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| How can we say God doesn't care? |
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We live out in the country. I couldn’t help but notice today when I filled the bird feeders that the sparrows showed up to eat all the bird seed that fell on the ground. They are content with seeds on the ground while the other birds feast off the bird feeders hanging from trees. I couldn’t help but think of: " Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Fear not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. Isn’t it interesting that the least and most common of birds (sparrows) would be content to eat from the ground? They are not colorful like the Cardinal, Robin or Painted Bunting. Yet they are so meaningful to God that He knows (and perhaps even determines) when just one falls to the ground! How can we say God doesn’t care? This same God knows even the numbers of the hairs of our head is very much involved in our daily "mundane" lives. God loves us with an everlasting/eternal love! I also thought of the Canaanite woman that cried to Jesus:"...yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Not only was this woman hungry, but she was like the sparrow..willing to eat from what spilled to the ground. Then I thought of the verse that said, "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs IS the kingdom of God (heaven)". Wow what a lesson to learn! Are we content with the crumbs, which fall to the ground? How much more the mercy and grace of God! This is just an example of God using nature to bring forth worship. Hallelujah! Charlie PS - it is also an example of the verse that says, "But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you abide in Him." Even more worship!! |
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| To add a comment to "How can we say God doesn't care?" |
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| March 02, 2007 |
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| Good blog Charlie...His arm is not shortened that it cannot save... Our God loves us so much...and He is much more concerned with our character than with our comfort...I got to be the first to respond... Yes! |
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| March 03, 2007 |
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| Hey Charlie, me second! (woo hoo!) Over the last 48 hrs I've been meditating on Rom 3-5 and God's incredible inexplicable love shown by His grace & mercy toward us. It still blows my mind and saddens me that so many people think they have to change in order to become acceptable to God! Yes, beautiful blog! ~mike |
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| March 03, 2007 |
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| I think a great many people leave this walk b/c they don't fully understand the vastness of God's grace. I keep hearing people repeat that they no longer sin...while we are dead to sin and are alive in Christ I also see a war waging b/w what my flesh and my spirit want to do. How long will this war continue...that is scripture.
God's grace is my life source...we are never supposed to measure up to the cross...it is why we need it |
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| March 03, 2007 |
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| And God's grace is mine! Amen! WYP, couldn't agree more! ~mike |
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| March 03, 2007 |
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| Very good, Charlie. God does love His creation. There was an occasion where I had to go and see a man and I knew it had the potential to be troublesome, and so I was troubled. I went outside, to the back of the tweedmill I was working in at the time and I stood there with all sorts of scenarios going through my mind. Then I noticed a little bird land quite near me. It caught my attention and I wanted to be still so that it might come closer. I had to stand absolutely stalk still and relaxed. The little bird came closer and closer to where it was standing right beside me. It's ministry to me, was obvious. I put away the fears and worries and laid them at the feet of Christ, thanking Him for that little bird.
Isn't it wonderful how God can use creation to minister to us and how it harmonizes with the scriptures. Just one of many ways that God speaks :)
Thanks for your testimony of the sparrows, lovely :)
Bless ya Chaz
Cam. |
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| March 04, 2007 |
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| Tweedmill? A little help here. What is that? I am assuming that it is a mill that makes tweed (the strign right)...interesting...where do you live again?
I will echo the words that Cam said...when I let stuff play out in my mind it always gets bad...but allowing just a walk to see God's glory reflected in nature speaks words that our alphabet will never be able to contain. |
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| March 04, 2007 |
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| Hi WYP
I live in Scotland and tweed is a cloth spun and weved from pure wool.
A lot of the land around where we live, is owned by wealthy English Lords (more's the pity) but each different estate has its own distinctive tweed, to suit out the game keepers, stalkers and the gentry. Its a very old feudal system established by the English after the Scots were finally subjugated in 1746. Then the old clan system was abolished and the tartan kilt has now become nothing more than traditional. The Scots still cry in their whisky though and remember the old days and sing songs of it, but now, it seems that any victories against the English are won on a Soccer or Rugby pitch.
So, there you are, a wee bit of Scottish history for you :)
Yes, I look for the Lord in creation all the time, every living thing has a testimony of our creator and my own blindness, many times keeps me from knowing it. I have been allowed to see some things though, for which I am thankful to the Lord.
See ya WYP
Cam. |
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| March 05, 2007 |
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| Oh very well laddie...would you be believing that I have learned a bit...how did that sound? |
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| March 05, 2007 |
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| thank you Charlie for your words.
seems like I still have a lot to learn.
hopefully God will bless me with the knowledge I need to be a successful ministry leader.
and again, thank you very much |
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| March 05, 2007 |
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| Ach, aye, when will we see their like again, eh, Cam? |
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| March 05, 2007 |
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Charlie, speaking of sparrows, here's something worth mentioning that you might have heard in "Gideon: Tuba Warrior." (What's a Christian blog without an occasional VeggieTales reference?)
His Eye Is On the Sparrows http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hiseyeis.htm
Words: Civilla Martin, 1905. Music: Charles Gabriel.
“Early in the spring of 1905, my husband and I were sojourning in Elmira, New York. We contracted a deep friendship for a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle—true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nigh twenty years. Her husband was an incurable cripple who had to propel himself to and from his business in a wheel chair. Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing inspiration and comfort to all who knew them. One day while we were visiting with the Doolittles, my husband commented on their bright hopefulness and asked them for the secret of it. Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the hearts and fired the imagination of Dr. Martin and me. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience.” -- Civilla Martin
The next day she mailed the poem to Charles Gabriel, who supplied the music. Singer Ethel Waters so loved this song that she used its name as the title for her autobiography.
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Refrain
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| March 05, 2007 |
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| God cares. God cares about HIS own. God Loves. God hates. the world does not want to accept that God does not love them. God does not love everybody. It is the truth. |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| PastorDan, excellent song. I gave my life to Christ shortly after joining the military...there is a purpose to this story...in a church that was on the "name it claim it" kick. We had received orders to go into and subdue Haiti and I prayed "in Jesus Name" that I would not go...I had a fiance and I knew God wanted me to be in "church" as much as possible.
We kept on getting sent on these missions that would take me away over the weekends...I was only able to attend that church sporadically...and the deployment date grew closer but I had "the faith that will move a mountain"
Up until I entered the plane I knew that God would intervene...He wanted me in church so I could grow and be spiritually strong...needless to say...with all the prophecies...I was in the air heading to my first major deployment and I was extremely dissappointed...but it was on that deployment that I was able to see the necessity for me to build my walk upon the Lord...and what the definition of true fellowship was.
Sergeant Ronnie Woodson had given his life to the Lord at a very young age and lived for him...he told the Lord at young adulthood "send me I will go..." and the Lord told Woodson that he would be sent into a place of darkness...God told him what to join and that he would be locked in a position his whole career...but that he would be guided by God Himself to be a light and discipler in a dark world...and he had the voice of an angel.
Woodson was my "study buddy" through two full tours and countless missions...we spent so much time in the word (and I was able to quickly figure out why God kept taking me from that church)...At every chapel song service we made, he would sing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." It was amazing to see hardened infantry recon soldiers tearing up...
I am not so self centered but I know that when God was directing Woodson...I was in mind. In fact, it is humbling to know that God thought of my name on the cross...all of us...and He doesn't care...? I think we say that when we don't get our way like a little child...but like I told someone else...if we never receive another physical blessing in this world...if we lose everything...hasn't He already done enough?
God cares... |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| Uhmmm Pat... |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| ok ok....i cannot agree to disagree. however, i must speak the truth as I know it and live by it. and you must do the same. and we all have to live here together on this earth (and on mychurch). I appreciate this forum to be able to speak what is in my heart and to read what is in yours. peace |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| Speak away...do you think that God hates the sinners or God hates the sin? I ask b/c I was a sinner lost in sin and His love for me was revealed to me...do you think that God's heart is not broken by His own creation refusing to surrender to Him? I do...I think the world has a twisted view on what love is...and who God is |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Thank and praise God that he loved me WHILE I was a sinner! ~mike |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| Amen |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| I don't know how to explain this, but God IS love. We are NOT. God isn't just a loving God, He loves because of who He is..He is love! I think hate is just another side of love, equally pasionate. That's why God can love the sinner, but HATE the sin. I have a real hard time doing that :(. Should we compare our experience and feelings to what we think God is like? Are we trying to "create" God in OUR image? Now THAT is real idolatry!
My son used to believe I hated him. In his eyes and according to how I dealt with him, he was convinced. We spent many years not seeing each other or talking. To be honest, I tried my best to just consider him dead. But even during all that time, I never hated my son.
God worked a miracle and now my son has been reconciled first to God and also to me. He was/is a real prodical son, come home.
I just don't think we understand or know God as much as we think. But personally, I don't believe God hates anyone with a bitterness and stubborness as we consider hatred. Even what or who He "hates" is out of love, cuz God IS love.
Charlie
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| Charlie...well said |
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| March 06, 2007 |
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| Charlie, this is probably a good point to raise in a separate post but in the interest of making a transition, I've got a post going up on "love the sinner, hate the sin." I hope y'all will check it out. |
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