Sometimes people are not sure if it is God calling

Often one can wonder

Is God calling me to do it or not.

This was also a question a blogger found.

The reason she started blogging, she explains:

When a conversation started with someone asking for opinions on a hypothetical situation, it soon became clear that all views were welcome except for Christian. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

This is something a Christian often encounters on social media. We notice lots of aversions as soon as some person reacts from a Christian point of view. A blog writer who learned about how the Dutch watchmaker, Christian writer and public speaker Corrie ten Boom and her family worked with other underground workers in the Resistance, helping many Jewish people during WW II, felt she could be a mentor for her. When she had a  shocking experience at the level of hostility toward the few of them who answered from a Christian viewpoint, while taking part in a Facebook group, as a result of that event, a few people left the group, but she prayed about it and believed that God wanted her to stay and be a light in the group.

Often we do not see such interference from God straight ahead, but it is such, at first, unnoticeable or not seeming so important occasion, that makes an important difference. She writes:

Partly due to the unpleasant experience, I came to the realization that today’s public forum is online and as a follower of Jesus I need to be there. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

Next step on the journey was starting the Facebook page Every day with the King.

Though, her blog and Facebook page may at certain moments be very confusing, she lots of times refers to God, Who is the eternal Elohim Hashem Jehovah, and at other places gives the impression she considers her king Jesus, the son of God. It is a common but non acceptable fault.

It had taken some time and hesitation before she started her website/blog. She confesses

When I first started blogging, I wasn’t completely sure if it was God calling me to do it or not. I had some pretty strong indications that I was on the right track early on but plenty of doubts at the same time. I know that is very typical and to be expected when stepping out to go where God is leading. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

Sometimes it will take some time before people really shall see the full Truth. Everybody has to grow in the faith. Often it is not easy, certainly not when brought up in a certain Trinitarian faith. It is difficult to let lose those non-biblical teachings of Trinitarian churches, when has been brought up in such a system that clinches to the Trinity.

But, there is always hope, because it is God Who calls and pulls. It is also God Who gives the talents to people, and when we look at her site, we can see she has received a marvellous talent for creating beautiful inspirational designs or devotion cards.

At one of her first blog articles, she wrote:

Next, there seemed to be a converging of events that opened my eyes and heart to what the Lord had been whispering to me for a while. I became solidly convinced that this is God’s will for me at this time. It has been a process moving from asking to blog or not to blog, to declaring I’m willing to serve in whatever way God chooses to work through me. {To Blog Or Not To Blog?…}

That is the right attitude a true Christian should take. Having become under Christ, one has to give oneself totally to the heavenly Father. By giving oneself to Christ and his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, one shall be able to grow in faith, get more wisdom, and come closer to God.

Looking at some of her writings we notice she still has to learn to see the difference between God and Christ and getting the difference between giving glory to Christ (=son of God) and giving glory to God.

The blogwriter might have a secret determination to concentrate entirely on Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but still has come to see that Jesus is the send one from God, who by God was declared to be His beloved son, authorised to speak and act in His Name.

When as a Christian blogger, we want to preach on the net, it is important that we do that work in the Name of God, trying to persuade men to search and find God, not by seeking to please men, but for giving honour to the right person and to please God.

She and all those who want to proclaim on the net should always remember for when we still want to please men by keeping to their traditions, instead of pointing the finger at the wounds of mankind and wrong ideas, we would not be a bondservant of Christ.

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I had till now pleased men, I should not have been a servant of the Messiah. — ” (Ga 1:10 Murdock)

How to Start (and Keep) Good Habits

The Divine Creator has given His divine Word to mankind. He demanded some ‘holy men’ to write down those words so that nobody would have an excuse and would say

I did not know.

He also took care that in a certain way everybody would have the opportunity in life to come in contact with either people or with the words declaring Him. All people are created in the image of God and in a certain way have the connection with the Creator inplanted in the self. God wants all creatures to come close to Him. He also would like that they all would become partakers of a marvellous peaceful world. But all people should take the steps toward God of their free will.

To get to know Him and what He wants, God gave us the Book of books to help and guide us.

When we want to go on a big trip, we also prepare ourselves. We take care that we have the right roadmaps and have everything with us that we need for the trip. Going for a better life, we need to undertake some serious matters. It is fine when we have bought some roadmaps to start our trip, but when we do not use those maps, we are nothing with them. It is the same with the bible; When we have a Bible or Holy Scriptures but do not read it, we are nothing with it.

When having such a Sacred Writings and Bestseller, we best make very good use of them. For reading the Bible we also better prepare ourselves and make some arrangements to read it regularly. We should make it a good habit to regularly go through that Word of God and think about it.

Imagine it’s late and you’ve had a long day. You were planning to exercise, fix yourself a healthy meal, then spend some time in God’s Word. Instead, you grab some pizza and binge TV shows. Without realising it, you just reinforced a habit. Research suggests we all have “keystone habits,”† acquired patterns of behaviour that form the basis of our daily routines. Change those, and you can change your life. Here are 5 Ways to Develop Healthy Habits: Remember whose you are. You are called by God and made in His image. Because of His great love for you, you have the ability to become more like the person God created you to be. Identify the “why” behind your behaviour. Do you eat junk food because you like the taste? Or because you’re tired or bored? Once you know why you behave the way you do, it’s easier to replace unhealthy habits with better ones. Draw close to God. When you prioritize time with God, you’re allowing Him to renew your mind (Rom. 12:2). Eventually, this will help you change the way you live. Focus on one key habit. Consistently doing one thing well will yield results over time and make it easier to master other habits later. Give yourself grace. You won’t always get it right… And that’s okay. When you stumble, “fall forward”: learn from your mistakes and keep going. God will still be right beside you, cheering you on. It only takes a moment to start a healthy habit. Plan everything to come to a regular Bible reading, and let God use that choice to begin transforming your daily routines.

Be convinced that the Bible in itself contains enough to fully inform and educate us to go to God and to find the right path of life to enter the kingdom of God. We must fully trust in it.

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Preceding

“I want to draw closer to God, but…”

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Find also to read

1. To create a great journey
2. Approachers of ideas around gods, philosophers and theologians
3. A Book to trust #26 Roadmap for life out of darkness
4. Bible
5. Gospel or Good News – Evangelie of Goede Nieuws
6. Word of God
7. The Word itself should be enough reason to believe
8. Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
9. Daily portion of heavenly food
10. Torah hanging on two commandments and focussing on a Mashiach
11. Expectations for kashrut to meet individual and contemporary norms
12. Back to back or Face to face
13. Importance of Tikkun olam
14. Creator and Blogger God 12 Old and New Blog 2 Blog for every day
15. Born of the Father
16. Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people
17. Imperfect ones to learn from the One Who wants to be our Father
18. Confidence in times of trial
19. Today’s thought “God has come to test you …” (February 10)
20. Today’s thought “Everyone whom the Lord calls to himself” (April 26)
21. Today’s thought “You stiff necked people” (April 30)
22. Today’s Thought “Jesus Greater than Moses” (May 31)
23. Today’s thought “Draw near to God …” (June 9)
24. Today’s thought “On the eternity of God” (December 17)
25. A Worldwide Vision for Theological Education

Messages from a distance not belonging to the past

Slowly we can see that the world is returning back to “normal”, though some Corona restrictions are still going, but gradually we can come together again with more people. Last Memorial Service it was still limited to baptised members only, but in the coming weeks our ecclesiae shall open their doors again to non-baptised and people from other denominations as well.

Having people again meeting us in our prayer and Biblestudy places, does not have to mean we shall reduce our writings on the net. We are convinced the internet is a very important medium to reach people.

It is important to us that we attract and retain exceptional teaching, support and operational staff and are keen to employ team members who hold the same faith and values we hold.

We always welcome writers for several of our website, in particular “From Guestwriters” and “Some View on the World“, but also for the Ecclesia site and the Brethren site “Broeders in Christus – Brethren in Christ“.

We always welcome applications from enthusiastic, innovative, expert Christadelphians who are committed to the values and ethos of our community and who understand the importance of making the Name of God to be known as well as the importance of telling the people about the Good News of the Coming Kingdom of God.

Why Does Denmark Own Greenland?

Teaching History's Slender Threads, Including 'What Ifs', Almosts, Alternatives and Turning Points

History Matters: “Greenland is massive. Denmark is not. Given its size, it’s strategic position and its distance from Denmark? How does Denmark own it and why didn’t anybody take it from them? If you want to find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.”

The comments section is also informative:

1. “Britain shelled Copenhagen, finally teaching the Danes how it feels to have a bunch of angry ships turn up at your shore and set things on fire” God I love this channel.
2. “America in 19th century: ‘Can we buy Greenland?’ Denmark ‘No’. America in 1905 “Can we buy Greenland?” Denmark “No” America in 1945 “Can we buy Greenland?” Denmark “NO.” America in 2019 “Can we buy Greenland?” Denmark “NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”
3. “Napoleon is in every European story.”
4. “1:18 this is incorrect. The shelling of Copenhagen happened before Denmark joined Napoleon. Denmark was neutral, but the king of the…

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Point of view

THE PRODIGY OF IDEAS

Punctuation is very strange as I see it. The ellipsis make me anxious, yet I use them a lot, they give me that feeling of indefinite, of something to leave pending. The two points are used to define and explain precisely, but I remain with the idea that you cannot always explain everything and, you know, to define is to limit. The exclamation points are overbearing, like a cry, a firework, when they explode they make a lot of noise. The question marks? Sore point, they are very dangerous. They leave you with only doubts and uncertainties. There is the point. Definitely too final, it is always difficult to put a period, not to mention that sometimes you have to go to the head or even turn the page. And then there are commas, I love commas. After a comma, everything can change, or nothing can change. Each comma is…

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Thought on the birthday of an encyclopaedia

I have always been interested in the “what, how and why” of things and wanted to find out more about certain things or events.

Stimulated by the subjects we had in our formation as dancers, we had a class for each subject: history of ballet (or theatrical dance), history of music, history of culture and history of costumes. Though the practical classes were the most important, I loved those courses and later in life I also went studying anthropology.

Whilst I was a dancer I was interested in what went on all over the world and about ballet or theatrical dance (musical, classical and contemporary ballet or dance) I collected dance magazines and newspaper cuttings which after some years became the basics for my Dance Archive, which I gave out of my hand after my serious car accident in 1987, to the Flemish Theatre Institute.

When I was made redundant and I had to go into retirement, I was forced to find another job to provide for my family. In addition to this paid work, I continued to work (unpaid) for my church community and focused on tackling different topics on several blogs.

But by getting older, I noticed that my brain was failing me and that I had to resort to encyclopaedias even more than before to verify facts and dates.

Encyclopaedia means a system or classification of the various branches of knowledge, and whether under the name of “dictionary” or “encyclopaedia” large numbers of reference works have been published and are luckily at my disposal.

A lot has changed since the first alphabetical encyclopaedia was written in English in a work of a London clergyman, John Harris (born about 1667, elected first secretary of the Royal Society on the 30th of November 1709, died on the 7th of September 1719), Lexicon technicum, or an universal English Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, London, 1704, fol., 1220 pages, 4 plates, with many diagrams and figures printed in the text. Such alphabetical order makes it so handy to search for things.

Hannah Ashlyn (or Hanashlyn) Krynicki also looks at such works that function as a second brain for us. She writes:

The Encyclopaedia is basically like the internet. It is a slave that reminds me of random useless things and keeps track of all the details that I would otherwise forget.

What should I do with this epic battle scene that didn’t make the cut? Encyclopaedia. Where did I record the laws of succession for Agran? Encyclopaedia. How much older was Sardar than Elkay? Encyclopaedia. {Why I Wrote an Encyclopaedia (and Maybe You Should, Too)}

This 1921 advertisement for the Encyclopedia Americana suggests that other encyclopedias are as out-of-date as the locomotives of 90 years earlier.

Regarding the dance, I had a huge deck of cards with thousands of cards arranged alphabetically. Everything was easy to find in there. But now that all those files have been removed from the house and are accessible to the general public in a specialised library, I have to start my search again at home.

Because everything changes so quickly, some dictionaries and encyclopaedia had to be replaced (or better: supplemented) by more recent contemporary editions. Otherwise, we will very quickly become out of date and unable to keep up with all the new inventions and events.

For lots of writers it is a blessing that we now have the internet to do searches, but to save time we need still those dictionaries and encyclopaedias.

Krynicki her encyclopaedia saves her from having to re-do the same research over and over or scramble through a heap of sticky notes to find where she wrote my main character’s birth year.

Having all the information written down and organized in a place where I can easily find it allows me to focus on writing the actual novel. {How to Stay Organized as a Writer}

This way we, who want to write, need to have our own system next to the provision of printed reference works, dictionaries and encyclopaedia.

Please find out how I find my way in this world of so much printed and published material on the net. > 253 years ago the first edition of my favourite encyclopaedia was published

MoonDay Musings: the magic of storytelling

In a certain way it is a shame, the tradition of telling about the past of the family, does not exist anymore.

Probably, for some time, the Boom generation is the last generation where the youngsters sat on the lap of their grandparents listening to those very interesting stories of the past as well as to the many fairytales and fables.
As kids we could dream about wonder tales involving marvellous elements and occurrences, bringing us in dreamland. Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm ( Jacob Ludwig Carl and Wilhelm Carl Grimm) , were daily food for many of the generations born before 1960, who also grew up with several fables or parables.

In many industrialised countries there is no time given anymore to public storytellers or to public poets .It would not be bad to have again a bearer of “old lore” (seanchas) or have again recitals by bards, to bring the past back to life.
We may not forget that by telling about the past we can learn for the future and find ways to strengthen ourselves.

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Additional reading

1. To relive that what happened in the past
2. Stories of the beginnings, and one Main book composed of four major sections
3. The flood, floods and mythic flood stories 6 European myths
4. Dia de Los Muertos – Day of the dead
5. Allhallowtide with Halloween, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day

Inner Journey Events Blog

Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash

We learn history in many ways — from school textbooks, non-fiction scholarly works, novels, television, documentaries and films, the nightly news and more — and some of those sources may even be accurate. 

But what of cultural lore and traditions, and family history?

In the past, these stories were shared at family gatherings, at times of celebration such as festivals like Samhain and Bealtaine, but also on special days for individuals such as births, birthdays or naming days, weddings, and —yes — deaths, as families gathered to celebrate the life of a loved one who had passed. 

In ancient Irish traditions — and many other cultures and places with strong oral traditions — families, villages, clans and tribes honoured the role of the story teller.

These were known as the fílidh (pronounced fee-lee) in Druidic and Celtic traditions, poet-seers who learned hundred…

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Rules to Teach Your Son

 

My Good Time Stories

Photo by Jonas Mohamadi from Pexels

I recently discovered a terrific collection of some guidelines / rules that every parent should teach their son(s). We can ALL learn something from the following list…

Rules to Teach Your Son

1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
3. Always treat your girlfriend like a queen.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Request the late check-out.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
9. Play with passion or don’t play at all.
10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them directly in the eye.
11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one…

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Be it in May or September: Run the race

The last two academic years have been very weird with many restrictions. September is here again and soon it will be October, the month when everybody is back at work or back in school. Once more we faee a new academic and church year. Once more we are reminded we have work to do on this earth. We have our obligations and we have to strive to get some results in what we are supposed to do.

In Belgium, last year, sports were more a thing for one person on his own, because no group events were allowed. Everyone had to stay in isolation and contact sports were not allowed. The text underneath normally was to be published in May, when we had the underneath ‘prayer theme’ for the month, but we got somewhat behind with a lot of work, because other matters, like taking care of people, providing food to isolated people and help for those in need, certainly after the floods, required our attention.

In the Covid period it might not have been easy for many. Now it could well be that this year may be a year of transition, for becoming back to normal.

Jane Edwards has a look at what happened mostly in May. In her country that is the time the sun starts showing herself more and more attention is given to outside sports. She then thinks of the race which we have to finish.

Be it May or September, each day we are confronted with a lot of matters. Every day of the year, we have to get on and continue our way.

°°°

Run the race

When I was at school, the month of May meant only one thing…..
Practicing for Sports day.
Today, children are encouraged to just take part, and they are all winners. Helping others along the way to finish together.

When I was at school, it was all about the winning!
Who could run fastest.
Who could throw furthest.
Who could jump highest.

Winners were winners, and losers were just that – losers.
Winners received prizes, losers were scorned.

There were cheers, and plenty of boos.

I hated Sports day. Whilst I enjoyed hockey and netball – team games, I hated the one against one competition of Athletics – mainly because I was rubbish, and not really built to run!

We are told in the Bible in Hebrews 12 that we need to ‘run the race’ , but we are also told that ‘bodily exercise profits little’ in 1 Timothy 4v8 – which is correct?
Of course we need to exercise.
For our hearts and minds exercise is good, but too much can become an obsession – and take us away from other activities that matter.
So, what race do we need to run?

Of course, this is the race to the Kingdom. This race is much better than the ones I failed miserably at school. This race, (perhaps more apt to call it an Obstacle Course) makes everyone a winner!
It’s about getting to the finish line – some may reach that before others, but everyone has a chance to finish and win… and have help from others along the way.
And the prize – eternal life!
No boos, but cheers from the Heavenly Hosts.
As we watch our children on Sports Day, or think about exercise for ourselves, let us remember the most important race of our lives.

 

 

 

Dear Lord,
Please be with us as we run the race to your Kingdom.
Some of us may be slower through lack of faith, anxiety, and fatigue.
Give us the encouragement and strength needed to make it to the finish.
Please help us to help others to the end,
giving them encouragement as you have to us.
Amen

 

Jane Edwards

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Preceding

Race and Grace

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong

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Additional reading

1. Life is like a ten-speed bike.
2. The high calling of God in Christ Jesus
3. We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”
4. Followers with deepening
5. Troubles testing your faith and giving you patience and good prospects
6. Matthew 20 Are you willing to work for Jesus?
7. Today’s Thought “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (May 27)
8. Every athlete exercises self control
9. Running the battle
10. A race not to swift, nor a battle to the strong
11. Run for the Everlasting Cure
12. Atonement and the race been bought
13. Being of good courage running the race

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Related

1. “Fit In!”
2. Just Keep Going by Bridget A. Thomas
3. A Crown Beyond the Sun
4. Running The Race
5. Running The Race by Tara Randel
6. Running This Race Called Life
7. His Closed Circuit!
8. Life’s race
9. How do you stay strong in the midst of change
10. ending well
11. Leaning On The Father
12. Running the Race of Holiness: DON’T give up
13. Catching up to the Win
14. Old and Heavy
15. The Race
16. It’s Friday…Run With An Eye For Nothing Less
17. Preparing to Fly!
18. First of All!
19. How To Run A Steady Race Right Into Glory
20. One Thing I Know
21. With “Blinders” of Grace!
22. The Surrendered Disciple!
23. The Funneling Effect!
24. With Reverence, Returning…
25. Reawaken the Redeemed!
26. Saved from Self’s Strainings!
27. The Second Hand’s Moment!
28. His “Stone Soup” Creations!
29. Sunday Morning 7/25: Unit 34, Session 4: Running the Race
30. Clear ye the Way!
31. Shaking the Comatose!
32. Eyes on the Goal
33. A Cloud of Witnesses
34. The Fool’s Boundary!
35. Discarding Camouflage!
36. The Piper’s Promised Peace!
37. Keep the Focus
38. Choice Intersections!
39. Faithful to the End
40. Wholeness…in Him!
41. Running the Race
42. Finishing well

University of the Taliban cabinet

The Taliban’s founder Mullah Muhammed Omar, the one-eyed reclusive cleric-warrior who sheltered Osama bin Laden, is being linked to what was called ‘the University of jihad’ but has become now‘the University of the Taliban cabinet,”

Flanked by adoring supporters, one of whom crouches on the floor kissing his legs, Maulana Hamid Ul-Haq jokes about the nickname given by critics who have repeatedly labelled the school a hotbed of radicalisation. This is because its alumni include some of the Taliban’s most powerful and feared leaders, many of whom are on global wanted lists and are now in their new cabinet after the group swept to power in neighbouring Afghanistan last month.

The biggest names from the notorious Haqqani network, a US-designated terrorist group linked to the Taliban, have been taught there, including its founder, Jalaluddin Haqqani, and Khalil Haqqani, now the Taliban’s minister for refugees. The Taliban’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid is also a graduate.

Read more in light of its links to several well-known jihadis, the head of Darul Uloom Haqqania is trying to change its image following the Taliban victory: ‘We’re no longer ‘the University of jihad’ but ‘the University of the Taliban cabinet’: inside Pakistan’s notorious madrasa