RANT RAV!NGS 2013 - Righting societal atrocities...since 1981.

"Abandoned by Our Expectations"

This article by author Margaret Manning was forwarded to me by a friend, and it really spoke to me. So many people my age are all struggling with this in one way or another, and this brings a fresh perspective to the contradiction of recent personal experience against personal belief systems.

If you haven't already encountered this in your inbox, it's definitely worth taking the time to read.

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A Boasting Life

I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

-- Psalm 34:1-3

What does your life boast in?

Accomplishments? Talent? Recognition?

Surely, a self-centered, braggadocios lifestyle will ultimately lead to emptiness.

I'd rather focus all of my exaltation on the One who is bigger than my vaporous life.

I'd prefer to boast in the One who is larger than all my problems and situations.

Care of the Heart

When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction. 
— Proverbs 24:32

Read today's devotional from Our Daily Bread

The Tides of Sorrow

Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 
— Luke 11:10

Lately, I've fallen into discouragement and sadness about various situations and predicaments in my life.

I can usually tell when I'm on a journey towards Depression Ave, and it's usually a conscious decision on my part.

And though it's been a good while since I last visited, the surroundings are still vividly familiar.

On the way I pass all of the usual signs and banners:

Discouragement. Pressure. Loneliness. Despair. Nostalgic melancholy.

I CAN Judge You

How many times have you been in a conversation where you've heard a phrase like, "I'm not trying to judge anybody, but..." ?

Society has placed such a negative stigma on the idea of "judging" someone (wrapped in a package of tolerance and political correctness) giving the world an often-used immunity defense against attacks on sinful lifestyles.

A recent devotional on Answers to Tough Questions examines what Jesus really said about this issue, and the truth is very liberating:

Agents of God's Glory

In a recent devotional from Strength For The Journey, Joe Stowell wrote a very good article that draws a parallel between earthly agents of professional athletes and Christians who are eternal agents for the biggest "free agent" in history -- Jesus Christ:

Every once in a while, my agent friend and I will talk about some of the athletes he represents. He has a couple of big names on his list, and I’ve found myself thinking, “Wow, you’re an agent for him? No way! That would be amazing.” But when I think about it, you and I have a far greater privilege and calling. We are agents of God—hired by the price He paid on the cross—to spread the “stats” of His glory everywhere we go.

Spiritual Amnesia

In this week's installment of the sermon series "I Am Not Forgotten", Pastor Dino Rizzo explained how the enemy wants us to contract a serious form of "spiritual amnesia" when it comes to remembering all the things that God has done for us in the past:

All of the miracles.
All of the breakthroughs.
All of the healings.
All of the provision.