Somewhere In The Middle (Casting Crowns)
Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me
Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me
Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle
Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me
Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control
Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle
(song lyrics, Casting Crowns)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Apostles Creed
Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic church; *
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
*catholic
Etymology
From Latin catholicus from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikos) from κατά (kata), “‘according to’”) + ὅλος (holos), “‘whole’”)
Adjective
1. All inclusive; pertaining to all mankind.
He has catholic tastes.
Synonyms
* universal
(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/catholic,07-29-2009)
On Restoration of the Priesthood
In our Fast and Testimony meetings we often speak of our gratitude for the restoration of The Gospel by Joseph Smith. This are wonderful sentiments, but that leaves me to wonder, if it is possible, to restore The Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Gospel is the "Good News", that Christ suffered in Gethsemane, was placed on cross, descended to Hell, released her captives, and ascended to to Heaven (see the Apostles Creed, oldest written form of the Baptismal Covenant). The Old Testament Covenant only condemns us, who are unable to fulfill it's conditions (see Parable of the Wicked Mammon, William Tyndale). Grace, through the intervention and condescension of The Christ restores us again to The Father's presence. If The Law of the Gospel is an eternal law , it can neither be lost nor restored. Can one restore The Law Gravity. One's ignorance of a law's technical description can not prevent it's proper operation.
Sir Isaac Newton restored to us a technical description of the Law of Gravity in his "Principia". He never restored The Law of Gravity, only our proper understanding of it's of operation.
I wonder, if in sharing these views, in our testimony meetings. We, in our common experience, are seeking to express our gratitude for the Restoration of the Priesthood.
I have studied the writings of the men who laid the ground work for the Restoration of the Priesthood. Men such as, John Chrysostom, Arius, Pelagius , John Wycliffe, Miles Smith, John Milton, Martin Luther, John Calvin,Thomas Cranmer, William Tyndale, Thomas More, and John Milton. These men possessed a very good working knowledge of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. All their attempts to reform, or the restore the ministry of the church ended in dissolution or usurpation. The missing key to their puzzle was the Priesthood, or authorization by God to act in his name. The return of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood's through the Prophet Joseph Smith the restored this element missing from their ministries.
Surprised by Joy
Surprised by Joy
(The Shape of My Early Life)
Copyright 1956 By C.S. LewisClive Stanley Lewis
Copyright renewed 1984 by Arthur Owen Barfield
Page 238
But what , in conclusion of Joy? for that, after all, what the story has mainly been about. To tell you the truth, the subject has lost nearly all interest for me since I became a Christian. I cannot, indeed, complain, like Wordsworth, that the visionary gleam has passed away. I believe (if the thing were at all worth recording) that the old stab, the old bittersweet , has come to me as often and as sharply since my conversion as at any time of my life whatever But I now know that the experience, considered as a state of my own mind, had never the kind of importance I once gave it. It was valuable only as a pointer to something other and outer. While that other was in doubt, the pointer naturally loomed large in my thoughts. When we are lost in the woods the sight of a signpost is a great matter. He who first sees it cries "Look!" The whole party gathers round and stares. But when we have found the road and are passing sign post every few miles, we shall not stop and stare. They will encourage us and we shall be grateful to the authority that set them up. But we shall not stop and stare, or not much; not on this road, though their pillars are of silver and their lettering of gold. "We would be at Jerusalem."
Not, of course, that I Don't often catch myself stopping to stare at roadside
On Mountain Meadows
 |
| Monument at Mountain Meadows ca 1900 |
We are told that if our L.D.S. Church Leaders ask to do something wrong and we follow their direction, God will bless our actions. Some men chose to follow their orders and participate and some men chose not to participate at the peril of their lives. I wonder choice I would have made.
The massacre was initiated by a misapplication of Brigham Young's Indian policy. Due to the approach of the United States Army 1857 and the need to create a defense policy, Brigham Young had determined to use the Indians as hammer to smash the invading Federal Army. The local Iron County militia, on its own initiative, determined to use this policy to rid themselves of a troublesome immigrant train headed to California. It was hoped that the Indian's would be able to trap the immigrants and kill them quickly at The Mountain Meadows, in the southern portion of the Utah Territory. This course of action failed, leaving the immigrant company entombed in a fort assembled of their wagons, forming a make shift corral. At the failure of the Indian's to massacre the immigrant party, a council was called at Parawon . The council, formed of local citizen's, church and military leaders, advised that no further actions be taken and that an express rider be dispatched to Brigham Young for additional instruction. Later that night contrary to instruction from the council, the bishop and stake president called out the local militia, under a pretense to bury dead, to kill the immigrant company. Additional Militia forces were ordered to a neighboring valley to kill some immigrant's who has gone to retrieve grease to maintain their wagons. The immigrant party was lead from their makeshift fort, under a white flag and murdered. The men went out first, followed by the woman and children. They were lead single file to an ambush. Their was roughly one militia member per immigrant
In the 1870's the U.S. Government investigated the massacre. The bishop and stake president went into hiding and were not located. John D. Lee was placed on trial twice. The first trial ended in a hung jury. John was taken to the meadows placed on his coffin and shot. Thus becoming a scapegoat. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoat)
John was the only one to surrender and face trial. All three men were excommunicated for their participation in the crime. The 1870's were a difficult time for the L.D.S. Church and The Utah Territorial Government. John's successful prosecution reduced some of this pressure.
In the 1960's Juanita Brooks ground breaking biography of John D. Lee lead the leadership of the L.D.S Church to restore his membership.
I keep think of King David cry, "will though leave my soul in hell". John D. Lee took upon himself the sins of his community.
ball turret Gunner
The Death of the Ball Turret Gunnerby Randall Jarrell
From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
On Spiritual Death
In Gethsemane, Christ was separated from his Eternal Father for a brief time.
- This was an Eternal separation.
- This was Spiritual Death.
The Eternal Father, seeking a mediator for mankind sent the Emmanuel (God is with us) to Earth.
The Eternal Father desired his mediator to develop empathy. This empathy is developed through life's common experiences.
Our spiritual disconnection from the Eternal God is a consequence of sin.
Jesus Christ, the son, being sinless, had not experienced Spiritual Death, or separation from The Father. "The Eternal Father" wanted his son "The Emmanuel" to experience Spiritual Death.
The son became "Yeshua Ben Joseph", (the man) that he might understand our condition, to better mediate our journey of redemption.
(see John Milton, Paradise Regained; Book I: 85-99)
[Thus we are instructed by the Demon]
[Thus we are instructed by the Demon]
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
On His Blindness
by John Milton (1608 – 1674)
composed about 1652
When I consider how my light is spent
E're half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide,
Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, least he returning chide,
Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd,
I fondly ask; But patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts, who best
Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o're Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and waite.
Milton, on losing his sight, is gaining his vision.
On the restoration of Charles II and the the English Monarchy Miltons' hopes of seeing the English people freeded from the dual yokes of Monarchy and Episcopalianism are dashed. Thus ends a lifetimes work, hopes and dreams.
To serve his country under the English Commonwealth, Milton has neglected his one talent.
Is waiting on a stewardship from his one and true king also a service to the same?
To a watchful waiting, Milton will now place this talent.
Through the instrument of a blind poet in the darkness of the night, The Eternal Father reveals his finest works. Thus recieved, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.
http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/entry/2007-11-20T03_34_02-08_00
http://www.answers.com/topic/on-his-blindness-sonnet-16-poem-5
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28)
John Milton served Oliver Cromwell and the English Commonweath (1649 - 1660)
Oliver Cromwell (born April 25, 1599 Old Style, died September 3, 1658 Old Style)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Of Envy
"A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune."
Sir Francis Bacon; essay
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