Luke 6:27-6:49 King James Bible

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Quaker Faith and Practice 26.65

"This central affirmation, that the Light of the Christ-like God shines in every person, implies that our knowledge of God is both subjective and objective. It is easy to misconstrue ‘Inner Light’ as an invitation to individualism and anarchy if one concentrates on the subjective experience known to each one. But it is an equally important part of our faith and practice to recognise that we are not affirming the existence and priority of your light and my light, but of the Light of God, and of the God who is made known to us supremely in Jesus. The inward experience must be checked by accordance with the mind of Christ, the fruits of the Spirit, the character of that willed caring which in the New Testament is called Love. It is further checked by the fact that if God is known in measure by every person, our knowledge of him will be largely gained through the experience of others who reverently and humbly seek him. In the last resort we must be guided by our own conscientiously held conviction – but it is in the last resort. First we must seek carefully and prayerfully through the insights of others, both in the past and among our contemporaries, and only in the light of this search do we come to our affirmation."

L Hugh Doncaster, 1972

Quaker Faith and Pratice 25.06

If it is right that we should show love and compassion for people, surely it is right that we should extend our love and compassion to animals, who can feel fear and experience pain in much the same way as humans. They may not be able to speak, but we can certainly see fear in their eyes and demeanour. I feel that being a vegetarian is a natural progression from being a pacifist and a Quaker.
Vera Haley, 1988

Yesterday I went to church

I went to the Mission Covenant Church in my hometown wearing my usual hat. I had predicted that people would react negatively to my choice of head gear since it's tradition to remove one's hat in churches. Being a Quaker I couldn't remove my hat except when praying and when sleeping. I don't sleep with my hat on.I was suprised when I noticed that nobody reacted to me wearing my hat except the reverend who complimented me on my choice of head gear saying it was cool. I hadn't expected that. I had earlier resolved to take my hat off when in a church out of respect for their tradition. It resulted in me not going to any churches since I wanted to keep my hat on. I had not expected them to respect the Quaker tradition of keeping one's hat on. Apparently people are more open-minded than I thought and this opens up a lot of possibilities. I can go to church with my hat on, I can probably also go to the Lutheran church with my hat on. Excellent!

Some Advice and Queries of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative)

Advice and Queries of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative),

8 Personal Responsibility <http://iymc.org/documents/discipline1974/Queries/Personal_Responsibility.htm>28.09.2017.

ADVICE

Historic testimonies of the Society of Friends against taking oaths, joining secret organizations, gambling and using addictive substances grew out of efforts of Friends to live with integrity and consistency. To swear an oath implied that one is obliged to be truthful only under oath. Joining secret organizations, gambling and using addictive and/or consciousness‑altering substances were recognized as practices which diverted resources from useful purposes, distracted attention from the Inner Light, and placed obstacles in the way of Friends seeking to lead lives of integrity. We recognize the spirit of these testimonies and endeavor to apply the same principles in our lives today.

Honesty and simplicity are essential parts of personal responsibility. We manifest our commitment to Truth in all we do. We can have joy and beauty in our lives without allowing material things to dominate them. We need to free ourselves from distractions that interfere with our search for inner peace, and accept with thanksgiving all that promotes fullness and aids in service to the divine Center.

QUERY

- How do we center our lives in the awareness of God the' Spirit, so that all things may take their rightful places?

- How do we structure our individual lives in order to keep them uncluttered with things and activities? How does Meeting help us examine our personal lives for simplicity?

- Do we choose recreational activities which foster mental, physical and spiritual health?

- How are our lives affected by tobacco, alcohol and drug use? What can we do to deal with problems resulting from their use? What can we do to recognize and deal with unhealthy ways we treat ourselves?­

 - How do we ensure that we act with fairness and integrity?

- Are we sensitive to our own use of language which may be offensive or oppressive to others?

Proverbs 31:8-9

 "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." (ESV)

Quaker Faith and Practice 29.03

"We seem to be at a turning point in human history. We can choose life or watch the planet become uninhabitable for our species. Somehow, I believe that we will pass through this dark night of our planetary soul to a new period of harmony with the God that is to be found within each of us, and that S/he will inspire renewed confidence in people everywhere, empowering us all to co-operate to use our skills, our wisdom, our creativity, our love, our faith – even our doubts and fears – to make peace with the planet. Strengthened by this fragile faith, empowered by the Spirit within, I dare to hope."

Pat Saunders, 1987

Quaker Faith and Practice 24.04

"Our principle is, and our practices have always been, to seek peace, and ensue it, and to follow after righteousness and the knowledge of God, seeking the good and welfare, and doing that which tends to the peace of all. All bloody principles and practices we do utterly deny, with all outward wars, and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever, and this is our testimony to the whole world. That spirit of Christ by which we are guided is not changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and again to move unto it; and we do certainly know, and so testify to the world, that the spirit of Christ which leads us into all Truth will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world.
And as for the kingdoms of this world, we cannot covet them, much less can we fight for them, but we do earnestly desire and wait, that by the word of God’s power and its effectual operation in the hearts of men the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, that he might rule and reign in men by his spirit and truth, that thereby all people, out of all different judgments and professions might be brought into love and unity with God and one with another, and that they might all come to witness the prophet’s words, who said, ‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more’. (Is 2:4; Mic 4:3)"
Declaration to Charles II, 1660

Quaker Faith and Practice 26.46

"The New Testament clearly sets out Christ as fully human and as fully divine. The writers are conscious of no difficulty or contradiction involved in this position. It seemed to them the most natural thing in the world. Probably the sense of contradiction only arises in our minds through ignorance of what is meant by personality. We set divinity over against humanity, on the assumption that so much added to the one must be so much subtracted from the other. Some have so emphasised Christ’s divinity as to leave no room for his humanity, while others have done just the reverse. It seems so easy to solve the problem by cutting the knot: either say that Christ was absolute God or that he was ordinary man. But this does not solve the problem, for either solution fails to take account of many of the facts. The difficulty is to get a conception of Jesus that is true to all the facts – of one who was the incarnate Son of God and yet (perhaps we should say ‘and therefore’) was truly man. It is a pity that we insist on using the terms ‘humanity’ and ‘divinity’ as though they implied opposition. May we not rather say that Jesus ‘shows us the divine life humanly lived and the human life divinely lived’?"
Yorkshire Quarterly Meeting, 1919

A Quote from Quaker Faith and Practice

Quaker Faith and Practice 26.24

"It is often supposed that science and religious belief are incompatible. Indeed, a dichotomy does exist between some traditional views of God’s interaction with the universe and science’s perception of natural laws. If we only use God to fill the gaps wherever a rational explanation has not been found, God’s role must diminish as scientific understanding grows. A ‘God of the gaps’ is inevitably a rather small God. However, the immanence of God in our world may be appreciated through Science as vividly as through the Arts. Many scientists daily experience God through their work: in the elegance and sophistication of natural design or the beauty and harmony revealed in certain theories. The growing body of scientific knowledge demands a continuous re-thinking of what is meant by ‘Creator’ but our greater understanding magnifies rather than diminishes our appreciation of God. Science and religion have much in common. They are communal activities and involve a search for some greater truth. The sharing of ideas is fundamental to both. The discipline of science can make a valuable contribution to religious thought; critical honesty, the willingness to abandon old ideas and modes of thought when fresh insight demands it and the centrality of experience as an arbiter of truth are as important in one as in the other. In both the scientific and religious searches for truth, the implications of current beliefs are explored to see where they lead. Beliefs are not just safe ledges in an uncertain reality, but rather handholds from which further heights can be reached."

Eleven Quaker scientists, 1989

Spiritually dry II

I haven't had any inspiration to write in a long time now and I hope this dry period is about to end. I have become teetotal which is a good thing. A step in the right direction. I took a step in the wrong direction when I decided to cure my sore throat with honey which is non-vegan.I'll go back to veganism as soon as my cold is over.

In my search for inspiration I read the entire Bible from cover to cover. I don't feel much more enlightened but it was an interesting journey. I have finally figured out how I treat the different scriptures. I believe in the Old Testament as long as it doesn't contradict the new testament and I believe in the New Testament as long as it doesn't contradict the Quaker Faith and Practice. The Old Testament does contradict the New Testament amongst other things in its attitude towards warfare. The Old Testament permits war whereas the New Testament forbids warfare. The Quaker Faith and Practice does also forbid warfare so I'm against war. I would be against war even if Jesus would permit it since the Quaker Faith and Practice is against all warfare. When, or perhaps "if", the New Testament contradicts the Quaker Faith and Practice I choose to follow the Quaker Faith and Practice. So simple is that. I choose to follow the most recent revelation when I have to choose. 

When I say "Quaker Faith and Practice" I mean the Quaker Faith and Practice , Fifth Edition, The book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain.

Job and human suffering

I was reading the book of Job. The book of Job is about a perfect and upright man who feared God, and eschewed evil who suffers a lot of calamities despite his righteousness. He discusses his misfortunes with his friends who try to comfort him by telling him that God is just and would never make a righteous man suffer and thus he must have done something wrong in order to deserve his misfortunes. Job denies this and says he isn’t suffering because of his sinfulness since he hasn’t sinned.

The main argument of Job’s friends is thus:

“Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.” Job 4:7-9 “If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.”Job 8:6 “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:” Job 8:20

It made me think of victim-blaming in general and the illusion of a just world in specific. The illusion that the world is ultimately just and people get what they deserve. It exists in the shape of the law of karma in Hinduism and New Age the law of sowing and reaping “you reap what you sow” as it could be expressed or the saying “ what goes around comes around” and many more sayings that we can find in our culture. The prosperity gospel seems to have a lot to do with this sort of thinking. The very idea that God-fearing people will prosper goes against all human experience of prosperous but tyrannical dictators and leaders. Nevertheless that sort of thinking is very popular.

Ultimately the book of Job doesn’t give any final answer to the question why righteous people suffer. In Job’s case God made a bet with Satan that Job would curse God if he suffered. Job’s case is simple: God tests his faith by causing him to suffer. There are probably plenty of people whose faith is tested and whose story doesn’t have a happy ending like Job’s. I’m open to the possibility that the question why righteous people suffer is absurd, it doesn’t make sense. Any attempt at making sense of it will ultimately fail. Is it even possible to comfort someone who is suffering by explaining it rationally or spiritually? – I doubt that. Job’s friends were wrong. God themselves explains that they were wrong and that their limited wisdom had misguided them. Karma doesn’t work, the prosperity gospel doesn’t fulfil its promises, suffering doesn’t make sense.

Those who want to read more about the just world delusion can read Melvin Lerner's book The Belief in a Just World: A Fundamental Delusion.

Back in Business

I took a break from blogging since I lacked inspiration to write and without inspiration I cannot write anything meaningful. My teetotal month came and went it was easy to stay away from alcohol one month I'm thinking about becoming a teetotaler full time but that's still on the planning stage of the process. I have bought a couple of books about Quakerism and I'm hoping to be able to write about them soon. I'll have to read them first before I can start commenting on them.

Today I’ve read Tolstoy’s short story The Three Hermits

A bishop was sailing from Archangel to the Solovétsk Monastery; and on the same vessel were a number of pilgrims on their way to visit the shrines at that place. The tale thus describes a Bishop's voyage across the White Sea. During his journey, a sailor  on deck tells the Bishop how he once crashed a boat into a small island in the distance, where he was rescued by three hermits. The sailor describes the hermits as humble and holy men who “do everything in silence,” communicating through gestures and glances rather than words. Intrigued by the sailor's tale, the Bishop asks the ship's captain to take him to the hermits' island. The captain tries to dissuade the Bishop, informing him that the hermits “are foolish old fellows, who understand nothing, and never speak a word,” but the Bishop is persistent, and the captain acquiesces.

The Bishop is rowed ashore, and he introduces himself to the hermits: “I have heard,” he tells them, “that you, godly men, live here saving your own souls, and praying to our Lord Christ . . . . I wished to see you, servants of God, and to do what I can to teach you,.” When the Bishop asks how the hermits pray, one answers, “We pray in this way . . . .'Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us.'” The Bishop scolds the hermits, telling them that they  “do not pray aright,” and he proceeds to spend the remainder of the afternoon  teaching his unwitting disciples the Lord's Prayer. When at last he is confident the hermits have memorized the Prayer, he returns to his ship to continue his journey. Long into the night, the Bishop fixes his eyes on the horizon where the hermits' island drifted out of sight, until that spot turns into a white light. The light approaches the boat, until the Bishop realizes that the light is coming from the three hermits, who are running upon the water.

The passengers hearing him, jumped up, and crowded to the stern. They saw the hermits coming along hand in hand, and the two outer ones beckoning the ship to stop. All three were gliding along upon the water without moving their feet. Before the ship could be stopped, the hermits had reached it, and raising their heads, all three as with one voice, began to say: 'We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. As long as we kept repeating it we remembered, but when we stopped saying it for a time, a word dropped out, and now it has all gone to pieces. We can remember nothing of it. Teach us again.'

The Bishop crossed himself, and leaning over the ship's side, said: 'Your own prayer will reach the Lord, men of God. It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinners. And the Bishop bowed low before the old men; and they turned and went back across the sea. And a light shone until daybreak on the spot where they were lost to sight.The Bishop thus realizes that he cannot teach the hermits anything about the Holy Spirit. The Bishop begs God for forgiveness, the hermits return to their island, and the story concludes.

Sources: Douglas Duhaime, Reading Wittgenstein Reading Tolstoy - Saying and Showing in ''The Three Hermits” <http://www.academia.edu/1334740/Reading_Wittgenstein_Reading_Tolstoy_-_Saying_and_Showing_in_The_Three_Hermits>30.04.2017.

Leo Tolstoy, Three Hermits,  <http://www.online-literature.com/tolstoy/2896/ >30.04.2017.

Quakers, Easter & Christmas

A quote from Patheos.com:

"KAYLIN (no location posted) ASKS:

Why don’t Quakers celebrate religious holidays?

THE GUY ANSWERS:

For a couple centuries, avoidance of common Christian observances such as Easter and Christmas was as distinctive a tenet among the Quakers (a.k.a. Friends) as their famed pacifism. There are exceptions but that’s largely in the past, especially with Christmas. The Friends General Conference explains that “traditionally Quakers did not celebrate any religious holidays because all days are ‘holy days’,” but today “most Quakers celebrate a low-key Christmas, and sometimes Easter, as part of our larger culture.”  Quakers will typically downplay festivities and reject the commercial push toward materialism in gift-giving, in line with the faith’s principle of simple living. Local Friends meetings differ regarding whether and what holiday worship services to hold, just as Quaker branches are divided in theology between liberals and evangelicals. There’s lively discussion on the Internet about Quaker families’ seasonal practices at home.

George Fox (1624 – 1691), an Englishman oft imprisoned for his faith, is commonly regarded as Quakerism’s founder. He was influenced by the Puritan movement, which opposed Christmas celebrations and outlawed them when it ruled Massachusetts colony during Fox’s lifetime. Fox indicated his feelings in an early journal entry, noting that while others indulged in Christmastime feasting and frolicking “I looked out poor widows from house to house and gave them some money.” (Nowadays, the Friends’ George Fox University in Oregon happily programs Christmas concerts and Easter egg hunts.)

The 1806 Rules of Discipline for the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends declared the predominant policy that believers cannot join in “public fasts, feasts, and what they term holy days” that were “devised in man’s will” (i.e. not by God’s will) because “outward observations” have been supplanted by “the spiritual dispensation of the Gospel.” Each day of the year was to be holy unto God, not just special “days and times.” That same emphasis on inner spiritual life over outward ceremony underlies the Quakers’ elimination of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which remains a distinctive practice for all segments of the faith.

Jehovah’s Witnesses strictly forbid Christmas and Easter observances for a reason that some Quakers have also cited, that these  holidays lack a biblical basis and stem from paganism. Similarly, in bygone days the Quakers followed a “plain” or “scriptural” calendar that rejected common English names for days of the week and the months because they originally referred to worship of the sun and moon (Sunday, Monday) or pagan deities (January for Janus, Thursday as Thor’s day). Instead, Quakers would speak of First Day, First Month, etc."

Source: Patheos.com <http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionqanda/2013/04/quakers-easter-christmas/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork> 16.04.2017.

A Passage from St. Luke's Gospel

Today I want to share with uou a passage from the Gospel of Luke about the requirements of salvation: What we need to do to be saved.

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." Luke 10:25 - 37

What we need to do to inherit eternal life is to simply "[...]love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

John 19:1 - 42

Plead the cause of the poor and needy

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8-9

There was a certain rich man

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:19-31

The rich man shall fade away in his ways

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways." James 1:9-11

The Basics about George Fox

The BCW-Project has an article about George Fox. So far I have quoted him without introducing him, but now the reader can become acquainted with him too. Here are a few quotes:

"The son of a prosperous Puritan weaver of Leicestershire, George Fox was apprenticed to a shoemaker around 1635. During his youth, he was plagued by periods of melancholy and religious torment, which led him to adopt an itinerant life as a travelling shoemaker. He travelled around Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire seeking out clergymen and others for spiritual guidance, but broke away from the established church when he found it unable to meet his needs.
At some time in 1647, Fox experienced a spiritual revelation which convinced him that all earthly authority (church or state) was corrupt; God's message came to individuals directly through the Inner Light of their personal inspiration. Fox proclaimed his message as he travelled around the Midlands and the North, attracting small groups of followers who called themselves Friends of the Truth, but became popularly known as Quakers."

"During the mid-1650s, the Quaker movement spread to Bristol, London and southern England. When Fox came to London in March 1655, he was personally interviewed by Lord Protector Cromwell, whom he impressed with his plain speaking and religious sincerity. Despite Cromwell's broadly sympathetic view, however, many Quakers were imprisoned by local magistrates for causing disturbances in their regions. Fox himself was imprisoned under harsh conditions at Launceston in Cornwall from January to September 1656 when he travelled to the West Country."

"During the reigns of Charles II and James II, Fox struggled to consolidate the Quaker movement in the face of persecution from the government and internal divisions within the movement itself. He travelled to the West Indies and the American colonies and visited Ireland, Holland and Germany, but his health was weakened by fourteen months' imprisonment at Worcester for refusing to take the oath required by the Test Act of 1673. While at Worcester, he began dictating his autobiography, also known as his "Journal", which was published posthumously in 1694. George Fox's Autobiography is regarded as a classic of inspirational religious literature, though it tends to downplay or ignore the controversies within the early Quaker movement."

Source:The BCW-project's homepage <http://bcw-project.org/biography/george-fox>27.03.2017.

Through the eye of a needle

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matthew 19:23-24

The Basics about James Nayler

Some Basic information about the influential Quaker James Nayler is to be found at the BCW-project's page http://bcw-project.org/biography/james-nayler

Here's some quotes:

"Born at Ardsley near Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire, James Nayler was a farmer until the outbreak of the First Civil War when he left his farm in the care of his wife and daughters and enlisted in the Parliamentarian army. He served under the Fairfaxes in Yorkshire and later became a quartermaster in John Lambert's regiment of horse in the New Model Army. [...] He left the army in 1651 owing to ill health, returned to Yorkshire and resumed farming. According to his own account, however, a heavenly voice interrupted him whilst ploughing one day and commanded him to leave home and take to the road as an itinerant preacher. Nayler became associated with the Children of the Light, the sect popularly known as the Quakers."

"Nayler [...] travelled to Bristol in company with seven Friends, including Martha Simmonds. The group travelled in procession through Glastonbury and Wells and entered Bristol on 24 October. Nayler went on horseback while his companions sang hosannas and cast garments before him in what many regarded as a blasphemous imitation of Christ's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The Bristol Quakers immediately disassociated themselves from Nayler and his followers, who were arrested and charged under the Blasphemy Act of 1650. Although Nayler maintained it was a symbolic act, he was accused of impersonating Christ and claiming divine status. The case came to the attention of the Second Protectorate Parliament. Despite legal doubts regarding Parliament's authority to conduct a trial, Nayler was taken to London to answer to the House of Commons. "

And :

"Many MPs were suspicious of the religious freedom granted under the Protectorate and regarded Nayler's case as an example of the worst excesses of toleration. In December 1656, a majority declared him guilty of blasphemy and a fierce debate ensued regarding the extent of his punishment, with some MPs demanding that he should be stoned to death in accordance with the Old Testament penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Despite Cromwell's call for leniency, Nayler was sentenced to be whipped through the streets, exposed in the pillory, have his tongue bored through with a red-hot iron and to have the letter "B" for blasphemer branded on his forehead. He was then returned to Bristol and made to repeat his ride in reverse while facing the rear of his horse. Finally, he was taken back to London and committed to solitary confinement in Bridewell for an indefinite period. His supporters proclaimed Nayler's Christ-like suffering during his ordeal."

Source: BCW-project's homepage <http://bcw-project.org/biography/james-nayler>25.03.2017

More on Prayer

Consider now the prayer-life of Jesus. It comes out most clearly in the record of St Luke, who leaves us with the impression that prayer was the most vital element in our Lord’s life. He rises a great while before day that he may have some hours alone with His Father. He continues all night in prayer to God. Incident after incident is introduced by the statement that Jesus was praying. Are we so much nearer God that we can afford to dispense with that which to Him was of such vital moment? But apart from this, it seems to me that this prayer-habit of Jesus throws light upon the purpose of prayer.

I think of those long hours alone with God. Quite obviously petition can have had a very small place in our Lord’s thoughts. We cannot suppose that He whose chief desire was that God’s will should be done in all things could have been incessantly asking, asking. There must have been a sacred interchange far deeper than this. Especially are we sure that He was not praying for material blessings to be enjoyed by Himself alone. On the only occasion recorded in which He asked (in perfect submission) something for Himself, at Gethsemane, His request was not granted.

My own belief is that outward circumstances are not often (I will not say never) directly altered as a result of prayer. That is to say, God is not always interfering with the working of the natural order. But indirectly by the working of mind upon mind great changes may be wrought. We live and move and have our being in God; we are bound up in the bundle of life in Him, and it is reasonable to believe that prayer may often find its answer, even in outward things, by the reaction of mind upon mind. Prayer is not given us to make life easy for us, or to coddle us, but to make us strong … to make us masters of circumstance and not its slaves. We pray, not to change God’s will, but to bring our wills into correspondence with His.

William Littleboy, 1937

Source: Quaker Faith and Practice<http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/2/>23.03.2017. 

A Quote on Prayer

"Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit from thy own thoughts, and then thou wilt feel the principle of God to turn thy mind to the Lord God, whereby thou wilt receive his strength and power from whence life comes, to allay all tempests, against blusterings and storms. That is it which moulds up into patience, into innocency, into soberness, into stillness, into stayedness, into quietness, up to God, with his power."
George Fox, 1658

Source: Quaker Faith and Practice <http://qfp.quaker.org.uk/chapter/2/>22.03.2017.

Feeling inspired again

In this short article I will analyse how George Fox talks about the world and worldly things in his epistles. “For those who have their conversation in this world, and only mind the things of this world, profess godliness in vain.” He says in epistle number two: “But the children of God, who are conceived and begotten of him, are not of this world, neither do they mind only the things of this world, but the things which are eternal.” The things of the world are thus not eternal but temporary and the children of God focus their energies on the things which are eternal since they are not of this world. In the next sentence in the same letter he says “But the children of this world do mostly mind the external things, and their love is in them, and the others live by faith; the one is sanctified by the word, the other painted with the words.” The things of the world are not just temporary as opposed to eternal they are also external as opposed to internal. They are on the outside. He continues “The children of God are pure in heart, not looking only at the outside.” This is opposed to the children of the world who look only at the outside. He says in the same letter “So, marvel not if the world hates you; for the world lies in hatred and wickedness.” “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1 John 3:13) and “[...] the whole world lieth in wickedness.”(1 John 5:19) The world lies in hatred and wickedness and sin. He continues “Whoever loves this world, are enemies to Christ; and whoever loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and have him for their Lord over them, they are redeemed out of the world. “He says and referring thus to 1 John 2:15 – 16 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” We are redeemed out of the world as it says in Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

There is a worldly nature within us and there is a struggle between Christ in us and the worldly nature in us “The world would have a Christ, but not to rule over them; the nature of the world chains down Christ in man, until Christ has subdued that nature in man.” He continues:” While the nature of the world rules in man, oh, the deaf ears and blind eyes, and the understandings, that are all shut up among them, with which they judge! But those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, do not mind the world's judgment, nor are troubled at it; but consider all our brethren, who have gone before us.” This worldly nature will make one spiritually blind and deaf. The worldly nature is probably the same as the carnal mind as he writes in letter seven “Love that which judges the carnal mind, and crosses it, “ referring to Romans 8:6 – 8 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

The truth will lead one out of the world as he writes in another letter. Letter 13: “And so, walk in the truth, and all of you be servants to it, and it will lead you out of the world. The world would have the truth to serve them, to talk of, to trade with, and to contend with; these are the wells without water, these are the trees without fruit. “ He continues writing that “those who dwell in the spirit of the Lord” [...] “see all these things, and are separated from them.” Life in the world is fulfillment of the lusts of the flesh. He writes:  “So if you live in the spirit, and walk in it, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which will lead into uncleanness, and into adultery, and into that which despises dignity, which defiles the flesh, and goes from the pure.” In letter fifteen he writes “Every one in particular, who are of God, and not of the world, walk out of the world's vain customs, ordinances, and commands; and stand a witness against them all, in the testimony of Jesus,[...]” The world’s customs, ordinances and commands refer to Mark chapter 7:6 - 8 where Jesus says “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.” Furthermore he says in the same letter that “And be famous in his light, and bold in his strength, which will carry you above the world, and above all the deceits of it.” The world is full of deceits but God’s strength and light will carry one above all this. He also writes “But as you dwell in that which is of God, it guides you up out of the elementary life, and out of the mortal into the immortal, which is hidden from all the fleshly ones, where is peace and joy eternal to all who can witness the new birth.” The fleshly ones must mean those who follow the carnal mind, that is the worldly nature.

In letter sixteen he writes “To all you, my dear friends, who have tasted of the immediate, working power of the Lord, and find an alteration in your minds, and see from where virtue comes, and strength, that renews the inward man, and refreshes you; which draws you in love to forsake the world, and that which has form and beauty in it to the eye of the world; and has turned your minds within, [...]” The world and that which has form an beauty in the eye of the world is to be forsaken in the new life of the believer who turns their mind within. Here we find that he is contrasting the external with the internal. The external world contrasted to the Spirit within. In letter seventeen he writes “The light checks you, when you speak an evil word, and tells you that you should not be proud or unrestrained, nor fashion yourselves like the world; for the fashion of this world passes away.” The fashions of the world are temporary as explained above, and since the fashions of this world are temporary one need not concern oneself with them but concentrate on the things which are eternal. One final quote from the same letter and then I’m done “If you hearken to the light in you, it will not allow you to conform to the evil ways, customs, fashions, delights, and vanities of the world; but lead you to purity, to holiness, to uprightness, even up to the Lord.” In short I think George Fox is saying that purity, holiness and uprightness are what one should aim for not conforming to the ways of the world but doing what is right. That we should look critically at the ways of the world and not automatically follow every trend, fashion and custom. That we must have the courage to question our own customs and habits and ask ourselves if we are doing the right thing in following them. That we must not judge people based on their external appearance or their social status only but try to look beyond the surface. What is external and temporary then? -  Your clothes, your jewels, your possessions your worldly goods all the external things people use to signal status, but in the new life in Christ we are not supposed to judge people based on their possessions or their looks.  

Source:

A Collection of Many Select Epistles to Friends of That Ancient, Eminent, and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ George Fox <http://www.hallvworthington.com/Letters/gfsection1.html> 19.03.2017.