Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: witness

  • Happy are you…

    Happy are you…

    Happy Birthday.  Thanks.

    Happy Anniversary.  Thanks.

    Did you have a happy birthday?  … Hmmm… Quite a different question.

    By “Happy,” do you mean “BLESSED?”

    If that is your question, my answer is YES.

    Aren’t happiness and blessedness the same?   How does Jesus measure blessedness?

    Jesus Christ gives us an insight into blessedness and happiness you may not have considered or may hesitate to embrace.

    You will find Jesus’ measure of “blessed” the Beatitudes in two of the Gospels.

    We may see more of Jesus’ paradox of blessedness in the Young’s Literal Translation (or a contemporary rendering like The Message Bible):

    • Happy the poor

    • Happy those hungering now

    • Happy those weeping now

    • Happy are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach, and shall cast forth your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake

    (In case you seek a little more “blessedness”) Mathew’s Good News adds a little more to the paradox than Luke:

    • `Happy the poor in spirit
    •  `Happy the mourning
    • `Happy the meek
    • `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness
    •  `Happy the kind
    • `Happy the clean in heart
    • `Happy the peacemakers
    • `Happy those persecuted for righteousness’ sake
    • `Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake

    Jesus said to His disciples – His followers: “You are my friends if you do what I command.” – John 15:14

    Is Christ Jesus your friend?  (Take a look at His ‘To Do List’ for “Happiness.”)

    Blessed are we IF we DO these things.

    “And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:27

    Blessed are you: beloved brother, beloved sister in our Lord.

    Have a blessed day. :{)+

  • Job’s Wife

    Job’s Wife

    Job 2: 9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

    10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

    When a man meets adversity he must look to God.  Yet the loyalty and love of his wife could not be of more importance than when God brings adversity.

    A wife must not seek to lead her husband.  No wife who claims Jesus Christ can do anything other than love, respect, honor, and obey her husband, as he follows the Lord to take up His Cross.

    If not: You believe your sin is against me; but your sin is the adultery of Judas. — Rev. 2:21

    (Job needs your love…)

    Please pray for my wife, my blessing, that she will return to the Lord, Christ Jesus… Soon.

    Thank you Lord.

  • Nostalgia

    Nostalgia

    Do you remember this?  I had a little record player with a lid for my 45’s.  I loved to listen to music when I was growing up.

    My parents gave me a record player for 33 1/3 albums for my 16th birthday (1966).  I still have some of the old 45’s, albums and a box set of classical music I used to listen to as I went to sleep.

    Like many young men and women I wrote various journals (diaries), poetry, and essays of things on my mind. As a music lover I also wrote lyrics and composed and arranged music as well.

    Most of the old letters, journals and writing is long past pitched in the trash.  Some arrangements and writing remain in my files as nostalgia for occasional memory of days past or as orphaned children never seen or heard by the audience for which they were created.

    My favorite orphaned instrumental work is an orchestration of “Piano Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra” for symphonic band.  I could not convince my few friends directing bands with the ability level for the technique this work requires to give it a listen.  The only time I heard it in part was in draft stage by the Gainesville High School Band, but its director at the time was dying of cancer.  Another favorite is an orchestration for symphonic band of the Widor Organ Toccata.

    My favorite orphaned lyric of my own is “Pray,” set to Erik Satie Gymnopedie No. 2, I first heard performed by Blood, Sweat, & Tears.  (Yes, I think I still have the album & a disconnected turntable backed away in boxes.)

    The opening lyric is:

    “Help me when I don’t know what to do…  Pray.

    My favorite orphaned poem was “The Little Orange Man,” written about the AAA crossing guard.

    “On a corner in Canton stands a little orange man,

    With a little orange cap and a little orange vest…”

    I don’t remember the rest.  This orphan is lost.

    I write many short essays, commentaries and especially witness of Biblical exposition, most which receives little notice.  Earlier this year I wrote and read a serial short story of 14 episodes that I have had in mind for a serial post on my blog. (Stay tuned. It’s titled: A Picture of Heaven.)

    I have not written anything of the magnitude of my current book manuscript.  God planted a story in my heart last year which must be retold. God willing, you will hear much more about it in 2014.

    It seems that authors need a platform for marketing our books… therefore; this site of witness for Christ Jesus came about in the form of http://talkofJesus.com for a voice from the pew.

    As part of my witness for Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, I include my personal blog with occasional thoughts; but it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus.  Look for most of my writing outside of my personal blog.

    May the Lord bless you as a reader and follower. I embrace your comments and posts.  Pray also for me, especially for the salvation and return to Christ by many of my own beloved family.

    Roger Harned, a voice from the pew