trip! I think it was posted it 8 hours ago, and I meant to send it to you earlier but I knew you would see it on the blog. Anyway...
But wouldn't you say, the spirit of the Lord is absolutely inbelievable and incredible because I don't know your cousin but I thought this poem was so powerful that when I sent it to my personal email list, I received many responses. I also asked my blog watchers and personal email buddies, did they have a poem because everyone has at least one that inspires and uplifts. And you didn't know this part, that the poetry that Bishop tapped into by posting the message version of 1 cor 13 caused me to post that same poem - desiderata at 9:43 this morning.
Of course, I don't even know your cousin and but I do know that most of your relatives are in New York and I don't believe any of them are here in Ga.
Apparently, the Holy Spirit wanted our BITN bloggers and blurkers (I know you are out there) to recognize and really pay attention to that particular word. I believe it was a word of exhortation and encouragement that we need now - today.
It was a word for me as a child, it is even more powerful now, some decades later.
We have a lot of synergy here and I can hardly wait for the opportunity to get back to my computer to read the families feedback.
It is really, cool.
Stay in the flow! Vaughevan
Bishop I love your pictures so much that I am amazed by them, and sometimes speechless. I keep scratching my head and I think to myself, where in the world does he find these pictures.
I just say, that's why I call him my Bishop, more than a pastor because you teach, yes,sometimes preach but you teach us by discipling us and creating an environment for creators and teaching us to follow Jesus as true disciples so it is all God! You teach us how to lead and to truly be ministers of the gospel in our part of the earth,so we are going into all the world to make more disciples. We understand the authority and dominion as ambassadors of the kingdom that we have because you, Bishop are our fearless leader, not perfect but in this environment we have the opportunity to get to know your heart and your spirit a little more...by the spirit. As importantly we are allowed to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the body all of the planet and break bread, spiritual bread. It is like taking communion every day.
This is a good thing and we do it daily, those of us connected to the vine!
Anyway, they say imitation is the highest form of flattery,...I don't know...but I do download your my favorite pictures from your blogs to Picassa (google picture program) because they are so awesome. I use them for my desktop computer and I use them in slideshows, so the answer is yes, your pictures are always awesome as is your spirit.
BTW, I am very proud of you also and I understand others in the Now more and I am proud to be a part of this ministry!
Peace and blessings,
They plan to induce Leslie tomorrow, it would mean a lot if the ones who gather her would agree over her and little Tucker.
Tucker has spent the last 9 months suspended between earth and sky and soon I will place his feet on the earth his God loves for the first time.
I will be composing a journal of prayers, promises and prophetic words over his life which I will give him one day. If any of you have a blessing or a word I would love to add it. you can email it to cliff.hancock@gmail.com
Love never fails!!
Cliff
Friend4life-YES tried 2x hopefully 3rd is a charm. The Way of Love- yet another Bailey story--Bailey went to Egleston this weekend via ambulance from a local hospital-supposedly from appendicitis. Anyway- on the ambulance ride I heard her asking the tech how many kids do you have -what are their names? Then when we arrive Bailey tells HER- It is gonna be alwwwwite- We get to Egleston and over the next couple of days as she is poked prodded and catherized MANY times -she proceeds to tell the nurses and doctors as she touches their faces"i love you"then she randomly says -you no hurt Bailey pray for her. She didn't care what the heck they believed in she just knew prayer works. Mind you - she is not perfect- she called many along the way "mowons" (can't imagine where she heard that term-ha!) and covered her face with her sheet, but nonetheless she learned the names and histories of everyone who treated her and wished them well, and always told them she loved them. As far as the pain,...it was as if she knew it were for a greater good. I just know this - David and I learned a very nerve wracking and costly lesson about love. She is home now and annoying us with Barney"I love you...you love me" and we are thankful for the lesson.
Bishop I have much love for you and my CITN family. I love the pictures it amaze me how you come up with all that stuff but then how can you not when you travel with the Ghost.
I'm so in tune to your message that I can't understad how people so misunderstand you. Its so simple yet becauese it is we miss it looking for the complication.
Looks like I'm coming in on the tail end of a great conversation. I have been thinking about love and matters of the heart a lot for the past few days. The levels or love, the manifestations of love, and how paradoxical we have a tendency to make it. Love without condition is something we all want, but can't seem to give. We claim to love God, but we hate each other. "Christians" tell people that God's love is eternal, but don't really believe it because we only want it extended to the people we think deserve it, everyone else can go to hell. What one person calls "harsh" or "cruel" may be "touch love" to someone else. One man's "compassion" is another's "enabling".Love is the most simple emotion to feel, but can be the most complex to express and live out. So I guess that's why we have to follow the Creator of Love so he can show us the more excellent way.
peace to us all
Holy Spirit, thanx for the arrangement of words on this blog today
Bish, I love having nothing to lose, it's the me I'm glad you (COMMA)
What?
the me I'm glad you know(to be cont'd)
Pastor Cliff and Leslie,
I speak peace to you both and over Tucker...
the Lord will perfect that which concerns your labor and delivery...
we delcare end from the beginning...
We call your son BLESSED in Jesus' name...
Keep us posted...
Before I say goodnight I just HAVE to tell you... Bish, your 'weird little evangelist boy' creeps me out! Sorry, y'all throw me into Ghenna, but I just have issues with grammar-schoolers being encouraged to 'preach the gospel' when their life experience level equals Dick and Jane and Spot. Forgive me... I know... I'm hopeless...
Night all... zzzzzzz
Elle, that was the point...he creeps me out, too...I think everyone missed the irony...
Evening Bloggers and "blogmaster" :)
Zechariah 14:5-9 The Message Bible
(7) The Day is coming--the timing is GOD's--when it will be continuous day. Every
evening will be a fresh morning.
(8) What a Day that will be! Fresh flowing rivers out of Jerusalem, half to the eastern
sea, half to the western sea, flowing year-round, summer and winter!
(9) GOD will be king over all the earth, one GOD and only one. What a Day that will
be!
YES! The day is coming and now is because God is now. The light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus is beginning to shine forth in all the
earth. As we look to Him our face is illumined with the same glory reflecting the love
of God for all the world through Christ in us “the hope of Glory” not a maybe-so hope
but as the literal meaning of the word hope in the Bible - it means a confident
expectation. What we once called light is now darkness in comparison to the true
light that now is beginning to shine from the message of universal reconciliation. The
time has come that the fresh living waters of the Spirit of truth are flowing out from
his servants all over the land. This is a message that is not stale and stagnant but
living and fresh. It is new manna from heaven appearing new every day. Just as the
Israelites could not keep the manna from the past day (it would rot) but gathered
new manna each day. This is a fresh message of hope to the world – EVERYONE –
no one will be excluded; truly “good news” to all mankind. God is revealing to us that
His victory over sin and death was complete. Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God that
takes away the sin of THE WORLD! He did not fail. God will be all in all and king over
all the earth. Yes it is coming and the day is even dawning now in you and in me.
Ephesians 5:8-14 The Message Bible
…... The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around.
Get on with it! (9) The good, the right, the true--these are the actions appropriate
for daylight hours. (10) Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. (11)
Don't waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of
darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. (12) It's a scandal when
people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will
see. (13) Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light
of Christ. (14) Wake up from your sleep, Climb out of your coffins; Christ will show
you the light!
Peace,
Dennis
Goodness! I missed a lot today.
I started the day thinking about keys. Key rings and keys to the Kingdom. And some people clearly have huge keyrings and some only have a few, but everyone has at least one, and I suspect actually have a whole lot more, if they can just find the keys that unlock their locks. And then about gates [lift up your heads oh ye...]
So as much as the "not" pictures made me smile, the rusty gate intrigued me.
I didn't think of this until I started typing this...but Cliff and Leslie, may Tucker's locks be unlocked early in his life so he can find all of the locks he has been given the keys to unlock!
Cliff- Believing the best for you, your wife and baby, Tucker- one that stays next to God. Blessings & peace to you all.
Also, been having this song going through my head tonight so thought I'd post it!
Open Arms - Journey
Lying beside you here in the dark
Feeling your heart beat with mine
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our love be so blind
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side
So now I come to you with open arms
Nothing to hide
Believe what I say
So here I am with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms
Living without you, living alone
This empty house seems so cold
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near
How much I wanted you home
But now that you've come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay
-God's arms are open
-We are slaves to righteousness
-Though we make our beds in the place of the dead- there you are with us
-You never leave us or forsake us
-Your thoughts toward us are infinite, countless as the stars in Heaven
-The waves crash on the seashore, their sound speaks your name
-The sun must lay its brightness down at your feet oh Lord
-Your grace captivates us
-Your mercy exonerates us
-Your light leads us
-Your power enables us
-Your love fills us
-Your goodness draws us
Your kindness woos us
...We are smitten...
...We are Yours...
Amen,
Larry
I've gotta tell ya, you have got what appears to be a dynamite sound.
Hello family,
Feels good to be hear. I haven't had internet connection for weeks, still don't, so I so miss this place. I usually go to the library when possible.
Larry, cool about Open Arms cause I had that song playing on my back porch not long ago imagining the whole prodigal son/father story.
I have to be on my way but wanted to say:
2 are better than one. love is greater than hate. Love lifts up another, love gives warmth.
Love lift us up where we belong.
Hate/anger fills someone's nostrils with fire/smoke like a dragon so they cannot smell the fragrance of love. Like the song of J. Geils Band they say "Love Stinks!"...but if they let the air clear they will smell the pure and clean scent of Christ, the fragrance of love.
God bless you all!
-Karl
I will say this, the picture of the little boy brought me back to my days as a little girl going to Christian School, doing my best to "save" everyone. Irony is, there's a South Park episode that deals with the very same issue. If you can get past the satire (and there's a plenty, trust me) the show made a good point.
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