Sink into my arms...

"Men, be prepared to put your arms into her sink before you expect her to sink into your arms. (If you think dishwashing is women's work, read Matthew 23:25-26 which talks about men doing the washing-up and 2 Kings 21:13 which talks about men drying the dishes.)"
-- Lionel Hartley PhD, Thank God For Sex, Stereo Publications, 1976

Matthew 23:25-26  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

2 Kings 21:13  And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

Why did Jesus bother with parables?

Why did Jesus bother with parables if, as he said in Matthew 13:13, They seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand?

Many years ago, in my youth, I used to do marathon walking, up to 50 miles (80 kilometres) a day. One evening I was walking at dusk, and just as I wondered if I was coming close to the next town, or whether I should rest on the side of the road until the morning, a motor vehicle drove past, headlights blazing, illuminating a reflective sign on the roadside ahead telling the distance to the next town. No, I hadn't seen the sign ahead in the darkness, but the reflected light from the vehicle was all that I needed for it to be visible. Jesus' parables were like that sign in the dark. Truth couldn't be seen until light was shed upon it. Truth was there, it just couldn't be seen. Jesus' parables are within our reading or hearing. We need the light of God's Spirit for us to be able to see them so that seeing we will see and hearing we will hear and understand.
-- Lionel Hartley.

Pride Vs Humility

Pride Vs Humility
If you want to see the stars at any time, day or night, there is an easy way to do this. All you need is a fireplace with a tall straight chimney - and look up the chimney. However, to see the stars you need to get down as low as possible and possibly get dirty in the process. The same with life. If we want to reach for the stars we need to accept that humility is the best course, even if it means getting our hands soiled in the process.
-- Lionel Hartley ©

If you come closer, I'll tell you how it feels...

Last night in our family devotions we read the verse, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22 KJV)

This morning my wife Rosemary said that her back felt sore. I responded. "If you come closer, I'll tell you how it feels to have your back massaged."
As she drew near I began to tell her how nice it feels to have a caressing hand in contact with one's back, a firm but gentle pressure, a caring touch administered with compassionate concern, loosening muscles and relaxing the whole body.
As I continued to tell her how wonderful it would feel to have her back massaged, she interrupted me to say that rather that just hearing about it, she would much rather actually experience it. Hearing about it was good, but not what she really needed or wanted. (Gratefully, she knew I was teasing her.)

The lesson applies to our talk about our Saviour. It is really great to talk about what we could do for Him, to talk about what we will do for Him, to talk about where we could go for Him, but what He really wants is action.
-- Lionel Hartley ©

What's inside?

Inside every girl is a young woman waiting to blossom.
Inside every boy is a fireman or engine driver bursting to be revealed.
Inside every skinny woman is an average-build woman hiding in the shadows.
Inside every fat woman is a skinny one trying to get out.
Inside every skinny man is a muscular man hoping to be seen.
Inside every fat man is another fat man saying, “Who cares?”

©July 2011 Lionel Hartley

The Measure of Friendship

Friendship is not measured
By day or by year
Nor by miles or kilometers
By far or by near...
Nor by rule or by dictate
Command or by law
Nor freedom from argument
Disagreement or war.
Friendship is not even measured
By how much we share
But by love and concern
And showing we care.

-- Lionel Hartley © 2011

God Speaks to Man in a Variety of Ways

God Speaks to Man in a Variety of Ways:


Asaph the Psalmist: The Sanctuary - Psalm 73:17; Signs and Wonders - Psalm 77:14-20
Balaam: Donkey - Num. 22:28-30
David the Psalmist: Creation - Psalm 145:10-12; Outer Space - Psalm 19:1; Children - Psalm 8:2
Disciples and contemporaries of Jesus: Jesus in person - Matthew 5:2
Ethan the Ezrahite: Creation & God's past leading - Psalm 89:8-14
Gad the prophet: Message - 2 Sam. 24:11
Gideon: Fleece - Jud. 6:36-40
Isaiah: Vision - Isa. 6:1-13
Jerusalem Council: Baptism of the Spirit - Acts 11:1-18
John the Revelator: Angel - Rev 1:1
Joshua: Army Commander - Josh. 5:13-15
Magi: Star - Matt. 2:1-10
Manoah and his wife (Sampson's Parents): Angel - Jud. 13:20,21
Mary the mother of Jesus: Angel - Luke 1:26-38
Moses: Burning Bush - Ex. 3:1-6
Moses: Face-to-face - Ex. 33:11
Nebuchadnezzar: Dream - Dan.2:1-28
People of Isaiah's time: Mountains, Hills and Trees - Isaiah 55:12
Samuel: Voice - 1 Sam 3:4-14
The wise: Proverbs - Proverbs 1:5,6; By Fearing God - Vs 2; By Heeding Parents - Vs 8
The Writer of the book of Hebrews: Witnesses of Faith - Hebrews 11:1 - 12:1
Unnamed Psalmist: The Law - Psalm 119
You and I: God's Word - Revelation 1:3
You and I: Holy Spirit - John 16:13
You and I: The witness of Jesus - Hebrews 1:1, 1 Peter 2:21

-- Lionel Hartley ©