Archive for the ‘Christian’ Category

• A reflection on Introverts in the Church by Adam S McHugh

  Date: 2011.12.20 | Category: Christian | Response: 0

  A reflection on Introverts in the Church by Adam S McHugh

  My husband (Dave Quinn) and I have been reading this book.  I finished my copy yesterday and after several hours of thinking on it came up with the following reflection.  I have more but this is what I’m sharing now.

  

  Extroverts are the ones doing the solo free-wheel or singing the lead melody.
  Introverts are the harmony, the bass or even the silences between the notes.
  Together they are God’s gift to an unbelieving world, a song, titled “The Church”. –Larissa Quinn
  

• Five Books that Changed Who I am.

  Date: 2011.06.27 | Category: Blogroll, Christian, Life | Response: 1

  Princess Warrior Lessons has continued a linky/meme entitled Five Books that Changed who I am.
  Being a bookworm (this is the only name I actually respond to when stuck in a book), I have been influenced and effected by many books, but there are a handful of books that have changed who I am.  Of course there is the Bible, this is the living Word of God and it helps to change me who I am daily, this is a given, but there are more.

  First – Search for Significance.  I have re-read this book and could not see what I found so amazing.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit used it to speak things to me that I’d never heard before, even though they were said.  I truly believed I was a child of God (although saved by grace for many years) when I read it.

  Second – Bondage Breaker.  This book took me and people in my family through things that needed to be healed.  It helped to break chains that were invisible, but tangible.

  Third – What the Bible says about Healthy LIving.  This book took me through the facts that God gave us foods to eat and there are things in the world that shouldn’t be eaten.  I believe that there are foods in the world that can make people sick.  This book put me on the path to finding out that I had an allergy to milk proteins.

  Fourth – Five Love Languages.  This book helped me to understand how I give and receive love.  It has helped me to identify how my family gives and receives love and so helped to strengthen my relationships with them.

  Fifth – Created to be his Help Meet.  (Update – 29/10/11 – I no longer agree with the overall message of this book please see this post.

  http://larissaquinn.com/blog/2011/10/29/books-books-books/

  This book clearly outlines what is means to be a wife, no matter what type of husband you have.  It has blessed my marriage and helped me to understand that the earthly relationship of husband and wife truly is a reflection of Christs relationship with His church.

  So there are my five that have truly changed who I am because they’ve taught me things I didn’t know and shown me how to change my ways.

  If you want to join in click here.

• Straight Paths

  Date: 2011.06.13 | Category: Bible, Christian, God, Life, Scripture | Response: 0

  Everyone wants an easy journey.  What makes a journey easier?  No mountains, or valleys, no blind corners or cliffs, no rough terrain to navigate, but a nice straight, flat path.

  

  Recently I began to read a proverb a day again.  The bible has a handy 31 to read through in a month.  One a day.  I was up to Proverbs 11 when verses 3 and 5 jumped out at me in a new way.

  Proverbs 11:3,5

  ³ The integrity of the upright guides them,
  but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

  ⁵ The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them,
  but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
  New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

  We have a direct hand in how easy our lives can be, to a certain extent.  If you lead a quiet, honest life, chances are you won’t end up in court with charges laid against you or something similar.  If you lie and cheat and act selfishly, these things will not lead you to a good character check when looking for employment.  It makes it a harder path to travel.

  These things may be evident to many, but I particularly wanted to take the line of thought of those who believe that all bad or hard circumstances are from the devil or God is punishing them.  When the simple fact may be that they are a consequence of some earlier action which is playing out naturally.

  So while we can trust with surety, our saviour Jesus’s sacrifice which leads us to our eternal life; our actions will determine the quality of life lived on this earth.

• Where is God in this?

  Date: 2011.05.31 | Category: Bible, Christian, God, Scripture | Response: 0

  People often ask where is God.  This is in response to a number of things from:  if He exists at all; where He is in times of trouble or natural disasters; to looking for Him in any situation.  The answer?  Well it’s actually simple.  He’s where He has always been.  God never never moves.  It is us that move.

  As I was pondering this the other morning I came to a realisation that not only does God not move, He also is not hard to find.  He doesn’t hide Himself from us.  He hides his face, but that’s all.  I’d like to give you a mental picture of a facet of who God is and how we can approach Him.

  Have you ever seen a first-time Dad playing hide and seek with his toddler?  The don’t hide very well.  The usually sit or stand somewhere very obvious and put their hands over their faces.  Now what does the toddler do?  They call out, usually with expectant joy in their voices, to their Daddy.  Does the father wait with bad intentions, wanting to punish the toddler? No.  He has expectant joy too.  His face is probably smiling and he would be ready to be found then catch up his child in his arms.  Will the child wail in fright knowing that he will be in trouble?  No.  He will squeal with delight at being in his father’s arms.  Safe and secure where no one can snatch him away.

  This is where God is.  He’s not very far from you.  He’s in an obvious place hiding His face, waiting to be found.  Waiting to catch you up safely in His arms where He can love you and keep you secure.  Go find Him.

  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

  But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

  If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

• Robert Murray M’Cheyne

  Date: 2011.05.26 | Category: Bible, Christian, Encouragement, God, Inspiration, Life, Prayer, Scripture | Response: 0

  As I shared about Fanny Crosby last week, this week’s person is below.  Yet another inspirational life from Kids 4 Truth. Enjoy

  Robert Murray M’Cheyne

  “I am deeply persuaded that there will be no full, soul-filling, heart-ravishing, heart-satisfying outpouring of the Spirit of God till there be more praise and thanking the Lord.”

  Robert Murray M’Cheyne – one of Scotland’s greatest preachers – lived a very short life. His influence, however, would live on for years to come.

  By age four, Robert Murray M’Cheyne knew the Greek alphabet. At age eight, he entered high school. At age 14, he entered the University of Edinburgh, where his good grades earned him many awards. One day, he gave his life to Christ, and eventually he was ordained to preach.

  While he was growing up, Robert Murray M’Cheyne had been a “good boy,” but he did not truly know Jesus Christ. Instead of a relationship with God, Robert relied on how smart he was and how hard he worked. But when his brother died suddenly, eighteen-year-old Robert Murray M’Cheyne realized the shortness of life, and he put all his trust in Christ alone for salvation. His brother’s death had a profound effect on the rest of Robert’s choices and he began using his intelligence to learn long sections of Scripture.

  As a preacher, his fame spread quickly through his homeland of Scotland, and his church grew to over 1,100 people. He took a special interest in helping the Jews and did everything possible to win Jewish souls to Christ.

  Mr. M’Cheyne was only thirty years old when he died on March 25, 1843, of the typhoid fever. Though he was actually in ministry for only seven years, he left an impact on Scotland for the rest of eternity. He often said, “Live so as to be missed!” And so he did.

  Are you using the gifts God gave you (your intellect, your physical energy, etc.) to glorify Him? Are you a thankful, praising person? Are you living for Christ now, or are you waiting to grow up? Are you living so as to be missed?

  1 Timothy 4:12 – Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

• Fanny Crosby

  Date: 2011.05.15 | Category: Christian, Encouragement, Inspiration, Life | Response: 1

  Kids 4 Truth devotional has a real life section at the bottom of each day’s page.  Today’s is Fanny Crosby.  I know I’ve heard of her but didn’t know anything about her or realise just how amazing she was.  Read below or go to the original page here. Remember to scroll down.

  Fanny Crosby

  “To weep and sigh because I’m blind, I cannot and I won’t!”

  Fanny Jane Crosby was born in southeast New York on March 24, 1820. When she was just six months old, she got a cold in her eyes that had to be taken care of by a doctor. The doctor made a terrible mistake that cost Fanny Crosby her eyesight for the rest of her life. It was later learned that the doctor was not really a doctor at all, and not qualified to do medical work. Before he could be arrested, however, he left town, never to be heard from again. But there are no mistakes with God. Fanny once said,

  “Mother, if I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind…for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour.”

  When Fanny was a child, her mother introduced her to the Bible. As a result, Fanny’s life changed completely. She began writing poems about Jesus Christ. Although she was blind, Fanny Crosby “saw” 8,000 of her poems set to music and over 100,000,000 copies of her songs published. She wrote up to seven hymns a day. Over the years, she used as many as 200 pen names so that the public would not realize she was writing so much. Once in a while, she would hear a hymn that she liked and would ask someone who had written the words. Often, she would be surprised to be reminded that she herself was actually the writer!

  Fanny Crosby wrote hymns such as “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” “Blessed Assurance,” and “To God Be the Glory.” From an early age, she determined to rejoice in her limitations and the gifts she did have. When she was 8 years old, she wrote these words: “Oh what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see, I am resolved that in this world, contented I will be.”

  Are you content with your life right now? What do you think you need in order to be happy? God has given you everything you need!

  1 Timothy 6:8 – And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

• Vindication

  Date: 2011.05.12 | Category: Bible, Christian, Encouragement, God, Life | Response: 0

  In the past few weeks this word has come up for me.  I didn’t fully know the definition of it.  So I looked it up.

  Dictionary.com says this: 

  vin·di·ca·tion –noun 1. the act of vindicating. 2. the state of being vindicated. 3. defense; excuse; justification: Poverty was a vindication for his thievery.

  This then led me to look up justify, even though I know the meaning, I wanted to read what the dicitonary said:

  jus·ti·fy –verb (used with object)1. to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: The end does not always justify the means.2.to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don’t try to justify his rudeness.
  3. Theology . to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.

  So then I had to look up Vindicating and Vindicated as follows:
  vin·di·cate –verb (used with object), -cat·ed, -cat·ing.
  1. to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like: to vindicate someone’s honor.
  2. to afford justification for; justify: Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
  3. to uphold or justify by argument or evidence: to vindicate a claim.

  I looked up Justification in a Bible Dictionary to get the full meaning.  The meaning below is from Bible Gateway’s Dictionary Resource; Easton’s 1897:

  Justification

  a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect obedience to the law (Rom. 5:1-10).

  It proceeds on the imputing or crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of his Representative and Surety, Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:3-9). Justification is not the forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness which perfectly and for ever satisfies the law, namely, Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 4:6-8).

  The sole condition on which this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a “condition,” not because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or apprehends Christ and his righteousness (Rom. 1:17; 3:25, 26; 4:20, 22; Phil. 3:8-11; Gal. 2:16).

  The act of faith which thus secures our justification secures also at the same time our sanctification (q.v.); and thus the doctrine of justification by faith does not lead to licentiousness (Rom. 6:2-7). Good works, while not the ground, are the certain consequence of justification (6:14; 7:6). (See GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO ?T0001413.)

  THIS IS WHAT JESUS DID FOR US ON THE CROSS. He justified all of humanity. Now our part is to choose to believe it, and start living a completely new life. When Christian believers are at Judgement Day, God will not see our sins, but us through Jesus. He lived a completely sinless life as 100% man and 100% God when he was on the earth, died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. Now God looks at believers AS IF WE HAD NEVER SINNED. We are free of the old life and must now press on and live for Him!

• Shadowfeet

  Date: 2011.04.24 | Category: Christian, Encouragement, God, Inspiration, YouTube | Response: 0

  Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet
  Toward home, a land that I’ve never seen
  I am changing; Less and less asleep
  Made of different stuff than when I began
  And I have sensed it all along
  Fast approaching is the day

  When the world has fallen out from under me
  I’ll be found in you, still standing
  When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
  When time and space are through
  I’ll be found in you

  There’s distraction buzzing in my head
  Saying in the shadows it’s easier to stay
  But I’ve heard rumours of true reality
  Whispers of a well-lit way

  When the world has fallen out from under me
  I’ll be found in you, still standing
  When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
  When time and space are through
  I’ll be found in you

  You make all things new

  When the world has fallen out from under me
  I’ll be found in you, still standing
  When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
  When time and space are through
  I’ll be found in you

  When the world has fallen out from under me
  I’ll be found in you, still standing
  Every fear and accusation under my feet
  When time and space are through
  I’ll be found in you
  Brooke Fraser Shadowfeet 2006 Albertine

• A Lesson from my Hot Cross Buns

  Date: 2011.04.23 | Category: Christian, God, Life, Photos, Scripture | Response: 0

  The day before yesterday I attempted Hot Cross Buns in my Breadmaker for the first time.  All went well except the fruit dispenser didn’t dispense.  So we had fruitless Hot Cross Buns.  I went with it and made them anyway.  They were bland.  A bit boring.  We added jam to it for some sweetness but it wasn’t as good.  As Christians we have to remember the fruit dispenser in our lives to add sweetness to us, the Holy Spirit.  He gives us Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Kindness and Self-Control; the Fruit of the Spirit. Without them we can’t be a light in a dark world.  We are bland and a bit boring.  We try to add some jam for some sweetness, but it’s not as good as real fruit.

  

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

• A Little Good.

  Date: 2011.04.21 | Category: Bible, Christian, Encouragement, Fitness, God, Health, Life, Photos, Scripture | Response: 0

  ^“For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.” (Amplified Bible)

  In 1 Timothy 4:8 The Apostle Paul writes that physical training is of some use then contrasts that spiritual training is useful in all things.  I agree completely, I couldn’t live a productive life without spiritual training.  I wholeheartedly believe that my life would be useless if I hadn’t found God.  I don’t even know if I would have been alive.  I have been a Christian for more than 17 years, in that time I didn’t just accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour then just do what I used to.  No I began a journey of renewal and change that has gradually improved me, my attitude, thinking and behaviours.  This will not end until I leave this body and go to be with Him.  There is no way I could do it without input from solid biblical teaching and taking up my own responsibility to further learn about what it is to follow Christ.  This is Spiritual Training.

  Physical Training is useful for a little.  It’s not saying it’s completely useless and does nothing.  It’s saying it does something.  I want to highlight the fact that Paul was writing this in the first century.  Life then was different to now.  What would have benefitted them a little, would probably benefit us a great deal more.  The household duties alone of a woman would have been an entire workout.  Think of it, carting water, grinding flour for bread, beating clothes clean, not to mention the processing of animals for food.  So you can see how physical exercise would have been of little use.  NOW, in my house water comes out of a tap, flour comes from the shops (that I drive to), bread is baked and ready to buy or otherwise I use my bread machine to make it.  Clothes are cleaned in a washing machine, a few pushes of a button and they’ll be ready within an hour to hang out.  We skip the processing of animals in our house, I process vegies, but still I buy them from a shop and could easily pick up a few prepacked slabs of meat from that section if I wanted to.  Gee – how hard is that?  Not hard enough.

  

  So I add exercise to my lifestyle.  To offset the calories I take in and don’t use and to add strength to my muscles to support my ligaments and bones as I age.  I hope that I won’t have any wasting diseases that effect our western societies as people age.  I don’t want to be bedridden and unable to support my own weight because a bone might snap.  I want to be strong and healthy in body, mind and spirit so I can continue God’s work until the day He takes me home.