n0klu's Rants

  Aug 31, 2021 at 12:10 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Love and Long-Suffering Love and Long-Suffering “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”     Romans 12:18 Insight: Luke 15 Among the most difficult callings as Christians is to be at peace with all mankind. In fact, it seems like an impossible task when we realize that some people (even other Christians) don’t want to be at peace with us. Some of my most significant failures regarding this mandate occurred while I worked at the Catalina Island summer camp. In the earlier days of my Ministry, I thought I had all the right Bible answers and that my interpretations were right because I was catechized. I thought I could articulate a better account of my faith than my peers. This knowledge turned into pride, creating rifts in unity. I needed severe humbling and exposure to true grace. I needed to see more fruit born by Christians from other denominations than by my debate-oriented evangelism. I am so thank

  Aug 30, 2021 at 12:25 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Revelation Revelation “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ...Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”     John 1:1, 3 Scripture Focus: Psalm 104 God’s revelation is manifest in two ways: His natural revelation and His special revelation. His natural revelation can be marveled at by anyone, anywhere. Humanity portrays Him by bearing His image. His handiwork is displayed from the orbits of celestial bodies around the center of the galaxy to the orbits of electrons around the nucleus of atoms. My friend worked as camp naturalist on Florida Island as he described, where the intricacies both in the geology and the biology of the island are almost endless. The sheer number of endemic species found nowhere else on Earth makes this island a playground for scientists, some of whom have dedicated their lives to its study. However, we have an even more astounding

  Aug 25, 2021 at 1:24 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Jehovah-Jireh Jehovah-Jireh “So he did what the LORD had told him. ...The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.”     1 Kings 17:5-6 Scripture Focus: Psalm 147 Part of his responsibility as camp naturalist was teaching the kindergarten-6th grade children about God’s beautiful creation and fascinating creatures. One of his favorite animals was the octopus. They are the smartest invertebrates, capable of solving complex puzzles while changing color, shape, and texture. Unfortunately for one group of campers, he was unable to find an octopus. He had spent hours snorkeling and searching for one, to no avail. Before the campers arrived, he was sitting on the shore and took some time to pray, asking God to provide enough teaching material for his sessions. Then, like a scene from a sappy movie, an octopus crawled right out of the surf and onto the beach! God knows what we

  Aug 24, 2021 at 1:44 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Hammock Sleeping Hammock Sleeping “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 Scripture Focus: Colossians 3:1-17   The guys’ staff bunk situation at the camp where my friend worked was not ideal. He chose a hammock where he could read, stargaze, reflect, and sleep peacefully alone. If you’ve ever tried resting in a hammock, you may wonder how he found it comfortable. Honestly, it took three years to perfect the art of hammock sleeping. Pitch, angle, material, support, line tension and length, center of gravity, adjustment interval, height, knots, and anchor are just a few of the vital components needed to perfectly adjust a hammock for a decent night’s sleep. Without investing the time to adjust the sling, I’d never sleep well. However, the perfect balance left me never wanting to return to a conventional mattress again! The Christian walk is a bit like that. We must i

  Aug 18, 2021 at 12:46 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Keeping the Faith Keeping the Faith “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”     Psalm 37:5-6 Scripture Focus: Psalm 5 A solitary white cross on a hill overlooking Gallagher’s Cove is the first welcoming totem encountered when approaching the summer camp where I worked. It beckons further investigation but stands erect on the top of a precipitous sea cliff, preventing a direct approach. An alternate route behind the hill reveals a winding path to the cross. At no point during the hike is the cross visible until you come around a large bush and find yourself on a mountaintop next to it. The climb is long, but the view and peaceful, meditative setting make the journey more than worthwhile. Christ beckons us to come and follow Him. But if we try to mimic God’s perfection and earn our spot in heaven, we will end up fail

  Aug 16, 2021 at 1:58 AM CST Topic: +DEV+     Land of the Free Land of the Free “Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” Philippians 1:14 Scripture Focus: Luke 21:5-37 The California coastline is rarely visible on the other side of the 26-mile channel between it and Catalina Island. I was fortunate enough on the 4th of July—the United States’ Independence Day—to be blessed with a perfectly clear view that night. I watched from our tranquil cove as every harbor along the coastline exploded in fireworks, joining in the nation’s celebration of our freedom and the bravery of those who have defended it. Freedom comes at a cost. Many Christians around the world still meet in fear and worship quietly so as to not draw the attention of authoritarian governments. These are the same conditions under which Christ birthed the church. Paul never shunned his imprisonment, but embraced it and bore all the