Comments on: A Simple Testimony

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 21:25:16 +0000

Martin, this post warmed my heart and encouraged me very much.
Love,
Amanda

By: John Edminster

John Edminster — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:57:26 +0000

- Job Scott. Lovely! A powerful critique of the "outwardly good act" is to be found in Nikolai Berdyaev's _The Destiny of Man_ (ca. 1935), esp. p. 165ff. of the Harper Torchbooks edition, where he rejects all valuations of good or bad means and ends as "spiritual utilitarianism," and argues that goodness inheres only in the answer of a good conscience toward God [a phrase that, you may recall, George Fox took from I Peter 3:21 to explain Quakers' denial of water baptism]: "What is horrible is not the lying which is recognized as a sin, but the lying which is taken to be a virtue...In the spiritual life there is no distinction and opposition between ends and means. The essential thing is of what spirit a man is... if he is not of God's spirit, no lofty aims will improve him and he will always apply bad means, substituting them for ends." Friend Martin, this wisdom is growing on me. Everywhere I see others, and catch myself, doing "good deeds" according to the world's prudential logic and not according to the spirit of holy obedience - and without the slightest doubt about our own capacity to do good. As the world around us grows darker, we grow more and more desperate to "stop Bush" or have a noticeable positive effect on things elsewhere, like within our Friends' meetings or our families - but fail to turn to God in prayer, saying "make me into an instrument of Your goodness," and trust that God will do that - in God's own time. I appreciate your consistent voice of wisdom and sanity. I particularly liked your story of the Holy Spirit leading you to play volleyball.

By: Martin Kelley

Martin Kelley — Sat, 26 Mar 2005 11:27:11 +0000

Hi Joe: Maybe I’ll someday be able to hear God speak through Lily. I suspect the good Lord knows that might be too much for me to handle at this time; more seasoning is needed before I can handle that! And yes, I did sort of quietly reintroduce the Quaker Ranter Reader again. I don’t want to make a big deal about it; I figure the people who might want to find it will find it. Martin

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 08:52:21 +0000

>>It’s not about the program. It’s about the >>love. It’s about the obedience to follow the >>Spirits’s prompt out of book, into a >>conversation, then onto a makeshift volleyball >>court. We never truly know how we are being >>used. I share this testimony not to encourage >>volleyball use but to sing aloud the Spirit’s >>beautiful unknowingness. What joy to know we >>can shake ourselves of our over-active agendas >>and know the Spirit experimentally! A simple Amen! to your simple testimony. God bless you and your family. Have a happy and blessed Easter. --Barbara

By: Robin Mohr

Robin Mohr — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 23:22:18 +0000

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Amen

By: Joe G.

Joe G. — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 14:43:44 +0000

Lovely, Martin, the post is lovely! Thanks for this testimony. When in doubt, return to the Source of all things. Thank God for that! Amen and amen.
PS: One hasn’t experienced the voice of the Spirit until one has heard it as Lily! 😉
PPS: I just noticed your Quaker Ranter Reader. Did you make an announcement that I missed? Did you quietly put it up for us to find on our own?