'Course He isn't safe

I absolutely love the picture that Mr.& Mrs. Beaver paint of Aslan.


This quote comes from Chapter 8 of The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe.


"Who is Aslan?" asked Susan.

"Aslan?" said Mr. Beaver. "Why, don't you know? He's the King. He's the Lord of the whole wood, but not often here, you understand. Never in my time or my father's time. But the word has reached us that He has come back. He is in Narnia at this moment. He'll settle the White Queen all right. It is He, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus."

"She won't turn Him to stone too?" said Edmund.

"Lord love you, Son of Adam, what a simple thing to say!" answered Mr. Beaver with a great laugh. "Turn Him into stone? If she can stand on her two feet and look Him in the face it'll be the most she can do and more than I expect of her. No, no. He'll put all to rights as it says an old rhyme in these parts:

 Wrong will be right, when Alsan comes in sight,
At the sound of His roar, sorrows will be no more,
When He bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when He shakes His mane, we shall have spring again.

"You'll understand when you see Him."

"But shall we see Him?" asked Susan.

"Why, Daughter of Eve, that's what I brought you here for. I'm to lead you to where you shall meet Him, said Mr. Beaver.

"Is - is He a man?" asked Lucy.

"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you He is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion."

"Ooh!" said Susan, "I'd thought He was a man. Is He - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."

"That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're wither braver than most or else just silly."

"Then He isn't safe?" said Lucy.

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course He isn't safe. But He is good. He is the King, I tell you."

Narnia quote #2

This is my favorite moment in Prince Caspian, I was so disappointed that this moment was not captured in the movie. It is such a moving scene and one I can relate to all too well I'm afraid. 

The Lion looked straight into her eyes. 

"Oh, Aslan," said Lucy. "You don't mean it was? How could I - I couldn't have left the others and come up to You alone, how could I? Don't look at me like that...oh well, I suppose I could. Yes, and it wouldn't have been alone, I know, not if I was with You. But what would have been the good?"

Alsan said nothing

"You mean," said Lucy rather faintly, "that it would have turned out all right-somehow? But how? Please, Alsan! Am I not to know?"

"To know what would have happened, child?" said Aslan. "No. Nobody is ever told that."

"Oh dear," said Lucy.

"But anyone can find out what will happen," said Aslan. "If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; tell them what you have seen Me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow Me - what will happen? There is only one way to find out."

"Do You mean that is what You want me to do?" gasped Lucy.

"Yes, little one," said Aslan.

"Will the others see You too?" asked Lucy.

"Certainly not at first," said Aslan. "Later on, it depends."

"But they won't believe me!" said Lucy.
 
"It doesn't matter," said Aslan.




It doesn't matter..... so many times have I had that very statement whispered to my soul. In a way the statement stings, just a little, and yet in another way it is so reassuring. 


I also like the part where Aslan says that no one is ever told what would of happen yet anyone can find out what will happen.

Appetites pt 2

A few days ago I wrote appetites part 1. I really liked this sermon and interestingly enough my pastor asked the question "What did you feed your soul this week?" and in my own notes I wrote that down and added, "which appetites did you feed?" I love when what God teaches me during the week lines up with what my pastor teaches on. Proves my "I don't believe in coincidences" statement : ) 

So here I go with part 2 of the appetites topic. If your a recent follower then you are unaware of my love for the story and character of Jacob. You see I am a combination of a Peter and a Jacob; I constantly talk before thinking and my name, like Jacob's should be changed to Israel, which means "he who struggles with God." So when Andy Stanley said to turn to Genesis 25 I got excited. I did not, however, expect for the emphasis to be placed on Esau.

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright." “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25:29-34

 Here is a little background information about this story. First, Jacob and Esau are twins however Esau is the firstborn. Back in biblical days being the firstborn was definitely an advantage.The firstborn is who received the birthright, which was basically like an inheritances but the firstborn got way more then any of the other siblings. Esau's dad, Issac, was rich, really, really rich. Not only was he rich but God had made a covenant with Esau's granddad, Abraham, that one day the Messiah would come through his family. Esau was set to inherit a lot of wealth plus a covenant from God Himself.

Take a look at the passage, Esau was hungry and wanted some of the stew Jacob had cooked. Jacob was happy to oblige as long as Esau traded him his birthright for a bowl of stew. Doesn't that sound absolutely insane??? What person in their right mind would do that?????

Stanley says you would... I would, after all people do it ALL the time.

Remember point #3 from the last post... the one that says your appetite always whispers NOW, never later. This is what is happening here. Esau is hungry, nothing else but feeding himself is on his mind. He does not stop to think, he just does whatever it takes to settle his appetite. Stanley does an interesting thing at this point and we will see if I can do it justly.

If only at this point in the story could a person appear from the future and have a conversation with Esau, you know like one of those movies such as my fav, The Empires New Grove, when the devil and angel appear on Kronk's shoulders to "help" him make a decision. Esau could of used one of those at this point.

Because if Esau could of looked into the future he would see that Numbers 23:10 could read,  "Who can count the dust of Esau, (not Jacob). And the book of Psalms would be filled with verses that say the God of Esau instead of the God of Jacob. And that one day, hundreds of years later a book called Matthew would list Esau in the genealogy of the Messiah, not Jacob. And that Messiah would, out of His own mouth, call Himself the God of Esau, not the God of Jacob.

But that didn't happen, in fact Obediah 1:18, says this about the brothers,

"Jacob will be a fire and Joseph a flame; 

Esau will be stubble, 

and they will set him on fire and destroy him. 

There will be no survivors from Esau.
The LORD has spoken"

Because of that one moment, that one choice. Esau lost everything.

Psychology uses the term focalism to describe a situation/appetite when our mind is able to focus only on one thing and everything else is blurred out. Another psychology term that Stanley used is impact bias, which takes a simple appetite and magnifies it out of proportion. Basically it tells your brain that whatever the appetite is it will be satisfied, and exaggerates the experience. And all that to say this:

Your focus changes when your appetite is inflamed.

The reason Esau lost, or rather gave away his birthright was because he could not harness an appetite.

Your appetite only knows one word- more.

So do you know what your appetites are? What are the ways you feed them? Do you rule them, or do they rule you?

I, myself do not know the answer to those questions.... but you bet that I am searching to find out. I want to recognize those appetites so that nothing stands in my way of being all that I can be for Christ. 

Dreams

Driving and listening to a favorite band and a line is sung that I can't let out of my mouth without first making sure it is true.

"I love everything about You."

And ask myself if I can truly say this. Yes, I love Him, but do I love everything about Him?

And then this was tucked in my reader this morning and I heard Him ask me whose dreams am I following... His, or mine?

And then that song.... and I hear Him whisper... "Do you love that I have dreams for you? Do you love that those dreams are different then yours?"

I realize that I often ask for Him to fulfill my dreams, and rarely do I ask what His dreams are for me. I fail to realize that not seeking out His dreams hurts only me. It limits what I can do for Him.

I think back on one of the Passion messages, the one that hit the closest to home. It came from the lovely Beth Moore, a woman who seeks after His heart, her messages are full of His love, His voice.

She says that the enemy tries to convince us that we are more free without God, that the dreams... the plans... He has for us will somehow limit us.

It comes down to this... either I am following His dreams, or the enemies. Because my dreams come from my flesh... and my flesh is desperately wicked seeking only its own desires. I think about yesterday's post about appetites and I think on the story I have yet to post about. Am I ruling my appetites or do they rule me? Am I thinking about the eternal or the immediate?

Appetites pt 1

Well I am changing things up a bit for a few weeks... your going to see the seminary student in me break through!! I listened to 3.5 of the Passion sermons. I didn't finish Piper's sermon or Louie's last one. I plan on purchasing the sermons so hopefully I'll get to finish them soon.

I am not starting in any particular order... each speaker spoke on a different topic although all relate to each other perfectly. I am starting with Andy Stanley's message. It was fantastic and has left my head spinning. So much truth to what he says. I think that my previous post from the Chronicles of Narnia was perfectly placed before this as a preface to these next few posts.

Stanley chose to talk on appetites. The one quote that stood out to me was, "Control your appetites, or they will control you."

He introduced this topic as something that is talked about very little, if at all. But, that our appetite has the ability to control our direct and the quality of our life... every part of our life.

This caught my attention and I immediately tuned in. I had never heard a message on appetite and wonder where this would lead. I was not at all prepared for the journey he would take me on.

The main thing to realize about your appetites... and we all have many, is that you can never get rid of them. They will, until the glorious day we meet our Maker, forever play a part in our life, in our decisions.

Their are lots of appetites... the obvious two, he stated, are food and sex. But there is the appetite for power, for wealth, for recognition, for stuff..... and so on.

Stanley stated 3 things that we need to know about our appetites.

The first is that appetites were created by God and are essentially good. It is sin that broke them, that distorted them.

The second is that an appetite will never be fully and finally satisfied. Never!! So many times I think... if only I could just have/get/be ______ then I would be happy. And how often do I buy/receive/go only to find out either that wasn't what I wanted or something else comes along that looks better.

And the third thing, the one I thought most thought-provoking, was that your appetite always whispers NOW, never LATER.

It is your response to your appetite that determines whether or not you fulfill God's potential for you.

My next post will be about the great story Stanley used to illustrate the above point.

So what are your appetites? Do you rule them, or do they rule you?

Thirsty?

In my reader this morning I visited Sweet Water Blue Sky and her post for today was a quote from C.S. Lewis' book The Silver Chair. I have not read this book yet, nor have I read The Last Battle, the only two I have yet to read. I loved it so much I thought I should share it here and over the next week I will share a few of my other favorite quotes from the books I have read.

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.

“I'm dying of thirst,” said Jill.

“Then drink,” said the Lion.

“May I - could I - would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

“Will you promise not to - do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.

“I make no promise,” said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

“Do you eat girls?” she said.

“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.

"Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."

"There is no other stream," said the Lion.


Isn't that an amazing picture?? Let us never forget that there is only One who can truly satisfy our thirst.


Oh and by the way one of the Passion sermons I listened to focused on this subject, can't wait to sit and write about it!!!

A new year, a strange beginning

The year begins in a strange way... at home.

For the past few years I have been here, worshiping our Savior with thousands,  listening and learning from those who seek after Him, praying with brothers and sisters I had never met, and changing the world.

I will never forget my second time at Passion. It was the beginning of a year that would forever change my life.... a year of hardships, a year of new birth (my nephew), and a year when I finally started to grasp what it means to truly seek after Him... to truly pursue loving Him.

I remember that week like it was yesterday... the fun memories made on the road trip with friends, the speaker who introduced me to a crazy love, those late nights crying and struggling with how to handle a family situation, and His voice reassuring.... strengthening my faith.

Yesterday the alarm failed and so did my internal clock so church was missed. Instead of worshiping with my family I turned on the computer and watched a replay of Saturday's evening session. I sat there on my bed, hands raised, singing to Our God, the One who stands for me and fights for me. I listened to Louie speak to a crowd well over 20,000 strong encouraging them to live for Him. I sat and listened, sad to not be there alongside my brothers and sisters yet thankful for the technology to still here the messages.

I am looking forward to sharing with you some of the great things that I have heard so far and the ones that are still yet to come. To hear the words for yourself go here... but hurry the sessions are only there for a day or two.

Passion is something I hold dear to my heart. The ministry of 268 generation that puts on the conferences each year is doing great things to further His kingdom.... their name... their motto, comes from Isaiah 26:8, look familiar?? It should... it's where this humble space I call home gets it's name from.