welcome to multiple strands

a place to converse, virtually, on a variety of topics, bringing together multiple strands to encourage, question, challenge, ponder, and edify. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Eccl. 4.12)

Sunday, December 28, 2014

On driving to church

Some interesting articles on the practical selection and engagement with a local church.  I'm certainly not perfect in these areas, but hopefully growing by God's grace.

Your church and your life planning
If you are a Christian, it’s worth asking whether you include your church in your life planning. I mean “include the church” in two ways: do you consider it as a factor in your thinking, and do you actually involve the people in your decision making?
www.9marks.org/blog/your-church-and-your-life-planning

Is the church alive worth the drive?
It all comes down to finding a church alive. ...So, how do you find a church alive?
As the church has been given the command to spread the Gospel, the first criteria should be a commitment to sound doctrine. We could call this orthodoxy. ... The second area of focus should be the life of the body. We could call this orthopraxy. Sadly, there are many churches that hold to the tenets of the Christian faith, but whose members seem to forget that they are to be ambassadors for Jesus in their everyday lives. ... A third area of focus ... would be worship. Does the candidate church view worship as something that is for man or something that is for God? ... Lastly, I think it is important to consider the vision of the church. Where is the church heading? What does the church see as her mission? Is there more of an emphasis on evangelism than on discipleship?
www.providencecpc.org/2010/09/06/is-the-church-alive-worth-the-drive/

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Seeking justice

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations....
the Lord ... comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
- Psalm 98  http://ref.ly/Ps98.1-9

In light of the calls for justice, let us remember and communicate to all around us the Source of justice, and the only One Who will give us true, complete, and perfect justice. May we hope in Him!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

of heaven and hell (Milton)

The mind is its own place and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.

Milton, Paradise Lost, book one, 255 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

hate wasting time (Dante)

...the more one learns,
the more one comes to hate the waste of time.

Dante, The Divine Comedy, Purgatory, Canto III.77-78

Friday, December 5, 2014

God's will: sanctification, holiness

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification (ἁγιασμὸς) .... For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

http://ref.ly/1Th4.3-8 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Pleasures forevermore

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

http://ref.ly/Ps16.9-11 via the Logos Bible Android app.