I'm A Calvinist/Universalist

[Holy-Fool-P-Zombie]

Hi, Michael. It’s nice to see a Calvinist universalist here. I wonder if there is such as thing as a universal Calvinist?

[Michael_H]

Hey Randy! I think I’m the only one.

[Michael_H]

Alvin Plantinga has developed a model where basic Christian belief can be rational and warranted. I will outline it here. For a better and more in depth treatment see “Warranted Christian Belief”. According to the model humans have fallen into sin and this has disrupted or clouded our awareness of God. It affects not only our rational faculties but our affections as well. They have malfunctioned or are to some degree dysfunctional (some worse than others). When these faculties are functioning properly (the way they ought) we will come to sense God’s presence. Not only from looking at a beautiful sunset but the beautiful Christ in the Gospel as well. When things go as they ought to (according to a design plan) we will love God above all else and our neighbor as our self. The Holy Spirit produces within that firm and certain knowledge (faith) that we are loved by Christ. When held firmly enough these beliefs will constitute knowledge. Because the beliefs and affections are functioning properly according to a design plan successfully aimed at the production of true belief we are justified and rational in holding our beliefs. Plantinga doesn’t claim to argue or prove that God exists or that Christianity is true. These beliefs just rise up within. But FOR THOSE who have changed and love God above all else and their neighbor as their self their beliefs and faith in Christ have warrant FOR THEM and they are rational in holding them. That is, they are functioning properly according to a design plan. God’s design plan. And are therefore rational and warranted in holding their beliefs.

[Michael_H]

In speaking of worship Ravi Zacharias quoted D.H. Lawrence who, writing of his own pursuit of happiness, stated,

“We want to delude ourselves that love is at the root of the problem of our emptiness. I want to say to you, it isn’t. Love is only the branches. The root goes beyond love. A naked kind of isolation. An isolated me that does not meet and mingle and never can. It is true what I say. There is a beyond in me which goes further than love, beyond the scope of stars. Just as some stars are beyond the scope of our vision, so our own search goes beyond the scope of love. At least, I think that it is at the root, going beyond love itself.”

This has been my experience as well. When things go properly I love God ABOVE ALL ELSE and my neighbor as myself. It goes beyond mere agape into worship. It’s like being married or in love. When Christ reveals Beauty to me He becomes my number one. He opens the eyes of my heart to see He is infinite in value and worth and He alone satisfies the longings of my heart. Not that I never mess up but He always restores the Beauty of Holy Love to me. Because He is most beautiful I worship and adore. This overflows in obedience. I obey that which I worship or love more than anything.

[Michael_H]

G.K. Chesterton is known as the prince of paradox. Here are some quotes that I like from him from his book Orthodoxy:

Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom. I am not, as will be seen, in any sense attacking logic: I only say that this danger does lie in logic, not in imagination. Artistic paternity is as wholesome as physical paternity. Moreover, it is worthy of remark that when a poet really was morbid it was commonly because he had some weak spot of rationality on his brain. Poe, for instance, really was morbid; not because he was poetical, but because he was specially analytical.

“Mysticism keeps men sane. As long as you have mystery you have health; when you destroy mystery you create morbidity. The ordinary man has always been sane because the ordinary man has always been a mystic. He has permitted the twilight. He has always had one foot in earth and the other in fairyland. He has always left himself free to doubt his gods; but (unlike the agnostic of to-day) free also to believe in them. He has always cared more for truth than for consistency. If he saw two truths that seemed to contradict each other, he would take the two truths and contradiction along with them. His spiritual sight is stereoscopic, like his physical sight: he sees two different pictures at once and yet sees all the better for that. Thus, he has always believed that there was such a thing as fate, but such a thing as free will also. Thus, he believes that children were indeed the kingdom of heaven, but nevertheless ought to be obedient to the kingdom of earth. He admired youth because it was young and age because it was not. It is exactly this balance of apparent contradictions that has been the whole buoyancy of the healthy man. The whole secret of mysticism is this: that man can understand everything by the help of what he does not understand. The morbid logician seeks to make everything lucid, and succeeds in making everything mysterious. The mystic allows one thing to be mysterious, and everything else becomes lucid.”

The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.

[Michael_H]

I use to be pretty rough until I spent some time blogging with a beautiful Christian lady named “Beautiful Feet”. She had a blog on love and deliverance that completely changed my life as we blogged together. She is the one who influenced me to start writing my poetry. Her Beautiful spirit completely mesmerized me. Here’s something I wrote for her:

The Heart Of Beauty

I enjoy going deep with you
into the heart of Beauty
In your spirit I see what’s true
Precious like gold and ruby

You really mean the world to me
A friend that brings me pleasure
Inside your spirit I can see
A sweet and lovely treasure

I want to travel deeper still
Into your heart of splendor
So that my cup can overfill
And my heart become so tender

Your beauty cannot be priced
It’s worth more than all the world
For inside your heart I see the Christ
And a beautiful wonderful girl

I’m a thousand times better today because of this lady. I didn’t realize that poetry is good therapy for people like me who are schizoaffective (bipolar type). It wasn’t until I read a book on schizoaffective disorder that I came to see that creative arts therapy is recommended for the disorder.

Powerful and exciting, Poetic Medicine illustrates the unique role that poem-making can have in addressing the situations that lead us to renewal in our lives. John Fox’s book is designed for readers wanting to tap their creative energy in order to make a difference in the world, including educators, therapists, parents and their children, writers, couples, and the infirm. As the author demonstrates, we all possess the ability to write. This gift enables us to access unlimited spiritual resources that restore our genuine voices and meaning in our lives, while healing and creatively satisfying us.

Discussed are numerous stories of people from the author’s workshops who exemplify how poetry has aided them I becoming more whole. Parents understand how to use poetry to foster their relationships with their children, recognizing magical bonds that they never knew existed; persons who are ill learn how to come to terms with their diseases; and those who feel helpless in the surrounding world discover the freedom to act and affect real change.

With the poetic tools, instruction, and accounts the author supplies in Poetic Medicine, readers can start now to make their own poems while addressing, acknowledging, accepting, and taking charge of their lives.

[Michael_H]

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November Day

Christmas always brings me joy and tears
Seeing all the hurt and happy cheers
As I think of the laughter and those in pain
I think back on my life and remember the same
Not all of it is bad and not all of it is good
And I don’t always act the way that I should
But things have gotten better with you around
For inside of your heart my soul has found
Someone who cares and gives with gladness
And does what he can to relieve the sadness
Bringing a smile to my heart and mind
Lifting the darkness because you are kind
And I wish there was more I could give to you
As I appreciate the things you say and do
But inside my heart you are here to stay
Warming my spirit on this November Day

[Michael_H]

[Michael_H]

The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing — to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from - C.S Lewis

[Michael_H]

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When You Entered In

My eyes were blinded by enemies
I was paralyzed by a world of hate

My days were covered in darkness
My fears had sealed my fate

My mind was shattered in pieces
I was crushed and broken inside

Lost in a world of madness
My spirit just wanted to hide

Isolated from the dreams of morning
All my glory had turned to shame

Hurt and forgotten by others
No one remembered my name

Torn to shreds my heart was cold
I was cut by the devil’s cold knife

Until the bright rays of dawn appeared
And you entered into my life

[Michael_H]

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To My Soul Mate

I want to kiss your beautiful soul
To hold you tight along streets of gold

And whisper softly to you words of truth
That bring you back to your gentle youth

Along the shores of the glassy seas
Dancing together with the singing trees

With your warm loving heart next to mine
Our spirits will unite and then entwine

Forever with you is where I’ll be
In a land where the mercy and love flows free

Giving you my soul, I give to you my heart
In spiritual love, we will never be apart

[Michael_H]

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Show Me The Way

A lovely heartwarming friend you are
With a spirit like a flaming blue star
Sparkling in my darkened cold night
Leading me to the truth with soft light

An angel from heaven guiding my feet
Shining on the path for me to keep
I can feel your love from far away
Bringing me hope for each new day

I listen with openness and I can see
New freedom is waiting there for me
As splendor of your heart shines down
With a rainbow of color on the ground

My trust is in you to guide my way
Knowing you would never lead astray
Shattered dreams are becoming clear
As my heart is releasing all its fear

[Michael_H]

We first center our attention on the union aspect of this summit, a marvelous oneness between God and man. We obviously are not speaking of the hypostatic union, the utterly unique union of the divine and human in the person of Jesus alone. Nor is it pantheistic: we do not become divine in a literal sense. Nor are we dealing with extraordinary phenomena, visions, or revelations. This union is a remarkable oneness of the human will with the divine will, and the transfiguring likeness that results. Being head over heals in love with the Lord, man at this pinnacle of prayer intimacy in now freed from all selfish clingings and possesses an inner purity from anything ungodly. The love is abidingly deep and yet flames up with especially intense spurts. Likewise there is a newer and more profound knowing of the indwelling Trinity unlike anything before experienced, a perception suffused with a sublime and permanent delight. - Thomas Dubay

[Michael_H]

[Michael_H]

This is amazing!

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[Michael_H]

I Can See When You Are With Me

I’m in you and You’re in me
I once was blind, but now I see
You are my food, my daily bread
I’ve lost my life, have you instead
I breathe Your soul, Your morning breath
With You with me, I fear no death
Inside my life, You’re all around
Your love circles me, lighting the ground
Beneath my feet, so that I can see
The person I am, and want to be
I’m lost and gone, when You’re not here
When You return, I have no fear
My world is bright, when I’m inside
Your dreams at night; I will not hide
From Your soul, or tender touch
Your beautiful kiss, I want so much
To last forever, and ever with me
And hold me close, so I can see

[Michael_H]

When you beautify your mind, you beautify your world. You learn to see differently. In what seemed like dead situations, secret possibilities and invitations begin to open before you. In old suffering that held you long paralyzed, you find new keys. When your mind awakens, your life comes alive and the creative adventure of your soul takes off. Passion and compassion become your new companions. - John O’Donohue

[Michael_H]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j9yUEe4O2Vg/VOOrHFRPU9I/AAAAAAAAAEs/RXX4yzl1aOU/s1600/baby_holding[1].jpg

Bundle of Wonder

Little bundle of wonder
How glorious is your love
Little bundle of wonder
Sent from heaven above

New hopes are born
New dreams are birthed
The days have just begun

Little bundle of wonder
Let’s travel into the heart of the Son

[Michael_H]

This is amazing

[Michael_H]

We are converted to Christ when God opens the eyes of our hearts with His grace to see and behold the beauty of Christ. The more that is revealed the more beautiful He is and the more irresistible He becomes.

The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God - 2 Cor. 4:4

The glory of Christ is first and foremost the radiant outshining beauty of His holy love. It is the radiance of the fullness of His person. The unchristian is blind to this irresistible Beauty. When this blindness is removed they are converted.

God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ - 2 Cor. 4:6

The more we admire the fullness of His Beauty the more we reflect Him.