Golgotha

From friend Pitchford's blog:


GOLGOTHA

He breathed his last, –
And died.
And the beat of the rain came hard and fast,
And the lightnings writhed in the sudden blast,
And the fierce winds cried.

Is he then dead?
But no –
For, “In him was life,” the beloved said,
And then, “Before Abraham”
(So his own words rang out long ago),
“I Am.”

But there he hangs –
Ah! red
And bloody his lifeless, ghastly form,
And the legions of darkness around him swarm,
And they gnash on him with their death-glutting fangs,
And he is dead.

But what is this – what stir, what rush?
In the pounding rain,
The rocks are split, the very heavens blush,
The temple-veil drops powerless, rent in twain –
And look! from their graves the godly slain
Come out, to live again.

Yes, “It is done!”
And after the storm, a breath
Kisses to life, while the demons still howl on.
His death is the death of death.
The minions of hell, that shrieked in horrid glee,
Now lift their voices in hopeless moans,
And, terror-stricken, flee.
And Sunday dawns

Miserable Christians

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Every joy that a Christian has is based on a future expectation. If we did not have that future hope, then the Christian life would be one of toil and suffering unmitigated. It is really the case that, in general, the life of any given Christian is a difficult, burdensome matter (I'm not going to try to prove this, but I have thought through it and concluded it's truth); and yet, while some live in that gloom, many accept the incomprehensible peace of God, the abounding joy of the Lord, and faithful patience in affliction which God has offered to each of His children. But each of these is based on the fact that "It will all be made right in the end." But if the end is simply an end, then there is no real reason to live in expectation or joy. Then, no compensation is made for the anguish and toil of a life. But this is not the case, for every believer should have a conscious hope within him. Hope in the reality of the future graces of God for all eternity.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

The only reason that it is worth enduring suffering is that we have an eternal hope. Remember that even our Lord suffered with this mind: for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. So, let's view every testing through this lens; otherwise, we have "miserable" reasons for enduring.

(I Corinthians 15:19-20)

Random evening

So, what'd we do tonight? Well it's a long story. Let me explain, no there's too much; let me sum up.
We had a rabbit roast. Josh slaughtered this snowshoe hare yesterday (cut it off in its prime, boo whoo). So, that became experiment in tasty tidbits tonight.

Eating rabbit is not that impressive; it is not bad tasting, just different and slightly tough when cooked over open coals. But not bad...

Frank joined us for the munchy morsels. (Sam didn't; TT did, too; and TJ.) Jon was also there, but he was there the whole evening; so he wasn't "just" a visitor. :<)




Jon and Josh eventually sang "Waltzing with Bears",
much to Frank's amuzement.


Other than that, the main excitement was Josh confusing someone who called the room twice, because he thought they were the booth worker calling (again). So, we never found out who it was that wanted to talk to me....
It's a strange world. Like I said random evening.

November 1st by Chambers

"Know ye not that . . ye are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19

There is no such thing as a private life - "a world within the world" - for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ's sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints, and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves, we are called into the fellowship of the Gospel, and things happen which have nothing to do with us, God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way, if you do not, instead of being of the slightest use to God in His Redemptive work in the world, you will be a hindrance and a clog.

The first thing God does with us is to get us based on rugged Reality until we do not care what becomes of us individually as long as He gets His way for the purpose of His Redemption. Why shouldn't we go through heartbreaks? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God's purpose and die away of self-pity, and all so called Christian sympathy will aid us to our death bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, and says - "Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine." If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart.

My Utmost for His Highest (bolding mine)

Do you know life and peace?

Romans 8:5-6
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

(ESV)