Dawn Dale has graduate degrees in counseling and psychology. She studied with an emphasis in correctional psychology and rehabilitation counseling. She has worked with different Christian organizations, and has a love for Christian writing, which she continues to develop. Due to physical problems that have occurred, Dawn has concentrated on her writing career, and developing this to encourage Christians to grow in their faith and Christian love.
Jonna Jones, photography
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-02-01 00:38:33 GMT
2007-01-29 22:10:18 GMT
2007-01-28 22:37:56 GMT
2007-01-27 20:45:28 GMT
2007-01-24 01:52:11 GMT
2007-01-22 01:52:53 GMT
Knowing you
There is no greater thing
You're my all
You're the best
You're my joy
My righteousness
And I love you, Lord
I love you, Lord.1
Somehow, we've let other things matter, things that are opposite of Christ, and, oh, how we need to relinquish those things.
I'm talking about things that can be described in several quick phrases: material things, competition, sense of superiority, one upmanship. How utterly opposite of Christ are these things. These attributes are what the world defines as a means to prosperity. In reality, these things can be a route to poverty.
It's become so acceptable to say that "competition is healthy", that "it's good to seek to get ahead", that we've lost sight of what really is important . Didn't Jesus say that to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, and soul is the most important thing? And he followed that by saying that to love our neighbors as ourselves is the next most important thing.2 What can follow this?
Somehow, we are trying to get to the next step in our Christian walk. Again, what can follow loving the Lord our God with all of our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves?
There is not a next step in Christianity. There is heaven and hell, not a thing in between, not a trying to get better or achieve better. When you step into the realm of eternity with Christ, when you begin that eternity here on earth, you have passed from death into life. What is of greater value? How could we find greater prosperity in our lives?
The focus on prosperity has fooled many of us. We've begun to measure our Christian lives by the amount of worldly prosperity that we have gained. Jesus, therefore, has to have been the worst Christian that ever lived. He never owned a home, cars, land, jewels.
Are we so audacious to think of these things as our rights? Our rights belong to Christ, and, therefore, our peace belongs to Christ. What peace is there in competition, a sense of superiority, and one upmanship?
Let's leave it at this. Godliness with contentment is of great gain.3 We have something so much better to talk about than prosperity. Life with Christ is encompassed with love and acceptance. Even our "Christianized" philosophy of "prosperity" can't touch that! How dare we try to invent a gospel that goes one step beyond the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ! How dare we put that burden on brothers and sisters in the faith!
There is not a next step in Christianity. How deep is the poverty that needs another step in Christianity.
I'm not much for quoting secular movies, but here's a famous line from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"4, where the main character says "What if this is as good as it gets?"
What IF this is as good as it gets? Does your super spiritual palette really need more than Jesus?
There is not a next step in Christianity. How deep is the poverty that needs another step in Christianity.
1. Knowing You, Jesus ©1993 Make Way Music, Words and Music by Graham Kendrick
2. 37And He said to him, " `YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, `YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' Matthew 22:37-39 (NAS)
3. But godliness {actually} is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6 (NAS)
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, November 19, 1975 , United Artists Films
Can we look at what David was facing when he wrote the text in Psalm 55: 6? He was dealing with the conspiracy of Absalom, his own son. Sometimes, I think we tend to look at our own desire to get away from it all as a natural occurrence, resulting from the modern, fast-paced world that we live in. We can't complicate that feeling, that need to get away, by attributing it to the complexities of our modern world. King David felt that way, as did, I suppose, Joseph in Potiphar's house, when he was imprisoned for an act that he did not commit.
Joseph's prison might well be the picture of what many of us feel, today. We feel encompassed by walls that we can not see, trapped by circumstances, perhaps, that we may think are unfair. If only these walls truly were made of stone, or wood, or concrete! A bulldozer could take care of that!
Yet, these walls are made up of hurtful things, injustices, and/or painful relationships. We need something much more complicated to take down these walls.
Or, do we?!
As believers in Christ, one of the premises of our faith is that we believe that nothing happens to us that is not filtered by the loving hand of God. I am not saying this lightly; believe me, I have felt a great deal of pain in my life, just as you have. "0h, that I had the wings of a dove, then I would fly away and be at rest." This could very well be my theme, right at this moment. But, oh, how I want what comes beyond this moment!
Perhaps the answer to Psalm 55: 6 is Hebrews 12:2, "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith." Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could see beyond our circumstances? Ah, but, wouldn't it be more wonderful to really trust in Christ?
The ability to stand, in the midst of difficult circumstances, is our witness. May we be able to see what privilege is afforded us when, at that point we feel we must get away, we make a choice to stand and become a witness. May I take heed to these words, myself!
Every Situation Comes from Above to Purposefully bring us to Eternity!