Prepare Your Heart – Advent Week 1
Prepare your heart for wisdom over at Proverbial Thought!
It is the first week of Advent!
Advent is a time to remember our Lord’s first coming as we look forward to His imminent return. Continue reading
a simple man of God
Hopefully making theology simpler to understand! (2 Corinthians 1:12)
Posts Tagged ‘ daniel m klem ’
Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/30/2014
A little birdie told me to tell you to find some wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
I remember seven years ago, I was sitting on Arizona State University’s main campus waiting for some friends to get out of class. We were going to meet up for a quick dinner (I was not a student, but they were … in fact, I was practically homeless at the time!), and then go to the weekly Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) meeting. I was sitting in the middle of the watery area near the Union reading my Bible, specifically Matthew 26 (verses 25-27, in the NIV):
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?“
Immediately after reading this, I looked up to see a bird flying overhead, performing all sorts of aerial acrobatics.
Then this poem came into my head.
It is rather fitting considering we just celebrated Thanksgiving in the good ol’ USA, as it is a reminder to focus on how God provides for us.
O birdie
O birdie in the air,
flying to and fro and everywhere,
what is it that you think about?
Do you worry about the clouds?
Is God a concern of yours?
That He is your real food source?
Do you contemplate people?
Do you wonder if they are real?
If God made you, then He made them,
so do you think about heaven?
Of all the cares that you have,
is it where you get your next bath,
or just maybe … perhaps …
that this world will not last?
But why should you care about that?
Do you know God controls your path?
O birdie flying oh so free,
Will you please share your thoughts with me?
Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/23/2014
Do not lose sleep over foolish choices, and get a taste of wisdom from Proverbial Thought!
Whether it is the book of Ecclesiastes or Proverbs chapter 6 or many other passages, the Bible talks a lot about what distracts us and takes up our time. These things cost us rest and sleep.
The poem today was written after a few days not being able to sleep inside a building. I was tired, but I had been kept busy during my days.
When I was able to get back to … not even a bed, but a futon that had recently been acquired from others by a friend I was staying with, I was ready to fall fast asleep. Instead, I wrote this poem for God.
He is always worth a little less sleep.
losing sleep
people lose sleep for various reasons
whether for work or for recreation
to read a good book or be with a person
but if i am losing sleep for anything
whether for all that mentioned or nothing
as long as i lose sleep seeking my King
if i can lose sleep for things here on earth
i should be able to for Him Who deserves
the very Creator in Whom i find my worth
Myths and Endless Genealogies?
Discover the everlasting wisdom of God through some of the thoughts at Proverbial Thought!
If you have followed my blog for a while, or read up recently, you probably know that I fall under the category of “Young-Earth Creationist”. I have plenty of scientific, philosophical, and biblical reasons for holding this view.
Today I want to focus for a brief moment on something that is more of a theological food for thought.
Science, Myth, or Something Else?
The funny thing about Evolution, specifically Darwinian evolution, is that we are generally taught as fact that the Universe is about 14 billion years old, the earth is about 4 billions years old, life on earth has existed and been evolving for about 2 billion years, we evolved from an ape-like creature which evolved from something else that evolved from something else that evolved all the way back to the first single-celled organism.
Yet, we have no definitive proof of any of this. There is a lot of evidence for a lot of things, but since a lot of it has not been and currently can not be directly observed (i.e. how the Universe came to be, the origin of life, one animal kind becoming another animal kind) it all comes down to worldview and faith.
On all sides.
The thing Christians have is a book (or, technically, a collection of books) with the claim that God inspired the very words (a debate for another time) in which He claims to have not only seen how all things happened but caused them to happen and in which He made claims about the future, most of which have come true and the rest are yet to happen.
Instead, we find many churches and Christians listening to atheistic scientific theories full endless cosmological and biological connections with little or no need for a Creator.
It might sound like a call to blind faith, but I encourage you to study the evidence and the arguments. Then look again at this question:
Who do you trust: men who were not there and have to keep changing their theories, or a God who claims to have been their and caused it all and does not change?
. . . so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
1 Timothy 1:3b-7
Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/16/2014
Never grow weary of seeking wisdom, and find some thoughts at Proverbial Thought!
Just for the record, I was a little busy and forgot to prepare one of my poems for last week. Oops!
You could say I was tired, and so it slipped my mind. There is something that it has become increasingly more difficult to forget: thinking about God. Even when I am so tired I can barely see straight or hold a coherent thought, I find my mind wandering to the Bible, God’s attributes, and simply talking with Him.
This has only come after years of deliberately – and very often with Heavenly reminders! – seeking our Lord and reading His Word.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you want to seek His face, to be filled with a passion for His Word, His presence, to the point of falling asleep while thinking of Him.
tired devotion
i am so devoted to You
that even tired i will praise
my last moment that i have
the last moment i am awake
i spend reaching out for You
i fall asleep as i pray
and i will continue so
each and every day
You deserve what i have
and i will gladly pay
You said to love You with all
my heart and mind and soul and strength
so i will do as You have asked
even tired i will do as You say
my praise You will receive
whether at work or at play
my tired devotion You will get
even if i come to faint
Back from the Dead: Remembrance of Veterans
Find reminders of the source of wisdom at Proverbial Thought!
Two years ago I typed up this little post. I re-post today with only a few edits (to account for the change in date and add a couple sentences).
Remembrance of Veterans
This past day saw celebrations in many nations for those who have served in the military. Whether it is called Veterans’ Day, Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, this is a time to recall those heroes who have served, fought, and even died in the service of country and/or freedom.
This is good. We should remember those who have gone before and fought for freedom. We should thank those who have served in the military, for it is a great sacrifice for most who do serve. It can mean the loss of time (doing preferred tasks, with family and friends, pursuing a career), limbs, and/or family. Soldiers have often given much and deserve to be remembered.
But, dear Christian, there are more who are at least as deserving if not more deserving of remembrance.
Hebrews 11 reminds us of some heroes:
- Abel
- Enoch
- Noah
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Jacob
- Joseph
- Moses
- Gideon
- Barak
- Samson
- Jephthah
- David
- Samuel
- the Prophets
These were people who stood firm for God and laid the framework for the coming Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.
Yet, there are more!
The New Testament has a list of heroes:
- John, the Baptizer
- Simon Peter
- Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother
- James, son of Zebedee
- John, James’ brother
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew
- James
- Thaddeus
- Simon the zealot
- Matthias
- Mary
- Paul
- Stephen
- Barnabas
- Mark
- Luke
- Philip
- Procorus
- Nicanor
- Timon
- Parmenas
- Nicolas
- Lydia
- Priscilla
- Aquilas
- Phoebe
- And many, many more!
Notice there are even women listed! If we dug through the Old Testament we would find more women, such as Ruth, Esther, and Deborah, to name but a few.
We need to also remember history since the end of the First Century, those who have carried the Church forward:
- Augustine
- Eusebius
- Tertullian
- Jerome
- Origen
- Pelagius
- Francis of Assisi
- Martin Luther
- John Calvin
- Loyola
- Joan of Arc
- John Wesley
- C.S. Lewis
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Mother Teresa
Just to name a very few.
We need to remember these names and so many others for the work they have done to push the Gospel further into the world, deeper into our hearts, and on into the future until the return of our Lord.
Church history is important. We need to know about the ancient past, the past 2000 years, and recent leaders. We need to know why so many things are important.
Too much of recent Church history was resolved in the first few hundred years of Church history, but we have turned our backs on these giants of the faith.
Many recent Church problems have arisen largely due to an ignorance of what has come before.
Some of the time our ignorance of what has been discussed leads to problems.
Some of the time our ignorance of what has been done and why leads to problems.
Most of the time our ignorance of each other leads to problems.
Every time our ignorance of God leads to problems.
We get so focused on our differences that we lose focus of what has come before and who God is.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Hebrews 12:1-8
Anthropogenic Global Climate Change …
Find the wisdom that never changes with the thoughts on Proverbs found at Proverbial Thought!
So, almost three and a half years ago I wrote about Global Warming, and the aspect of God’s wrath being poured out on sinful humanity toward the end of the world.
This post is looking at things from a slightly different perspective.
Recently, the International Panel on Climate Change released their updated report on the state of the climate. The US and France were quick to lead the charge on the importance of acting on this information and fighting global warming quickly.
The main argument is that humans are the main culprit for catastrophic global climate change.
And, at least to a point, I agree:
They are right. Humanity caused the climate to change.
As I alluded to about three and a half years ago, it all started with a simple act by humans:
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:6, NIVAnswersInGenesis.org, 2003, As shown in A is for Adam (one of the best children’s books on Genesis)
The only thing Adam (and through him, Eve) was told not to do was eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:17).
The Bible goes on to tell us that the perfect climate and fertile ground would become more hostile and unwieldy.
Here is where the good news comes in.
We messed it all up, and each of us is responsible for our sin. This is why we will see God’s wrath poured out (as mentioned in my previous post).
However, we also read these words from Paul:
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned . . . For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 5:12, 17
And this points to the end:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 21:1-8
Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/02/2014
Find the beauty in God’s Word at Proverbial Thought.
Almost exactly seven years ago today (two days ago, actually) I met a young woman who inspired this poem.
You may have already figured out I am talking about my wife. The mushy part of the story is that I knew the moment I looked into her eyes that she would be my wife. I could also detect what I came to see over the coming days. Her truest beauty came from the One living inside of her.
more than skin deep
beauty that is more than skin deep
because of a deep love of God
if she only knew just how deep
the Father wants her to feel His love
her heart cries out for justice
in a world full of pain and grief
her soul cries out for the Lord Jesus
to put her troubled soul at ease
it has not been enough just to say
God had one Son Whom He sent
through His life lived and then paid
she knows she has a Perfect Friend
this love that so emanates
from her Savior working in Heaven
flows out as she emulates
the Lord Who is the Perfect One
this beauty that goes beyond skin deep
comes from the love of her Savior
it makes the inside soul and mind and body
a holy temple dedicated to the Lord
though on the outside her beauty is great
you need to see what she has inside
the love of her God so permeates
that you can see in her Jesus Christ
so walk with her and see this life
see the love that is so complete
and that this love from Jesus Christ
makes her beauty more than skin deep
Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 10/26/2014
Find the God of wisdom with some thoughts on His wisdom literature at Proverbial Thought!
Perhaps you have heard the doubting question, “Where is God when we cry to Him?”
I say doubting, and not unbelieving, because many Christians and Jews alike have asked this type of question, and the poem today was written after such a time in my own life.
And we know King David dealt with similar doubts, for those with the strongest faith tend to be those who have faced the darkest trials, and he wrote these words:
In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalm 18:6, ESVI waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1
I wrote these:
what if God did not listen
what if His ears were deaf
there would be no reason
to come and offer ourselves
there would be no creation
all of life would be a jest
we were created to talk to Him
created for relationships
praise to the Lord God Almighty
He listens to all of our cries
who but the King of Majesty
Who sent His Son to die
would care enough to see
that we see Him in our lives
praise our Father and King
for sending Jesus the Christ
proving He listens
When We Call, He Is Near
Find how close God is through His wisdom as discussed at Proverbial Thought.
This is a special reminder for all of us who are facing trials, confusion, and difficulties.
I will let God’s Word speak for itself:
“I called on your name, O Lord,
from the depths of the pit;
you heard my plea, ‘Do not close
your ear to my cry for help!’
You came near when I called on you;
you said, ‘Do not fear!’“You have taken up my cause, O Lord;
you have redeemed my life.”
Lamentations 3:55-58, ESV
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
. . .
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:18-21, 27
a simple man of God
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!
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