Musings with PWC

  Christ is the Morning Star who, when the night of this world has passed, brings to his Saints the promise of the light of life and opens everlasting day. (St Bede on the Apocalypse)   It is so easy to become engulfed in this world—in the here and now. It is perhaps one of the greatest temptations in this culture in this era. So much talk of money, success, numbers, achievements, cars, vacations, hobbies, new couch, new iPhone, AI, computers, politics, retirement, investments, etc.    But the words of Revelation 22:12-13 (NIV): “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” … needs to be our primary focus.   We live on a higher plane. We will go deeper. We live higher. We have more to look forward to after this! This world IS passing away, and an everlasting day is opening up to us.     It comes down to...

Spiritual Survival:   How to survive Luke 6:47-49 (NIV) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” When a person comes to faith in Christ and confesses to the Lordship of Jesus, there are two essentials to spiritual survival:  Hear the words of Scripture, i.e., the words of Christ This means actively participating in hearing the words of Christ.  To survive spiritually, you must hear Scripture.  You must listen to it being read (hopefully at public worship). ...

Speechless! Are you not the Almighty One? Are you not the Gracious One? I bow at Your Throne oh Holy One. Lifting my voice, Lifting my heart, Lifting my head, Lifting my all  …in adoration and worship. There is No One Greater! There is No One more Glorious! There is No One more Excellent! There is No One more Perfect! And, here am I. A little soul out of billions and billions, With the privilege of laying my life before You. With the honour of living for You. With the delight of serving You. Almost unimaginable! Me, little me, honoured with being Your Worshipper Lover Servant Incredible! This leaves me now…  Speechless Awed Utterly Astonished Utterly Astounded. Privileged Speechless And now…Silent

What kind of spiritual person are you?  Where are your weaknesses? What are your shortcomings? Knowing your spiritual self is spiritual self-awareness.  This means understanding the areas of your spiritual life that need improvement or development.   One way you know you are stuck is if you read this and respond, “What on earth are you writing about?”  Too often, believers surrender to Christ and, in the first few years, readjust their lives around some Godly principles.  Then, they culturalize their Christianity.  They have a list of things they do.  They have a list of things they don’t know.  It’s kind of a nice, clean package.   But daily conversion is unknown. Part of soul care is knowing yourself.  Now, there are two extremes to be avoided.   One is grading or marking yourself incessantly. This is often associated with comparison.  Comparing your spirituality with another is ve...

It is my favourite series of parables—Luke 15.  Three stories of being found. The Lost Sheep is found. The Lost Coin is found. The Lost Son is welcomed home. You might recall the great text of the younger son coming to his senses: Luke 15:17-20 (NIV) “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. He came to his senses and decided to head back home and ask his father for a job.  It seemed reasonable to him, after all; he messes up pretty badly.  While he was a long way off, his father, apparently looking and waiting for him, sees him. Luke 15:20 (NIV) “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he r...

Well, it happened again today.  I went to church, and God showed up.  No, I mean he really showed up! Let me tell you about it—quickly.  We did the church things.  You know, announcements, worship and preaching.  These were done like in most churches, and I sat and participated. Was God there?  Well, yes, He was. We were doing all the right things at the right time.  Appropriate raising of hands.  Sitting with minds fixed on the preacher.  Offering the odd “Amen” or risking a good “Hallelujah."   You know, all the stuff we are supposed to do in church. But then, God showed up.  Let me tell you what happened. An elderly lady was sitting in the front row.  I’m old—she was ‘elderly.’  She had done an okay job of cleaning herself up and getting ready for church—except for the back of her head.  She missed brushing her hair.  It was all over the place.  Brushed on the sides—but pretty messy at the back....