God controls the timing of every event.
He also controls how things turn out. Eccl.9:11
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Solomon had drifted far from God in his own life before he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. He offers his "wisdom"......from a man who has lost his moorings but still holds onto there is a God..... a God who doesn't do much intervening in the affairs of men.
And yet somewhere in his darkness he was able to say the above........amazing, how God never leaves or forsakes us..........and Solomon was there when Christ the Messiah preached to those in the grave!
On another forum I visit I have heard some of the most incredible statements. Some I used to believe myself. Jack has gained my admiration in his ability to answer by the spirit and his tenacity to hold forth why he believes what he believes. So much of what he shares will shut down a debate on doctrine. Not because they believe but because they are dumbfounded and have no answers outside the traditions of men. Truly the traditions of men have made the word of God of NO EFFECT, in so many lives.
The Lord reminded me about a book C.S. Lewis wrote in his Narnia series.
On another forum I visit I have heard some of the most incredible statements. Some I used to believe myself. Jack has gained my admiration in his ability to answer by the spirit and his tenacity to hold forth why he believes what he believes. So much of what he shares will shut down a debate on doctrine. Not because they believe but because they are dumbfounded and have no answers outside the traditions of men. Truly the traditions of men have made the word of God of NO EFFECT, in so many lives.
The Lord reminded me about a book C.S. Lewis wrote in his Narnia series.
One part of "The Last Battle" keeps coming back to me. For those not familiar with Lewis's Narnia you might miss a little, in my recounting but I hope I can summarize the essence of this excerpt.
In the story an ape comes across an lion's skin and convinces a silly donkey to put it over himself in an attempt to deceive the inhabitants of Narnia. This counterfeit lion only shows itself in the dark of night from the door of a stable to hide what could be seen in the full day. The people believe it is actually the return of the real, Ashlan. A number of creatures have been thrown into the stable believing they are going to their deaths. Once inside the stable they find a doorway into a beautiful land......Queen Lucy is trying to get the Dwarf's to see the door.
Chapter 13-The Dwarfs Refused To Be Taken In
Pg. 164.....
I hope Tash ate the Dwarfs too, said Eustace, Little swine!
No, he didn't, said Lucy, And don't be horrid. They're still here. And I've tried and tried to make friends with them but it's no use."
Friends with them! cried Eustance. If you knew how those Dwarfs have been behaving!
Oh, Stop Eustace, said Lucy. Do come and see them. King Tirian, perhaps you could do something with them.
I can feel no great love for Dwarfs today, said Tirian, Yet at your asking Lady, I would do a greater thing than this.
Lucy led the way and soon they could all see the Dwarfs. They had a very odd look. They weren't strolling about or enjoying themselves, although the cords with which they had been tied seemed to have vanished. Nor were they lying down and having a rest. They were sitting very close together in a little circle facing one another. They never looked round or took any notice of the humans till Lucy and Tirian were almost near enough to touch them. Then the Dwarfs all cocked their heads as if they couldn't see anyone but were listening hard and trying to guess by the sound what was happening.
Look out! said one of them in a surly voice. Mind where you are going. Don't walk into our faces!
All right! said Eustace indignantly. We're not blind. We've got eyes in our heads.
They must be darn good ones if you can see in here, said the same Dwarf whose name was Diggle.
In where? asked Edmund. Why you bone-head, in here of course, said Diggle. In this pitch-black, poky, smelly little hole of a stable. Are you blind? said Tirian. Ain't we all blind in the dark! said Diggle.
But it isn't dark, you poor stupid Dwarfs, said Lucy, Can't you see? Look up! Look round! Can't you see the sky and the trees and the flowers? Can't you see me?
How in the name of all Humbug can I see what ain't there? And how can I see you any more than you can see me in this pitch darkness?
But I can see you, said Lucy, I'll prove I can see you. You've got a pipe in your mouth.
Anyone that knows the smell of baccy could tell that, said Diggle!
Oh the poor things! This is dreadful, said Lucy. Then she had and idea. She stooped and picked some wild violets.
Listen Dwarf, she said, Even if your eyes are wrong perhaps your nose is all right: can you smell that? She leaned across and held the fresh, damp flowers to Diggle's ugly nose. But she had to jump back quickly in order to avoid a blow from his hard little fist.
None of that! he shouted. How dare you! What do you mean by shoving a lot of filthy stable litter in my face? There was a thistle in it too. And who are you, anyway?
Earth-man, said Tirian, she is the Queen Lucy, sent by Ashlan out of the deep past. And it is for her sake alone that I, Tirian your lawful King, do not cut all your heads from your shoulders, proved and twice-proved traitors that you are.
Well if that doesn't beat everything, exclaimed Diggle. How can you go on talking all that rot? Your wonderful Lion didn't come and help you, did he? Thought not. And now even now, when you've been beaten and shoved into this black hole, just the same as the rest of us, you're still at your old game. Starting a new lie! Trying to make us believe we're none of us shut up, and it ain't dark, and heaven knows what.
There is no black hole, save in your own fancy, fool, cried Tirian, Come out of it. And, leaning forward, he caught Diggle by the belt and the hood and swung him right out of the circle of Dwarfs. But the moment Tirian put him down, Diggle darted back to his place among the others, rubbing his nose and howling: Ow! Ow! What d'you do that for! Banging my face against the wall. You've nearly broken my nose.
Oh dear! said Lucy. What are we to do for them?................
Ashlan, said Lucy through her tears, could you-will-you do something for these poor Dwarfs?
Dearest, said Aslan, I will show you both what I can do. He came close to the Dwarfs and gave a low growl: low, but it set the air shaking, But the Dwarfs said to one another, Hear That? That's the gang at the other end of the stable. They do it with a machine of some kind. Don't take any notice, they won't take us in again!
Ashlan raised his head and shook his mane. Instantly a glorious feast appeared on the Dwarfs' knees: pies and trifles and ices, and each Dwarf had a goblet of good wine in his right hand. But wasn't much use. They began eating and drinking greedily enough, but it was clear they couldn't taste it properly. They thought they were eating and drinking only the sort of things you might find in a stable. One said he was trying to eat hay and another said he had got a bit of an old turnip and a third said he had found a raw cabbage leaf. And they raised golden goblets of rich red wine to their lips and said, We're drinking dirty water out of a trough that a donkey's been at!...........Well at any rate we haven't let anyone take us in! The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs!...............
And Ashlan said, You see Lucy, they have chosen cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their own minds, yet they are in the prison; and so afraid of being taken in that they cannot be taken out.
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Life has become darker in both religion and the world.....The day to day contact I have with both has at times deeply grieved me. Last month I woke up with the words shut the door. And with the Lord's help, I am shutting the door on past events in my life. The greatest joy these days is in knowing my life is in his hands...and that his arm is not short concerning all of creation..........After all I was once a Dwarf............and my father had mercy on me.
Love,
Joian
