Increase by decrease
Growth by decrease/reduction
meditation
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He died ... I'm glad I wasn't there.
He prunes to produce even more fruit ...
That I may know the power of his resurrection.
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Well-known Bible verses, however, they are not very popular.
In the society of consumerism, the periodicity, the seasonal mindset is an alien perspective. But waiting - moving or sleeping - working... Winter - Spring time - Summer & Fall...are everlasting milestones. By the nature Gd teaches us, showing the Rhythm of the life, rhythm of the Seasons.
seeing = understanding.
learning = by experience.
BTW this is the original form of the teaching. & Highly likely - it's personal.*
*Both rabies and carpenters were central figures in the then society. They were a kind of Personal Hubs.
You always need a winter time for the growth.
There is always Sabbath time. Gd keeps that.
The good news is that spring always comes after winter.
Pain. Death. Pause. - restoration & life.
Why?
Bread and fish is only blessed & reproduced in/from/by a broken state. Blood covered body disappears. Cave stays in big emptiness. Blessing comes from the power of the resurrection.
Lazarus will only be a miracle if he wakes up for 3 days.
The disciple who knows this, though he/she died painfully, yet is reborn in a fruitful way.
The model
We have various model: Grain model. Sprout model. Down & up model.
Christian man does not live a carnal (original: psychicos=emo-driven, emo-based) life. He walks spiritually and only progresses in a spiritual way.
The model is an (embodied msg)
The word became flesh. Died and...
This gives hope and perspectives because the nature of "Yeshua The Nezer" is a sprouting (nezer) nature. The remaining shoot on the cut stump. Fresh seedlings in the burned forest.
Life + restorative life.
We and He
Let's not fool ourselves. We want {visceral thing} we want a continual success and this kind of growth in a sick world.
But. He wants an incision. A pruning. He wants restorative changes. It means: Purification in a sick world. It gives a sanctified life so that we may reflect & convey a sanctifying life around us.
"..if I don't wash your feet - you have nothing to do with Me."
Unconditional love? Relationship is a condition.
Whoever walks on the road, knows that his/her feet will be dirty. The one who is a spiritual person knows that he/she was kept by grace.
By grace. Not by success.
Where we live - ehmmm.. that is a dirty thing.
That is why we have a cleaning, shaking-up, teaching Savior.
Consumer society just wants to grow by consuming... Quantity VS quality.
For the religious
A well-known story comes by C.N. Parkinson’s observation: the larger an organization, the more complex the administration and the weaker the efficiency. The beginning of the end is the headquarter construction :)
Why?
Why? Human communities are always built concentrically. The circles of the Lord were 3, 12, ... 70, ... millions.
And the followers' follower's follower - is a mimic. Can be enthusiastic and naive - but mimic.
Characters
And mere human communities lack of holy spirit. The religious assemblies aren't exempt. Let me punch in the stomach:
Luther came with purifying vision on the priesthood. New testament priesthood is breeding grace. Calvin came from the humanist fortress (France) and very soon reinvented the Konstantinic role modell. Plus: Killing a rebel on the stake is not the best example of the long-suffering and patient Messiah.
Just sayin...
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I am He. I'm The Good Shepherd and I don't want a large swirling and starving! and sick flock! Rather a real thriving, living, healthy community.
Eventually you are not a jerk community aren't you..."
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If I don't wash it ...
If I don't cut it ,prune it...
If I don't select it ...
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Many are the called!
Few ! are the selected.
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Finally
Isaiah 4:2-5
Holman Chr. St. Bible
2 On that day the Branch {Nezer, Sprout} of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel’s survivors. 3 Whoever remains in Zion and whoever is left in Jerusalem will be called holy—all in Jerusalem who are destined to live— 4 when the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodguilt from the heart of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. 5 Then the Lord will create a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory,...
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Holman Chr. S. Bible
Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
March 2021
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| "Lost - but found" |
