We need to APPLY what it says.....

Hi Hanah,

Most Christians wonder why their lives are not more blessed. They read the Bible and try not to  sin. But often their lives remain or even become more miserable.

What Christians miss is that reading the Bible alone does not help us much. We need to APPLY what it says.

Many non-Christians are successful.  The reason is that unknowingly they apply Biblical principles and thus have success. The Biblical principles work for any person.

It is like with the laws of gravity. Just knowing about them, even theoretically fully comprehending them alone, does not help. We need apply them and protect ourselves in dangerous situations.

Yes, God always can bail us out, but he rather wants us to grow up and apply the Biblical principles.

The book of proverbs is an often studied book by Christians. But few really embrace the principals and put them into practice.

Reading without applying the Bible leads to a mere, fruitless and frustrating religion. It makes us discouraged about our lives and then angry with God.

I challenge you to APPLY the Bible on a daily basis.

The reason that I have not grown as much as I should have, is that I have not put the Bible always in practice.

I challenge you to be smarter and more successful than I.

Warm greetings, 

Paul, 10 Jan 2014

Hatef Esfehani: Silk will not three things be, though it appears Sometimes as satin, damask or brocade...

Dear Paul

Enclosed I send you a very nice Persian poem from a Persian Poet Hatef Esfehani; Here is also the translation:

'Once in a church I saw a Christian maid. 
'Thou who dost hold my heart in thrall!' I said. 
'Thou whose unraveled girdle is entwined 
With every hair of mine, and forms one braid! 

Till when from faith in Unity astray? 
Triune to call the One, art, not afraid? 
How can as Father, Son and Holy Ghost 
The one true God be fittingly arrayed?' 
Parting her lovely lips, sweet words she spoke, 
Smiling and laughing, answered undismayed, 
'If of God's Unity thou art assured, 
Call us not infidels, nor us upbraid! 
Iii triple mirrors God in endless love 
Has his resplendent countenance displayed. 
Silk will not three things be, though it appears 
Sometimes as satin, damask or brocade!' 

While thus in colloquy we were absorbed, 
This noble chant the church bell loudly played, 

'God is but one: there can no other be.

One is the Lord, and there is none but He.'

Hannah

 Source:  http://www.farsinet.com/ChristInPersianPoetry/classical_poets2.html

Rumi, Luke9: For whoever wants to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Dear Paul

Another beautiful sonnet from Rumi, which reminds me of this Holey Sentences:


"For whoever wants to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" Luke 9: 24-25


Rumi says: 

All your unrest is because you are looking for rest
Be a restless seeker, then you will find rest....

آن نفسی که با خودی یار چو خار آیدت

وآن نفسی که بی‌خودی یار چه کار آیدت؟!!

آن نفسی که با خودی خود توشکار پشه ای

وآن نفسی که بی‌خودی پیل شکار آیدت

آن نفسی که با خودی بسته‌ی ابر غصه ای

وآن نفسی که بی خودی مه به کنار آیدت

وآن نفسی که با خودی یار کناره می‌کند

وآن نفسی که بیخودی باده یار آیدت

آن نفسی که با خودی هم چو خزان فسرده ای

وان نفسی که بیخودی دی چو بهار آیدت

جمله بی قراریت از طلب قرار توست

طالب بی قرار شو تا که قرار آیدت

جمله ی نا گوارشت از طلب گوارشست

ترک گوارش ار کنی زهر گوار آیدت

جمله ی بی مرادیت از طلب مراد توست

ورنه همه مراد ها همچو نثار آیدت

عاشق جور یار شو عاشق مهر یار نی

تا که نگار نازگر عاشق زار آیدت

 خسرو شرق شمس دین از تبریز چون رسد

از مه  و  از  ستاره  والله  عار آیدت*

Hafez, Galatians 6: The one who sows to please Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life

Dear Paul

Imagine that how much satisfying can be reading Scriptures, remembering sonnets you always loved, and you have been reading for many years, from your childhood.... 

How many times teachers, parents, elders of family, have been reading these sonnets, to teach us divine laws of universe and we have been listening to them?!  

 We may never knew that they are Biblical Stories and Principles expressing in a profound Persian Literature...

 How many of us really apply these Divine Laws or Biblical Principles in their life?

Few nights ago I was passing through these scriptures, thinking that how much we do really sow to please Spirit? 

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers". Galatians 6: 7-10

I remembered one of beautiful sonnets of Hafez Shirazi (1325- 1389):

'In the garden sky I saw the new moon reaping 
And minded was I of my own life's field: 
What harvest wilt thou to the sickle yield 
When through thy fields the moon-shaped knife goes sweeping?...'

(Translation of first line of the sonnet, by R. Le Gallienne)

'If thou, like Christ, be pure and single-hearted, 
Who once ascended far beyond the sky, 
Thy life will shine with beams of light, whereby 
The sun will brighten by thy light imparted.'

 (Translation of third line of the sonnet, by Mr. Sharp)

     
مزرع سبز فلک دیدم و داس مه نو                 یادم از کشته خویش آمد و هنگام درو

گفتم ای بخت بخسبیدی و خورشید دمید           گفت با اینهمه از سابقه نومید مشو

گر روی پاک و منزه به مسیحا چو فلک          از فروغ تو به خورشید رسد صد پرتو

تکیه بر اختر شب دزد مکن کین عیار            تاج کاووس ببرد و کمر کیخسر

گوشوار زر و لعل ارچه گران دارد گوش        در خوبی گذران است نصیحت بشنو

چشم بد دور ز خال تو که در عرصه حسن      بیدقی راند که برد از مه و خورشید گرو

آسمان گو مفروش این عظمت، کاندر عشق     خرمن مه به جوی خوشه پروین به دو جو

آتش زهد و ریا خرمن دین خواهد سوخت       حافظ این خرمن پشمینه بینداز و برو

We have been to Hafez's tomb in Shiraz, do you remember? 

 I wish you knew Persian Language and you could enjoy the literature as well.

With my prayers

Hannah

27 March, 2014

Source of translation: http://www.farsinet.com/ChristInPersianPoetry/classical_poets2.html