Thinking on These Things

Think Earth

2011-04-23T09:54:00.005-05:00

Would you knock down religion because some religious people are extremist, some practice it for the wrong reasons, and others are hypocrites? Why knock down caring for God's green earth for those weak reasons?

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

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My cousin posted this article on Earth Day: "Think Globally; Act Irrationally". It's an article decrying the intelligence of state run recycling projects. Makes some good points, but I'm left wondering, so I guess because it's expensive to recycle our garbage, we should just step back and build bigger barns, er, landfills.

My response to him, which I only post here, because it's just me rambling, follows:

Now I see why you hate Greenies. Think of it this way; using the foolish simplicity of recycling by governments (who are quite often clueless of details because of the myriad of stuff they're involved in) as an example of why caring for the earth more than has been done for the past century or so, is like learning about Christianity from a Christmas-and-Easter Catholic teacher following a school curriculum containing shallow doctrine and man-made tradition based on expediency, control and money. Do you "throw out the baby with the bath water"?

OK, granted that recycling glass and plastic is expensive. So try buying less stuff in the first place, buy in bulk to have less garbage, shop at second hand stores, carry your own shopping bags, grow some of your own food or herbs so we don't have to ship everything in... all changes in a lazy "serve me" lifestyle, and only small steps that anybody can do to show that the human brain is being used to care for the green earth God gave us to care for. It's LIKE the old story of the kid who earned his first truck and works to take care of it versus the kid who is given his first car and wraps it around a phone booth first month out.

We don't need to be wasteful landfill and barge filling slobs to stand up against people who worship the earth, as if to try to prove to them that if the Earth were a god it would wake up and save itself from our exploitation. Nor do we need to slander and put down those who only believe the little bit of media that they hear about something as lame as what is considered needful recycling programs - rather we can educate them in a gentle way. Consider how you feel belittled when a Greenie tells you how ignorant you are and it makes you want to just be all the more wasteful: when you (or some talk show host) belittles them in a sarcastic way that leaves no margin for their having a brain to even consider your point of view, then they want to cling more tightly to their ways. Some weaker minds just might give up all together, change nothing and just learn to live with the problems which are staring us all in the face. If this article's title hadn't included the words "act irrationally" to thinking globally, then more people on who are trying to think globally would read it; as it is, they realize right away that they're being considered ignorant for what they're trying to do, and who wants to jump in and say, "oh, yeah! I'm acting irrationally in my supposed noble ideals - I'd better read this!"?

All I'm saying: Take the time to learn about Green things that work and are being learned, watch "the story of stuff" and other greenish materials, share some of these things with those who are ignorant about waste and trashing the world, realize that there are extremes on both ends, and then realize that there are appropriate things that we can all do to act more rationally.

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For more on this topic, see "The Greenness of God" at Answers in Genesis.

Longing and Contentment

2011-04-13T13:24:00.004-05:00

Today, read the daily entry from "Reaching Forward" daily thoughts: "Joyful Longing".

It begins with this simple statement: "IT IS POSSIBLE TO BE CONTENTED AND UNFULFILLED AT THE SAME TIME."

Sometimes I so long for perfection, for heavenly places, for true realized joy, that I am very aware of being unfulfilled, and I am not content. Some days my imperfections, and the imperfections of my spiritual family, seem to be so loud that I cannot hear the peaceful calming assurances that this life is to be enjoyed, that we are to "rejoice always". I do not count this as a discouragement, and so I don't look for encouragement from others. I do logically know and understand that I am to be confident of this very thing: that he who began a good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. But some days are gray.

Oh, what a melancholy choice this is: wanting home and wanting him.

But my longing is more desperate than joyful. And yet I am confident.

I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me,
yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

And the mental peace and confidence? "Being persuaded of this, that my continuance on earth is desirable for your welfare, and that the Lord has a work for me to do, I confidently expect that I shall be permitted to live."

For your furtherance and joy of faith - For the increase of your faith, and the promotion of that joy which is the consequence of faith. Wetstein has quoted a beautiful passage from Seneca (Epis. 104) which strikingly resembles this sentiment of Paul. He says that when a man had meditated death, and when on his own account he would be willing to die, yet that he ought to be willing to live - to come back again to life - for the sake of his friends. Pagan adds: "It pertains to a great mind to be willing to come back to life for the sake of others; which distinguished people often do." -- Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This is why C.S. Lewis pointed out so often that true joy is not the same thing as circumstantial happiness. It's more cerebral than emotional.

Leadership

2011-03-15T14:19:00.002-05:00

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus, Mark 10:42-45

How do we lead? I have just been invited to join the exclusive social network called, 'Triiibes'. I had to look it up to see what Tribes was all about. It seems that the author of the network and the book for which it is named has come up with a new notion that a group or "tribe" is the most ideal way to get things done; in a tribe every one is a leader of sorts, I take it. This group is composed for leaders and marketers. I applied to join.

In the application to join 'Triiibes' is a list of questions about yourself: what is your tribe?, what can Triiibes do for you?, what is your passion? Then it left a space for the applicant's own 'self promotion'. While reading through and thinking of this list, I thought about leadership, and the type of leadership I use. I also thought about the type of leadership that God wants us to use.

You'll notice the pink colouring of this blog - it's pink. I want you to know that when I type, it is not from a male-type, dictatorial brand of leadership that tells or teaches you what you should know and do. I am trying to merely share, to think together. When I speak about these things, I do that wearing a headcovering, to mark my place as a woman. I believe that women are made for mankind - out of the same stuff, and yet different for a reason. We glue together, we build up, we encourage, we make work, we manage. This is the stuff of what many would call 'leadership', and yet it is not dictatorial or authoritarian so much as a leading by example. A pulling up, rather than a pushing on. I hope that is what I convey in all of my blogs - helpfulness, not pushiness. It isn't that I want you to do it MY way, but the BEST way, or the MOST APPROPRIATE way. Hopefully, that means to both you and I: GOD'S way.

Thing is, men and women are both to lead this way: by example, by getting in the fields with the sheep and leading them in the right way, by serving, by ... being submissive to one another. We lead, encourage, help, and 'teach' by being truthful, being noble, being kind, being pure of heart, being lovely and admirable and virtuous. Who doesn't want to follow that kind of man or woman? They don't push, they calmly and peacefully lead, and we clamour on to follow them. And so we should seek to lead others by example, by love.

That's how I want to always lead, and yet I sometimes get impatient or exasperated and become a bear. Perhaps, I think, if I would truly think on these things of Philippians 4:8 more, if I would think about what I am teaching others by my example, maybe even keep myself to it by writing about it and sharing about it more, then I would be able to be the kind of leader that God wants me to be.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson

Thinking about Education in America

2010-03-21T16:16:00.007-05:00

Why teaching is 'not like making motorcars'

By John D. Sutter, CNN

March 17, 2010 7:00 a.m. EDT

Watch this short video and read the article on problems in modern education at this link.

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Below is a reply, not meant personally, that I wrote after posting this link (with no personal comments attached) to my personal blog, and promptly getting some flack about it from a lady who is a really good teacher. For the record, I personally don't think that the problem is with the teachers so much as with the system that they are forced to try to teach under. Does the normal, average teacher really care about the students and try to inspire them rather than just teach to the tests? I think they do! But there are many problems for the normal, average teacher, and for the really good ones too. My thoughts?

The normal teacher goes through the heartaches of working with administrations that don't care as much about the teachers, putting them where they're needed rather than being able to place them where they'd be the best use, having to teach to the tests and comparisons with other school districts, all the while being paid a salary that means that many need a second income for their home;
the normal teacher works more hours than the average person works every day and on weekends in order to get it all done ... it's as if there aren't enough hours in your school day to get done all that you need to do, as if your kids have to achieve a certain number of standards or something by the end of the year and that's why you have to spend so much time cramming it all in;
all kinds of kids and parents are complaining all over the country about the number of hours of home work that they have on top of school hours in order to learn some preassigned amount of information by a certain time;
music and other electives are being dropped all over the country (it's good that some districts have started up specialization arts or tech. schools, but that apparently is highly not the norm according to what I'm reading);
parents need to be re-educated on how to raise a family, to encourage their own children in school, to find them electives and passions, to support them and teach them "outside of school skills" like morality and good manners, pointing to the fact that somewhere in their own education something has been taught wrong, or not taught at all, for years and generations possibly;
and education is and has been a high priority to our government for quite some time now - if things were looking up and not in trouble, would this be something that comes up all across the country, sometimes with anger, parents taking their kids out of some schools, strikes and unions for teachers and professors, and the numerous amounts of studies, books and opinion articles written about it?

I haven't even begun to think out the problems that have been brought up concerning our colleges and universities. But is it not obvious that something is out of whack in our education system? Not that it is like a family, and that there is not one that is perfect, but that this system needs fixing before it hurts someone. Or hurts more someones, perhaps.

What we're saying when we say there is something to think about in the video is that there's something wrong somewhere. And we need to think about it. No one is saying that everyone must home school. No one is blaming the teachers. (Well, some are blaming the teachers, but then some hated school all together, and apparently in some places maybe it was the teachers at fault). The system is cracked. If the system where you are is going well, then notice: is it mostly new ideas and charter programs? Maybe all that new stuff will eventually get out and help other systems too, and we will be glad for that. And then of course, the man in the video doesn't mean your system, so you don't need to get confrontational or defensive. Right?

But right now there is a problem with big schools. And standardization is part of it, and standardization is often illustrated by a production line where the product is supposed to all look alike. Boys and girls do the same work at the same ages. Secularization so that no religion is above any other and then all spirituality becomes demeaned. We've got more homosexuals and gender confusion in high schools, but rules against Christian and Muslim girls who want to wear modest headcoverings in class, or who fail PE because they don't want to dress "out". This all blends into the "everybody looks alike" secularization of the colleges and universities, and the modern workplace. Everyone must speak the same language, dress the same (which is generally grungy and or underdressed), watch the same popular, shallow, materialistic shows on tv, buy the same high prices commercially marketed products that we don't really need, and listen to what the news tells us is news, and what is important.

All I'm saying when I link to this video is that "big schools" and standardization is something to think about.

God's Good Gifts

2010-02-03T17:02:00.005-05:00

James 1:16-18

English Standard Version (ESV)

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

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Comparative Scriptures

"Every good gift ... is from above"

Psalm 85:12

Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.

Psalm 84:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

John 3:27

John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven."

1 Corinthians 4:7

. . . What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

"the Father of lights"

1 John 1:5

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

"no variation"

Malachi 3:6

"For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

"of his own will he brought us forth ..."

John 1:12-13

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:23

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

"that we should be a kind of firstfruits"

Ephesians 1:11-12

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Romans 8:19-23

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

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Alternate Translations

Amplified Bible (AMP)

16Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

17Every good gift and every perfect ([a]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

18And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Public Domain

¹⁶Be not led astray, my brethren beloved;

¹⁷every good giving, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the lights, with whom is no variation, or shadow of turning;

¹⁸having counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.

The Message (MSG)

^16-18So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

¹⁶Don't be fooled, my dear friends. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. ¹⁸He wanted us to be his own special people, ^[a] and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.

Footnotes:

James 1:18 his own special people: The Greek text has "the first of his creatures." The Law of Moses taught that the first-born of all animals and the first part of the harvest were special and belonged to the Lord.

Steadfastly Resisting Temptation

2010-01-22T14:54:00.007-05:00

James 1:12-15
English Standard Version

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

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Comparative Scriptures

"steadfast under trial"

James 5:11
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen s the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Mathhew 10:22
21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

1 Peter 3: 13-17
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, . . . 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also s live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

"crown of life"

1 Corinthians 9:25
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

2 Timothy 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

"which God has promised to those who love him"

James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?

"sin ... brings forth death"

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Alternate Translations

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹²Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one.

¹⁴But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

¹⁵Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

New International Version (NIV)

¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

¹³When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

The Message (MSG)

¹²Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

^13-15Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

What passes away

2010-01-18T09:37:00.005-05:00

James 1:9-11 (English Standard Version)

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

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Comparative Scriptures

Jeremiah 9:23

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."

Isaiah 40:7

A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.

Psalm 37:2

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

1 Corinthians 7:31

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

1 Peter 1:24

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

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Alternative Translations

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁹Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God],

¹⁰And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

¹¹For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits.

New International Version (NIV)

⁹The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. ¹⁰But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Wisdom and Prayer

2010-01-15T08:44:00.006-05:00

From the Letter of James, "chapter" 1,
from the New King James Version (NKJV), Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.:

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

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Comparative Scripture Verses

All quotes below are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

1 Kings 3:9-12
⁹ Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?"

¹⁰It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹And God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

Proverbs 2:3-6
³yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
⁴if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
⁵then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
⁶For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Matthew 7:7
⁷"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

See also Luke 11:9-13

Mark 11:24
²⁴Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 21:18-22
²¹And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. ²²And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

Ephesians 4:11-16
¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— (NKJV)

James 4:8
⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

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Alternative Translations

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁵If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of ^a]">the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

⁶Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

⁷For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,

⁸[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Public Domain

⁵and if any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all liberally, and not reproaching, and it shall be given to him;

⁶and let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed,

⁷for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord --

⁸a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.

The Message (MSG)

^5-8If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

⁵If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. ⁶But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. ^7-8If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.

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From memory:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like the the winds of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. Let not that one suppose that he will receive anything of the Lord - he is double-minded, unstable in all his ways.

Summing up:

"If" any lacks? We all lack wisdom in some way, and yet God, the Great Giver, wants to give us understanding, and is ready to give it to us . . . if we'd just turn around, and really TRUST God, and stop leaning on our own understanding. We think we have to rationalize, to analyze, to "come to grips with" various ideas and problems, and yet it is all that thinking about and weighing out two (or more) sides of things that is keeping us FROM receiving the wisdom from above.

James 3:13 and 17 -- Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. . . . But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Thinking on James

2010-01-11T12:05:00.007-05:00

I'm starting a personal study on the Letter from James which will include memorizing a verse or two until it's all memorized and [mostly] understood. Feel free to join in, in you come across this blog and have a comment to share. :)

James 1

1 James ^{(the brother of Jesus (?), a leader in the Jerusalem church, from Acts 12:17 and 15:13, 21)},
a servant ^{[bondservant; slave]} of God and^{(like Paul, Peter and Jude also referred to themselves)} of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes ^{(the Christian Jews only, or all the "grafted in" tribes of Israel?)} in the Dispersion: ^{(the Jews having already been scattered abroad, and now the persecuted Christians as well)}

Greetings.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

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Comparative Scripture Verses:

"Count it all joy"

Matthew 5:11-12

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Acts 5:17-42

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Romans 5:1-5

3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

2 Corinthians 12:10

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

"my brothers"

Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, adelphoi may refer either to men or to both men and women who are siblings (brothers and sisters) in God’s family, the church; also verses 16, 19

"when you meet trials of various kinds"

1 Peter 1:3-9

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

"the testing of your faith"

Job 23:10

10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

Psalm 66:10

10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

Proverbs 17:3

3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.

Isaiah 48:10

10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

"produces steadfastness"

James 5:10-11

10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Hebrews 10:32-39

36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

2 Peter 1:3-11

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

"that you may be perfect and complete"

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Matthew 5:48

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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Alternate Translations

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹JAMES, A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings (^{a]">[literal translation}^a]">]rejoice)!

²Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

³Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

⁴But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

Public Domain

¹James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ a servant, to the Twelve Tribes who are in the dispersion: Hail!

²All joy count [it], my brethren, when ye may fall into temptations manifold;

³knowing that the proof of your faith doth work endurance,

⁴and let the endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire -- in nothing lacking;

The Message (MSG)

¹I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello!

Faith Under Pressure

^2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

²My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rewriting from memory now:

James, the bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes scattered among the nations:

greetings!

Consider it pure joy, my brethren, when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patient endurance. And let endurance develop completely, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Summing up:

James wasn't just an 'anybody' who was trying to "lord it over the people" - he was a slave to the love and teachings of God and of Christ. He wrote to those far away and in need, as one not merely working for the LORD, but whom the LORD was working through. His first thought is for their encouragement - he reminds them that when (not if) they suffer, it will work out for their good, producing endurance, steadfastness, and "stick-to-it-tivity". Hang in there, he says, but in respectful and reverent language - not just because of an external reward but because of your own internal growth! To be perfect, like Christ is and was perfect - to be complete and lacking in nothing.... Yes, I can endure. Suffering may come for a night, but joy comes in the morning, and the eternal, spiritual rewards are worth the trials.

2 Corinthians 4:17 - For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison . . .

Hold Fast!

2009-11-12T20:44:00.004-05:00

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: "The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

I know your works, your love, and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead.

And all the churches will know that I am He who searches mind, and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

To the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come.

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' (Revelation 2:18-29).

"Hold Fast"

* We’re to hold fast to the Lord God (Deut. 10:20; 11:22). “For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him— then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves." --Deuteronomy 11:22-23

* We’re to hold fast to His Word and to sound doctrine (Ps. 119:31; Pr. 4:4; 1 Cor. 15:2; Phil 2:16; 2 Thes. 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 1:9; Rev. 3:3). "Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain." --Philippians 2:14-16

* We’re to hold fast to that which is good (Hosea 12:6; Rom. 12:9). "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." --Romans 12:9

* We are to hold fast to our confidence, our hope, the assurance that faith gives us through Christ (Heb. 3:6; 4:14; 6:18; 10:23). "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." --Hebrews 10:23

* And supremely we are to hold fast to Christ (Col. 2:19; Rev. 2:13). "'I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." --Revelation 2:13

(the image above can be found at: www.pbase.com/lightningcatcher07/image/75373216)

Jesus Christ taught in parables about those who hold fast in Matthew 13: 36-43.

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hold Fast"

O sailor on a treacherous sea,
Tho’ rent thy every sail may be,
Tho’ all thy earthly hopes are past,
And thou art clinging to the mast.

Hold fast a moment more,
Behold a light upon the shore;
Tho’ scarce a beam thine eye can see,
Thy Savior comes to rescue thee.

Hold fast, be strong and banish fear,
Look up, behold the harbor near;
A cry of joy from yonder strand,
Where loved ones wait to clasp thy hand.

Tho’ surges roll, and waves run high,
The Gospel lifeboat still is nigh;
It cannot from its course be driv’n,
’Tis sure to reach the port of Heav’n.

Oh, sailor! lift again thine eyes,
Behold with joy and glad surprise
A glorious morn, that dawns for thee,
Far, far beyond a stormy sea.

Oh, land of rest from toil and care,
Who would not long to enter there,
Where every throb of pain shall cease,
And every sigh be hushed to peace!

Hold fast a moment more,
Behold a light upon the shore;
Tho’ scarce a beam thine eye can see,
Thy Savior comes to rescue thee.

~ Fanny Crosby, 1908

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hold fast, my friends. Don't tolerate evil. In the midst of it all - of doubt, of fear, of illness or pain, of weakness, of death, of lonliness, of trials and of temptations - hold fast. Even when you cannot clearly see what you had earlier grasped hold of, hold fast - for the Truth did not change, just because you got older, more experienced, and have seen more of the world. Hold fast. Hang in there. Don't let go of the truth, or of your hope. There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Something I studied through and felt that it would be good to share. If you can find some nugget of goodness or Godliness here, grab it tight, and don't let go!

(with thanks to Nancy Leigh DeMoss, who posted the list of scriptures pertaining to holding fast during her own public studies of the letters to the churches of Revelation, at Revive Our Hearts)

Real Things versus Synthetics

2009-07-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

Most of us have tablecloths made out of a synthetic fiber - stain resistant, easy wash - and we all like synthetics because they look like the real thing, and they feel like the real thing, but they're not the real thing. The thing that got me thinking is that we like them because they take less care than the real thing.

So. How about our love for our spouse? our family? our church family? our God? Is it the real thing? Or is it a synthetic lookalike that's easier to take care of? Wow. That was something to think about.

I heard a preacher in an evangelical church point out that he felt that the reason so many churches aren't experiencing the revival that they need is because so many of the folks in the pews were never really repentant and committed to Christ and His Way. They don't need revival, he said, they need conversion. I'm thinking, that's got to be making some people angry with him - how dare he judge their hearts. I don't think he, or anyone, is judging hearts - as if we could. We are simply making observations. If things are never getting better, never getting better, never changing, always hard, and we're trying, trying, trying to do our best... maybe we haven't figured it out that it's not our best that we have to do.

A lot of us - from what I've seen and heard in my own experience - really are still struggling with the whole "I'm going to save myself because I'm so good" idea. We're not really committed to following Christ's laws and giving up ourselves totally to Him and to others; we want to hang on to our own ideas and plans and desires, and take some good advice from here and there in the Scriptures and sermons that we hear, as if the word of God were some great Chicken Soup for the Soul where we get to pick the stuff we like and the stuff that we think that WE can handle all by ourselves.

But did we die to self? Are we really trusting in GOD to take care of us? our marriage? our family? our church family? our nation? Or do we still think that it's all up to us?

Are we really considering that to die is gain? (Whether literally or figuratively)

Are we the real thing? Or just an imitation that seems easier to care for?

Just had to share those very convicting thoughts. Maybe someone out there needs the wake up call. I know I did - and do still - about a lot of things. God has blessed us all, so much.

Memories

2009-04-27T15:45:00.003-05:00

"A memorial is a reminder. Memorial; memory; to remember. It’s a reminder.

"Why do we need memorials? Because we need to remember.

"Why do we need to remember? Because we are prone to forget. We tend to forget what God has done for us, so we need memorials."

We meet together on the first day of each week to remember God's plan for mankind - the giving and sacrifice of Jesus - with the plain reminders of unleavened bread, and fruit of the vine.

As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:

²³For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁵In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

That's it for most folks. That's all.

If we do more than that - if we wear special jewelry or have a picture or other artwork in our home or church building - then what? I've always thought - maybe I was taught - that others would see me as "idolatrous", even though I do not worship the reminder, but only use it as a memorial. Those other reminders are just not in the commands of Jesus Christ.

But we do use reminders when we come together.

We use a song book, because it helps us to remember the words and the tune.

We use a permanent meeting place and have a regular time so that it is easy to remember to come together to encourage one another every week.

We wear special clothes (usually) when we come together, reminding us of the importance of our meetings with one another, showing respect for each other, and maybe even for some, the importance of coming before the King of kings in worship together.

We use a printed Bible, because we just can't remember all of God's word.

And we use reminders and memorials for people too.

We put up pictures and play songs and share precious memories when a person passes on or moves away, as a special service and memorial to them. We build monuments in the form of art or buildings for the hard work and/or sacrifice of some great person, from soldiers to benevolent businessmen. We spend hours on scrap books or journals to pass down to our children about their family tree and their heritage in this world. Some folks write songs, some write poetry, some write whole books about special people or places. Some folks start a trust fund or other helpful memorial to a person. Museums are built to house memorials to ancient civilizations, sports heroes, musicians and singers, and recent historical events, among other things.

For Jesus, we stop for a short time in the middle of our singing and preaching and teaching Bible stories, and maybe read a passage from the gospels, or from Isaiah, and quietly pass around a plate of flat bread, and tiny cups of grape juice. Now, let me say this: I WILL NOT JUDGE ANYONE'S HEART - I cannot see what goes on inside anyone's heart. God knows. But I know that some Sundays of my life I have been preoccupied with children or other thoughts, and the small ceremony of the Lord's Supper goes by quickly, and I realize too late that I missed it.

We need memorials to remember. We need to remember because we are prone to forget.

Now, I know. My clothing will not make me respect other people, but when I choose my clothing while respecting them, there is a difference. My headscarf will not make me submissive to my husband, but when I put it on and I remember what it stands for, there is a difference. Going to Bible class, or having a scheduled time for Bible study at home will not make me closer to God, but when I am drawing closer to Him in prayer and in reading His Word, there is a difference.

In the Old Covenant, God had the people take special days and build special monuments to remember. And He didn't stop there; He often said, so that when your children ask, "why", you can tell them. They weren't to be mindless laws - they were set up by God with a purpose.

^{Exodus 13:8-10} You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

^{Joshua 4:6-7}that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."

We may look at the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions, and notice how even some of their traditions were of the Jewish tradition, with physical reminders like incense, candles, statues, icons, altars, special clothes and other liturgy, and we may see how sometimes the physical memorials have changed from their original purposes by God (to be a humble reminder of all that HE has done) into vain repetitions, commandments of men, and even in some cases idolatry. And we shudder and proclaim that that will never happen to us. No physical memorials for us except the Lord's own personally instituted supper! No traditions except what is specifically said in scripture, like singing, reading scriptures, and preaching until midnight. No head coverings, no dressing more nicely for meeting together, no visual reminders like pictures except for the children, and even then it's "iffy". Men who continue to pray "in the KJV" are ridiculed - and perhaps it is may be more habit than a feeling of poetic reverence. We come as we are - casual - and we sing casually and behave casually and pray casually, because if there's too much ceremony, then, well! That ceremony might just become more important than what were supposed to remember, right?

Oh, we all know: Memorials can become meaningless, and time can wear away the names carved into even the strongest marble. Even the Lord's Supper can become a habit and a meaningless tradition. Do we need "more" memorials?

When we look around us at the various memorials to people and events, from statues to holidays to yearbooks to ribbons, and we think of the red poppies, "lest we forget", we know that we need memorials. Because we tend to forget.

I think if wearing a headcovering helps you to remember submission, then do it. If having verses cross stitched on your wall helps you to remember God's Word, then do it. If having a special time and place in your house for personal or family Bible study helps you to remember Him, then do it. If using incense in your home actually helps you to remember that your prayers are a sweet savor, as God said, then do it. If personal sacrifice of things that other Christians don't give up helps you to remember, then do it. If you write down your studies and blessings in a journal to help you remember, then do it. If fasting helps you to focus on other things than yourself, then do it. Don't tell someone else they've "got to" do it if they don't understand the memorial, but explain to them that there is a principle there - it's to help us remember.

I sometimes wish that we could always physically stand before the LORD in when we pray or sing together, that we could always feel the blessing of physically lifting empty hands in prayer, that we could go through every physical act of the passover feast to commemorate God's ancient victories, and celebrate some of the other feast days to remember God's blessings of harvest or freedom from captivity, that women would wear a head covering to pray and more modest and feminine clothing to remind them that they are not men, that we would give a real 10 percent off the top of our incomes for the work of the LORD - from giving to the local church to visiting the orphans and widows and meeting house to house - and then give even more!

But then, that would be ... what? Pentecostal? Evangelical? Radical? Cult-ish? Idolatrous? After all, we are about things of the Spirit now. The thing is, we are living right now in the midst of a physical world, in physical bodies. What we do and see and hear physically affects our spirit.

Here's a thought: We live in a part of the world where water comes straight into our house, and never think to thank the guys that invented plumbing, the guys that keep it going, the guys in local government that keep it working well, the guys that clean it and sanitize it. We just live and take clean, fresh, drinkable, convenient water for granted. Because we can.

And maybe some folks take for granted the one little memorial that Jesus asked us to do for Him before He died. We don't "need" all those other memorials that I mentioned. No, we don't "need" them. The only one Jesus commanded was the little supper. And I have a feeling that there are those out there who feel that they don't "need" that every week either.

I think we need more things to help us remember. Because I know that I tend to forget. Maybe you don't - and if so, then hurrah for you. Please don't write and tell me how much better than me you are, and don't thank God that you are not like this publican. Let's not make people who need help to remember feel worse, nor be to blind to our own possible weaknesses.

^{Hebrews 2:1}Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

^{Deuteronomy 6:6-9}And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

For real? Jesus didn't command that. We aren't saved by works. Yes. But we need reminders, lest we forget and drift away.

That's My King

2009-03-18T19:07:00.001-05:00

The sermon from 1976 by Mr. Lockridge, and made into a short video with pictures from a movie about Jesus Christ, and some background music, to add a little more energy to an already energy filled testimony. "That's my King. I wonder, Do you know Him?"

Study and Go

2009-01-19T20:29:00.000-05:00

Reading from Acts 16....

They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Sometimes we don't get to go where we think we should, or where we want. But if we listen sometimes, we just might find, we get where we need.

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.

So we set sail immediately to follow what the Lord wants us to do. [At least, I hope we do. I don't always.] And we find the task a long way off, hard to get to, or a daunting task once we get there.

And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

Oh, but it isn't really difficult. And aren't women wonderful sometimes?

A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

And we find ourselves face to face with another like us, in a place that is not where she started from, but seeking to hear God as well: someone whose heart is opened so that she also immediately sets sail to follow God's call. And she offers comfort.

How often do we miss out on the great things of God?

Well, how often do I miss out?

Paul is later thrown into jail, experiences that "earthquake" which eventually leads to the jailer and his family being led to that life in Christ as well. After being released, and told to go away, we read in the end of Acts 16:

They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Oh, how often do we miss out.

Memorizing Scripture

2009-01-13T15:47:00.000-05:00

The following is copied from another blog on the internet - I hope you find it as inspiring as I did...

"I remember as a child getting a letter from an older woman who was a friend of our family and I’ve never forgotten. She wrote me as a little girl, and she challenged me to begin memorizing one verse of Scripture every week. She said God’s Word is like pearls. She said by the end of a year, if you will do that, you will have 52 pearls—Scripture verses—on your strand.

"I haven’t done that—one verse a week over all the years—but it’s been a great reminder. Something that’s stuck in my mind was that challenge from an older woman to memorize the Word of God.

"As I’ve read the lives, biographies of great men and women of God, I’ve seen the value that Scripture memory has had in their lives. I was reading just recently a book called The Pastor’s Wife, which is an autobiography by Sabina Wurmbrand whose husband was imprisoned in Romanian prisons for 14 years under the communist regime there, and during a period of time she herself, as a pastor’s wife, was imprisoned.

"She says in this book,

" After work women came to religious prisoners and asked, even begged, to be told something of what we remembered from the Bible. [This was while they were in prison.] The words gave hope, comfort, and life. We had no Bible. We hungered for it more than bread. [When you don’t have it, you really do hunger for it.]

" How I wished I had learned more of it by heart, but we repeated daily those passages we knew and at night also when we held vigils for prayer. Other Christians, like me, had deliberately committed long passages to memory knowing that soon their turn would come to a rest. They brought riches to prison.

"Isn’t that great? What were the riches? It was the treasure of God’s Word stored in their hearts. She said,

" While others quarreled and fought, we lay on our mattresses and used the Bible for prayer and meditation and repeated its verses to ourselves through the long nights. We learned what newcomers brought and taught them what we knew."

"So an unwritten Bible circulated through all of Romania’s prisons.

"As I read that account I thought of Psalm 119, verse 61. “Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.” Now you may never find yourself imprisoned in a literal prison for your faith, but you may live in a prison, in a marriage, in a family situation, in a work environment, in a church situation, in a neighborhood situation, and it feels like prison to you. “Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,” what is my hope? “I do not forget your law.”"

- Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Thinking About Zimbabwe

2008-12-04T09:01:00.011-05:00

Whatever things are TRUE.photo from this site

Whatever things are NOBLE.photo from this site

Whatever things are JUST.photo from this site

Whatever things are PURE.photo from this site

Whatever things are LOVELY.

photo from this site

Whatever things have a good report...

The situation in Zimbabwe merits our prayers.

Letter from Zimbabwe sent in by John Winter:

I reckon that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF. The darkest hour is always before dawn.

We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when 100 riot police came in with AK47's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was 'too close to the airport', so we are feeling extremely insecure right now.

You know - I am aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know - how can you help? Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian angels to be with us - that is a help -but I feel so cut off from you all knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave here so that is not an option.

I ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes... that's all. You can't just be in denial and pretend/believe it's not going on.

To be frank with you, it's genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are - IN level 7 - (level 8 is after it's happened and everyone is in denial).

If you don't want me to tell you these things-how bad it is-then it means you have not dealt with your own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our situation. We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's what happens in Africa

This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight---or how can we be rescued? It's a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep outside. We already support 8 adult people and a child on this property, and electricity is going up next month by 250% as is water.

How can I take on another family of 4 -----and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?

I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don't just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how.

Do face the reality of what is going on here and help us SEND OUT THE WORD.. The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don't ignore or deny what's happening.

Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? 'If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way'.

[I know we chose to stay here and that some feel we deserve what's coming to us]

For now,--- we ourselves have food, shelter, a little fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they get a hold of those, I can't fight for my rights.

Censorship!----We no longer have SW radio [which told us everything that was happening] because the Government jammed it out of existence - we don't have any reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here, they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro-Government Herald has written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by the wanton destruction of many folks homes, which are supposed to be 'illegal' but for which a huge percentage actually do have licenses.

Please! - do have some compassion and HELP by sending out the articles and personal reports so that something can/may be done.

'I am one. I cannot do everything, ---but I can do something.. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God,
I will do.'

~~~~~~~~~~

See also "The Zimbabwe Situation.com"

Sound Thinking

2008-11-02T11:50:00.003-05:00

From Revive Our Hearts radio, October 31, 2008:

Titus 2, verse 2: First of all, “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled.” There’s our word—sophron—self-controlled. It’s of a sound mind. They’re to be “sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”
Verse 3: “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women…”
Now, you don’t see the word “self-control” there, but that word “train” is in the same family in the original Greek language as the word sophron. It actually means to train them to have sound minds, to train them to think soundly, to train them to be sober-minded.
You don’t see all of that in the English translation, but that’s what’s behind it in the original. “Train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled” (verse 4). There’s our word again, sophron—sober-minded, of a sound mind. In the New American Standard Bible, you have the word sensible there. Sensible, discreet in the King James, sound-minded, of sound thinking.
That word sophron is something that, as we saw in the last session, is rooted in sound doctrine. First of all, we have to think correctly about God’s Word: Who He is, and what the gospel is, and what it looks like, and how it works. If we have sound doctrine, then that will result in sound thinking about all of life—wise, discreet, sensible, self-controlled, sound thinking about all of life. That will result in sound living.
One Bible dictionary talks about this word sophron—sensible, self-controlled. It says "this is a person that has developed the ability to govern or discipline himself, his mind, his passions, his affections, and his behavior." So it’s putting the reign on your life—your affections, your behavior, your tongue, your thoughts. Everything is being reigned in by the Holy Spirit as a result of having thinking that is sound.

Philippians 4:8 and Marriage

2008-10-24T11:35:00.003-05:00

Some neat thoughts I heard from Revive Our Hearts radio show, on thinking on these things from Philippians 4:8 -

I think of that verse in Philippians chapter 4 that tells us what kinds of things we’re supposed to think about. I think for many of us it’s natural for us to think about things that are negative, to think about the bad, to think about problems and troubles and frustrations and to vent about those.
But Paul says in Philippians, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
If you’re thinking about those things, then you can hardly be thinking about the negative things. Now that doesn’t mean you just have this Pollyanna view and you never face reality in life. But it’s saying look at the things that you can thank God for. Look at the things that are commendable and think about those things.
If you’re thinking about those qualities in your husband’s life that are commendable, then you may find yourself more often speaking about those things than having to point out the negatives.

- Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Virtuous Woman

2008-10-16T08:09:00.004-05:00

“Who can find a virtuous wife?” Some of your translations say, “an excellent wife.” Some of them say, “a wife of noble character.”
That word virtuous or excellent is a difficult word to translate from the original Hebrew language. The word has to do with strength. It’s often translated “army” or “wealth.” It’s talking about a woman of moral strength, a woman whose character is strong.
A woman who has godly character is a strong woman. The world would have us think that a godly woman is a weak woman who just gets run over, and she never has any opinions, never has any thoughts, never says anything. This is how the world would caricature the godly woman.
The world has it all wrong. The godly woman is a strong woman. She’s able. She’s valiant. She’s a woman of valor.
Now the New King James Version that I just read says this is a virtuous wife, but the word translated wife there, in some of your translations reads “woman,” and that’s also an acceptable translation.

- Revive Our Hearts radio with Nancy Leigh DeMoss

"Our greatest joy lies NOT in never failing,
but in rising every time we fall."

“He who began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Pressing on toward the goal:

"An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels."
(Proverb 31:10)

Nice that it doesn't say "the completely perfect woman", isn't it? Sometimes I have to remember (not that it's OK to be in the imperfect shape I'm in so I don't have to do anything different, but), that it's OK to be imperfect, because my husband, my family, and my friends can see my humility and growth and dependence on God, and not some sort of put-on perfection or superiority that I don't have. I want to be like Ruth: "All the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman" (3:11). But more importantly, I want to be like what God has made me to be. Even if I can't do it exactly right all the time, the Bible says we can all be "virtuous", or "excellent". And if the Bible tells me so, well then...

... for the righteous falls seven times and rises again...
(Proverbs 24:16)

Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be a light to me.
(Micah 7:8)

"God's Beautiful Design for Women: Living Out Titus 2:1-5"

2008-10-07T14:31:00.000-05:00

A women's radio Bible study. Currently in a series called "God's Beautiful Design for Women: Living Out Titus 2:1-5"

From the first session, "A Vibrant Witness", on Thursday, September 18 2008:

`````````````````
Leslie Basham: Here’s Nancy Leigh DeMoss referring to a recent poll of younger people outside the church.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Eighty-four percent of them said, “We know a Christian personally.” They said, “I’m not a Christian, but I know somebody who is.” But of those who know a Christian, only 15% said that they can see any lifestyle differences in those Christians.

Now, the book of Titus says there’s something wrong with that picture. The difference should be clear-cut, obvious.
``````````````````

Click the title linked above for the full transcript, as well as links to other days of the study. This is a "non denominational ministry" website, so you hear instrumental music in her introduction. I haven't listened to every episode, but so far she seems right on with the scriptures. If you choose to listen or read any of it and find error, please let me know. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The New King James Version of the Bible entitles this section of Titus: "Qualities of a Sound Church". Pretty interesting how Paul starts out a section on what is a sound church:

1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

2008-10-06T15:41:00.001-05:00

Foreigners and Strangers

2008-08-30T15:37:00.003-05:00

I hate -centrism, especially among those who claim to follow the example and commands of Jesus Christ. I received a link to a video of a man pretending to be speaking in the manner of one of the U.S. founding fathers. I was disgusted and turned it off. If the founding fathers of that nation truly did feel as he does about those who come from other nations to live in it, then I am ashamed that my ancestors stood up proudly and defied, not only their God-given responsibility to obey their earthly king no matter his own personal godliness, but they also defied their God-given command to love others as they love themselves, and to love God and His country first and foremost. My nerves were on edge, and I decided to actually look up the verses. Below, are not all scriptures pertaining to aliens, because we all know that if there is only One God and One Faith, then we know that they must accept that One God, and nothing else. I didn't think I needed to include scriptures that dealt with aliens who were also defying God's laws and/or worshiping false gods, and how they were not to enter the temple, for example. All in all, it seems that if a christian understands their true citizenship, then they can forget all this hoo-haw about foreigners needing to learn "our" ways (mostly our language and style of dress, right?). I say, just be faithful. Get to know them and teach them the Truth about God. Who cares what language they speak - if a language is going to destroy a nation, there's something else going on. If they bring ungodly ways into a nation, then just as those who live in that nation, they need to learn the laws and follow them or be punished just the same as the 'native'. If their clothes bug you, get over it. There is not a democratic nation yet (except maybe Turkey, but they have other problems) where clothing is a matter of concern to the Bill of Rights or whatever of that nation. Plenty of gals being mistreated who don't dress modestly, eh? Um, what else are the problems - that these foreigners want to practice their own religions. Guaranteed right in most of our consitutions, I think. Are we afraid that people of the True Faith will be converted away from it? Aren't we also afraid that our people will be converted to humanism and materialism, which are the main tenents of the secular world? What's the fear? What's the fear? ???

I say, be more honorable, noble, and excellent than fear. The real Faith will prevail - and if you live it, then the Light will attract. The only reason a false faith will attract, is if it looks more attractive. What, then, is more attractive than eternal life with a loving God and spending time with His people who enjoy His created world? If you don't live it all the way, it's going to be hard to convince someone else that it's right. Right? I'm rambling. Here's God's word on aliens...

New Testament

Luke 17:18
"Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?"

Matthew 8:10-13
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

"I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Matthew 25:34-36
"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

41-43a
"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in . . . '

Acts 2:1-11
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

"And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God."

Acts 10:28
And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.

Ephesians 2:12
remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household.

Philippians 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

Hebrews 11:13
All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Hebrews 11:16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 12:22
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Old Testament

Exodus 12:48-49
"But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you."

Exodus 20:10
"but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you."

Exodus 23:12
"Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves."

Exodus 22:21
"You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Exodus 23:9
"You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt."

Leviticus 19:9-10
'Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.'

Leviticus 19:33-34
'When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.'

Leviticus 24:22
'There shall be one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.'"

Numbers 15:14-15
'If an alien sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, just as you do so he shall do.'

'As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before the LORD.'

Deuteronomy 1:16
"Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him."

Deuteronomy 10:18-19
"He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."

Deuteronomy 24:14
"You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.

Deuteronomy 24:17
"You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow's garment in pledge."

Joshua 6:25
However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Job 19:14-15
"My relatives have failed,
And my intimate friends have forgotten me.
Those who live in my house and my maids consider me a stranger.
I am a foreigner in their sight."

Job 31:32
"The alien has not lodged outside,
For I have opened my doors to the traveler."

Isaiah 56:6-8
"Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD,
To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath
And holds fast My covenant;
Even those I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."
The Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,
"Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered."

Ezekiel 22:29
"The people of the land have practiced oppression and committed robbery, and they have wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed the sojourner without justice.

Ezekiel 47:22-23
"You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the aliens who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

"And in the tribe with which the alien stays, there you shall give him his inheritance," declares the Lord GOD."

Jonah 3:5, 10
Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.

When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

Malachi 3:5
"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts."

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

"Do we bear one another's burdens or not?"

2008-08-17T08:48:00.002-05:00

Do we bear one another's burdens or not?
Galatians 6:2 and Galatians 6:5

1. (Galatians 6:2) - "Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ."
2. (Galatians 6:5) - "For each one shall bear his own load."

In Galatians 6:2, the word for "burdens" is baros. It means "heaviness, weight, burden, trouble."1 In Galatians 6:5, the word for load is "phortion" and means "of burdensome rites."1 The first verse is speaking of helping one another through troubles and the second is speaking of the responsibility each person has in those troubles and sins.

"The Christian does in fact test himself by carrying his own load. This does not contradict verse 2 because the reference there is to heavy, crushing, loads (baros)—more than a man could carry without help. In this verse a different Greek word (phortion) is used to designate the pack usually carried by a marching soldier. It is the "burden" Jesus assigns to His followers (cf. Matt. 11:30). There are certain Christian responsibilities or burdens each believer must bear which cannot be shared with others. Jesus assured His disciples that such burdens were light."2

_______________
1. (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.)
2. Walvoord, John F., and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.

I heard this song on the radio today, and though I've heard it before, I stopped to listen. The music is compelling, and the lyrics are really something. Try to read them without hearing the music:

by Sidney Russell and Robert Scott, (C)1977 Harrison Music Corp., Jenny Music (ASCAP)

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where -
Who knows where.
But I'm strong,
Strong enough to carry him.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

So on we go,
His welfare is my concern.
No burden is he to bear.
We'll get there.
For I know
He would not encumber me.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

If I'm laden at all,
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with gladness
And love for one another.

It's a long, long road
From which there is no return.
While we're on the way to there
Why not share?
And the load doesn't weigh me down at all.
He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

He's my brother.
He ain't heavy, He's my brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So I looked it up on YouTube for a music video, and check out what I found:

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

Generous Peace

2008-07-16T14:17:00.001-05:00

Ever heard this country song? A distant friend introduced me.

A Land Called Paradise
click here to hear the mp3 play on "esnips.com"

(Chorus)
I wanna live in a land called paradise
I wanna go to the valley of the King
I wanna live in a land called paradise
Wanna see the birds fly and I wanna hear the angels

Sing the praises of my Lord so far above
As I move poetically with the struggle I fall in love
I look to the left I look to the right and all I gaze upon
Reveals the source of flowers rainbows and the dew at dawn
Some see before and some see in and some see after
I let my sight pierce the chains and see the master

(Chorus)
I wanna live in a land called paradise
I wanna go to the Valley of the King
I wanna live in a land called paradise
Wanna see the birds fly and I wanna hear the angels sing

So many times in my life I ask myself the question
What got me brought me into all this mess I’m swimming in
But pain is not, and neither harm in the pool of bliss
So slap me with your hand, or kiss me with your softest kiss
Tell me that you love me, or that you don’t like me now
Tell me you invite me, or that you don’t want me around
I won’t cry over a world that can’t change my life
I’ll put my money on what lies ahead in paradise

(Chorus)
I wanna live in a land called paradise
I wanna go to the Valley of the King
I wanna live in a land called paradise
Wanna see the birds fly and I wanna hear the angels sing

I try to do right and love my wife and trade and pray and talk
I can be anywhere doing anything and I’m mindful of God
I’m pleased in good and happy in harm and now I realize that I already live in a land called paradise

(Chorus)
I wanna live in a land called paradise
I wanna go to the valley of the king
I wanna live in a land called paradise
Wanna see the birds fly and I wanna hear the angels

By Kareem Salama

Accepting Correction

2008-07-14T11:16:00.002-05:00

Personal gathering of Bible verses that deal with accepting correction or rebuke. Learning humility, and what it means to be "poor in spirit", "meek", and to "hunger and thirst for righteousness." Not so much concerned about correction of others, except that as it is important to my own learning.

What do you do when someone points out something in you that they think you need to fix?

Proverbs 9:7 “ He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10 “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Psalm 141:5 Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me;
It is oil upon the head;
Do not let my head refuse it,
For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.

Proverbs 10:8 The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will be ruined.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Matthew 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

Proverbs 17:10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool.

Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.

Proverbs 27:5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.

Luke 17:2 "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.
3 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."

1 Timothy 5:1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

1 Timothy 5:19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. 21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

2 Timothy 4:1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

When someone seems judgmental or rebukes you and you don't think they should - just be noble about it.

Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

"I'm Full"

2008-04-24T11:04:00.002-05:00

My children often remark that they're full, especially when they know that dessert is coming. So they weren't really full, right? But I do have one little guy who has occasionally overfilled himself and created a mess to clean up before bed. Yuck.

I came across this English proverb which says: "A full cup must be carried steadily." First thought: Yup.

That phrase reminded me of a prayer in the Proverbs, which asks:
"Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God."

And that also reminds me of the inclusion in the prayer taught by Jesus Himself:
"Give us this day our daily bread."

Jesus taught much about balancing our full cups, including the parable of the talents, the lesson of the birds and lilies of the field, and the quote that: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." He taught of the precarious position of those who have much, as well as of the duty to share with those who have little.

"Balance" is that elusive "yin-yang" concept taught in Zen and other Eastern ideologies. It's also taught by God. It doesn't mean that we empty our cup, as some seem to think, so that we can't spill. I think of Paul, who wrote in Phil. 4:
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need." He lived with the peace giving knowledge that God will supply all our needs.

So, having a cup full of material things means you must walk steadily, according to the English proverb, or it is suggested that you can spill and lose what you have. But having a cup full of spiritual things is another thought. I must still walk steadily, but so as to "spill" God's abundance around, as Paul also wrote:
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed." (2 Corinthians 9:8)

This is what I'm thinking today:
1) God fills us with everything we need, and then adds abundantly above what we even imagine, giving "dessert" to what we thought was "enough", giving dinner when we thought we had none
2) We need to walk in such a steady way that we do not squander our full cup foolishly, or that we hide what we have been given from those who deserve to share God's good works

Life is just full of thoughts, isn't it? "The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize the less I know."

May you all be filled - and yet not full. (How "mystic Eastern" is that?) :)

Modesty and Purity

2008-02-21T14:48:00.002-05:00

I found this definition of modesty, by Elizabeth Elliot, online:

"What does modesty mean? Well, it means placing a low estimate on one's own merits, not being forward or showing off. It means unpretentious. Modesty means to be free from undue familiarity, from indecency, from lewdness, pure in thought and conduct. Speaking of modest apparel, it means decent, seemly. The opposite of modesty is conceit, boldness, immodesty, brazenness, lewdness."

I think she did her homework.

Consider 1 Timothy 2:9: Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments

Strong's, that mighty old lexicon, defines "modestly", also translated as "reverence" or "shamefacedness" in the KJV - which we translate from the old Greek word "aidos" - as

"a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect"

Modesty is about your spiritual attitude, your heart - not a mere check list of measurements and specifications and laws. And modesty applies to every area of our lives, as Christians and as women.

Another word used in 1 Timothy 2 is "proper" - "Kosmios" in the old Greek, defined as "well arranged, seemly, modest". Some people think that "what is proper" is subjective, and could mean a lot of different things. But Paul gets more specific and uses the clarifying terms of "modestly and discreetly". The term modestly has been defined above. The term translated to "discreetly" comes from the old Greek "Sophrosune", and carries these meanings: 1. soundness of mind, and 2. self-control, sobriety.

God's apostle, Paul, wants us ladies to dress "properly", that is, with "respectful honor and regard for others", and with "clear minded thoughtfulness and self control". I think that means we have to do our homework too. We can't just wake up in the morning and wear what everyone else is wearing, whatever "fits", whatever somebody gave us, whatever we wore yesterday, etc. . Neither should we behave however we feel like behaving, and say whatever comes rolling out of our mouths. Just because something is "natural" (or comfortable, or traditional) doesn't mean that it is "proper" or "seemly". We have to think.

Consider also these Bible verses:

1 Peter 3:1-4 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.

Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

I think it is wonderful that so many women are interested in modest dress and behavior. Growing up in central Florida, I don't recall many of these discussions going beyond bikinis and miniskirts and "petting" while on a date. (If you don't get that term, don't worry - it was old fashioned when they used it in our girls' class too). But this topic is not something separate and apart from Godly living. As I've grown older, I've learned that there is always a lot more to learn. And as a Daughter of the King, I've found that I can never do enough to represent my Father in the way that He should be glorified - but I keep pressing on, growing closer to Him. My hope is that, as children of God, we will all continue to be more humble and modest in our ... well, everything - always learning and growing, and not disputing or arguing, as is not befitting saints. Humility and modesty, though more easily attributed to women because of dress, is for all who call themselves Christians: "Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world". - Philippians 2 Please, appear as lights in the world. I think that's what we're here for.

Allergic to Pet Peeves

2008-01-20T18:13:00.001-05:00

I decided that, as my husband is allergic to fuzzy pets, I must be allergic to pet peeves - they made it hard to function. I try to avoid having pet peeves around me anymore. Every once in a while I come across one (having to ask certain people to put their dirty clothes in the hamper - again), but for the most part, if you know what you're allergic to, you can avoid it if you see it coming.

Small things are just small things - I don't want them to come between me and my husband, my children, my Family in Christ, or those who I'm supposed to be a light to. Time to clean the mind's air ducts of all the molds and dusts that I can get to, to allow the pure spirit of peace, gentleness and love to flow through.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

That always gets me - Jesus Christ "put up with" a lot more than I do.

I don't think we'll ever be "allergen free" - not completely. Outright sinners will anger us, gossips and other "smaller" sinners will frustrate us, and little things will always get in the way of things we'd like to do. A pet can be a cumbersome thing with all the upkeep it needs - especially if you don't like the pet to begin with AND you're allergic to it. We don't have to let these "pets" live in our homes, do we?

Thinking In Review

2008-01-01T02:11:00.000-05:00

And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. Also I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to what I did among them. Afterward I brought you out.

‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. So they cried out to the LORD; and He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon them, and covered them. And your eyes saw what I did in Egypt.

'Then you dwelt in the wilderness a long time. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you. But I gave them into your hand, that you might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you.

'Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.

'Then you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the men of Jericho fought against you—also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I delivered them into your hand. I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.

'I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, we, too, have already come. It was God's grace that's brought us safe this far, and He will lead us home, if we will follow. Dare to stand like Joshua, not just today, but always! God keep you strong and mighty, children of gentleness and peace, and let nothing dismay you!

Because it's Christmas

2007-12-21T17:59:00.001-05:00

Because it's Christmas, I'll give gifts that day,
I'll serve a supper to the poor and lonely,
I'll be kind to people in the service industry,

Because it's Christmas, I hope the snow falls,
that the old folks will stay in good health at least til then,
that the arguing couple will put off their divorce,

Because it's Christmas, we'll be more religious,
we'll not sing carols because it's not really Christ's birthday,
we'll not decorate lest others think we're pagan,

Because it's Christmas.

Wait.

Can I decorate for the other seasons of the year?
Sing a song of Jesus' birth any time of the year?
Can I follow God's laws of love for Him and for others all year long?

The date should not be what keeps anyone from doing what's wrong.
Sadness happens, and disregards the date - why should I regard a certain day as the one they cannot pass on? A certain day we must be together on?
Snow is good, and sun and rain.

Can I be kind to my mailman, waitress, teacher all year?
Share with the poor or take notice of the lonely all year?
Give gifts just because it's a nice thing to do any day of the year and not put it off until the 25th of December?

I am glad that there is weather - that I am alive - that I have family - friends - a church Family - a warm house - enough material blessings to share. I am sad when someone leaves their loved ones alone, whether through death or because of poor choices (sin).

But not because it's Christmas.

Because of Christ's eternal love. All the time.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Happy Always.

Focus

2007-11-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

WordPoints: Daily Devotionals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 25: Choosing Our Focus

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are
noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is
any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on
these things" (Philippians 4:8).

We are commanded to center our thoughts on things that are virtuous
and praiseworthy. Living as we do in environments where there is
much that lacks virtue, it is not easy to keep our thoughts filled
with the kinds of things suggested by Paul. But if we are willing to
pay the price required by self-discipline, there are immensely
valuable benefits that come from making these things our meditation.
Those who are careful about their thinking are much more pleased
with the quality of their lives.

It is true that passing thoughts that are less than pure will
present themselves to us on a fairly regular basis. As long as we
live in the present world, there is no avoiding the temptation to
think evil thoughts. But while we can't keep these thoughts from
presenting themselves to us, we can and must refuse to let them
lodge in our meditations. Passing thoughts will come and go, but we
are in control of the habitual patterns of our thinking, and it is
these deliberate thoughts that Paul has reference to when he says,
"Meditate on these things." That which we hold in our hearts and
continue to reflect on is a matter of choice, and if we're serious
about seeking God that choice must be made carefully.

The fact is, there are still many good things in the world that we
can focus our thoughts on if we're willing to make the choice. The
enemy has not so marred the world of God's creation that there are
not many fine treasures left: wonderful things that are true, noble,
just, pure, lovely, and of good report. These we must seek out and
learn to enjoy reflecting on. It's undeniable that our minds grow by
what they feed on, and what we feed on right now will determine the
characters that will carry us into eternity, for better or worse.
"Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit -- and
man is his own gardener" (James Allen). Much in life depends on the
simple matter of "focus," and learning wisely to focus the minds
that God has given us is one of the greater challenges of the
spiritual life.

"As nothing is more easy than to think, so nothing is more difficult
than to think well" (Thomas Traherne).

Noble and True Hearts

2007-11-22T22:58:00.000-05:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
from:

WordPoints: Daily Devotionals
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 22: Hearts That Are True

"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having
heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit
with patience" (Luke 8:15).

To commit ourselves to God and then remain faithful to Him always,
there is a certain kind of "heart" that we must have. This heart is
one that is described in the NKJV rendering of Luke 8:15 as "noble
and good." What kind of mind or character is indicated by these
words?

The word "noble" in this text is a translation of one of the
loveliest words in the Greek language, the adjective kalos. As one
of the words used by the Greeks for "good," kalos meant good in the
sense of fine or beautiful. As indicated by the traditional KJV
translation "honest," kalos in Luke 8:15 refers to that which is
morally honorable or praiseworthy. Paired with the adjective
agathos, as it frequently was by secular Greek writers, kalos is
used here to describe the heart that is sound and true. When Jesus
said that the "good soil" in his parable represented those who have
a "noble and good heart," the idea is that those whose spiritual
lives come to fruition are those who have minds that are open to
God's truth and dispositions that are eager to conform to His will.
With regard to God, then, our motives must be completely pure. We
must be moved by an honest, guileless intent to do whatever is
right.

But why is this kind of heart so essential? There are a number of
reasons, but one of the most important is that without hearts that
are sincerely open to God, we won't be in a position even to
understand His truth. The key to spiritual comprehension is not
intelligence, but purity of heart. As William Barclay once
commented: "People can become so dull and heavy and blunted in mind
that when God's truth comes to them they cannot see it. It is not
God's fault. They have become so mentally lazy, so blinded by
prejudice, so unwilling to see anything they do not want to see,
that they have become incapable of assimilating God's truth."

The possibility that we may not have the "heart" to understand what
God wishes to say is a frightening prospect. But our hearts are not
predetermined or ruined beyond repair. Any of us can decide to have
a heart that is true, and making this choice is always the first
step toward seeking God.

"A guileless mind is a great treasure; it is worth any price"
(A. W. Tozer).

Found Summary of Philippians 4:8

2007-11-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

Dwight Pentecost offers a practical summary of this verse...

God’s standard for His children is that we should sit in judgment upon every thought that flickers through our minds. If it cannot pass the test of ringing true and being of honest worth, righteous, incorruptible, and attractive, it is to be rejected and repudiated. If you introduce one drop of contaminated water into a pitcher of cool water, the cool, refreshing, pure water will not purify that defilement, but the defilement will corrupt the pure; so these thoughts will contaminate your mind. Satan wants to turn your mind into a cesspool and have your mind occupied with that which ultimately must corrupt, defile, and spoil the whole body, distort the life, and produce sin. The battle is not first in the field of action; it is in the field of thought. Transport yourself to the pasture, consider the cow chewing her cud, and learn that lesson from nature that the psalmist learned. Your delight must be in the Word of God, and in His Word you must chew your cud day and night. If the battle is lost, it is lost because you do not meditate on “ these things.” (Pentecost, J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)

Holidays and Legalism

2007-10-13T13:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Friends and Family Don't Understand
by Robin Sampson

During Bible study, our family discovered something that we had heard very little about from church. We found out God had set apart special days to worship and honor Him. By learning about the practices of these special days, we could learn about and worship God. We spent some time studying the holidays from Scripture and decided it'd be fun to teach to our children. So our family started celebrating the Biblical Feast days. What a joy! These celebrations are wonderful! Not only was the celebration itself fun and informative, but even the preparation was full of lessons and prompted us into deeper Bible study. The children enjoyed these great interactive celebrations more than any man-made holidays (more than even gift-giving days). I was very excited about all we had learned and anxious to tell my Christian friends.

My enthusiasm was soon crushed. I was eagerly sharing with a friend how we celebrated a feast day and how much we had learned. I expected my friend to catch the enthusiasm. Instead I was met with a fierce frown and raised eyebrows. I was told the feast days have been done away with, are no longer necessary, and such nonsense was legalistic. but, but, we didn't do anything wrong...its just...it can't be wrong! we were just studying the Bible..... I stammered. My friend explained, "You cannot keep the holidays. It's legalistic!"

Celebrating the feasts was only a surface learning experience? Down deep, was I trying to earn my way to heaven? Whoa, I know salvation only comes through God's Son. This conversation led to many questions. What is legalism? Is the Old Testament relevant today? How can obeying Deuteronomy 6 teaching our children God's ways be legalistic? How can righteousness be wrong? Time for another Bible study.

Legalism or Desiring to Please God?

Legalism is when a person does works stemming from prideful self-sufficiency that ignores trust and regards performing good deeds as doing God a favor. It is when one gets so involved in seeking to fulfill every minor detail of God's law or man-made laws that the heart of God is missed. If someone is under a yoke of legalism he is probably trying to meet some fence laws (extra rules tacked on to God's ways) prescribed by men. The yoke of legalism is unbearable. This earned righteousness mentality is a nasty pride. The end result of legalism is a proud confidence in one's own righteousness and missing God's will.

A sample of legalism is in Acts 15:5. The Pharisees laid down the position that unless the Gentiles who turned Christians were circumcised after the manner of Moses, and thereby bound themselves to all the observances of the ceremonial law, they could not be saved. This is foolish, as if being circumcised could earn salvation. Jesus spoke firmly against legalism (see Matthew 23:2-4, Mark 7:5- 13).

So what is the difference between trying to please God and legalism? A measuring stick that only measures the end result will identify anything pleasing to God as legalism. As with most things Jesus taught about, the difference between doing something to please God, and legalism, is found in the heart.
To have faith in Christ's saving grace one must have the knowledge that we are completely unrighteous without the atonement of Jesus, unworthy of receiving the gift of life Christ laid down for us. Responding to God in worship and obedience to His Word is evidence of our gratefulness for His gift to us.
Legalism is focused on a system.
Desiring to please God is focused on a relationship.
Legalism is focused on what is required.
Desiring to please God is focused on love from within.
Legalism asks How can I meet the requirements?ÿ
Desiring to please God asks, "What is the Lord telling me about His desires through His instruction?"
Legalism is horrid, for if it were possible to earn a relationship with God, in and of ourselves, Christ's death was pointless.
Desiring to please God is obeying His commands to love Him with all out hearts, minds, and souls. Loving God can never be legalistic!
A Fruit Test

Celebrating the holidays can become legalistic. So can going to church, wearing certain clothing, helping the poor, etc. Anything to earn righteousness or done for the outward appearances is legalism. Celebrating the feast days can become legalistic if your heart is not right. If you feel you have to do the holidays and you're in a frenzy trying to make everything just perfect, your house is a shambles, children crying, and everyone in a foul mood, you are defeating the point. Time to check your motives. The woman who decided to wear a head covering to show she was submissive who wore it against her husband's wishes was not right in her heart. Are you are being controlled by legalism or a desire to please God? It is easy to find out if something is legalistic examine the fruit produced. If it is from God the fruit will be patience, joy, peace, love, kindness, gentleness and self-control. The fruit of legalism is easily recognized arguments, selfish ambition, unreasonable behavior, deceitfulness, and envy.

Under Law or Grace?

The Jewish New Testament Commentary explains, the word under, in Greek upo, means "controlled by or in subjection to." If one is under legalism he is controlled by legalism. Being under grace is a subjection which, because of the nature of grace itself, does not have the usual oppressive characteristics of subjection. God's people, the people who are in a trust relationship with him, are and always have been under grace and under Torah (a gracious subjection) but never under legalism (a harsh subjection).

We are not in bondage, we are free, free in Christ--free enough to enjoy a cycle of annual celebrations that reminds us that God has done a wonderful work of redemption for us through Christ. Celebrating the biblical holidays is a privileged set apart time of Bible study or family devotions. Do you have to have Bible study or family devotions? No, but will you learn more about God, His ways and His paths if you do?

We can celebrate the Biblical holidays if we do it to learn about God or to worship God. If we celebrate the holidays to earn righteousness there is no reason to observe them. By celebrating the biblical holidays I am no better than my friend who chooses not to observe these days. Both of our righteousness is as filthy rags. We are only saved by Christ.

If you are interested in the Biblical Jewish Holidays, visit the author's website at Biblical Holidays.com, and the page called "A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays".

"Thinking is just Thinking; Wisdom Applies Thinking to Life"

2007-10-06T10:24:00.000-05:00

Acts 17:11 "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

I think it's a matter of knowledge, of wisdom in applying knowledge, of desiring to know even more of what God has shared with me through the Written Word, of keeping eyes, ears and heart open. It's a matter of humility, meekness, submission to God and respect shown as I learn to "live up to what I have already attained", and of pressing on. It's a matter of truly seeking and truly finding, and being convicted and moved to obey what is understood, repenting of past behavior done in ignorance or rebellion of some kind. And I think it's a matter of time, discipline, and maturity, and the way that only God knows the heart.

I don't mean to put anyone down or discourage anyone while I'm seeking things for myself, and trying to share what I learn as I come across it. For some eat "solid food" already in some things, while in another matter they may be still only able to handle "milk". As I grow older, I find that becoming more childlike in faith is easier to understand, and it's not what I used to think it meant.

May we all grow with God.

Count On It

2007-09-26T15:33:00.000-05:00

"Think on these things"

The word translate "think", as discussed earlier, is also translated "consider", "reckon", "account", "count on"; to understand, to believe and accept, to view as actual, recognize, know.

Something else that Paul also "considers" important to think on, is the fact that, as Jesus said, we will have trouble, but we are not to fret, because He really has overcome these troublesome things. We are merely to persevere, and to remember... to consider victory as a "done deal".

Paul writes, as recorded in Romans 8:18:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

In 2 Corinthians 4:17, he reminds:

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

Peter agrees by stating in 1 Peter 4:13:

but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Have you "considered" these things? Have you reckoned these things as real? Consider also the story that Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus. "Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish." Lazarus wasn't being rewarded for receiving bad things. But having good things and "hogging" them (as my son would say)? You already have your reward. And you can "count on" that.

Ecclesiastes 3.1-22

2007-09-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Everything Has Its Time

Everything on earth has its own time and its own season. There is a time for birth and death, planting and reaping, for killing and healing, destroying and building, for crying and laughing, weeping and dancing, for throwing stones and gathering stones, embracing and parting. There is a time for finding and losing, keeping and giving, for tearing and sewing, listening and speaking. There is also a time for love and hate, for war and peace.

What God Has Given Us To Do

What do we gain by all of our hard work? I have seen what difficult things God demands of us. God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future. I know the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life, because God's gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do. Everything God has done will last forever; nothing he does can ever be changed. God has done all this, so that we will worship him.

Everything that happens has happened before, and all that will be has already been-- God does everything over and over again.

The Future Is Known Only to God

Everywhere on earth I saw violence and injustice instead of fairness and justice. So I told myself that God has set a time and a place for everything. He will judge everyone, both the wicked and the good. I know that God is testing us to show us that we are merely animals. Like animals we breathe and die, and we are no better off than they are. It just doesn't make sense. All living creatures go to the same place. We are made from earth, and we return to the earth. Who really knows if our spirits go up and the spirits of animals go down into the earth? We were meant to enjoy our work, and that's the best thing we can do. We can never know the future.

--------------------

So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

Ecclesiastes 2.1-26

2007-09-03T18:18:00.000-05:00

I said to myself, "Have fun and enjoy yourself!" But this didn't make sense. Laughing and having fun is crazy. What good does it do? I wanted to find out what was best for us during the short time we have on this earth. So I decided to make myself happy with wine and find out what it means to be foolish, without really being foolish myself.

I did some great things. I built houses and planted vineyards. I had flower gardens and orchards full of fruit trees. And I had pools where I could get water for the trees. I owned slaves, and their sons and daughters became my slaves. I had more sheep and goats than anyone who had ever lived in Jerusalem. Foreign rulers brought me silver, gold, and precious treasures. Men and women sang for me, and I had many wives who gave me great pleasure. I was the most famous person who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and I was very wise. I got whatever I wanted and did whatever made me happy. But most of all, I enjoyed my work. Then I thought about everything I had done, including the hard work, and it was simply chasing the wind. Nothing on earth is worth the trouble.

God's Wisdom Makes Sense

I asked myself, "What can the next king do that I haven't done?" Then I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and stupidity. And I discovered that wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. Wisdom is like having two good eyes; foolishness leaves you in the dark. But wise or foolish, we all end up the same.

Finally, I said to myself, "Being wise got me nowhere! The same thing will happen to me that happens to fools. Nothing makes sense. Wise or foolish, we all die and are soon forgotten." This made me hate life. Everything we do is painful; it's just as senseless as chasing the wind.

Suddenly I realized that others would someday get everything I had worked for so hard, then I started hating it all. Who knows if those people will be sensible or stupid? Either way, they will own everything I have earned by hard work and wisdom. It doesn't make sense.

I thought about all my hard work, and I felt depressed. When we use our wisdom, knowledge, and skill to get what we own, why do we have to leave it to someone who didn't work for it? This is senseless and wrong. What do we really gain from all of our hard work? Our bodies ache during the day, and work is torture. Then at night our thoughts are troubled. It just doesn't make sense.

The best thing we can do is to enjoy eating, drinking, and working . I believe these are God's gifts to us, and no one enjoys eating and living more than I do. If we please God, he will make us wise, understanding, and happy. But if we sin, God will make us struggle for a living, then he will give all we own to someone who pleases him. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind.

----------------------
This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
"I am the LORD your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17

Ecclesiastes 1.1-18

2007-09-02T09:44:00.000-05:00

Nothing Makes Sense

When the son of David was king in Jerusalem, he was known to be very wise, and he said: Nothing makes sense!

Everything is nonsense. I have seen it all-- nothing makes sense! What is there to show for all of our hard work here on this earth? People come, and people go, but still the world never changes.

The sun comes up, the sun goes down; it hurries right back to where it started from. The wind blows south, the wind blows north; round and round it blows over and over again. All rivers empty into the sea, but it never spills over; one by one the rivers return to their source. All of life is far more boring than words could ever say. Our eyes and our ears are never satisfied with what we see and hear.

Everything that happens has happened before; nothing is new, nothing under the sun. Someone might say, "Here is something new!" But it happened before, long before we were born. No one who lived in the past is remembered anymore, and everyone yet to be born will be forgotten too.

Senselessness of Learning and Knowledge

I said these things when I lived in Jerusalem as king of Israel. With all my wisdom I tried to understand everything that happens here on earth. And God has made this so hard for us humans to do. I have seen it all, and everything is just as senseless as chasing the wind. If something is crooked, it can't be made straight; if something isn't there, it can't be counted.

I said to myself, "You are by far the wisest person who has ever lived in Jerusalem. You are eager to learn, and you have learned a lot." Then I decided to find out all I could about wisdom and foolishness. Soon I realized that this too was as senseless as chasing the wind. The more you know, the more you hurt; the more you understand, the more you suffer.

-------------

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Words and Music

2007-08-09T10:45:00.000-05:00

I once wrote this verse, and a couple of the surrounding verses, into a song, which I still sing to my children sometimes. But I never actually wrote it down. Having songs to sing which are full of the proper things to think on, certainly helps put loveliness into our wholesome thoughts, and makes them easier to remember too.

I came across someone who has recently put these words to their own melody, with his guitar. Click on the shemamusic blogspot, which includes further links to the music and lyrics with chords, and an mp3 link so you can listen to the simple truths.

Thinking on Entertainment

2007-08-03T14:43:00.000-05:00

Found blog entry from May 2007 on Higher Ground:

True, Honorable, Right, Pure, Lovely, Good Entertainment? - Philippians 4:8

True - not false, in accordance to the actual state of affairs, reality
Honorable - deserving of respect, something of superior standing, worthy of recognition
Right - not wrong, being in accordance to what is just, good, and prope
Pure - unmixed with any other matter, free from dirt, dust, or taint
Lovely - delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace, attractive
Good Repute - good reputation, being favorable known, spoken of, thought of or esteemed
Excellence - valuable qualities, superior, eminently good
Worthy of Praise - something worth speaking well of

(thanks Webster’s Online for some help)

What on television fits this description?
What kind of music fits this description?
What kind of literature fits this description?
What movies fit this description?
What other types of entertainment fit this description?

I’m not suggesting that there is nothing that fits this description of what we should have our thoughts dwelling on. We all enjoy to relax, be entertained, and rest - but are there godly alternatives to what the world offers?

(Go to the link above to also find links to an mp3 and notes on this same topic)

2007-08-03T14:36:00.000-05:00

click to view

Choosing Our Focus

2007-07-30T22:04:00.000-05:00

We are commanded to center our thoughts on things that are virtuous and praiseworthy.

Living as we do in environments where there is much that lacks virtue, it is not easy to keep our thoughts filled with the kinds of things suggested by Paul. But if we are willing to pay the price required by self-discipline, there are immensely valuable benefits that come from making these things our meditation. Those who are careful about their thinking are much more pleased with the quality of their lives.

It is true that passing thoughts that are less than pure will present themselves to us on a fairly regular basis. As long as we live in the present world, there is no avoiding the temptation to think evil thoughts. But while we can't keep these thoughts from presenting themselves to us, we can and must refuse to let them lodge in our meditations. Passing thoughts will come and go, but we are in control of the habitual patterns of our thinking, and it is these deliberate thoughts that Paul has reference to when he says, "Meditate on these things." That which we hold in our hearts and continue to reflect on is a matter of choice, and if we're serious about seeking God that choice must be made carefully.

The fact is, there are still many good things in the world that we can focus our thoughts on if we're willing to make the choice. The enemy has not so marred the world of God's creation that there are not many fine treasures left: wonderful things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. These we must seek out and learn to enjoy reflecting on. It's undeniable that our minds grow by what they feed on, and what we feed on right now will determine the characters that will carry us into eternity, for better or worse. "Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit -- and man is his own gardener" (James Allen). Much in life depends on the simple matter of "focus," and learning wisely to focus the minds that God has given us is one of the greater challenges of the spiritual life.

As nothing is more easy than to think,
so nothing is more difficult than to think well.

Thomas Traherne

From Diligently Seeking God: Daily Motivation to Take God More Seriously

Think, Dwell on, Reckon, Consider

2007-07-17T16:09:00.000-05:00

Definition:

logizomai {log-id'-zom-ahee}
middle voice, from "logos": word

This Greek term has been translated in the following ways - think , impute , reckon , count , account , suppose , reason , number

Strong's lists these definitions:
1) to reckon, count, compute, calculate, count over
1a) to take into account, to make an account of
1a1) metaph. to pass to one's account, to impute
1a2) a thing is reckoned as or to be something, i.e. as availing
for or equivalent to something, as having the like force
and weight
1b) to number among, reckon with
1c) to reckon or account
2) to reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons, to deliberate
3) by reckoning up all the reasons, to gather or infer
3a) to consider, take into account, weigh, meditate on
3b) to suppose, deem, judge
3c) to determine, purpose, decide

This word deals with reality. If I "logizomai" or reckon that my bank book has $25 in it, it has $25 in it. Otherwise I am deceiving myself. This word refers to facts not suppositions.

What things are thought on, reckoned:

For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS ." Romans 4:3
Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Romans 14:14
Love... does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 1 Corinthians 13:5
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11
You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ's, so also are we. 2 Corinthians 10:7

Commentary:

Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament says about "Think on these things (tauta logizeste).":

Present middle imperative for habit of thought. We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy ideals.

William Barclay rightly observes that...

The human mind will always set itself on something and Paul wished to be quite sure that the Philippians would set their minds on the right things. This is something of the utmost importance, because it is a law of life that, if a man thinks of something often enough, he will come to the stage when he cannot stop thinking about it. His thoughts will be quite literally in a groove out of which he cannot jerk them. It is, therefore, of the first importance that a man should set his thoughts upon the fine things and here Paul makes a list of them. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)

Precept Austin includes these thoughts:

Let...mind dwell (logizomai) means to think about something in a detailed and logical manner. Paul commands on believers to reflect carefully upon this list of virtues and not just giving it a fleeting glance or thought. This is not an "elective" but a "required" course! The idea is for the believer to continually fill his or her mind with the things listed rather than the trash of this present evil age. Mull these things over. Let your mind be constantly occupied with these things.

Paul is saying take these qualities into account and reflect carefully upon them in order that they may shape your conduct, because how and what you believe affects how you behave. These good qualities are not merely things that are good for the head, but things that need to be transformed into action.

Logizomai was an accounting term and so one gets the picture of taking all of the truths Paul has listed regarding your thought life and putting them in the "calculator" of your human brain, thinking about them and coming to a conclusion and most importantly then letting that conclusion affect the way you live.

The thought Paul is conveying is rendered several ways...

"meditate on these things" (NKJV)

"make the subject of careful reflection," (Wuest),

"think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them] (Amplified)

The present tense and imperative mood commands a continuous action, a call to a spiritual discipline for the purpose of godliness for as a man or woman thinks in their heart so they are (Pr 23:7, cf Mt 15:18-19).

Meditate on them with careful reflection, not casually and superficially, but constantly and logically. Noble thinking produces noble living; high thinking produces high living; and holy thinking produces holy living. And so Paul says let this mindset be your lifestyle. Continually think about these things in a detailed and logical manner!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am resolved no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.
(Palmer Hartsough)

Hopelessness as a commendable thing

2007-07-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren,
of our trouble which came to us in Asia:

that we were burdened beyond measure,
above strength,
so that we despaired even of life.

Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves
but in God who raises the dead,

who delivered us from so great a death,
and does deliver us;
in whom we trust that He will still deliver us"

2 Corinthians 1:8-10

"Yet not as I will, but as You will."

~~~~~~~~~~

He is able to do far more good than I could ever think to pray for.

Things to think on

2007-07-07T10:45:00.001-05:00

"So He humbled you,
allowed you to hunger,
and fed you with manna
which you did not know
nor did your fathers know,

that He might make you know
that man shall not live by bread alone;
but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord".

Deuteronomy 8:3

~~~~~~~~~~

"I have food to eat that you do not know about."

Philippians 4:8-9, in paraphrase

2007-07-02T10:07:00.000-05:00

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The Message available from NavPress, is an interpretation of the original Greek by Eugene Peterson.

Christian brothers, keep your minds thinking about whatever is true, whatever is respected, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever can be loved, and whatever is well thought of. If there is anything good and worth giving thanks for, think about these things. Keep on doing all the things you learned and received and heard from me. Do the things you saw me do. Then the God who gives peace will be with you.

The NEW LIFE Version available from Christian Literature International.

four ways to think of lovely things

2007-06-30T08:14:00.000-05:00

My husband recently bought me a copy of the 2 CD set of C.S. Lewis' "The Four Loves". Read by the author. Unabridged. A 32 page study guide is included. What better way to find a way to think of things that are lovely, that make for love and kindness and affection, than to pull up a chair and listen to an older Christian man, who is a very thoughtful person, explain the meanings that he finds behind the old Greek words which we translate all into the broad word, "love".

From AudioFile
The four Greek words for our word love are "storge" (affection), "philia" (friendship), "eros" (sexual or romantic love) and "agape" (selfless love). In what is claimed to be the only professional recording of C.S. Lewis's voice, one can hear the mother of all audio programs about love and its vicissitudes. The speaker sounds stiff and academic at first--not as warm as he is in print--but this impression evaporates after a few minutes of listening because the essays are so pithy, exciting and surprisingly relevant in today's climate of impetuous relationships. The four cassette sides are integrated by the refreshing seamlessness of Lewis's thinking and many illuminating examples. For those interested in C.S. Lewis the person or those involved in any kind of love relationship, repeated listening will be utterly involuntary. T.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the edition of this title which was available at one time on cassette tape.

One reviewer quoted and wrote: "For news of the fully waking world you must go to my betters": But Lewis is a Great Place to Start.

Please look into listening or reading "The Four Loves," by C. S. Lewis.

Finding Good Report

2007-06-27T13:56:00.001-05:00

A Powerful Lesson - In 1892, John Hyde boarded a ship in New York harbor and set out for India. His goal was to proclaim the gospel to people who had not heard about Jesus. During the next 20 years he earned the nickname "Praying Hyde" because he often spent hours and even many days in prayer for the salvation of nonbelievers and the revival of Christ's followers. On one occasion, Hyde was upset about the spiritual coldness of a pastor, so he began to pray,

"O Father, you know how cold—"

But it was as if a finger stopped his lips from uttering the man's name. Hyde was horrified when he realized that he had judged the man harshly. He confessed his critical spirit and then determined not to focus on the shortcomings of others but to see them as individuals whom God loves. Hyde asked the Lord to show him things that were "of good report" (Philippians 4:8) in the pastor's life, and he praised God for the man's virtues. Hyde learned later that during this exact time the pastor's spiritual life was revitalized.

Let's not be faultfinders—even in prayer. We can follow Paul's example of focusing on what God has done and what He can do in the lives of others (Ephesians 1:17-21). Instead of praying against people, let's pray for them. —JEY

Father, give me the wisdom to know how to pray for others—with kindness, not criticism; with love, not anger; with grace, not judgment.

Be a grace-giver, not a faultfinder

Found at Precept Austin
, originally from Our Daily Bread

Think on Excellent Family Members

2007-06-16T18:51:00.001-05:00

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. -- Titus 2

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. -- 1 Timothy 3

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. -- 1 Timothy 5

If anything WORTHY OF PRAISE

2007-06-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Definition:

Greek: kai ei tis epainos: worthy of praise
Worthy of praise (epainos from epí = upon + aínos = praise) means a commendable thing. The word can describe the act of expressing admiration or approval, praise, approval, recognition. In the present context epainos describes a thing that is praiseworthy or something that deserves to be praised. Is it praiseworthy? Then reflect upon it.
Vincent writes that epainos is "Commendation corresponding to the moral value of the virtue." From Precept Austin

What things are Worthy of Praise:

the works of the "worthy woman" - Proverbs 31:31
the true follower of God "inwardly" - Romans 2:29
doing good, before the authorities - Romans 13:3
each man, when the Lord reveals his heart - 1 Corinthians 4:5
the brother sent to preach the gospel - 2 Corinthians 8:18

Our Lord is Worthy of Praise, and therefore worthy of our thoughts and meditations. How many scriptures can you think of which praise God? Have you read the Psalms lately? What higher and more worthy thing is there to think on, than our Creator, Father, Sustainer, Righteous Judge, and Hope? We must read about God, study the Words of God, listen to others speaking about God and fill our minds with God, in order best to understand the total humility that we have before God. He alone is worthy, as we read in the Revelation to John, to receive glory and honour and power. Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary: "All true believers wholly ascribe their redemption and conversion, their present privileges and future hopes, to the eternal and most holy God. Thus rise the for-ever harmonious, thankful songs of the redeemed in heaven. Would we on earth do like them, let our praises be constant, not interrupted; united, not divided; thankful, not cold and formal; humble, not self-confident."

And there are other things which are called praiseworthy, as you read above. Things which are done, not for glory, but which receive praise and commendation anyway. Those who do these things do them because they are right, not because they fear retribution if they don't do them: things like obeying the law of the land, managing a home and family well, taking good news to those who don't know or understand, maintaining a heart that is pure. And one day those deeds will receive praise from God himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Worthy of praise is Christ our Redeemer,

Worthy of glory, honor, and power!

Worthy of all our souls' adoration,

Worthy art Thou! Worthy art Thou!"

"Worthy of riches, blessings, and honr,

Worthy of wisdom, glory, and power!

Worthy of earth and heaven's thanksgiving;

Worthy art Thou! Worthy art Thou."

- Tillit Sidney Teddlie (1885-1987)

If There Is Any EXCELLENCE

2007-05-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

Definition:

Greek: arete - excellence, praise, virtue
a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action; virtue, moral goodness
any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity

What things are Excellent:

the things about God that you are to proclaim - 1 Peter 2:9
what you have been called to - 2 Peter 1:3
what you add to your faith - 2 Peter 1:5
everything which has been listed already in Philippians 4:8

God asked us to be perfect as He is perfect. To conduct ourselves as His lights in the world, and above reproach. These things, as GOD himself is, are "excellent" - almost the idea of being untouchable. Not just worthy of a good report, or held in high esteem, but also a sense of that purity and sancitification that we are called to. The church itself is translated from the term "ekklesia", a term which means "called out". We are to be called out, and the things which we think about then are to be things that are "above and beyond."

Looking back at the many virtuous things listed Philippians 4:8, I can see that the things which Paul wrote that the saints in Christ were to think of were things that were true, real, plainly seen, actual; noble, honorable, esteemed; just, right, righteous; pure, free from defilement; lovely, making for lovingkindness; commendable, well spoken of, and praise worthy. All excellent things. All things which are above and beyond what I would think about if I let my mind wander about with no control, or just let something from outside guide my thoughts.

Consider what one wise man said about a woman of great worth, back in Proverbs 31:28-31:

Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

The word that was chosen in English to replace the Greek term, arete, is "excellent" - a word that comes from "excel": "To do or be better than; surpass; To show superiority."

Now, we don't want to go around proud, thinking that we're better than everybody else. Where is the excellence in that? But we are to think about things that are better than anyTHING else. Better than negative thoughts about ourselves or others, better than cynical thoughts about people and places around us, better than base thoughts that bring us and others down. We can think above. We can move onward and upward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assignment: Make a list of all of the things listed in Philippians 4:8 which are excellent, and think of an example or two of each. Then everytime something creeps into your thoughts which is less than excellent, you'll have something better with which to replace that thought!

. . . one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on
toward the goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Whatever is OF GOOD REPORT

2007-05-05T10:58:00.000-05:00

New Testament Greek Definition:

euphemos - of good report; from eu and pheme: well spoken of, Reputable
then, "avoiding ill-omened words," and hence "fair-sounding," "of good report," from Vine's
that which is well–spoken of, praiseworthy, laudable, highly regarded or well thought of.

similar to euphemia - good language, praise (repute); used in 2 Corinthians 6:8 "...By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and [yet] true;"

Another similar term translated as "report" is martureo, a verb tense, meaning "to be a witness, bear witness, testify," signifies, in the Passive Voice, "to be well testified of, to have a good report."

What people are of good report:

The 7 men chosen to serve the first church in Jerusalem: Acts 6:3;
Cornelius: Acts 10:22;
Timothy: Acts 16:2
Ananias: Acts 22:12;
Christians who "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders": Colossians 4:5;
Christians who "Abstain from every appearance of evil": 1Thessalonians 5:22;
Those men who aspire to the office of overseer: 1Timothy 3:7;
True widows who deserve honour: 1 Timothy 5:10;
People of old recieved commendation through faith: Hebrews 11:2
All those of faith listed in Hebrews 11: Hebrews 11:39
Demetrius: 3 John 12

Assignment: Think - "Are we concentrating on the good things we see in others or are we dwelling on their faults and shortcomings?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it,
you surely will."
- David Swift

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;
for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;
and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”
- Audrey Hepburn

Rejoicing in Truth

2007-05-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 13:6 : "Love... doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;"

2 John 4; I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.

3 John 3 : For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

Keep on Thinking

2007-05-04T07:52:00.000-05:00

"Every minute you are thinking of evil, you might have been thinking of good instead. Refuse to pander to a morbid interest in your own misdeeds. Pick yourself up, be sorry, shake yourself, and go on again."

I've not been making quiet time for myself, and only too late do we often realize that we've let a nasty habit take over. I had intended to start a good habit by this study of what to think on. I will go on again. Perhaps, if you are reading this, you need this encouragement too. There are so many good things to think about, summed up in Mr. Paul's list in Philippians 4:8. How can we afford to waste time thinking on things that are harmful?

Whatever is Lovely

2007-04-23T18:28:00.000-05:00

Definitions:

- prosphiles literally, friendly towards
- pros, "toward, with regard to"; phileo, "to like; to be affectionate toward; to befriend "
- pleasing, agreeable, acceptable, in tender affection for

Since this word is used nowhere else in the New Testament, I cannot provide any specific scripture of things that are described as "lovely". However, the term "phileo" is used several times. Many people who have studied the scriptures know that there is another word for love, and that is "agapao", which is that self-sacrificing love which highly esteems another.

Here is a discussion of that difference using Vine's Dictionary:

Phileo is never used in a command to men to "love" God; it is, however, used as a warning in 1 Cor. 16;22; agapao is used instead, e.g., Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27; Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 8:3; 1 Pet. 1:8; 1 John 4:21. The distinction between the two verbs finds a conspicuous instance in the narrative of John 21:15-17. The context itself indicates that agapao in the first two questions suggests the "love" that values and esteems (cp. Rev. 12:11). It is an unselfish "love," ready to serve. The use of phileo in Peter's answers and the Lord's third question, conveys the thought of cherishing the object above all else, of manifesting an affection characterized by constancy, from the motive of the highest veneration. ...

Again, to "love" (phileo) life, from an undue desire to preserve it, forgetful of the real object of living, meets with the Lord's reproof, John 12:25. On the contrary, to "love" life (agapao) as used in 1 Pet. 3:10, is to consult the true interests of living. Here the word phileo would be quite inappropriate.

I suppose that when we think of things that are "lovely", in the sense that Paul may have intended when he used this word in the list of things that we are to think on, he meant to think about things that "make for tender love and affection and kindness".

I will continue to study this idea of "things that make for love", and write more in the future. In the mean time, I will continue to think of things that are true, and honourable, and just, and pure - and include things that will make for kindly thoughts and good feelings between people.

Something Pure to Read

2007-04-20T12:12:00.000-05:00

Found on the internet: Whatever is Pure - "These pages will lead to inspirational thoughts or short Christian Devotionals written by the founder of I Lift My Eyes Ministries, or articles that we felt would be a blessing to many and deserved a page of their own. Music and graphics have been added to enhance the written word.

Many of these articles have appeared in prior issues of Whatever is Pure. a monthly online collection of Christian poetry, testimonies, short stories and other expressions of Christian Creativity that lift up Jesus and lift our hearts." - from the website

Whatever is PURE

2007-04-09T23:33:00.000-05:00

Definition:

* hagnos - "pure from defilement, not contaminated" (from the same root as hagios, "holy")
* pure from every fault, immaculate; chaste; with pure motives, sincerely

What things are pure:

He is pure - 1 John 3:3
Wisdom from above is pure - James 3:17
Young preacher, Timothy - 1 Timothy 5:22, 4:12
Treatment of women - 1 Timothy 5:2
Conduct which wins souls - 1 Peter 3:2
The church of Christ as His bride - 2 Corinthians 11:2
Younger women - Titus 2:3-5

a similar Greek word is "hagnotes" - the state of being hagnos (pure), used of :

Paul and his ministry - 2 Corinthians 6:6,
devotion to Christ - 2 Corinthians 11:3

Consider also all the things that were to undergo "purification" under the Law: washing of hands, perfect sacrifices, being cleansed after a battle, before a feast, or while a woman during her time or after childbirth. It was important in the shadows of things to come, then how important it must be regarding spiritual realities that we be washed and cleansed.

But being washed is not the same thing as being pure, according to the Greek words. The Greek word used for this is katharos, which has to do with being cleased of impurities, and so rendered to be pure. But the purity which is from above is more akin to holiness - never having had that spot in the first place. This reminds me of what Paul addressed when he asked, "Shall we go on sinning then, that grace may abound? May it never be!" Just because we can wash it off later is no reason to go rolling in the mud now. That is not purity in the sense of maintaining sincerity, remaining holy as He is holy, living the lives we were made to live. There are certainly debates among Christians as to how far they can go towards looking at the world before they are indeed contaminated themselves. Many contend that if they have not broken the "thou shalt not" rule, they are okay. After all, we are all different, and God allows certain liberties, they say. Granted. But just being near the dust will get dust on you, and little by little, imperceptibly, the dust gathers until you must either be cleansed, or remain visibly filthy.

Wouldn't it be better to think on things that are pure and clean already, rather than having to clease them of their dirt as we go along? And keep ourselves pure in the first place? Of course we might slip and fall sometimes - and that's what cleansing is for.

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Assignment: think about things that are pure, like water that you want to drink - not with 10% poison in it, or even 2% filth - absolute purity. Clean, as God is clean. As a baby is pure of mind. Holy as God is holy, and free from ties to things that are dirty or questionable. Unspotted. Unblemished. Pure.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrew 10:22

A Prayer for Dignity and Nobility

2007-04-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

"O Lord God, we pray that we may be inspired to nobleness of life in the least of things. May we dignify all our daily life. May we set such a sacredness upon every part of our life that nothing shall be trivial, nothing unimportant, and nothing dull, in the daily round"

Henry Ward Beecher

Whatever is JUST

2007-03-31T11:11:00.000-05:00

New Testament Greek Definition:

* dikaios {dik'-ah-yos}
* righteous, just, right, meet

From Vine's:

. . . The Eng. word "righteous" was formerly spelt "rightwise," i.e., (in a) straight way. In the NT it denotes "righteous," a state of being right, or right conduct, judged whether by the Divine standard, or according to human standards, of what is right. Said of God, it designates the perfect agreement between His nature and His acts (in which He is the standard for all men).

What things are Just:

God - John 17:25; Rom. 3:26; 1 John 1:9; 2:29; 3:7
Christ - Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 2:1
certain men - Mary's Joseph, in Matt. 1:19; John's parents, in Luke 1:5-6; those who live by faith, in Rom. 1:17; the doers of the law, in Rom. 2:13
Christ's judgment, John 5:30
the parable of the just steward - Matt. 20:4
speaking the truth - Acts 4:19
obedience to parents - Eph. 6:1
treatment of servants - Col. 4:1
"the commandment" (the Law) - Rom. 7:12;
works - 1 John 3:12;
the ways of God - Rev. 15:3

I found this interesting story about how we demand to see things that are just and right in our eyes:

An old legend tells about a robber in Cairo who, climbing out of a window, fell and broke his leg. He complained to the Cadi, and demanded justice from the owner because the window casement was defective. The Cadi sent for the owner, who laid the blame on the carpenter. The Cadi sent for the carpenter, who laid the blame on the mason. The mason blamed a pretty girl, who in passing attracted his eye by the pretty gown she wore. The girl blamed the dyer who dyed the gown. The dyer had no excuse to offer, and the Cadi sentenced him to be hanged in his own doorway. Everyone was satisfied, but the executioner came back and said he could not hang the dyer because the door was too low. "Then," said the Cadi, "go, get a short dyer and hang him. We must have justice, though the heavens fall."

It is interesting, of course, that this is an "old" legend, because it seems that this sort of thing might just happen today. Our society places blame and demands restitution; we sue and demand our rights. But are we truly thinking on the things that are "just" and "right"? Is it right, for instance, to demand of others what we will not do ourselves? Did Jesus demand the same justice of the woman taken in adultery that the men of his day demanded? Of course, they said, it would only be "right" to stone her. And yet Jesus, after writing a little in the sand, told them - "Let he who is without sin among you cast the first stone." The true justice and righteousness comes from above, and is high above what we can imagine.

So how can we know what is the "right" thing to think about, if we can misunderstand the very meaning of what is just? I propose that in order to understand the things that are truly just in the eyes of God, that we go to the word of the Just God, and look at the things that God calls "just" and "right." In the list above are several things that we know to be righteous - from God himself to the simple act of obeying our parents. These are the things that are on the straight path. Many things which are just are considered to be just by those who do not even know the Law of the Old Testament, or the words of Christ. And there are things that with further learning and growing up that we find are just. They may not be what some of us consider to be "fair" or even "nice" at first. But they are right things.

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Assignment: Look up the verses highlighted above, and study what things really are just and right. Read and study the whole context in the Bible, to really understand what it means to be like Christ, our example.

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much find gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalm 19:9-10

Honorable Speech

2007-03-29T17:00:00.000-05:00

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WordPoints: Daily Devotionals, by Gary Henry, of wordpoints.com
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"Respecting the Name of God"

"And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane
the name of your God; I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:12).

One evidence of how little regard we have for God is the flippant way in which we sometimes use His name. It is possible, no doubt, to be scrupulous in the use of God's name and still not have any reverence for Him in our hearts. But in today's meditation, we want to focus on the inside-out problem: the problem of the person who has no inward respect for God and that lack of respect shows up in the person's outward speech. There are basically three ways we may disrespect God and His name:

Swearing. To swear is to invoke God as the guarantee that we're going to do as we say. For instance, the person who says, "This is what I'm going to do, by God," is swearing. But Jesus taught that our statements ought not to require any oath to back them up. "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one" (Matthew 5:37).

Profanity. Profane speech is that which makes common or crude use of words that should be held as sacred and used only with great
reverence. It's not uncommon anymore to hear the words "God" and "Jesus Christ" thrown around so casually one wonders if the speakers even realize whose names they are using.

Cursing. When a person curses, he calls down God's wrath upon someone, verbally wishing them harm. "God damn you" is shorthand for "I hope God will damn your soul to hell." Even thinking this thought is serious business, but speaking it out load -- using God's name to vent our anger on others -- is a monstrous evil. It is no light matter to wish the loss of someone's soul.

Why are these things so serious? Might we not consider them harmless foibles, less dangerous than sins that actually hurt other people? Well, the problem has to do with the heart. Crude words, and certainly irreverent ones, are almost always symptomatic of a heart that is turned away from God. So Jesus said, "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:37). So the next time you feel like "cussing," check your heart. Where is your spiritual father, above or below? Does your speech show that you're a humble worshiper of God?

"To curse is to pray to the devil" (German Proverb).

Whatever is HONORABLE

2007-03-24T11:27:00.000-05:00

Definitions:

* Greek - semnos - honest, august, venerable, reverend;
* Noble things are things venerated for character, honourable.

What is honourable:

The Greek word in Philippians 4:8 is "semnos". Besides Philippians 4:8, this term is used by Paul in

1 Timothy 3:8 - "Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,"
1 Timothy 3:11 - "Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things."
Titus 2:2 - "Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance."

Another similar word in the New Testament is "semnotes", which according to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words:

denotes "venerableness, dignity;" it is a necessary characteristic of the life and conduct of Christians, 1 Tim. 2:2, RV, "gravity" (AV, "honesty"), a qualification of a bishop or overseer in a church, in regard to his children, 1 Tim. 3:4; a necessary characteristic of the teaching imparted by a servant of God, Titus 2:7.

I used the "bible.cc" to reference the above verses, because it shows the various ways that this "semnotes" is translated and understood: "gravity," "seriousness," and "dignity." This is something we are told by Paul to think about. In Philippians 4:9, Paul further says: "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." I don't think Paul is being proud of himself, but as he imitated Christ, he tells us to try to live like he lived. Was Paul a "silly man?" Was Jesus? Can you think of some other devout, reverent, worshipful people? You will note that they are all worthy of your respect, and I would say, even your thoughts, since they are our examples. Don't forget that even young people can be an example in proper conduct and speech.

Many in this modern world seem to "venerate" the snide remarks of comedians and the instructions of those who claim that "no one should really care how they act, dress, etc." But I think that those who are longing for true peace of mind will turn their eyes and hearts away from the silliness and "coarse jesting", and rather humbly and reverently give thanks.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face,
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

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Assignment: I will merely echo Paul today - please consider and meditate on the things and people that are honourable, serious, and dignified.

"It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting:
for that is the end of all men;
and the living will lay it to his heart."
Ecclesiastes 7:2

"Sins of Ignorance, Sins of Weakness"

2007-03-23T21:05:00.000-05:00

If you are not signed up for WordPoints Daily Devotionals, please let me suggest that you go to the WordPoints website and look into it.

These thoughts today fit so well with the thoughts that I have been having concerning the "unknown truth" of those who sin and live apart from God's will ignorantly, that I felt I must share it, as a follow up. Thanks to Gary Henry, of WordPoints, who is a hero of mine.

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WordPoints: Daily Devotionals
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March 23: Sins of Ignorance, Sins of Weakness

"For we all stumble in many things" (James 3:2).

Even when we're sincerely committed to God, there are times when we fail to do His will. We "stumble," as James said, or in Paul's words, we are "caught" or "overtaken" by sin (Galatians 6:1). We try to be perfect, but we fall short.

Ignorance. We don't know enough of the truth to act truthfully all of the time. There are blind spots in our vision and gaps in our understanding; none can deny it. So Paul, for example, prayed for the Colossians: "that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will . . . that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, etc." (Colossians 1:9,10).

Weakness. Peter, James, and John knew better than to go to sleep while the Lord was praying in Gethsemane, yet they did so. Without excusing their error, Jesus was sympathetic: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

There is a third possibility, of course, and that is rebellion. If we know what we should do and we deliberately refuse to do it, the reason is not so much weakness as it is defiance. To do this is to do something described in the Scriptures as being extremely serious (Hebrews 10:26,27). We dare not reject God so boldly.

Yet even when our sins are inadvertant, in most cases we still have some personal responsibility. It often happens that we're more ignorant and weak than we ought to be, given the time and opportunity God has granted us to grow (Hebrews 5:12). The person who pleads with the Lord, "But I didn't know better," may hear Him say, "You would have known better if you'd had the desire to learn. You didn't grow because you didn't want to grow!"

All things considered, we need to adopt David's attitude toward sin: "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; . . . Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:12-14). There is no sin that isn't dangerous, and the sooner we learn better and do better, the better we'll honor God.

"There are two causes of sin. Either we don't know what we ought to
do or we refuse to do what we know we should. The first cause is
ignorance. The second is weakness" (Augustine of Hippo).

Gary Henry, WordPoints Daily Devotionals

Unknown Truth

2007-03-21T13:14:00.000-05:00

My thoughts on unknown truth here are rambling, and perhaps stumble into untruth. If you disagree with me, please pray that our eyes will be opened to understand how to percieve this truth about God and things that we do not know, and have trouble answering. Please contact me with any words of encouragement, or admonishment, or teaching. These thoughts are not meant to teach anyone, but merely to try to align words and thoughts together so that I might be able to better answer for the hope that I have in me.

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God is truth. His word is truth. His Son is true. God's promises are true. And whatever things are Truth are so TRUE, observable, manifest and real, that anyone can see truth. And yet sometimes - whether they have God's laws, written words, a good example, or just know truth in their hearts - people suppress the truth.

Romans 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Romans 2:13-16 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Sometimes, those who don't believe that God is true will ask, "how can God justly condemn those who have never heard the truth?" And according to scripture, God does just that. Listen to what Mr. Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, "...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." Retribution is for those who don't know God, as well as those who do not obey the gospel of Jesus. So what is the truth about God? Is He contradictory? Cruel? Or does the Bible contradict itself about God? What can we truly really know about God?

We cannot know all truth. That's a true saying, isn't it? The Bible says that His ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are highter than our thoughts. There are some things, that although true, we cannot know. Of course, this does not mean that we cannot know what we are supposed to know. We can know enough. Sometimes as a child, it is enough to know that our parent or teacher "just says so." As adults, we don't want to be satisfied with this answer: we want to know what God has in His heart, what other men have in their hearts. We want to know for sure who will be dealt retribution and who will be okay in God's eyes in the end.

But we simply cannot know.

Men so hunger to know truth that they will believe only the most logical reasoning, or the most credible witness or study, or they will believe nothing at all. So they search and search, not content to be like a child and just accept someone else's word for it. That's a good thing, right? I think it can be a bad thing too.

If a family in the jungle somewhere has never heard the truth of the Bible's gospel of Jesus, "by which we must be saved," then according to obvious logic of what is written in the same Bible, that family in the jungle somewhere may die physically never knowing the only thing that can save them spiritually. Maybe that's our fault, those of us who have the truth of the written word but refuse to give up all of this present world's comforts in order to take the saving words to them. He also knows if they truly have seen the truth that is displayed before them at each sunrise and sunset and starry night, and whether they have sought "something more". The thing is, only God knows our hearts, and only God knows their hearts. He knows why we won't take the story of Christ's name being the only name by which we can be saved from sin (falling away from God's perfect plan for our lives), and God knows why they continue to follow their own thoughts and hearts when it goes against their conscience too.

We on the other hand, cannot know all this truth about others. Who has known the mind of a man save the spirit of a man (1 Corinthians 2:11)? And who has known the mind of God? We can search, and reason with the minds God gave us, and seek out physical evidence as God lays it before us. But inevitably, our decision to believe the truth that is out there is just that - our decision. And it is our heart, which will either accuse or defend us before Him.

I suppose there is an appropriate answer to give a friend who pauses on his way to know more about God's truth by asking, "well, what about those who have no opportunity to hear the truth?" And each of our friends may have different thoughts and concerns which bring them to ask this question. We must answer with gentleness that we do not know what God has in store for each individual. But we do know that Jesus told his followers what He required of them. Jesus taught his followers to go into all the world and speak to every creature about the things that He taught them and did for them. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

In the mean time, I am terrified that any minute that I am not living in order to tell everyone I come in contact with about the gospel story that hundreds of people in this world are dying without knowing, and it may be my fault. Does God want to put that pressure on me? Am I supposed to be able to live and enjoy the life that God has given me here without constant guilt for the souls of others? I'm not sure.

Ephesians 5:15-21: Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. And don't get drunk with wine, which [leads to] reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music to the Lord in your heart, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

Read other thoughts on these things, from:
La Vista Church of Christ
Ken Collins
Ray Pritchard
Mark Wilson
Dan Philips of Pyromaniacs

Whatever Is True, a list

2007-03-17T08:45:00.000-05:00

A list of things that are true, according to scripture, from a found website. (Link provided at the end)

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Who is your father?

Seems an easy question, doesn't it?

The Jews thought so, too. But Jesus assured them that Abraham was not their father, or they would have done the works that Abraham did.

Their father was the devil, he said, because they refused the truth and believed lies about the Messiah. The devil is the father of lies, so he who tells, lives, or prefers a lie to the truth has made clear his paternity.

Perhaps that is why, in Paul's recommendation to dwell on the good ( Philippians 4:8), he puts "whatever is true" first on his list.

So what is true? Think on these true things:

1. The true grace of God ( 1 Peter 5:12).

2. The true testimony about those who do what is right ( 3 John 12).

3. The true love in Christ and in us ( 1 John 2:8).

4. The true riches ( Luke 16:11).

5. The true light, which illumines all men ( John 1:9).

6. The true worshipers ( John 4:23).

7. The true saying, "One sows, and another reaps" ( John 4:37).

8. The true bread from heaven ( John 6:32).

9. The true tabernacle, heaven itself ( Hebrews 8:1,2; 9:24).

10. And when the true is bad, as in Titus 1:12-14? As Paul says, work to change the situation!

All that is true and good has its center in Him who is true, the true and living God ( John 7:28; 17:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:9).

When we embrace and concentrate on what is true, and on him who is true, we will indeed be children of God.

By J. Randal Matheny (20 September 2004, 11:45 AM)

Whatever is TRUE

2007-03-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

Definitions

* Greek - aletheia, reality
* Truth is what is real, obvious, absolute.

What is True (click to go to scripture in context)

God's word is truth, John 17:17
God's riches are true, Luke 16:11
The light of Christ is true, John 1:9
He is true, I John 4:20

Think today about what things are Really True - things that are Truly Real. Can you name some of them? God, His word, His promises, the Son, redemption, the spirit, heavenly places ... These things are not merely nice stories and comforting thoughts - they are Real. They are True. We can have confidence in these things, and stand firm on them, just as if Truth is the solid rock upon which we build our lives.

If truth is what we were made for, and we were made to be real, not some human idea of what we want to be, then anything contrary to that truth should be far from our lives and thoughts. Remember the 9th commandment that God gave to the Israelites in the time of Moses: "You shall not bear false witness." Is this about slander and gossip? Or is there something more serious about this particular falling away from the true lives we were created for? Our words should also be true in all circumstances - consider not only avoiding slander, but also hypocrisy and self-deception. Satan is called "the father of lies". Lies are anything that is opposed to Reality.

Let us live lives of truth. Let us think on things that are true, and real.

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Assignment: look up other times the term "aletheia" is used in the New Testament, and read the passages again, using the word "real" in place of "true".

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
-- Revelation of John 21:1-5 (ESV)

Think on These Things

2007-03-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

My personal study page, uploaded to share

* To define words
* To find full context and and other scriptures
* To share thoughts

I hope that these basic studies and thoughts will help you in your studies and encourage you to continue thinking on good and wholesome (healthful) things, that the God of Peace may be with you always.

image above from Calligraphy Art & Inspirational Gifts by Michael Noyes