glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- you were not made a serpent to lick the dust of the ground desire the pure milk of the word It is Saturday morning my day off from my job. What is my occupation? What are my spiritual gifts? Why did God the Father create me ? I got up this morning around 7:10 AM I got up and had a coke. I looked through yesterday's newspapers. Carol got up to take Bethany to work and then to take her mother to the Farmer's Market. I fixed myself breakfast and now I am recording my history. My hobby is writing down my life. I do not want to lose track of Time. Maybe someday what I have written will be important to someone? Last night I went to bed with my wife lover and read till sometime past 11 o'clock these two books "The Holy Spirit: Works & Gifts" [Christian Foundations] by Donald G. Bloesch and "The Church: Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission" [Christian Foundations] by Donald Bloesch. Right now I am getting blessed reading Bloesch. The other night I put down in the basement my Puritan books and all I have on my study desk now are the six volumes of Bloesch of the Christian Foundations series-I was getting freaked reading inward looking Puritan theology. I can not handle Puritanism in my old age. I need to rest in the finished work of Christ. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" Galatians 2:20. So here I sit on a cold dark morning listening to Greg Brown. I have to do the dishes and then I will wander through the morning. Last night after being with Carol I got up around Midnight and wandered the house till 1:15 AM. I hate going to bed on a Friday night. Yesterday at work I once again exhorted Phin Lo to make sure his Christian profession was real and not just daydream. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy 3:16,17. I do not think anyone has ever challenged Phin Lo to examine in the light of Scripture is profession of faith. "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:19,20. I could write more but the water is getting cold and have to do those dishes. I close with these verses from First Peter chapter 2 "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious" 1 Peter 2:1-3. you are not made a serpent to lick the dust of the ground The morning goes by typically on my day off from the egg-processing factory. I am a factory worker waiting to go home to heaven. I did the dishes and put away clean clothes. This morning while doing house work I went down in the basement to look at a book that came to my mind as I was writing this morning about the necessity of spiritual growth. I sat down in my basement study and read through these books for morning devotions "The Holy Spirit [The Treasures Of John Owen For Today's Readers]" Abridged Made Easy To Read by R.J.K. Law, "Learning in Christ's School" [Puritan Paperbacks] by Ralph Venning (1621-1674) and "Spiritual Refining: The Anatomy of True and False Conversion: A Treatise of Grace and Assurance wherein are handled The Doctrine of Assurance, The Use of Signs in Self-Examination, How true Graces may be distinguished from counterfeit, Several true signs of Grace and many false ones, and the Nature of Grace" Volume 1 by Anthony Burgess. I had a great time reading these old Puritan works this morning as I waited for the end of the american world. Now what to do to make this day special? I keep going back to my encounters with Phin Lo. Why am I so upset by his lack of spiritual life? I suppose I am concern about Phin Lo because I want him to know true conversion. I do not see it as by fate that Phin Lo is working with me. God put Phin Lo next to me at the bottom of the egg pit and my responsibility is to speak to him about the Truth in love. I am to evangelize Phin Lo. All of sudden I feel very tired so I will close quoting Anthony Burgess "Seventhly, Where there is this new-birth, there a man is not only above sin; to eschew and hate that, but also above the world, and all immoderate affections thereunto, Ephesians 3. It's called 'the life of God', not only because he works it, but because it imitates his life. Hence in the Scripture not only transgressions are made contrary to this life, but also the love of father, mother, or anything that is dear unto us, Matthew 10:37, so that it is a poor thing for a man thus regenerated to say, he loveth God more than sin, more than the lusts of the flesh; he doth also embrace him more than outward comforts in the world; You therefore hope you are a child of God, why is your soul thus bowed down to the creatures? Why are you so disparaging and debasing that heavenly nature of yours? You are not made a worm to crawl on the earth, not a serpent to lick the dust of the ground, you are made like unto God, to love what he loves, to delight in what he delights in: do not then labor after an impossibility, which is to serve God and mammon, to bring heaven and earth together. No, if this new nature be infused into you, it makes you above trade, wealth, friends, honour, life; It fills your heart with such heavenly inclinations that as the stone cannot hang in the empty air, but hastens to it's center, so the regenerated heart cannot abide in anything on this side God; Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom on earth but thee?" pg.147 Anthony Burgess 11:09 a.m. - 2002-10-19 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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