Open for Dialogue: Let’s Talk
W e l c o m e to my “Open for Dialogue: Let’s Talk” page. Here I welcome and encourage any off topic questions or comments you may have to share with me. Feel free to leave any comment or question you may have below, and I will respond as soon as possible.
Blessings,
Michael
9 January 2008 at 10:03 pm
I enjoyed your web page very much. Did you design it yourself? If you don’t mind me asking, which application did you use? Nice job.
I was reading a daily email devotional this morning. I will be honest, many days I skip them. Today for some reason I felt like I should email this one to you. Hope it brings you some joy.
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SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS.
Psalm 100:2
Delight in divine service is a token of acceptance. Those who serve God with a sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving Him at all; they bring the form of loyalty, but the life is absent. Our God requires no slaves to grace His throne; He is the Lord of the empire of love, and would have His servants dressed in the uniform of joy.
The angels of God serve Him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks. That obedience that is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looks at the heart, and if He sees that we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him, He will reject our offering.
Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service and therefore true. Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man be driven to battle, he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye and beaming face, singing, “It is sweet for one’s country to die,” proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism.
Cheerfulness is the support of our strength; in the joy of the Lord are we strong. It acts as the remover of difficulties. It is to our service what oil is to the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur; and if there be not a holy cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness.
The man who is cheerful in his service of God proves that obedience is his element; he can sing,
Make me to walk in your commands,
It’s a delightful road.
Reader, let us put this question–do you serve the Lord with gladness? Let us show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery, that it is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.
9 January 2008 at 11:02 pm
Mark,
Thank you. It is always a blessing when readers take the time to leave comments and/or ask questions. My favorite part of journaling online are the beautiful, honest, and raw conversations that are sparked from the questions or comments left by readers.
The website is made using a wordpress with only a few subtle modifications and purchased privilages. -They are even hosting my domain-
I enjoyed the reading you shared. I’m a little wary of its use of “cheerfulness” and “gladness” because it seems as if it points to something outward by which we can measure and judge how “well” someone else may be serving, worshipping, and/or loving God.
Specifically when we say things such as “Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service and therefore true,” it is as if we can now define whether the worshipper is true of heart based on how “happy” they seem. It can be dangerous to create these images as they can lead us in wrongly -and sometimes cruelly- judging our brother or sister for not being “true” in their worship.
Perhaps words like “willingness” and “hope” and “peace” would have fit better in this particular piece; reminding us that when we worship with a willing, hopeful, and peaceful heart held in the joy of the Lord we bring to the altar true offerings of Love to our Father.
I fight with depression due to a medical condition. In the deepest places of madness and despair there is always Joy in the Lord for He is my Hope and my Peace, and willingly I seek to keep my eyes fixed on the Lord of Salvation. I may feel miserable -and at times look it- but the Joy of the Lord is true and always with me in my heart.
But this piece does remind us of something even more important; that our Love and our Worship offered up to God is never a matter of ritual and rite, but something offered freely and willingly from our very hearts. If we get lost in ritual and rite we can lose sight of our Father and our words become empty recitation, but when our hearts are abandoned to Him, and willingly we come to the altar of worship, we -as imperfectly as we do- find ourselves centering more and more around Christ.
Again, I thank you for coming by and leaving a comment. Thank you for sharing this particular reading for it has given me a few things to mull over. It has truly been a blessing. I hope to hear from you again.
Blessings,
Michael
11 January 2008 at 3:14 am
Michael,
You make some great points. Your response brings to my mind the life of the poet William Cowper. He faced so many of the same issues. Maybe you have read some of his poems/hymns? He worked with John Newton – who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace”.
When one reads his work one would never guess that the author faced a life of suicide attempts and major depression. It is way too simple to look at his life and say “If only he had….”. He doubted his own salvation his entire life but it is reported that at the moment he died he had an expression of peace and amazement.
While I do suffer from depression from time to time, it would never equal the intensity of that of William Cowper’s or even your own. My depression comes in giant waves of Fear, Bitterness and Self Pity. I work to change my thought process by remembering a few key ideas that a have picked up along the way.
FEAR is nothing more than False Evidence Appearing Real
also – God often takes us through some terrifying experiences in order to prepare us for greater usefulness and greater blessings. Remember, David killed many a lion and many a bear before he killed Goliath!
BITTERNESS does more to destroy the vessel that contains it than what ever it is poured on to! Many times I must stop and force myself to quit asking God why. I don’t think it is wrong to ask but often my constant “Whys” turn into bitterness. Sometimes things happen to you and it just not your fault. God wants to see your reaction when you DON”T deserve it (JOB)
I have to remember that …
- God IS in control.
- God KNOWS what he is doing.
- I CAN be confident in God’s plan.
SELF PITY usually creeps into my life after I have filled up on BITTERNESS. It keeps me awake at night and when I do fall asleep – my dreams are just more of my worst days. I have to hand my troubles over to God during the day and remember that my problems are His problems. Then like David “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Just some thoughts from me,
Mark
1 February 2008 at 11:38 pm
Hi Michael
I have enjoyed fossicking around your excellent blogsite, and have noted your struggle with depression.
In praying over your struggles you so genuinely & openly write about, I felt led to suggest you check out the “Indescribable” DVD by Louis Giglio.
http://www.268generation.com/videoplayer/player.php?videoid=Indescrwide1&quality=hi [view here]
http://www.268generation.com/2.0/splash4.htm
Since getting my mind around this, I have now committed myself to focusing all our attention on worshipping God in His Glory. If the entire Universe declares the work of His Hands, we should too.
Food For thought
May God Richly bless you & your family
Steve Blizard & Family
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Blizard_Steve_-65743.aspx
PS. If you come to our fair city of Perth, Western Australia on your ship, look us up! We will show you around.
2 February 2008 at 3:13 pm
Steve Blizzard,
Thank you. It is always a blessing when readers take the time to leave comments and/or ask questions. My favorite part of journaling online are the beautiful, honest, and raw conversations that are sparked from the questions or comments left by readers.
The struggle is necessary, and journaling online helps me work through the mess. The result in one way or another always ends up in the same way; I realize just how broken and insufficient I am, and that it is only by the Grace of God that I am here.
Sometimes worship and praise are all that we have. In the dark night of the soul sometime the best we have is but to declare the Glory of God, for He is far greater than any darkness we face. It is He who brings Light into our lives.
Due to my location at the moment I will not be able to check on the links you left me until later, but I do look forward to looking into the DVD you recommended. I always appreciate helpful resource recommendations.
If my ship wanders towards Perth I would be more than honored to take you up on your invitation. I think they have only been to Australia once, but it would be great to get the chance to go again.
Blessings,
Michael
2 February 2008 at 7:11 pm
Hi Michael
Please check the 30 minute video link out. It is a real blessing and a real challenge. Free too. Just remember how young you are, and how many years the Lord will be blessing you ahead. If only I knew at 25 what I now know at 43!
We have lots of US ships visit Perth, so I am sure you will come by one day.
In Him
Steve B
8 February 2008 at 6:13 pm
Are you getting my emails at all?
8 February 2008 at 7:13 pm
Michael-
Sign up at fadss.forumotion.com. So that I can actually talk to you, either through the chat there or through pm’s whatever. Just sign up please. I love you.
8 February 2008 at 8:27 pm
Sorry hun, I have not received any of your emails.
I signed up at the site, just waiting approval.
Love You,
-Michael
8 February 2008 at 9:43 pm
A word about the site, you have to be active or your account gets deleted. So you do have to post occasionally, when you can. I can let them know you’re out though so you won’t have to do anything right away. I love you.
31 May 2008 at 11:21 pm
Hey there, You know who I am because you told me about this website, and got me interested in trying my own blog on for size. If you wanna look me up, it is titled “subtle4mbition” take care man, I’ll see ya around. BTW>Great site
17 June 2008 at 4:58 am
Hello, its been awhile since i lasted checked this website. Still seems to be as inspiring as ever. Thank you.
Here is a little something i thought you might like:
Letter from god to his children: By Charles Slagle
Believe it or not, I too find religion boring – extremely boring.In fact i often find it annoying.has it occurred to you that i might be interested in other subjects?I AM. My range of interests just might be wider than yours!
I like various sports, arts, writing and music – and jokes. And although some might be shocked to hear it, i enjoy theater and dancing immensely. And why not? I am the inventor, if you can recall. i also happen to be very fond of animals. Or havent you noticed? Oh yes, i am an incurable bird watcher and sparrows are some of my favourites. Geography and astronomy never cease to interest me, and i also delight in chemistry and micro-biology. No doubt you have observed this.
Yet, like yourself, I am repelled my meaningless rituals and routines. The realm of organized religion is very dull and drab, i think. its goals and interests are mostly unrelated to mine. if i attend a religious event, i do so strictly from a sense of duty – you can be sure of that. I make it a policy only to attend if invited, so, as you can surmise, i rarely attend at all. By that i mean, my heart is not in it. in one sense it would be impossible for me not to be there. perhaps that is what might be called one of the less fortunate aspects of being omnipresent.
We have more in common than you think.I find flowery speeches a bore, tradition tedious and i hate religiosity. But i do love people. That is why i cant simple just give up on the church. But inst that the way love is? Love doesn’t have an on and off switch. At least my kind never has.
Besides, when i think of the church, i think of my family.In my view, the religious rat race is a universe removed from what the church is really about.
All my love
Dad
3 August 2008 at 1:38 am
I “stumbled” upon your blog. Not even sure how I got here really. I find great similitude in your life and my own. Would love to meet for coffee sometime & get to know each other.
3 August 2008 at 10:44 am
thejesusguy,
Thank you for stopping by. I would love to take you up on that coffee offer, but I live across the globe, and most of the time is spent on the ocean. If you would like I could email you and we could engage in conversation in that medium.
Blessings,
Michael
4 September 2008 at 6:20 am
Hey Michael,
I just wanted to inform you that I used your comments from An Apostate’s Chapel as grist for a blog entry of my own: http://enonomideityfree.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/jesus-the-myth-and-the-mirror/. Feel free to comment, rebutt, rant, or ignore, whatever. I don’t moderate comments as long as they’re not ads.
I’ll be checking out your blog.
Loch Ness,
EnoNomi