30 June 2006

Faith

"Those who believe they believe in God, but without passion in their hearts, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, but not in God Himself." Miguel de Unamuno, The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Nations

1 Peter 1:1-9


"To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.


Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Hebrews 11:13-15;32-40


"....All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.

Therefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them....

...(32)And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.

They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword.

They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—

The world was not worthy of them.

They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

5 Comments:

Blogger testing123 said...

Word... I can't agree more. I needed to hear that

4:40 PM  
Blogger angela said...

thanks heidi, i'm glad my ramblings struck a chord.

i really think that movie is a gem. i'm about to get myself an invisible friend (pets aren't allowed in my abode, otherwise, it'd be a pup) and name it sammy davis jr., jr., jr. as a tribute.

4:27 PM  
Blogger Sarah said...

You are a wise, wise woman...this is so what we having thinking and talking about here in k-town! i guess you could say we having a little crisis of "faith"...in a good and real way. email kristin and ask her to email you David Chronic's email to her---maybe she already did!

5:19 AM  
Blogger Linz said...

Thanks. I can't help but egotistically assume that the word "abundance" was used for my benefit...and I think you know what I'm talking about...

You are a treasure. And an alien.

For that. I love you.

11:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm thankful Jesus goes to broken people rather than abandoning them! Jesus is so faithful to bring us back to himself and continue to teach us about himself. What a wonderful hope! Thanks for your post Miss Angela. I hope your trip was fun!

6:29 PM  

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