20131122
20130811
HEAVEN
"The kingdom of heaven is within you."
HEAVEN
Life comes from the Lord
Hope is found in Him alone
Family waits for me in heaven
Hope is found in Him alone
Family waits for me in heaven
My heart longs to be at Home
Truth comes from the Lord
Treasure is found in Him alone
Friends wait for me in heaven
My soul longs to be at Home
Faith comes from the Lord
Faith comes from the Lord
Freedom is found in Him alone
Peace awaits me in heaven
Peace awaits me in heaven
My mind longs to be at Home
Strength comes from the Lord
My joy is found in Him alone
Love waits for me in heaven
I can't wait to get Home
-------
Heaven is commonly conceived of as a place, a locality; and somewhere in God's universe it is supposed there is a spot where elemental storms never deform the sky, where inward sorrow never cankers the heart. There is rest after labor, peace after conflict, smiles after tears, and such happiness as quenches all fiery memories of former pain; and the common or popular notion is, that when good men leave this world, they are translated, that is, transported to heaven, as an aeronaut sails off in a balloon. The falsity of this view Christ exposes, when he says, "The kingdom of heaven is within you." In the words of Holy Writ, the kingdom of heaven is to fear God, and keep his commandments. It is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and our neighbor as ourselves. It is to do to others as we would be done by. HORACE MANN Thoughts...
20130715
INSPIRATION
Where does my help come from? PS121
INSPIRATION
Look to the hills,
Heaven is still waiting;
Take time to talk to God,
He is always listening.
Look to the hills,
See past the trees;
Find yourself in the arms of Jesus,
In Christ alone is perfect peace.
Look to the hills,
Creation is still calling;
The Maker of heaven and earth,
Will keep you from falling,
And catch you if you fall.
Look to the hills - turn to Jesus,
Raise your hands in sweet surrender;
Realize the hope of true freedom,
Is closer than you think.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
20130709
20130610
EVEN OUR FAITH
"I have told you these things so that you can have peace in Me.
In this world you will have troubles. But be brave!
I have defeated the world!" John 16:33
"[Who]ever is born of God overcome[s] the world: and this is the VICTORY
that overcomes (defeats) the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
that overcomes (defeats) the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
EVEN OUR FAITH
Born of God,
Alive inside;
Power is given,
So we might do what is right.
Born of God,
Enabled to see;
Light is disclosed,
So we will know true freedom.
Born of God,
Broken inside;
Courage is given,
To conquer needless fright.
Born of God,
Commanded to love;
Grace revealed in Christ,
Awakens our hearts to new life!
J. E. Pollock
JUNE 2013
"In all these things we are more than conquerors
though Him [who] loved us" (Romans 8:37).
though Him [who] loved us" (Romans 8:37).
20130502
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Time for a poem and an excerpt from the Yancey book I'm
reading right now that inspired it, a little more on the subject
from Ray Stedman, and a GDW I just finished reading by
Steve Troxel (that is if I copy/pasted it correctly).
reading right now that inspired it, a little more on the subject
from Ray Stedman, and a GDW I just finished reading by
Steve Troxel (that is if I copy/pasted it correctly).
"(God) has set eternity in the human heart."
ETERNITY
(Could it be?)
God is perfect;
Could it be He knows
the beginning from the end
and everything in between.
God is faithful;
Could it be He understands
His purpose in our seeming chaos
and all things do work together for good.
God is able;
Could it be He planned ahead
and put in order the only way
to rescue us from sin and death.
God is love;
Could it be He always knew
before the day you were born
what it would take to save you.
It's not a question, it's a fact.
It's not a question, it's a fact.
J. E. Pollock
Apr 18, 2013
Apr 18, 2013
by Philip Yancey
Ecclesiastes endures as a work of great literature and a book of great truth because it presents both sides of life on this planet: the promise of pleasures so alluring that we may devote our lives to their pursuit, and then the haunting realization that these pleasures ultimately do not satisfy. God's tantalizing world is too big for us. Made for another home, made for eternity, we finally realize that nothing this side of timeless Paradise will quiet the rumors of discontent.
The Teacher completes his sentence: "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." That is the point of Ecclesiastes in a nutshell. The same lesson Job learned in dust and ashes---that we humans cannot figure out life on our own---the Teacher learns in a robe and palace. In the end, the Teacher freely admits that life does not make sense outside of God and will never fully make sense because we are not God. As Kierkegaard remarked, "If a man's life is not to be dozed away in inactivity or wasted in bustling movement, there must be something higher which draws it."
In the Teacher's words,
As you do not know the
path of the wind, or
how the body is formed
in a mother's womb,
so you cannot understand
the work of God, the
Maker of all things.
(11:5)
Unless we acknowledge our limit and subject ourselves to God's rule, unless we trust the Giver of all good gifts, we will end up in a state of despair.
Ecclesiastes calls us to accept our status as creatures under the dominion of the Creator, something few of us do without a struggle.
Eternity On My Mind
by RayStedman.org
Read the Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:9-11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
The Searcher discovered three things. First, everything is appropriate and helpful to us, even those things that appear to be negative as well as positive. These are not curses and obstacles; they are God's blessings, deliberately provided by Him. Even our enemies are a blessing. Love your enemies, Jesus said, because they are valuable to you (Matthew 5:44). They do something for you that you desperately need. Our problem is that we have such a shallow concept of things, so we want everything to be smooth and pleasant. More than that, we want to be in charge, we want to limit the term of hurt or pain. But God will not allow us to take His place and be in charge.
The second thing the Searcher learned in his search is that there is a quality about life, about humanity, that can never be explained by the rationale of evolution. No animal is restless and dissatisfied when its physical needs have been met. Observe a well-fed dog sleeping before the fire on a cold day. It is with its family, enjoying itself, not worried about anything. A human in that same position will soon feel a sense of restlessness. There is something beyond, something more he or she is crying out for. This endless search for an answer beyond what we can feel or sense in our physical and emotional needs is what is called here eternity in man's heart. St. Augustine said, Thou has made us for thyself, and our hearts are restless until they learn to rest in Thee. People are the only worshiping animals. What makes them different cannot be explained by evolutionary procedure. They are different because they long for the face of God. C.S. Lewis said, Our Heavenly Father has provided many delightful inns for us along our journey, but he takes great care to see that we do not mistake any of them for home. There is a longing for home, there is a call deep in the human spirit for more than life can provide. This itch that we cannot scratch is part of God's plan.
The third thing that the Searcher learned is that mystery yet remains. We are growing in our knowledge, but we discover that the more we know, the more we realize we do not know. The increase of knowledge only increases the depth of wonder and delight. In the sovereign wisdom of God, we cannot solve all mysteries. As the apostle Paul put it, We see but a poor reflection as in a mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12); we are looking forward to the day when we shall see face to face.
We cannot know all the answers to all the conundrums and enigmas of life. That is why the exhortation of Scripture is always that we must trust the revelation of the Father's wisdom in areas we cannot understand. Jesus said over and over that the life of faith is like that of a child. Little children in their father's arms are unaware of many things that their father has learned. But, resting in their father's arms, they are quite content to let those enigmas unfold as they grow, trusting in the wisdom of their father. That is the life of faith, and that is what we are to do in our experience.
Thank You, Lord that You have placed eternity in my heart. Nothing can satisfy my deepest longings but You. Teach me to be content with simply resting in Your arms.
An Eternal Perspective
Our daily commitment, denial, and "self-death" can become a painful burden if we focus on our present circumstances. Anytime our walk is characterized by self-pity, and our trials become viewed as the heavy cross we must bear for Jesus, we have missed the true joy and peace - the true success - that God desires for our life.
1 Corinthians 15:19
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men."
If our hope in Christ is only for today's protection and blessings, then we have grossly underestimated the power of the gospel. This limited view of a Christian life will always fall short of our expectations. Through faith in Jesus, we have been given eternal life! This means the life we now live must be viewed on an eternal time scale.
When we place our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, our life begins anew. But this means far more than a fresh start. In an instant, EVERYTHING has changed. The burdens that were once so heavy must now be weighed against the magnificent glory of Heaven. And our "never-ending" trials must now be timed on the clock of eternity.
The world screams at us to focus on the here and now - on immediate gratification from what we can see and feel. It tells us life is short so fill it with sensual pleasures and tangible possessions. God's Word agrees that our earthly life is short; "A mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14). But it also teaches that our spiritual life continues forever! "What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).
We have been given new eyes! Let's begin to view our life in the context of eternity and gain the greater hope and power this view can provide today. Let's carry our cross with greater joy, live with more peace and contentment, and experience new victories in life's many battles. Let's find true success as we evaluate all areas of our life from an eternal perspective.
Have a Christ Centered Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
May 1 Judges 13:1-14:20; John 1:29-51; Psalm 102:1-28; Proverbs 14:15-16*****************************************************
20130409
FREE IN JESUS
FREE IN JESUS
Cease from falling
Freedom is calling
Stand up for Jesus
And live
Enough stalling
Freedom is calling
Surrender to Jesus
And give
Stop bawling
Freedom is calling
Submit to God
And love
Live for others
Give yourself away
Hear the voice of God
Today
JeffreyPollock
April 09, 2013
http://biblia.com/books/esv/Heb
Freedom is calling
Stand up for Jesus
And live
Enough stalling
Freedom is calling
Surrender to Jesus
And give
Stop bawling
Freedom is calling
Submit to God
And love
Live for others
Give yourself away
Hear the voice of God
Today
JeffreyPollock
April 09, 2013
http://biblia.com/books/esv/Heb
20130329
GOOD GOD / ENJOY!
Thought I'd send a poem or two and wish you all
a perfectly blessed Easter weekend. Love, Jeff.
Karen, thank you for the great early birthday!
GOOD GOD
LIFE IS GOOD
GOD IS FAITHFUL
LIFE IS GOOD
GOD IS BEAUTIFUL
LIFE IS GOOD
GOD IS WONDERFUL
LIFE IS WORTH LIVING
BECAUSE GOD IS GOOD
GOOD FRIDAY
March 29, 2013
March 29, 2013
PHILIPPIANS 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say, Rejoice.
ENJOY!
Smile,
Rejoice in the Lord!
Stay true, walk humbly,
Be content with less not more.
Laugh,
Rejoice in the truth,
Be strong and courageous,
Life isn't all about you.
Encourage,
Rejoice in the freedom!
Stay ready, be available,
Sing and celebrate Jesus!
Rejoice,
Be joyful in the Lord;
Stay perfect in holiness,
And enjoy life more!
Jeff Pollock
March2013
March2013
PHILIPPIANS 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always:
and again I say, Rejoice.
20130315
THIS IS MY LIFE
This is my life with Jesus.
My life in His control;
This is my life to live forever,
My life to release or hold,
My life with Jesus.
This is my time with God.
My time to worship and praise;
This is my time to seek His face,
My time to waste or not,
My time with God.
This is my heart, this is my soul,
I realize by faith through grace;
My time, this life, is not my own.
God is life, He is the Creator,
Maker of all life.
Amen and amen!
Today: Jan. 31, 2013
Today: Mar 04, 2013
20130303
I AM WHO I AM
BECAUSE OF JESUS
Because of Jesus
I have faith in God's plan
Because of Jesus
I am who I am
Because of His mercy
I stand where I stand
Because of His mercy
I am who I am
Because of His love
I help where I can
Because of His love
I am who I am
Because of His joy
I laugh when I can
Because of His joy
I am who I am
Because of His peace
I do what I can
Because of His peace
I am who I am
Because of His grace
I give what I can
Because of His grace
I am who I am
Because of His pain
I count the cost
Because of Who He is
I carry my cross
Because of Jesus
My faith is in God's Son
I am forever who I am
Because of Jesus
*********************
Jeffrey E. Pollock
El Paso, Texas
March 1, 2013
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20130217
WHATEVER
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
WHATEVER
Lastly, friends, whatever is false, whatever is dishonorable, whatever is unjust, whatever is revolting, whatever is ill-conceived, if there is any degradation or anything unworthy of praise, don't waste your time. Philippians 4:8
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20130213
THINK
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 (You Version)
THINK
Whatever it takes to get the message
Whatever it takes to heal your heart
Whatever it takes to fix your focus
Whatever it takes to humble your heart
Whatever it takes to know God's truth
Whatever it takes to open your eyes
Whatever it takes to break your heart
Whatever it takes to stand again
Whatever it takes to stop falling
Whatever it takes to know God's grace
Whatever it takes to make it your own
Whatever it takes to keep you safe
Lastly, friends, whatever is false, whatever is dishonorable, whatever is unjust, whatever is revolting, whatever is ill-conceived, if there is any degradation, or anything unworthy of praise, don't waste your time. Philippians 4:8 (My Version)
Confronting Unloving Culture (1)
A Culture of Love (5)
By T. M. Moore|Published Date: February 08, 2013
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Where cultural judgment must begin
These words of the Apostle Paul have a curiously cultural ring, don't you think? True, honorable, just, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy – these sound like terms we would use to extol the virtues of some book we've read, film we've seen, or performer we admire. These are the kinds of qualities we would like to see in our politicians and educators, because we believe that if they were more people like this, the culture they created and produced would be more like this, too.
And we're right, of course. But not just about the movers and shakers of our contemporary culture. The same applies to us. When it comes to working for a culture of love – as opposed to a culture of mere narcissistic self-indulgence – it is time, as the Apostle Peter might say, for judgment to begin in each of our souls (1 Pet. 4:17).
In each of our souls seeds of a culture committed to something other than love for God and neighbor have been sown and are germinating. And, sadly, in many of us, those seeds are being watered and cultivated, perhaps without our realizing the choking danger such cultural ideas and forms can pose. In the parable of the soils Jesus warned that, when the field of our souls is sown with the tares of this world's diversions and concerns, they will grow up and smother the fruit of true righteousness and love (Mk. 4:1-20). Many of us are opening our souls to the sowing of such cultural seed-thoughts, and these will bear cultural fruit in our everyday lives, and in ways other than love for God and neighbor.
Each of us must engage in a continuous searching of our souls to determine where these dangerous seeds may lie, and to root them out before they bear fruit. In your thought-life, your desires and aspirations, your priorities and values, you have been pummeled by advertising and pop culture with the spores and pollen of a culture of self-indulgence, and unless you deal with this continually, it will choke off your ability to engage culture in ways that consistently evidence love for God and neighbors.
Time for introspection
We need to take time specifically to reflect on the state of our souls with respect to our cultural lives. We need to shine the light of God's Law and Word into the dark recesses of our minds and hearts, to discover anything lurking there that can keep us from glorifying God with our cultural lives. We need to learn how to listen for the convicting voice of the Spirit of God as He warns us against this or that cultural form or idea and seeks to guide us into the truth of God's Word.
This is not a call for us to take up some new and exotic spiritual discipline. It is rather a challenge to engage in prayer and the reading of Scripture in deeper, broader, and more revealing ways than we have perhaps been used to thus far.
Two Scriptures can guide us in this, and I recommend that you memorize them both and put them on note cards in prominent places so that you'll see them every day. The first is Psalm 139:23, 24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." As you pray this, let all the different aspects of your cultural life float before your mind – what you watch on TV, your conversations at work, how you do your job, everything. Listen to the Spirit as He seeks to guide you in ways excellent, lovely, beautiful, and true, and repent of anything that doesn't fit those ideals.
The second passage is Psalm 119:59, 60: "When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments." If we spent more time during the day actually thinking about and evaluating our cultural lives, we might discover new ways of using our cultural activities to show love for God and neighbor, according to His Law and Word.
It's time for some serious confronting of unloving culture, and this work must begin in the souls of each one of us.
Next steps
Off the top of your head, can you think of any cultural activities in your own life that don't rise to the standard Paul outlined in our text for today? Write down the two passages recommended for today, and share them with some Christian friends, explaining how you intend to use these in confronting any areas of unloving cultural engagement in your own soul. Invite them to do the same.
Start your own ViewPoint discussion group. This week's series is available in a free downloadable format, suitable for group study. Request the series, "A Culture of Love." For more insight to this subject, order the book, Loving God, by Charles Colson, from our online store. You might also read the article, "True Love: What it is, Where to find it, and How to live it," by Regis Nicoll.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
THINK
Whatever it takes to get the message
Whatever it takes to heal your heart
Whatever it takes to fix your focus
Whatever it takes to humble your heart
Whatever it takes to know God's truth
Whatever it takes to open your eyes
Whatever it takes to break your heart
Whatever it takes to stand again
Whatever it takes to stop falling
Whatever it takes to know God's grace
Whatever it takes to make it your own
Whatever it takes to keep you safe
Lastly, friends, whatever is false, whatever is dishonorable, whatever is unjust, whatever is revolting, whatever is ill-conceived, if there is any degradation, or anything unworthy of praise, don't waste your time. Philippians 4:8 (My Version)
Confronting Unloving Culture (1)
A Culture of Love (5)
By T. M. Moore|Published Date: February 08, 2013
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Where cultural judgment must begin
These words of the Apostle Paul have a curiously cultural ring, don't you think? True, honorable, just, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy – these sound like terms we would use to extol the virtues of some book we've read, film we've seen, or performer we admire. These are the kinds of qualities we would like to see in our politicians and educators, because we believe that if they were more people like this, the culture they created and produced would be more like this, too.
And we're right, of course. But not just about the movers and shakers of our contemporary culture. The same applies to us. When it comes to working for a culture of love – as opposed to a culture of mere narcissistic self-indulgence – it is time, as the Apostle Peter might say, for judgment to begin in each of our souls (1 Pet. 4:17).
In each of our souls seeds of a culture committed to something other than love for God and neighbor have been sown and are germinating. And, sadly, in many of us, those seeds are being watered and cultivated, perhaps without our realizing the choking danger such cultural ideas and forms can pose. In the parable of the soils Jesus warned that, when the field of our souls is sown with the tares of this world's diversions and concerns, they will grow up and smother the fruit of true righteousness and love (Mk. 4:1-20). Many of us are opening our souls to the sowing of such cultural seed-thoughts, and these will bear cultural fruit in our everyday lives, and in ways other than love for God and neighbor.
Each of us must engage in a continuous searching of our souls to determine where these dangerous seeds may lie, and to root them out before they bear fruit. In your thought-life, your desires and aspirations, your priorities and values, you have been pummeled by advertising and pop culture with the spores and pollen of a culture of self-indulgence, and unless you deal with this continually, it will choke off your ability to engage culture in ways that consistently evidence love for God and neighbors.
Time for introspection
We need to take time specifically to reflect on the state of our souls with respect to our cultural lives. We need to shine the light of God's Law and Word into the dark recesses of our minds and hearts, to discover anything lurking there that can keep us from glorifying God with our cultural lives. We need to learn how to listen for the convicting voice of the Spirit of God as He warns us against this or that cultural form or idea and seeks to guide us into the truth of God's Word.
This is not a call for us to take up some new and exotic spiritual discipline. It is rather a challenge to engage in prayer and the reading of Scripture in deeper, broader, and more revealing ways than we have perhaps been used to thus far.
Two Scriptures can guide us in this, and I recommend that you memorize them both and put them on note cards in prominent places so that you'll see them every day. The first is Psalm 139:23, 24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." As you pray this, let all the different aspects of your cultural life float before your mind – what you watch on TV, your conversations at work, how you do your job, everything. Listen to the Spirit as He seeks to guide you in ways excellent, lovely, beautiful, and true, and repent of anything that doesn't fit those ideals.
The second passage is Psalm 119:59, 60: "When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments." If we spent more time during the day actually thinking about and evaluating our cultural lives, we might discover new ways of using our cultural activities to show love for God and neighbor, according to His Law and Word.
It's time for some serious confronting of unloving culture, and this work must begin in the souls of each one of us.
Next steps
Off the top of your head, can you think of any cultural activities in your own life that don't rise to the standard Paul outlined in our text for today? Write down the two passages recommended for today, and share them with some Christian friends, explaining how you intend to use these in confronting any areas of unloving cultural engagement in your own soul. Invite them to do the same.
Start your own ViewPoint discussion group. This week's series is available in a free downloadable format, suitable for group study. Request the series, "A Culture of Love." For more insight to this subject, order the book, Loving God, by Charles Colson, from our online store. You might also read the article, "True Love: What it is, Where to find it, and How to live it," by Regis Nicoll.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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