The beginning of knowledge

It is the Love of the Lord which is the beginning of knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the reverrence which so few attain. Becoming an adult I have struggled with this attraction that living in fear of God has driven me to fear others in my life. This fear is not becoming of who God wants me to be. What I have gained by self ambition in fear of letting others down has given me greif and pain, but what God has given me out of this mutual love has and will be sustained. Moth and rust, laws and deceptions have destroyed everything I have gained in this world, but beyond this world God has provided what my heart has glimpsed as eternal. Even the provisions He has made for me in this place have superceded any and all beautiful(shiny) things this world could ever offer. I am convinced now more than ever that the base for my wissdom and my sanctification comes not from fearing God while I wear fig leaves in the garden, but from slipping into the fur of His sacrifice. He made atonement for my sin...all I did was complicate things by fearing Him. When finally I step out and confess and present my weak apology, He makes the sacrifice. Good and Evil set out of my head and enter my heart, Love and forgiveness envelop themm there...Where He reigns in Love!!

Super Hero realities

The Avengers movie has been released and I have had the priveledge of viewing it several times since its release. What strikes me is the heroes' traits in relationship to the Christian experience. Each hereo has strengths and weaknesses which correlate directly to human problems when dealing with the Holy Spirit. The first avenger, Captain America, while injected with a power beyond his own comprehension has been subjected to a life beyond the cold rejection of the world he once knew. His discovery of the power not only in himself, but in his alliance with Shield gives him a reprieve from his solitude, yet humbles him to lead those who also have struggled with what they believe. The Iron Man character having such a hard and brutal shell wrapped around an egotistical narcisist is really the only one who can strip away from the Super hero at will and yet chooses to stand and be counted. The genius and the lunatic wrapped up in the eternal search for self worth, held captive by true love. Humbled by the chance that true friends not only stand together, but at times knock you down. The harsh lesson of surrendering to something greater than self is learned and the arrogance that was once reserved for self flattery finds its way into praise of others. Thor, this visitor of another culture was the top of his game, yet the dark secrets of his culture are the downfall of anothers. His weakness is love. He cares not only about the oppressed but about the oppressor too. he would that all men work together for good, but in the end his realisation is that all will succumb to reason before it is too late. The Hulk. This seemingly uncontrollable force which exerts itself in a constant battle whether seen or unseen is perhaps the most crucial member of the team. His power is feared and reverred; needed and very much dreaded. his involvement is to find and destroy the strongholds of the enemy even if it means destruction of whatever else stands in the way. Nick Fury, the agent from their organization who monopolizes on their strengths and weaknesses in order to balance out the relationship between humanity and the supeerheroes. He weighs the law and disects it in order to sway the battle for victory. Black Widow and Hawk, these two have in the past worked to destroy what is good by soldiering for their causes. Their regrets are in choosing the patriotic over the right on several occasions. Both have been given another chance and both believe they must earn the chance they have been given. So there we have our basis for a church. An elder to govern wisely, A preacher to proclaim emphatically what our capabilites are, an evangelist to stress conversion at every cost, a prayer warrior to be bound and released in season, a parlimentarian to outline the bounds and stretch them when necessary, and skilled workmen to assist wherever and whenever needed.