2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV — from biblegateway.com
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
On 10/26/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
On 10/20/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society, youth,
by Daniel Christian
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
On 10/10/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships,
by Daniel Christian
Psalm 103:1-18 — from biblegateway.com
Of David.
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
On 10/08/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion,
by Daniel Christian
Proverbs 29:25-26 New International Version (NIV)
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.
On 10/05/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion,
by Daniel Christian
Psalm 143:8 (NIV) — from biblegateway.com
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
On 09/23/2020,
in Daniel S. Christian, faith, future, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, ideas, music, surviving,
by Daniel Christian
4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain,
for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said,
“I am making everything new!” Then he said,
“Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
From DSC:
Our dad, in his younger days, used to sing a song with Revelation Verse 21:4 in it. It was a beautiful piece that he had recorded years ago. That recording recently resurfaced, and our family is glad that we located it again. (Our dad sang quite a bit throughout his lifetime, and still likes to recall/sing some tunes. He and our mom met in college, both studying within the School of Music.)
Anyway, that song will likely be played at one or more of the funerals within our family in the near future. Any day now we could get “that call.” Or, if we’re lucky enough, we’ll be able to be present with him when he passes away (though Covid19 is making that very difficult these days).
Add to these experiences the recent loss of a dear, lifelong friend to cancer — and I’ve once again been reminded of the brevity of our lives. These reflections bring a couple more verses to my mind…
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
.
.
James 4:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.
You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
From DSC:
If you doubt that last sentiment/lesson, watch a different version of this song, from a present-day recording.
Time flies. So as our mom would say, “Carpe Diem!” (i.e., “Seize the day!”)
On 09/16/2020,
in culture, faith, global / globalization, health, hearts -- matters of the heart, memory, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
On 09/11/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
Isaiah 46:4 New International Version (NIV) — from biblegateway.com
4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
On 09/03/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion,
by Daniel Christian
64 The earth is filled with your love, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
17 This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
On 08/08/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, relationships, religion, society,
by Daniel Christian
Psalm 150
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
On 07/30/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, music, relationships, religion, society,
by Daniel Christian
The Best of Rooms — by Randall Thompson
Christ, He requires still, wheresoe’er He comes,
To feed, or lodge, to have the best of rooms:
Give Him the choice; grant Him the nobler part,
Of all the house:, the best of all’s the heart.
This is a beautiful piece as well:
“The Road Not Taken”— by Randall Thompson
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
And that has made all the difference.
Addendum:
My oldest sister posted this beautiful recording today. Good timing sis.
LATIN TEXT:
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exsultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION:
Where charity and love are, there God is.
The love of Christ has gathered us into one.
Let us exult, and in Him be joyful.
Let us fear and let us love the living God.
And from a sincere heart let us love each other (and Him).
https://www.facebook.com/JonathanRoumieOfficial/videos/phenomenal-rendition-of-ubi-caritas-latin-hymn/595033917802390/
On 07/09/2020,
in faith, global / globalization, hearts -- matters of the heart, religion,
by Daniel Christian
Ephesians 3:20-21 New International Version (NIV) — from biblegateway.com
20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
On 06/07/2020,
in Access to Justice (A2J), faith, hearts -- matters of the heart, legal reform, legislatures / government / legal, relationships, society,
by Daniel Christian
Good cop/Bad cop — from LinkedIn.com by Razel Jones, a former colleague at Calvin College (now Calvin University). Razel was a great man and I’m very glad that I got the chance to work with him.
Excerpt:
I usually am very solution-focused and full of ideas for how we can try to make things better… but, these last few days, I’m empty. More than the last few days…I’m threatened. I’m hunted. I’m labeled. I’m vulnerable. I’m unsafe. I’m unprotected. I’m disrespected. I’m undervalued. I’m dehumanized. But, most of all… I’m tired.