Perfect Woman

She was a phantom of delight,
When first she gleam'd upon my sight;
a lovely apparition, sent
To be a moment's ornament;
Her eyes as stars of twilight fair;
Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair;
But all things else about her drawn
From May-time and the cheerful dawn;
A dancing shape, an image gay,
To haunt, to startle, and waylay.

I saw her upon nearer view,
A Spirit, yet a Woman too!
Her household motions light and free,
And steps of virgin liberty;
A countenance in which did meet
Sweet records, promises as sweet;
A creature not too bright or good
For human nature’s daily food;
For transient sorrows, simple wiles,
Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene
The very pulse of the machine;
A being breathing thoughtful breath,
A traveller between life and death;
The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;
A perfect Woman, nobly plann'd
To warn, to comfort, and command;
And yet a Spirit still, and bright
With something of angelic light.

~William Wordsworth

Bliss

"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

Oh the wisdom that I so long for! I have found the house in which she dwells. Where is this house in which men melt and crumble to pieces at her mere presence... Veritas.

Matthew Chapter Seven

I was reading today and in Matthew 7 and i noticed several things:

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." vv. 13,14

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" vv.21-23


The things that stuck out to me were that "few find" the narrow gate that does not lead to destruction.
Also it appears that the people that say "Lord, Lord" actually prophesied, drove out demons, and performed many miracles in his name, but it is the people who do the will of the Father who enter the kingdom.

"Therefore everyone who hears these word of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." vv.24-27

Many people in churches today hear the words of Christ, many people pray, cast out demons, and perform miracles in the Fathers name, but how many people are seeking to "do the will of the Father"? How many people put to practice what Jesus said? How many have entered through the narrow gate?

Should we be pushing for people to join the church or be part of a movement, or to simply do the will of the Father in heaven?

The Dying Christian to his Soul

Vital spark of heav'nly flame!
Quit, O quit this mortal frame:
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,
O the pain, the bliss of dying!
Cease, found Nature, cease they strife,
And let me languish into life.

Hark! they whisper; angels say,
Sister Spirit, come away!
What is this absorbs me quite?
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?
Tell me, my soul, can this be death?

The world recedes; it disappears!
Heav'n opens on my eyes! my ears
With sounds seraphic ring!
Len, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!
O Grave! where is they victory?
O Death! where is they sting?

~Alexander Pope

By Jim and Evan Wilson

Epitaph

Okay okay, so some of you may have caught on that this is a double post from my other blog, but just dont worry about it. None the less, i was reading "The Attic Nights of Aulus Gellius" the other day. In book I chapter XXIV Gellius records some epitaphs that some famous poets had written for their own graves. I fancied this one.

"Young man, although you haste, this little stone
Entreats thee to regard it, then to read its tale.
Here lie the bones of Marcus, hight Pacuvius.
Of this I would not have you unaware. Good bye."

Be Holy!

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ' Be holy, for I am holy,'" 1Peter 1:13-16

I have noticed recently that it doesnt seem like modern evangelicals put a very big importance on the idea of holiness. well i think that they should. If you are saved, you are no longer a slave to your flesh (Romans 6), it has been crucified with Jesus, he has set you free and commanded you to be holy. So repent of your sins(1John 1:9), come to the foot of the cross, be cleansed and walk humbly with your God.

Jesus is Lord

So with the coming release of the 'Da Vinci Code' movie, some people are starting to make claims that Jesus never claimed to be God. I couldn't find this to be more inaccurate. In the gospels that are in the bible as well as the Gnostic gospels there are many claims that Jesus makes claiming that he is God.
This is one of them...

John 8:57,58 "Then the Jews said to Him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’” Immediately after Jesus said this the Jews took up stones to kill Jesus because he was claiming to be God. There is more to the story in the verses that precede and follow these two. But the basic claim that Jesus was making can be seen. He was saying that he was "I AM."
In the Old Testament when Moses is arguing with God over whether he is the right man to be sent to free the Israelites or not, "Then Moses said to God, 'Indeed, when i come to the children of Israel and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they say to me, "what is His name?" what shall i say to them?' And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."'" Exodus 3:13,14.
In this Old Testament passage, God is clearly calling himself I AM. Likewise, Jesus is making the same claim in the Gospel of John.