Christ was tempted

Heb 2. 18

“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,

he is able to succor them that are tempted.”

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote

“Intercession is the most promising way to reach our neighbors.”

[ “God, help me.” -eab ]

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from his COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

>> A book WELL worth your reading <<

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Suffering Temptations

Every responsible adult is tempted. Some enjoy the possible scene satan brings across their mind (and whether they ever commit the act or not) their delight in mental wickedness marks them. They are sinners. Similar temptations flash before the mind of redeemed souls and they turn from them. The fact that they did not harbor nor enjoy such filth marks them. They are saints. “But I’m so well saved/sanctified that I’m not tempted.” Wrong. Christ Himself was tempted (Heb 4.14). He did not enjoy temptation but suffered (Heb 2.18) and saints, being like Christ, also suffer such.

– eab, 12/7/16

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MY FATHER FORMED IT ALL

From the meadows,

Where the deer, restful graze,

To the highest mountain

Lit by morning’s first blaze.

He formed the rivers that wander

From the peaks to the sea,

And praise God, Oh thank God, He formed me.

Chorus:

My Father formed it all, Oh, yes, and

He formed you and me. He formed us for time and

For eternity. He gave His Son that sinless we might be.

And praise God, Oh thank God, He formed me.

v2:

My Father formed it all,

From the first crystal

Snowflake that fell.

To the last, dewy drop

That descended in the dell.

He formed the fog and the clouds

In their fleecy finery,

And praise God, Oh thank God, He formed me.

v3:

My Father formed it all,

From the eagle that

Cavorts in the sky.

To the tiniest insect

That’s seen to fly by.

He formed the whole creation

From the whale to the flea

And praise God, Oh thank God, He formed me.

– eab, 12/7/76

 

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“Everything marked Christian is not Christian”

“Everything that glitters is not gold.”

“Everything marked Christian is not Christian” has equal trueness and is much more important for eternity. At times I use “christian” purposely with lower case, and purposely in quotes showing it is not Christian i.e. not Christ-like. There are “christian” books (falsely so advertised so gullible souls will buy). There’s a variety of “music” called Christian which is “christian” (some barely that L). If you haven’t removed TV from your life (do so, it’s bending your mind) you see on it preachers who are merely “christian.”

Stop listening to false prophets and never send them any of your profit$.

– eab, 12/7/16

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G O D – M A N

The girl swings her tresses around and up;

There’s a new shape to her hair.

The carpenter joins board to oak board

And creates a table or chair.

The trumpeter “hears” a mental tune

And plays it on his man-made horn.

The farmer “introduces” livestock and,

A lamb or a calf is born.

2

The artist takes a stretch of canvas

And with paint and brush makes a scene.

The seamstress with her scissors

And her thread finishes the gaberdine.

Perhaps the designer of new “play babies”

Comes the closest of all,

But try as she may she won’t become,

A person in her latest doll.

3

Each one, in a sense has produced,

Has made something that did not exist.

She styled it, he shaped it,

They created with finger and hand and fist.

They liked the vision they’d seen in their mind,

And now it was all complete;

Liked what was thus formed, liked it very well,

And yet it was so discrete.

4

Men do not become their own painting,

Nor sculpture, nor musical score,

Women do not become the delicious victuals

From their ample store.

Nor do masons become bricks and mortar,

Nor doll makers some “play child,”

Nor farmer’s living things,

Whither domesticated or nature-wild.

5

And God–did the Lord become

The Human that He Himself had so made?

Not ‘til hundreds of summers and winters

Had shared their brightness and shade,

Not ‘til Adam had seen his firstborn son

Become his brother’s killer,

Not ‘til the flood reshaped the earth

And stones had skeletons “for filler,”

6

(Unless counting Pre-incarnate scenes–

Who else was that Melchizedek?)

Not ‘til whole generations had been born,

Wed, reproduced, and died sick.

God has always known what man is–

Knowing’s one thing that makes Him God.

He was not in the body YET.

Then, Glorious Day; He gave the nod.

7

Man will ne’er know what its like to be very God;

Nor should he want that.

Man has enough to keep his feet clean;

To wear his one, peculiar hat.

Count that cult, counterfeit,

Count that religion false; false-as-hell-is-hot,

Who claims man WILL BE God –

“Their (sinning) leader already is” – he’s not!

8

But the Lord of all creation,

Master of the universe’s plan,

Did come to earth on Judean morn;

Born the Illustrious Son of Man.

Unlike engineers or cooks,

Who ne’er become their finest invention;

Christ was once-and-for-all,

Like His lost, but redeemable, creation.

9

Logos in mere flesh;

The Uncreatable became His own Creature.

God – men struggle to understand.

Now God/Man – mortals cannot feature.

But cleave to His Sonship;

What ne’er started in time’s un-searchable past.

AND, what started in Bethlehem;

Sonship with man, the ever will last.

10

No Man can replicate His atoning death.

He was God; human born!

No god (chunks of rock/wood–demonic symbols)

Could take the crowning thorn.

God settled into His highest earth-form,

And raised man’s hope without end!

Love Christ; God for aye.

Love Jesus from Galilee;

He’s man’s greatest Friend.  

• eab,  Nov. ‘97

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