Meditation

Meditation has more to do with filling yourself with His thoughts than it does emptying yourself of yours.

Sincerity

Sincerity is worth more than trying hard.

...a thought from July 3rd.

See post on A Look in the Mirror

Liberty and Freedom - random thoughts for thought

These are random thoughts for thought, not necesaritly agreement or
disagreement with them. Let's think a while.

"Liberty without learning is always in peril; learning without liberty
is always in vain." - John F. Kennedy

The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from
the hand of God." John F. Kennedy

"If you are faithful to what I have said, you are truly my disciples.
And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!" - Jesus

True liberty and personal freedom are directly related to learning,
knowledge and practice.

Ignorance might be bliss, but it does not lead to true and lasting
freedom and liberty.

Knowledge is necessary for advancement and success, but if it's not
true and accurate or if it is not lived and applied, it does not lead
to liberty.

Practice is always necessary, but practice does not make perfect.
Others have said, "perfect practice makes perfect." We must put in
practice the knowledge we have learned. Interesting thoughts...

Learning, knowledge and practice must all go together to acheive
liberty, freedom and success. Learning and application / practice of
new and accurate knowledge of the truth will lead to freedom.

These three (learning, knowledge and practice) are vitally important
to attain and maintain freedom, liberty and success in any area of our
lives.

freedom - The capacity to exercise choice; free will

liberty - freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction,
hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking,
speaking, etc., according to choice.

Works and Faith

So then they said to him, "What must we do to accomplish the deeds (works) God requires."  Jesus replied. "This is the deed God requires - to believe in the one whom he sent." [NET]

Then they said to him, how may we do the works of God? Jesus answering, said to them. This is to do the work of God, to have faith in him whom God has sent. [BBE]

So, the question here in John 6:28-29 could be:

What works do we have to do?    or

How do we do the works God does?

To either one the answer is the same. Believe [have faith in] in the one he [God] sent, Jesus Christ.

Can't Do It. -- OK, Watch This

Interestingly, Andrew, in John 6:9, brings forward a boy with 5 pieces of bread and 2 fish to ask, "but what is this worth when there are so many people? Jesus, we can't do anything. What we have just isn't enough."

Andrew was presenting the impossibility of the situation: 5000 men plus others and this kid gives us his lunch.

Jesus took the very challenge of only having 5 pieces of bread and 2 fish, and used it for a miracle. He used the very proof of lack to provide for the masses of people.


Jesus, take my life and make it a resource for your miraculous working to provide today for the masses of hungry people.