The three of us, Jonathan, Manasseh and Carolyn, we desired for a long time to find a way, even a small way to reach the on-line music community. In 2012 during one of many discussions where we used the bible to describe things, I came upon the small section in the book “The Cloistered Heart” by Nancy Shuman in where she talked that in the cloister there are no mirrors. This brought such a wonderful conversation that we decided to record it. The recording you will hear today is not the original for the audio was not a good quality, but we covered the main parts again today in our blog post that we have entitled, “No Mirrors.”
Discusison 12/03/13 – No Mirrors - The Birth of Treasure Vessels
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Lead Scripture:
Matthew 22:37
“37 Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind, and this is the first and greatest commandment, and second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
How can we love God with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbor if we are too busy looking in the mirror loving only what is ours and fighting to be the one on top?
Discusison 12/03/13 – No Mirrors - The Birth of Treasure Vessels
Jonathan
Sautter - http://soundcloud.com/1guitar4jo
Manasseh Nand - http://soundcloud.com/manasseh-monu
Carolyn
Burnette - http://soundcloud.com/carolb123
Download or subscribe on iTunes
Lead Scripture:
Matthew 22:37
“37 Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind, and this is the first and greatest commandment, and second is like unto it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
How can we love God with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbor if we are too busy looking in the mirror loving only what is ours and fighting to be the one on top?
LYRICS
NO MIRRORS
From the book: The Cloistered Heart by Nancy Shuman
Pp 39 – her writing of August 16, 1992
http://www.amazon.com/The-Cloistered-Heart-Nancy-Shuman/dp/1466494581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363280743&sr=8-1&keywords=the+cloistered+heart
“I have heard there are no mirrors in cloisters. Certainly this makes a great deal of sense. The cloister is not a place for self-focus. One’s eyes must begin to turn, there, from self to God. That is the point.”
Cloister: a place of religious seclusion, as a monastery or convent that is closed off from laity. To be shut in, bolted, enclosed by choice.
Cloistered Heart: To give one’s life, heart, mind, soul, strength and love over to the will of God. The Cloistered Heart is a symbol, a way to look at choosing to do God’s will and not your own as a daily practice that will take many steps over your lifetime. It is a symbol of being enclosed spiritually in His will as in a protected place, protected from the bombardment of the world into this sacred and holy place. The walls are high and impenetrable, and though you can see the world through the grillwork it cannot come inside where you are. A person will choose to give their life to God like this because of love for Jesus and want to be with Him. It is not a place for escape from the world, but it is a place where we must face our daily lives in this earth where God has placed us. We must complete the tasks put before us and so dedicate our entire life to God. It is not something easy to explain on paper but must be observed and lived.
Pp 39 – her writing of August 16, 1992
http://www.amazon.com/The-Cloistered-Heart-Nancy-Shuman/dp/1466494581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363280743&sr=8-1&keywords=the+cloistered+heart
“I have heard there are no mirrors in cloisters. Certainly this makes a great deal of sense. The cloister is not a place for self-focus. One’s eyes must begin to turn, there, from self to God. That is the point.”
Cloister: a place of religious seclusion, as a monastery or convent that is closed off from laity. To be shut in, bolted, enclosed by choice.
Cloistered Heart: To give one’s life, heart, mind, soul, strength and love over to the will of God. The Cloistered Heart is a symbol, a way to look at choosing to do God’s will and not your own as a daily practice that will take many steps over your lifetime. It is a symbol of being enclosed spiritually in His will as in a protected place, protected from the bombardment of the world into this sacred and holy place. The walls are high and impenetrable, and though you can see the world through the grillwork it cannot come inside where you are. A person will choose to give their life to God like this because of love for Jesus and want to be with Him. It is not a place for escape from the world, but it is a place where we must face our daily lives in this earth where God has placed us. We must complete the tasks put before us and so dedicate our entire life to God. It is not something easy to explain on paper but must be observed and lived.
Scriptures from Discussion
Genesis 3:6
“6The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it.”
From the beginning we have all wanted what we want over what God has told us. We are easily deceived into believing God’s word is not true because we are self-centered beings.
We can focus on our self or decide to trust God. The time will come when we will see the fruit of our choices. The things we choose in this world may seem desirable but like with Adam and Eve, our selfish choices can turn out to be real ugly in reality.
It is better to look at God and trust Him than to trust our own thoughts.
Genesis 3:6
“6The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it.”
From the beginning we have all wanted what we want over what God has told us. We are easily deceived into believing God’s word is not true because we are self-centered beings.
Proverbs 1:1
“3 Fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend
on your own understanding.”We can focus on our self or decide to trust God. The time will come when we will see the fruit of our choices. The things we choose in this world may seem desirable but like with Adam and Eve, our selfish choices can turn out to be real ugly in reality.
1 John 2:15-17
“15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the
eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from
the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its
lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever...”It is better to look at God and trust Him than to trust our own thoughts.
Psalm
3:1-4
“1Lord, how are they increased
that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many
there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But
thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I
cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.
Selah.”
When we put our trust in
God then He delivers us even from fear.
Psalm 34:1-6
“1
I will bless the
LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the
LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the
LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked unto
him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man
cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
2
Corinthians 4:5-7
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we
have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be
of God, and not of us.”
It is so much better to praise and boast in
the Lord than in our selves. How can we
boast in ourselves when we did not make ourselves or the gifts God has given
each of us? Bless the Lord for all the
good He has done in your life.
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