The Talk Place

Joy Ridderhoff, the founder of GRN, has a few of daily devotions on rejoicing, one called Count It All Joy! one called With Joy and Rejoicing! and another Are You Rejoicing? that are published on the GRN Website.

I found them by mistake one time as I was wandering through the site researching some information for one of my presentations for GRN.

She argued that Not to rejoice is in fact a Sin.

I struggled with this concept.

Story is the most powerful means of communication there is.

Before there were movies. 

Before there were books.

Before there even was writing, there was story.

If you are talking to someone about the Lord and they want to tell you just how smart they are by proving that what you are saying is not "Scientific" instead of trying to outwit them which will only alienate them, especially if you win, tell them your story. It's your story it can't be beat. 

Prayer is special and it has to be done the right way doesn’t it. Or does it! You can’t talk to God in any old fashion can you?

In my reading the other day, I was struck by the prayer of Hannah (1Sam. 1:9-20). The scriptures say that she did something that I believed you were not supposed to do when you prayed. She pleaded with God. I had always been taught that you couldn’t plead with God because that would indicate a lack of faith. Since Hannah’s prayer was answered it seems to me that this bit of advice is quite wrong.

Some people are very proud of their language.

The first time I was in France, my friend and I rocked up to the train station only to discover that the trains were all on strike. This resulted in me having to make a phone call to make sure that the people who were expecting us knew what was going on.

I have a problem, theologically, with delving into my past and seeking forgiveness.

Matt. 5: 23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you; Leave your gift before the altar, and go and first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Is this the epitomy of taking communion or what. We are so often admonished not to eat the bread or drink from the Lord’s cup in an improper way. We are called upon to examine ourselves to avoid this. In many churches, children and non members are excluded from communion just in case they eat and drink judgment against themselves.

Mt 16:24* Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

A pastor gathered all the children around him to give a brief lesson before dismissing them for children's church.

He started out by saying, "I'm going to describe something, and I want you to raise your hand when you know what it is."

The children nodded eagerly.

"This thing lives in trees (pause)

and eats nuts (pause)..."

No hands went up.

Does anybody really bless God nowadays ?

We might sing "Bless the lord O my soul" but is it something we should be doing in other ways as well ?

What does it mean to bless God anyway ?

Some definitions of a blessing are :
A sense of Praise.
A sense of Happiness,
Or a sense of Congratulations.
The Bestowal of good, usually material.
It's the Opposite to a curse.
It's a formula of words (or a Eulogy).

A faith mission like GRN must by definition have a strong grasp of Faith.

Faith is central to anyone wanting to do missions or be a missionary.

A young minister was visiting an elderly woman on her 99th birthday.

They talked at length about her long life and at the end of the visit the young minister said " I hope I am able to do this with you again on your 100th birthday.

The sprightly 99 year old replied " I don't see why not young man .... you look healthy enough to me."

Hope springs eternal. Hope I think is the most marvelous word in the English language.