Rant & Reason

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." One of the most misinterpreted passages that I have come across, quoted at will, whenever it suits fancy. The various understandings coming from this verse are extremely painful. Here are some things to put it in perspective. Before that, here are a few things that must be cleared first: 1. The passage does not indicate that Christians must be a bunch of "nice & sweet" folk. 2. It does not solely seek to accommodate anyone's personal preferences of what love must be. It is for our growth and understanding. 3. Love is given with sincere concern for the good of the person. Always in the best interests of person, it may result ...

The word ‘go’ has an enchantment to it. When Jesus said, “Go”, he fully meant that we must simply just GO. He didn’t say wait till you have the means. In Luke 10, when he asks the 72 to, “Go”, he didn’t give them a ministry name, get a few sponsors, tell them who to call so that they get to sleep eat well enough and get people to get the places of meeting ready and inform the people to attend the event. They simply went, of course replete with instructions. This is in much contrast to nowadays where ministry is as less simply ‘Go’ as much as it is branded. It must have a name and must read X Ministries. I shall, of course, withhold my biased opinion of the different words that replace ‘X’ in quite many cases. If we can take the name of the elements of holiness that are used, we must surely be very sure that we are given the mandate to use those names and the grace, means and strength to live up to them. One dimension of how we have ‘gone’ wrong is when we seek to ensure a comforta...

I knocked clear and hard, a distinct rap that you heard You let me in, with myself in full, a notion that seemed very clear I seemed welcome enough to at least sit myself down and feel perfectly at home I later realised that there must have been something, something much more The welcome-in seemed perfectly clear, sans the warnings on the wall You, as well, seemed fine as well with my feet on the table, long and tall If there was a sign of discomfort at the length of my arms when I stretched them It was laughed off with what I recognise now a sense of absurd mystic humour When the strange feelings came along, I was wondering if I should keep singing my songs But then there was no clear opposition to my rants and my suppositions It very clearly seemed that we were just one big happy bunch of folk Who really ought to do a regular weekly lunch of sorts because we rock as much But now you land me this eviction notice, one that I was supposed to see coming I wonder now who was supposed to b...

The Magi spent quite a while Following a star day and night They stopped only at the Light that shone under the guiding star so bright They found their perfectly allowable excuse for Christmas Ebenezer Scrooge thought he had too much too lose Even on his poor Bob Crachit, he had to enforce his blues But when the Ghost of Christmas Present took him to Bob's window glass He underwent an extreme change from his cringing ways to depart In a yummy turkey for Bob and more, he found his excuse, most importantly, in a change of heart It's the Christmas Rush in the corner fancy shop And a happy shopper was walking in, in a happy Christmas bop Some fancies shine too much, some just right All in all, for the owner it's another busy night It seems they found their excuse for Christmas in colour and the shining lights The dinner for the poor was very much in order The poor man digging in was free from quite a spot of hunger bother He looked up at the kind smiling faces who were gracious...

I know you love Jesus You don't give me a choice I've heard all about Him His amazing ways and the power of His voice You seem bent on talking about Him Until the end of your days But there is a slight problem With what your saying We usually do things for a reason why I can understand,if it's not all logic There's no need for you to start getting all apologetic If there's something I am not seeing (or whatever) Then it must be upto a being, much higher To open my eyes and do its job And show me that I am such as slob Dude, it's got to have a reason I can atleast buy If you can link it to my present situation You may be able justify the effort to take it to all the nations But if you throw around morality Subjective belief and comprehension of things a book says that call for fearful apprehension I have a much better reason to die So, I say with much respect, Before you put your belief to the test To those in whom it hasn't been inbred That you live by your ...

Context: I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes... I Samuel 6:22 "I will not become even more undignified that that. No, not intentionally. Neither will I be humiliated in my own eyes. The Lord didn't make me to tear me down for a joke. I don't get the point. Either have no (intrinsic) self-worth or self-value. Why would I ever, now?" Versions: I will dance, I will sing, Sensibly for my King, The work of God is better directing the passion in my soul, And I'll remain perfectly dignified like this, It really doesn't concern me what anyone may think, And I'll remain perfectly dignified like this. I will dance, I will sing, Sensibly for my King, The work of God is better directing the passion in my soul, And I'll remain perfectly dignified like this, Call it a dose of God-given self worth, And I'll remain perfectly dignified like this. I might dance, I might sing, I might seem glad for my King, I don...

The Christian Faith is not only a faith that works but also a faith that must work – a real faith, if you will. If it is not, it becomes only a novelty. What’s more is that the Christian faith is not an inanimate faith of mere action points that some divine entity has passed down that we simply follow and that’s all. We indeed have a fully animate faith because of its cause who is a Living God who incidentally is the definition of life in its totality. When we look at the reality and the working aspect of our faith, the Bible speaks of it being validated by its fruit (Matthew 7:20) and a bad tree cannot give good fruit and vice versa (Matthew 7:17-18). So to bear the fruit of our faith, we must abide in Him and He in us (John 15:4). Therefore, abiding and bearing fruit are not separate modes of functioning. It is only by abiding in Him that we can bear fruit. In no other way can we bear the fruit of our faith. So therefore, our efforts towards our faith should be directed towards abidi...