[The] notion of an overarching plan in creation and salvation history is ... everywhere in Hebrew and Christian thought; and it finds its summary statement in Ephesians 1:9, which describes "the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things." The Greek word translated here as "plan" is oikonomia (Latin, dispensatio). Etymologically, it derives from oikos and nomos, household and law. The oikonomia, the divine economy, is the principle governing all creation as well as all the events of salvation history. It is the law of God's cosmic "household."
I've made a hasty resolution, and I don't know if I can keep it. But here it goes; I'm gonna read these six books before I read anything else (or at least soon thereafter), because they're all books I've borrowed and ought to give back.
Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelly The Ecstasy of Loving God by John Crowder Our Father Abraham by Marvin R. Wilson Letter and Spirit by Scott Hahn A Ray of Darkness by Rowan Williams The Reformation by Diarmaid MacCulloch
I'm fishing for comments, so I'll be sad if I don't get any. Exempli gratia, "That's mine! Don't bother reading it just give it back!" Or, "That's a good one."
Amma Sarra said:
If I prayed to God
that all men should approve of my conduct,
I should find myself endlessly penitent
before each man's door.
I shall not ask this;
I shall pray instead
that my heart might be pure toward all.
One of the monks asked the great teacher
Abba Nistero :
"What should I do for the best in life?"
And the Abba answered:
"All works are not equal.
The scripture says that Abraham was hospitable,
and God was with him;
it says that Elias loved quiet,
and God was with him;
it says that David was humble,
and God was with him.
So, whatever path you find your soul longs after in the quest for God,
do that, and always watch over your heart’s integrity."
Snow can never emit flame.
Water can never issue fire.
A thorn bush can never produce a fig.
Just so, your heart can never be free
from oppressive thoughts, words, and actions
until it has purified itself internally.
Be eager to walk this path.
Watch your heart always.
Constantly say the prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.”
Be humble.
Set your soul in quietness.
The more the rain falls on the earth,
the softer it makes it;
similarly, Christ’s holy name
gladdens the earth of our heart
the more we call upon it.
I was praying in the bed today, lamenting the gap between Christ and me. It's no use quoting scripture at myself when my conscience condemns me.
Many people who are experienced at prayer will tell you that as soon as you commit yourself to talk to God, the accuser [spit on the ground] will remind you of every sin you've ever committed. Or is it sometimes the Holy Spirit? It's not always easy to tell. Here's the answer though, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
If it's God reminding you about your sin, repent. Call someone you love and trust (someone who agrees with God about your sin) and tell them about it. There's an incredible freedom that comes from not hiding. This freedom is, by the way, very important to the gospel (John 3:19). Necessary, in fact.
If it's the enemy, repent. Take yourself and your shame out of his hands. Call someone you love and trust (someone who agrees with God about your sin) and tell them about it. There's an incredible freedom that comes from not hiding. This freedom is, by the way, very important to the gospel (John 3:19). Necessary, in fact.
Do you see it? Our sin really does separate us from God, not because it keeps Him away, but because it keeps us away from Him. Almost no one is willing to bite the bullet of confession so that they can pray. Instead, we convince ourselves that our sin isn't a problem but we still never pray. As if there's anything else! There isn't. We were made for Him, to obey and enjoy Him forever. If we don't have that, we don't have anything. The doors of hell are locked from the inside.
So this morning I asked God to crush me and set me on fire (Luke 20:18, Luke 3:16, Luke 12:49). Sometimes I have the grace to throw myself on his mercy. Other times I can't even do that. But He is faithful to undo me and let me try again (Lam 3:22-23).
No sooner had I prayed for this, to be crushed and burned, than Isaac came toddling bleary-eyed out of his room. "I wake up! Can I have some chocolate milk please?" Oh Jesus! Your yoke is easy and your burden is light (Matt 11:30).
Love of God is opposed to desire, for it persuades the intellect to control itself with regard to sensual pleasures. Love for our neighbor is opposed to anger, for it makes us scorn fame and riches. These are the two pence which our Saviour gave to the innkeeper (cf. Luke 10:35), so that he should take care of you. But do not be thoughtless and associate with robbers; otherwise you will be beaten again and left not merely unconscious but dead.
St Maximos the Confessor from Four Hundred Texts on Love, The Philokalia Volume II
I laughed out loud when I read this. Seems like it's supposed to be funny, actually, and at the same time deadly serious. St Maximos does something typical of earlier fathers with this parable; he applies it to the interior war. He was a monk, that group of Christians which is notably serious about being made holy; not afraid of "offending the Cross" by doing everything possible in their efforts to please God and be free of sin in their thoughts and actions.
There are key words that need to be understood here. The first is 'desire'. In this context it's a Platonic idea, but one that's widely accepted by the Greek Christian fathers. Desire is (I think, I don't have the Greek text to double check this) the work of one part of the soul, according to Plato's tripartite model. None of these parts are evil by nature (not after regeneration, at least). But this part especially, "when not transformed by positive spiritual influences, is susceptive to the influence of negative and self-destructive forces". If this is accurate, it's not a stretch to read this as 'lust' in the broad sense.
The other word is 'intellect,' probably nous in Greek. It deserves an explanation, since this is not at all what we understand by the word. From The Philokalia glossary:
Intellect (νους - nous): the highest faculty in man, through which - provided it is purified - he knows God or the inner essences or principles of created things by means of direct apprehension or spiritual perception. Unlike the dianoia or reason, from which it must be carefully distinguished, the intellect does not function by formulating abstract concepts and then arguing on this basis to a conclusion reached through deductive reasoning, but it understands divine truth by means of immediate experience, intuition or 'simple cognition' (the term used by St Isaac the Syrian). The intellect dwells in the 'depths of the soul'; it constitutes the innermost aspect of the heart. The intellect is the organ of contemplation, the 'eye of the heart'.
No getting off the hook of Jesus' commandments to do stuff. No assurance of salvation except what the Holy Spirit gives you directly. In fact, the two go together (cf. John 10:27, Matt 7:21). Welcome to Eastern Orthodoxy.
Finger of God began as a short film about God's miraculous power. I had no budget, no script, and no idea what this movie was ultimately going to look like. I teach storytelling and film at a University in Chicago, and here I was breaking all of my own rules.
But that's where I found myself, and I quickly discovered that God is an incredible film producer. He funded the whole film (I never had to ask for money), took me around the world, and introduced me to some truly incredible people.
So what is the film about? Well, now that it's finished, I can finally answer that question. On the surface it is about the miraculous. I originally thought I was making a film that simply tried to capture miracles on tape. But as the story progressed, things began to change.
At its core, it is about the heart of God. It's about how He views us, and how He is desperate for a relationship with us. Along the way, He places his finger on our lives, touches us deeply, heals us, shows His creativity, and generally surprises us with every move He makes.
The film's international cast includes a wide variety of people, ministries, and personalities. But just to whet your appetite, here is a partial list of some of the things you will see and hear about in this film:
Manna in the Pentagon
African children who perform miracles every day
Incredibly rare footage of the Chinese underground church
Eastern European Gypsies radically changed by God's power
Amazing stories of the miraculous
Hundreds raised from the dead
Gemstones appearing out of thin air
Saddaam Hussein's old palace is now a church
And much, much more.
BloodMoney is a documentary film that exposes the truth behind the Abortion Industry from the Pro Life perspective. This film will examine the history of abortion in America, from the inception of Planned Parenthood and the profitability of abortion clinics, to Roe v. Wade, to the denial of when life begins, to the fight to save the lives of innocent babies, and the devastating effects it has had on the women that have had them.
Jesus, I plead your Blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. God, end abortion and send revival to America.
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