tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post3003542625498573085..comments2009-11-14T01:56:40.787-06:00Ryan Flaniganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12868978678824395324noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post-59035931236052186492009-11-14T01:56:40.787-06:002009-11-14T01:56:40.787-06:00I found this site using [url=http://google.com]google.com[/url] And i want to thank you for your work. You have done really very good site. Great work, great site! Thank you!<br /><br />Sorry for offtopicAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post-43888534077703908012009-02-26T18:28:00.000-06:002009-02-26T18:28:00.000-06:00Wow! Deep stuff indeed! 3 reads later and it's still intriguing!<BR/>How does one determine if they are truly seeking/worshiping the Creator of feelings or the feeling themselves? Only one of the questions worth wrestling with that come to mind after reading this.<BR/>Thanks for posting.joeld66http://joeld66.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post-44682187827912742642009-02-26T16:13:00.000-06:002009-02-26T16:13:00.000-06:00I love the Merton quote. Having been in the thick of renewal and all the wild experiences that can accompany that, I readily confess to being one that loves to experience the presence of God in a tangible way. Yes, at times I have confused the sensations with the actual presence of God (the truth is that he is near us always) and even felt a certain selfish pleasure at what appeared to be his special notice of me (he has never been one to ignore any of his creation, no matter what our limited perspective leads us to believe). <BR/><BR/>In all honesty, these experiences do as much to reveal my immaturity as they do to strengthen my hunger and love for God. They are spiritual food in the same way that the scriptures and prayer are, and as our society has proved by the proliferation of disorders such as morbid obesity and anorexia, even a good and nourishing and necessary element can be easily turned into a destructive force by our misplaced desires.<BR/><BR/>We are such suckers for a golden calf which titillates our senses that we often easily transfer our shallow devotion from this God who is in the midst of revealing himself to a flashy trinket and don't even know we have crossed over into idolatry.<BR/><BR/>However, my favourite part of the story is that God does not walk away from us even when we dishonour him. He continues to call us to come near and generously sprinkles experiences of his divine love throughout our lives. He is sooooo true even when we are false. Yeah God!Matte Downeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13475890740790772858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post-84776387042042022642009-02-20T22:12:00.000-06:002009-02-20T22:12:00.000-06:00I liken this to having a good friend that gets you nice things. After some time, you get hooked on the nice things, and before you know it, that's what you're after.<BR/><BR/>Yet it is so easy to mask that same thing - that we seek and become addicted to an experience - with the idea that what we are doing is holy when it relates to God.<BR/><BR/>It reminds me of something Lance Pittluck, senior pastor of Vineyard Anaheim, said at the national conference in 2007, which was a reminder of what the Wimbers imparted - that the power is in the presence; the presence does not necessarily come with the power.<BR/><BR/>We can get caught up in the experience (not that experience in itself is a bad thing), and when the experience is lacking, we turn, often to the wrong things, to try and find it, or something better.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing this Ryan. Very thought provoking.Donny Cannoyhttp://ezbutton.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1598186252583758979.post-49322066326552836702009-02-20T10:31:00.000-06:002009-02-20T10:31:00.000-06:00Don't call me "boy".Joshuahttp://barahirion.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.com