Sentinels ~ Strength

Greetings Dear Reader,

It is quite popular today to speak of how strong we are emotionally or because we have survived some form of trauma.  I would take nothing from those who have endured these things nor would I discount that strength is one of the things required.   The strength of the sentinel, however, is a kind of strength that I think we have forgotten.

There is a scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan where Scotty is holding his dying nephew.  His line is this, “He stayed at his post.  When the other recruits ran, he stayed at his post.”  There is a kind of strength that is held by those who stand sentinel over things that matter.  I am speaking of those who stay their watch when others abandon it.

I have both stayed my watch over faith and faithfulness.  I have also abandoned it at times.  The latter is never successful.  We are supposed to be strong sentinels of truth, faith, and following.  Others watch us, looking to see if we can wield the strength of our Father with gentle kindness.  Again, the strength is to stand not just to act.  We are given a post to stand and it is ours to guard.  We will fail.  We will fall and sometimes even abandon our post.  We can choose to take it up again but there will be consequences.  Things will never be the same. 

We must also comprehend that our strength must be used to serve others, defend the weak, and show our love and kindness.  If we fail to be strong at our post, others will be harmed.  Others will suffer for our inattention.  We can only then move forward and try to be better today than we were.  We will need more strength to do this.  It will require deep power to remain strong.  Those who we have harmed by abandoning our post may hate us for it. 

It is still our duty to take up our watch in love and strength.  It must still be tempered with humility and we have to endure the choices others make in response to our action.  Forgiveness and restoration will be worked out by the Father as he sees fit.  This is hard to endure Dear Reader.  That, however, is what strength is for.  Even if we have failed previously, we have a watch to keep and we must be strong.  I will stand with you Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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That Hideous Strength

Greetings Dear Reader,

“They would say,” he answered, “that you do not fail in obedience through lack of love, but have lost love because you never attempted obedience.”
― C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength

How deeply we have seen this permeate our world.  Without thumping too much, I want to point out that Paul warns us clearly about this:

2 Timothy 3:1-4 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

In this warning, Paul lists disobedience to parents as one of the dangers.  He contrasts the love of self and money with being without love.   The lack of forgiveness and self-control clearly mark our culture.  Treachery, conceit, and hedonism permeate our world.  Do not think I am about to get on a stump about any of this. 

What I want to see clearly is that we lack love because we must violate love to do all of these things.  It is our failure to obey that leads us to a lack of love.  It is our refusal to obey what is good and right that diminished our capacity to love others.  We decide that we no longer care for others.  We reject and slander people we once called our fellow travelers; people we promised to love always.  We make rash choices with long enduring consequences.  We put our pleasure and demand for satisfaction above that which is holy and good.

We lose our capacity to love because we have forgotten how to obey out of gratitude, respect, and the desire to satisfy our own wants.  In contrast, when we show genuine love for others, it surprises them.  People are so unaccustomed to relentless, unyielding love that it overshadows so many other things. 

The strength of a world that is self-absorbed is hideous.  The power that we wield when others have need of love is so very great.  We do great harm or great good by our choices to obey or disobey love.  I have been guilty of the first and blessed to participate in the latter.  Like so many, I wield hideous strength when I act in ways that are disobedient to the command to love always.  Then I am surprised when I lack the love I need.

We need to obey what is right no matter how we feel.  When we do, the power to love will flow from us in ways we cannot imagine.  I will obey the commands to forgive, to be kind, and to love no matter who I feel.  Perhaps then the feelings will follow.  If they do not, however, I have still shown love and that is my true passion.  That is true obedience Dear Reader.  It is why I will love you no matter what.  It is why I am learning to obey this primary command at any cost.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn

Novels on Amazon             

Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com

Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com

Facebook        Google +    Twitter     

Medium   Instagram  Kids BLOG   

This BLOG:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/  

Courage in the Moment

Greetings Dear Reader,

It is ever increasing that I encounter people who openly speak against Christians.  It runs a gamut from dismissive rejection to virulent hatred.  People openly generalize about those who follow Christ in a way that is rejected as generalization for other groups of people.

People call us ignorant, racist, and hateful.  They use the worst examples of poor Christ followers to paint us all.  The poor example are there.  We must answer for that.  I say also that were I to apply the same paint to any other sect I would be an ignorant hateful racist.  So in a world where the tide is against those who follow Christ what am I to do?

I am required to have courage.  I am required to love no matter what.  I am expected to rise above whatever is said about Christ followers and live an example that proves it wrong. 

Sometimes courage is easier than others.  Sometimes the situation or the source of the hatred makes being courageous difficult.  At times the courageous thing to do is be silent.  I must not do harm to be right.  I must not argue or disrespect others to be right.  I must through love and example communicate the Gospel.

I must learn when to speak and when to be silent.  I must renew that learning daily.  I must follow in faith that I was warned. I was warned that following Christ is not safe.  It does not promise that I will be loved for it. 

There are days when I do not understand why the Father does not intervene.  I must remember that it is up to him.  I must remember that I do not know all that he does.  Faith is the thing that sustains courage.  Faith in the moment yields courage for the moment.  That’s the way that it works.  It’s the way it must be.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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In Christ Alone – Strength

Greetings Dear Reader,

I recently had someone tell me that he/she was too tired to love others unconditionally.  We break when we try to love others in our own strength.  We fail when we try to do anything in our own strength. 

I know that I do not have the strength to do the things I must.  I look at the place in which I live and know that I will not “get used” to it as some have suggested.  I see decaying faith around me and it tries to steal my rest.  I hurt for a world that needs to see God’s love so deeply. 

Left to my own devices I am evil, wicked, selfish, and cunning.   The strength to do right even when it hurts comes from Christ.  The strength to do right to others even when they betray my trust come from Christ.  The strength to forgive and continue to love comes from Christ.

I feel weak and alone today.  My response must be to dive deeper into Christ.  I must find my strength in him to do what is right no matter how much it hurts.  Perhaps I am in a valley that hinders me seeing how close I am to a clearer view.  Even today, however, there are fireflies of joy in what feels like suffocating darkness. 

I choose Christ and following him.  Freedom from all of this is only found in obeying Christ.  I merely need the strength to do it.  Christ promises to give me that because he is my strength.

Joy in the Journey – Michael Card

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it

A pardon for all who believe

Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who've been born of the Spirit

And who share incarnation with Him

Who belong to eternity stranded in time

And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you

And never stop counting the cost

Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And freedom for those who obey

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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My King – He Supplies Strength

Greetings Dear Reader,

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons I have learned is that I cannot do most things on my own.  I have learned that I need help.  I will do my best but I cannot do most things without support of some kind. 

This is a simple concept.  We all need help.  We all need the support of others.  My King supplies strength.  He promises to work in us not only to help us do well but to give us the will to do well. 

We are not alone.  We do not have to make it on own.  In fact, we cannot make it without help.  Pride and fear keep us from admitting that we have this need.  We do not want to need help.  We do not want to need full stop.  Instead we want to be on our own on our terms.

My King does not just supply strength.  He supplies all of our need according to his ability to provide.  He wants to give us all good things and as mentioned earlier there is no limit to his ability to do so.

What he wants is for us to depend on that supply.  He wants us to focus on love and kindness.  He wants me to be good to others and live the Gospel.  He wants me to love him and love others and let him take care of the rest.  Everything else is founded on these two things.  That’s my King.

He’ll Take Care of the Rest – Keith Green

 You know it ain't no use in banging your head

Up against that cold stone wall

'Cause nobody's perfect, except for the Lord

And even the best bound to fall

Remember He is the vine and you are the branch

He'd love to get you through it and if you'd give Him a chance

Just keep doing your best and pray that it's blessed

And Jesus takes care of the rest

Yes the Lord said that, "He'll take care of the rest", He's gonna do it

Where He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it, yeah

Where He'll take care of the rest, the devil blew it

Where He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the rest

Just think about Moses, in front of the burning bush

Barefoot on the holy ground

You know, he must have been thinking

Hey what's an old dude like me gonna tell 'em all

When I go down, go down Moses

The Lord said, "Hey Moe

Don't you worry about you going down south

I'll be saying every word that comes out of your mouth

You just keep doing your best and pray that it's blessed

Hey Moe, I'll take care of the rest"

Yes the Lord said that

"He'll take care of the rest", He's gonna do it

Where He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it, yeah

Where He'll take care of the rest, oh, Pharaoh blew it

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the rest

Just believe and you'll receive, that comfort you need

You just think about all those lonely people you know

They've got everything they want, but they got empty souls

Well, He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the

He'll take care of the, care of the rest

You just think about Noah, toting his umbrella

When there wasn't a cloud in the sky

All his neighbors would laugh at his pet giraffe

And they would snicker as he'd passed by

But the Lord said, "Hey Noah

Be cool, you just keep building that boat

It's just a matter of time till they see who's gonna float

You just keep doing your best, and pray that it's blessed

Hey Noah, I'll take care of the rest, I'm the weatherman"

The Lord said that

"He'll take care of the rest", He's gonna do it

He'll take care of the rest, He'll see you through it, yeah

Where He'll take care of the rest, his neighbors blew it

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the

He'll take care of the rest, he's gonna do it

He's gonna do it yeah

He'll take care of the rest

Only Jesus can see you through it

He'll take care of the rest

Yes, yes, yes

He'll take care of the, He'll take care of the

He'll take care of the rest

You better believe it

He'll take care of the rest

Only the pure at heart receive it

He'll take care of the rest

Yes, yes, yes

He'll take care of the, he'll take care of the

He'll take care of the rest

Hallelujah

He'll take care of the rest

Only Jesus can give it to you

He'll take care of the rest

He'll take care of the rest

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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My King – He is Strong

Greetings Dear Reader,

I am not sure what you think of when you ponder strength Dear Reader.  I fail often to remember that strength has little to do with physical prowess.  When I ponder my King I see the power, might, and strength of who he is. 

He could dismiss us from existence with a thought.  He instead chooses to love us and take on our likeness so we can be assured that he understands us.  He has the strength to command all things but yields to force of iron and wood to die.  He could force us to see the magnitude of his sacrifice but instead he asks humbly that we follow in faith.

He exercises his strength through his weakest followers.  He asks us to be his hands and feet.  He empowers us to live the Gospel and hopes that we will.  He shows his ultimate command of strength in giving us free will.  He does not force himself upon us.  He knows what is best for me.  He loves me without reservation.  He paid the price for my redemption.

In all of that, my King still chooses to let me choose or not choose him.  In the moments when I do not choose him, he does not destroy me.  He waits for me.  He uses his strength to restrain his hand and continues to wait.  He does not let anyone else take me away from him but he lets me be stubborn, obstinate, and disobedient.

Then when I realize my error he is right there.  He takes me in those strong arms and welcomes me home.  He loves me with all the blemishes and scars that are a result of my own failures.  He does not shame me.  He does not chide me.  He simple asks me to keep following.  When necessary he uses that same strength to carry me.  That’s my King…I wonder do you know him?

If You Listen, Power, Introduction – Pat Terry

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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