The Manager

Constrast Juande Ramos and Harry Redknapp.

Its the same Tottenham Hotspur.

But what a world of difference it has been since Ramos was sacked and Redknapp became manager.

Sometimes the most important thing is not in play, not on the field, and is unseen. But its the most crucial and seemingly the only thing that mattered.

Rereading the Gospels

Jesus knew the world in a way we never knew: for he was there from the creation and through its fall.

We thought we knew what Jesus meant, for his words are so simple; even a child can understand it.

Then we knew a little more, especially of the nature of things in the world as they truly are.

And suddenly Jesus' simple words becomes very different.

And the realisation that this simplicity conceals a deep profundity, a completeness, an unimagined precision, and a hidden revelation, shake you to your very core and essence.

And suddenly you realised that you are so arrogant, so presumptuous, so prideful of your efforts, and such an utter fool; and that but for the grace and mercy of God, you are nothing.

Jesus' paradignm of the world is different from what we think we knew. But as Jesus is the Son of Man, we too can know of this paradigm.

Ah the depth of the wisdom of God!!!

It is written ...

It is written, and therefore go ahead, name it and claim it.

Is that so?

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.

"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 

" 'He will command his angels concerning you, 

  and they will lift you up in their hands, 

  so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

[Mat 4:5-7]

Obviously then, the voice of the dragon will sound like, "It is written".

And thus we need then to know, what is also written, and maybe why what is written in the first place.

What Jesus Said

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

[John 21:25]

And for sure Jesus said many many more things than what was recorded.

And even more are the things in Jesus' mind which were not spoken.

Who has understood the mind of the LORD ...

[Isa 40:13, Rom 11:34]

Hearing God

If a prophet familiar with God's word cannot recognise God even when spoken extraordinarily through a donkey, how can one who knows not God ever hear God?

Hearing God

Then the LORD called Samuel.

Samuel answered, "Here I am."

And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down."

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."

Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.

So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"

Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

[1 Sam 3:4-10]

How can we hear God?

If God speaks, and we hear, and if we recognised that it is from God.

What if I missed it, even if he indeed called me? And what if God never spoke at all? What if he is silent?

You missed it, and may mistake it for another's voice, if you did not know God.

To hear God is to know God.

And the knowledge of God is already revealed in history. God is knowable, although not fully knowable, yet.

But what if he didnt speak?

Indeed he may not speak, at least not in an audible way as commonly experienced. And he may also be silent in other ways, for even the still small voice may be still.

Then what?

Then go in faith, act in the accordance with the knowledge of God as you know God. Act in the fear of God, and not of man.

Walk through the door and you may find a garden and then see that God is there waiting for you to come up to sit by Him.

What is God saying?

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

[Joshua 1:9]

The earth shook, the moon turned red, and the stock markets wobbled.

What is God saying?

The least we can say is that God is a God that move heaven and earth.

(Of course you may also say it is "natural", but that begs the question, what is Nature?)

And if such a God is our God, whom need we fear, except maybe God Himself.

For the most fearful thing is when God is turned against you.

But even then, so be it, and Amen!

For God alone is good.

David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men." 2 Sam 24:14

History

History is God's hands revealed.

No one's experiences are irrelevant nor to be rubbished.

They are only to make sense, sooner or later.

Incomparable

All wisdom in all the ways of men cannot be compared to an iota of the knowledge of the true God.

The Prayer of a Righteous Man

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

[James 5:16]

And the prayer of a righteous man is a righteous man's prayer.

When the Israelites were between the Red Sea and the Egyptian Army closing on them, some complained why have God brought them to die in the desert.

Maybe others prayed that God turned back the Egyptians, something God have willed exactly the opposite.

Others yet may pray that God strengthened them and give them the courage, means and faith to fight and overcome the Egyptians.

And yet others may pray that God intervene and that fire descend on the Egyptians and destroy them.

And there will certainly be some who resigned to God's will, saying, Thy will be done, and just waited to see this will unfold.

But the righteous man prayed that the Red Sea be opened.

So who is the righteous man?

The righteous man is the one who lives by his faith, for everything that is not in faith is sin. [Hab 2:4; Roms 14:23]

And who is the one faithful?

The one faithful is the one who hears the LORD and acts on it, even as Moses stretched his hand over the waters of the Red Sea.

And so what is the prayer of the faithful man?

This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one. [Matt 6:9ff]