November 16, 2023
At around this time I was led to thinking: With everything that I’ve observed, and everything that I want, and everything I’m learning, and everything that I’m piecing together, versus everything that’s actually happening – Is there something here that big-brained Calvin can piece together? In this season, and perhaps in every season, is there such a thing as a unifying equation?
The Empress, or my Mom seems to have an answer: “The LORD is with you!”
The Lord is with me. The Lord is with us, not merely with Mary, full of grace. The Child she carried in her womb would save us from our sins, but more importantly, he would also be known as Emmanuel: Our God is with us.
With everything that I’ve observed, there are things that I’ve gotten wrong, there are things that I haven’t seen, there are things I got ‘right’, but through it all, it only matters because I have Christ – and as such, the Lord is with me. I observe, and my Father observes with me.
With everything that I want, based on my limited thinking, I’m sure there are better things beyond what I insist on, and I’d go as far as saying that what I think are assets are actually liabilities; I’m sure I have some desires in the ‘right’ direction; But through it all, it only has any worth because of Christ; For through Him I make the claim: I desire, and the One who does know what is best for me, He desires with me.
With everything that I’m learning, I’m sure that I still have a couple of things off course (a ‘couple’ may mean ALL of it really), I’m sure I’m putting too much emphasis and thought on people and ideas here and there… I could say that there are those pretty general (i.e. shallow) things that I’ve probably gotten right, but through it all, all of it matters only because I have Christ, whose Spirit in me is as much the Student as the Tutor; In fact, He may be teaching me effectively by learning with me.
With everything that I’m piecing together, I’m pretty sure I’m using a hammer on things that need to be screwed into place, and I’m pretty sure I’m insisting that certain pieces of the puzzle fit when they belong elsewhere. What I AM realizing in this season is that things are being rearranged in all levels… but though it’s all a convoluted mess according to my very limited perspective, I know that through it all, Christ sees all and puts all into place – All of it matters, only because I have Christ.
The Lord is with me. The Lord is with us. And Emmanuel Pacquiao may have realized the significance in the name he was given, and takes and throws his punches from this Power alive in him.
ChatGPT provides an excerpt:“In every season, the unifying equation is Emmanuel – our God is with us. Amidst observations, desires, learning, and puzzle-piecing, Christ is the constant. The Lord is with us, shaping, teaching, and rearranging, making every aspect meaningful.”
#Emmanuel #GodWithUs #DivinePresence #JesusChrist #Revelations #Realizations #Reflections #MinistryJourney #SeasonOfRearranging #PersonalThoughtProcesses #UnifyingEquation
November 19, 2023
Sister Winnie shared this day, and here are the notes I took throughout the Service:
Another perspective to the significance of Holy Communion:
When the veil was torn, heaven invaded earth; By eating the bread we acknowledge Christ’s birth, which is a foreshadowing of this event – Christ departing from heavenly, eternal glory to be born as one of us in the flesh.
When the veil was torn, earth was given access to heaven; By drinking the blood we acknowledge the blood Christ shed on the cross, which reconciled us to the Father, establishing the new and eternal covenant.
We will always base on context.
Talked about the recession – and the government bailout – last 2008. Focused on the banks and getting paid back. No excuses. No explanations. No apologies. The banks take cash, and cash only. They run on a cash-based economy. Consequently, the Law ran on a blood-based economy. It used to be the blood of bulls and goats sacrificed periodically. And today, we are thankful because we have forgiveness through Christ. Christ gave His body and shed His blood once and for all.
It was the Bailout of all bailouts. Sister Winnie made a good emphasis on how Christ paid and obtained forgiveness ONCE, once and for all: In her more comfortable Tagalog, ‘Minsan’ lang ang kapatawan ni Hesus.
Sister Winnie then had a good point to share: The freedom of total forgiveness – that is, because we are totally and absolutely forgiven, this sets us totally and absolutely free from religion that insists we earn our forgiveness out of our own merit and performance.
The forgiveness that we do have in Christ was One Time, Big Time and For All Time: And because we are forgiven to such a degree (completely and absolutely), we are free, and because we are free, we CAN forgive.
There is freedom in forgiveness, and there is forgiveness in freedom.
#Communion #HeavenOnEarth #ChristInUs #EternalCovenant #Forgiveness #FreedomInChrist #Grace
Note and Quote Dump:
Desexualizing Your Brain Is a Cheat Code – https://youtu.be/CoIt-ubJSC4
1. Understand what’s underneath the sexual thoughts
2. Get some excitement in your life / Get better friends / Start focusing on building a life that you actually like.
3. Cut out the thirsty triggers. Change what you’re consuming. Be aware of your ’empty carb’ consumption.
4. Stop chasing empty dopamine / exercise / meditate
5. Use tech tools properly / airplane mode? / porn blocker? / turn off wifi, get airplane mode on / disconnect as much as you can.
6. Use better tools / breathwork? meditations? accountability partner
If you intentionally lose your brothers, don’t be surprised if you lose your money and reputation.
Your relationships are intertwined with your resources, and your regard.
If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself. – Dostoevsky
Seen Online:
“I once asked my grandfather: ‘Why should I not go back to my ex?’
He said: ‘If you see the same tree twice in the forest, it’s because you’re lost.'”
November 20, 2023:
Don’t wish for people to be different, wish that they reveal themselves sooner. – Naval Ravikant
The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5
Season of Trust – is it a year of trust?
Season of thanksgiving for sure!
November 25, 2023:
What need to we have for crutches when Christ is the Rock on whom we stand?
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