...of God-honoring repentance...

...of duty, delight and declaring God's glory...

"The Golden Rule"...it's not just for kids...

In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12

Sadly, “The Golden Rule” is far too often reduced to a quaint and simple saying that just happens to be particularly well suited to convincing children that they shouldn’t be mean to others, because they don’t like it when others are mean to them.

However, it is clear, from even a cursory reading, that Jesus did not state this command in order to identify a negative behavior to be avoided, and He certainly did not imply that it should be limited to children.  Quite the contrary, Jesus commanded a positive behavior to be carefully considered and diligently observed by all who would claim Him as their King.

The positive behavior this command requires is nothing short of my total personal commitment to a constant, active, positive concern for how I treat others…all others.  A concern that flows out of what I know from a careful consideration of my own experiences of the depth and importance of my own desires for how I want others to treat me in the vast variety of relational interactions we encounter.  For example:

• Knowing that I want to be heard…requires that I must intentionally convey to others my willingness to listen to them…and then, actually listen attentively, with a true desire to hear them.

• Knowing that I want others to be patient with me…requires that I must intentionally convey to others my willingness to be patient with them…and then, actually be patient.

• Knowing that I want others to give me the benefit of the doubt…requires that I must intentionally convey to others that I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt…and then, actually do so.

• Knowing that I want others to forgive me…requires that I must intentionally convey to others my willingness to forgive them…and then, actually forgive them.

Anything short of this total commitment, and practice, is a violation of the Law and the Prophets…it is sin…demanding confession, repentance…and an accompanying subsequent change in my behavior.

...of dealing with evil...

The starting point for dealing with evil around me,

is dealing with evil within me...

...of the only sure remedy for past failures...

The only sure remedy for past failures is a present encounter

with the Lord Jesus Christ...

...of discerning the object of the love that motivates my actions...

It’s good to know that my actions are motivated by love, but it’s best to know that the object of that motivating love is God, and not self.

...of love as motivation, power and goal in dealing with failure...

Divine love, the love of God revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ, and demonstrated in His finished work at the cross,

is the motivation, power and goal in dealing with our failures...

…of intercessory prayer as both the duty and delight of the follower of Jesus Christ, as a believer-priest...

...of disagreements, disputes, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the local Church congregation...

STATUS UPDATE - "...entering His rest..." PODCAST

STATUS UPDATE

“…entering His rest…”

A New PODCAST with Dr. James Long, Jr. and Victor J. Maglio

In mid-November of last year, James and I announced that we were in the process of planning and developing a new PODCAST.  At that time, our announcement included some background information on how the idea for the PODCAST came about, some thoughts on the nature of the subject matter we will be discussing, and the following statement regarding when our first series might be on-line:

“Lord willing, we are now anticipating that our first series might be on-line sometime in December, or early January.”

Obviously, we were not able to get things up-and-running within that anticipated time frame.  However, we remain enthusiastic, encouraged and very much committed to this new venture.

We will try to provide you with a further update at least one week in advance of our first PODCAST.

If you would like to view our initial announcements, you can do that at:

http://stoneuponstone.blogspot.com/2016/11/coming-soon-entering-his-rest-new.html

…and at…

http://www.jameslongjr.com/blog/index.php/2016/11/coming-soon-entering-his-rest-a-podcast-with-dr-james-long-jr-and-victor-j-maglio/

We would also like to convey our thanks to those of you who have expressed your encouragement for, and anticipation of, this undertaking.  We look forward to what Our Lord has ahead as, together, we seek, not only to better understand His rest…but also…to actually enter into, and begin to enjoy, that rest…

…by His grace, and for His glory…

...of waiting and trusting...

For God alone my soul waits...
For God alone, O my soul, wait...
Trust in Him at all times...

...teach us to number our days...

...thoughts along the way from Psalm 90...

...of the goal of God's grace...

Appreciation for God’s amazing grace in salvation will never terminate in simple gratitude alone, nor lead to either idleness or complacency.

 

...of delight in holiness & disgust with sin...

I can neither affirm nor aspire to the beauty of Christ’s holiness without also rejecting…being disgusted by…the heinousness of my own sin…

 

We can work it out...

We can work it out...
But, only because the Lord has begun it...He continues to work in us...and He has promised to bring it to completion...

...love covers all offenses...

To overlook an offense I have suffered is to give expression to the Christ-like love I have been graciously blessed to experience.

 

Withholding Forgiveness is both Dangerous and Sinful...

It is both dangerous, and sinful, to ever consider withholding forgiveness because I am skeptical about the prospects for reconciliation.

Confusing God's Sanctifying Grace with Innate Personal Holiness

We live with a constant danger of getting used to…becoming accustomed to…even taking for granted…the presence of God's sanctifying grace, and so, potentially, confusing the effects of His grace with some innate personal holiness.

As a result, I might find myself surprised by my own sin...

...powerlessness...in times of impending peril...

Our Lord's prescription for powerless people in times of impending peril is a God-ward focus in prayer and praise...

"Unbelief" is not a sin that is unique to the "Unbeliever"...