Spiritual snacks

Salvation Army Kitchener Community Church Garden Water, fertilize, weed, and eventually results…all with community bonding!

Of two evils the less is always to be chosen. That you may avoid the everlasting punishment that is to come, endeavour to endure present evils patiently for God’s sake. (CIoC)

My will is that you seek not that peace which is void of temptations, or which suffers nothing different; but rather think that you have found peace when you are exercised with assorted tribulations and tried in many adversities. (CIoC)

O Lord my God patience is very necessary for me, for I perceive that many things in this life do not fall out as we would like. (CIoC)

What shall I give You for all these thousands of benefits? I wish I could serve You all the days of my life. I wish I were able, at least for one day, to do You some worthy service. (CIoC)

Behold all things that I have are Yours God, so I can serve You.   And yet contrariwise, You would rather serve me than I You. (CIoC)

Lakeview Michigan A person’s worthiness is not to be estimated by the number of visions and comforts which one may have, or by one’s skill in the scripture or by one being placed in a high station. A person’s worthiness is grounded in true humility and full of divine love when one is purely and sincerely seeking God’s honour. Sometimes one thinks nothing of and genuinely despises oneself, and even rejoices more to be despised and made love by others, than to be honoured by them. (CIoC) This is a good scriptural meal that needs to be digested with Saint Paul’s thoughts in his first letter to the church in Corinth in chapter 12-14 .   Pray for our lawyers and judges and those in law enforcement.

Better is it to have a small portion of good sense with humility and a slender understanding than great treasures of science with vain self-complacency. Better it is for you to have little than much of that which may make you proud. (CIoC)

They that are yet novices and inexperienced in the way of the Lord; unless they govern themselves by the counsel of discreet people; may easily be deceived and broken to pieces. (CIoC)

Some unadvised people, by reason of their own-earnest desire of the grace of a devoted life, have overthrown themselves; because they attempted more than they were able to perform, not weighing the measure of their own weakness, but following the desire of their heart rather than the judgement of their reason. And because they dwelt on greater matters than was pleasing to God, they quickly lost His grace. (CIoC)

For the way of humans is not always in our own power, but it belongs to God to give, and to comfort, when He will and how much He will and to whom He will; as it shall please Him, and no more. (CIoC)

There are many who, when things don’t succeed with them become impatient or lazy. (CIoC)

Love is subject, and obedient to its superiors; unto itself mean and despised, unto God devoted and thankful, trusting and hoping always in God, even when God gives no relish of sweetness to it: for without sorrow none lives in love. (CIoC) Wow! This is food for thought! S A 2 Think about it in terms of a spouse, a child, a colleague, a neighbour, a parent, and a sibling. I’ve heard it said the cost of love is sorrow. Jesus told us: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind.” Also, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself” says Jesus in Dr. Luke’s biography of Jesus 10:27  

Love is active, sincere, affectionate, pleasant, and good-natured; courageous, patient, faithful, wise, longsuffering, human, and never self-seeking. For in whatever instance a person seeks oneself, there one falls from love. (CIoC)

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility; for it thinks all things lawful for itself and all things possible. It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and brings them to a conclusion, where one who does not love, faints and lies down. (CIoC)

The noble love of Jesus compels a person to do great things and stirs one up to be always longing for what is more perfect. (CIoC)

Love is a great thing, yes, a great and in-depth good; by itself it makes everything that is heavy, light: and it bears evenly all that is uneven. (CIoC)

Set me free from evil passions, and heal my heart of all unwarranted affections; that being inwardly cured and thoroughly cleansed, I may be made fit to love, courageous to suffer, and steady to persevere. (CIoC)

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But because I am weak in love, and imperfect in virtue, I have need to be strengthened and comforted by You; visit me therefore often and instruct me with all holy discipline. (CIoC)

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, thanks be to You, who sometimes with Your comfort, refreshes me, unworthy as I am of all comfort. (CIoC) Look at the biographies of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and observe how Jesus took time out to engage with all kinds of folks. He walked with those closest to Him and He allowed them to give healthy touch and acts of kindness and even expensive gifts. Also note how God handled Elijah after his incredible mountain top experience. Is it appropriate to say we’re unworthy here? You can find the story in the 1st book of Kings chapter18-19.

S A 2 Some have Me in their mouths, but little in their hearts. (CIoC) ChrisHadfield’s books illustrate a great humility.

Some walk not sincerely in My sight, but out of curiosity and pride to desire to know My secrets, and to understand the high things of God, neglecting themselves and their own salvation. These often, when I oppose myself to them for their pride and curiosity, do fall into great temptations and sin. (CIoC) Wow! I haven’t thought about this before but really, Jesus wants an authentic relationship with us but what if that is not our intention with Him?   There is the example of Judas. “…but I have called you friend” says Jesus in Saint John’s biography of Jesus. 15:15

Let the eternal truth be above all things pleasing to you. Let your own extreme unworthiness be always displeasing to you. (CIoC) Again I say hummm… Christ died for us; we are definitely not unworthy!   Yet for us to contemplate God’s vast creation and discover how many ants there are in this world, and how many people there are in this world, and how many satellites we have in outer space…this will surely show us how small we are compared to God’s incredible creation and yet He knows the number of hairs on each one of our heads!!!! Says Jesus in Doctor Luke’s biography of Him . 12:7 How cool is that!

Let go of all short-lived things, and seek those that are everlasting. (CIoC)

A printed and a kindle version of Spiritual Snacks is now available on Amazon. Check it out by clicking on Spiritual Snacks  compliments of my brother Gregory Hetherington at http://www.lakeviewtimes.com Be the first to review the book and/or start a study group using the book

Blessed are those who enter into deep things, and endeavor to prepare themselves more and more by daily exercises, for the receiving of heavenly secrets.  Consider these things, O my soul, and shut the door to sensual desires, so you may hear what the Lord your God wants to say to you.  (CIoC)

Blessed are the ears that gladly receive the pulses of the Divine whisper, and give no heed to the many whisperings of this world. (CIoC)

I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me. (CIoC) S A 2 With today’s advancements in science and technology I caution with this statement because we need to know the character of God to understand if it’s God, others, satan or our own desires speaking. I highly recommend a discipleship training school with Youth With a Mission(YWAM) and/or an Alpha course to get more understanding on this. Meditate on Saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians chapter 5 . How can you tell if it’s the Holy Spirit or the spirit of the world working?