Spiritual rebirth on Annunciation Day

As of yesterday, the 25th March 2007, I, Nicodemus, commit to living life as a better Christian. Like many of us, I have been guilty of a fair amount of backsliding in the last few years. I have been too easily led into temptation - sometimes making no effort to avoid it.

Psalm 51

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Yesterday was good day to pick for starting anew. In the Christian calendar it is Annunciation Day. A day to celebrate the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ. And how better to this than with a renewed vow of faithfulness to Him.

God Bless you all - N

Blessed is the lion which becomes man

I have just been reading about the gospel of Thomas. This is a gospel that did not make it into the New Testament but is believed to have been written in the first century. The gospel of Thomas is not a narrative gospel (like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) but a 'sayings' gospel. It is thought to contain the sayings of Jesus as collected by the apostle Thomas. There are 114 verses (sayings) in all. Some of these have obvious parallels in the NT but others are more esoteric. One that paticularly interest me is verse 7.

Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man

The meaning of this is open to interpretation but I believe the Lion represents 'The World'. So the meaning is something like:- A man can make the ungodly world holy by being holy, but if the ungodly world seduces the man, the man becomes ungodly. Something worth considering as the seductions of the world seem to increase.

God Bless - N