Shout out with praise
To the LORD on His Throne!
Sing with me all the earth,
For He set me Free.
He unlocked the shackles
He unwound the chains
I am Free.
He filled the darkness with Light
Fear fled, demons tremble.
I am Free!
He bent down to lift me up.
He put the chains and shackles on my foes.
But, I…I am Free!
It was I that caused His great pain, you see.
It was for me that He stuck to that tree.
It was I that raced down that path of ruin,
That pursued the pitiful gain.
Yet, His love swelled greater than oceans
His love reached past the universe
He counted the cost
and found it worthy
to set me Free yes, even me, to set me Free
The babies’ breath is on His cheek…
My tears have rolled down His fingers…
Yet the universe is too small for His shoulders.
He cared enough to set me Free.
Shout ye people of the earth.
Sing hosannas to reach the stars.
Sing with me and praise His name for
He paid the price to set us Free!
Can you follow directions?
Ever notice the directions on products? Some of them are quite humorous, such as “do not operate this hair dryer when sleeping.” Really? Visions of women lying in bed with their blow dryer grasped in a white-knuckled grip trip through my mind. Another favorite is the peanut package on airplanes which says, “Open packet. Eat nuts.” I guess that is for those who would rather slip the packet into their purse and smuggle it off the plane. Found on a Korean kitchen knife, “Keep out of children;” on a batman costume, “This cape does not enable user to fly;” on a shampoo bottle, “Use repeatedly for severe damage.”
When the directions make sense to us, we use them as guidelines to use the product or put together the object we’ve purchased. I know several men who’ve said, “Don’t read me the directions, I can mess this up all by myself.” They were alluding to the fact that most directions found in something that must be put together by the purchaser are often difficult to decipher. One usually needs some sort of class in instructions-ese to understand how this part A really does fit in part B and is enclosed by part Z. So what good are directions that make no sense? Maybe a chuckle or two.
We have societal “understandings” like no burping or nose cleaning in public, we have basic work ethics, and we have laws of the land that require certain behaviors toward others such as paying our bills and obeying traffic signals and signs. These are established as directional guides of society so that people will go in generally the same direction. Of course, common criminals travel against the flow. Sometimes godly people travel against the flow because they’ve lost their GPS or compass.
I wrote a column Shake Well Before Using which points out we have a choice in our direction. Our choices, which stem from our God-given free will, determine the path we trod. When we deliberately decide to follow the footprints of Jesus, and allow Him to carry us when the load becomes too heavy, then our path is well-lighted so we can clearly see the stumbling blocks Satan tosses in our way. We have support, relief, and supernatural wisdom which are our birthright through Jesus.
Even so, some godly people are drawn toward the world’s siren song. Some tread down side paths because they have lost sight of the ultimate purpose. Never fear, God won’t leave them on the wrong path. He has determined a plan for their life and side trips are the way for believers to learn lessons the hard way, rather than the easy way. These unwise choices result in pitfalls and potholes that could so easily be avoided if the Lamp of God had been used.
Even so, some godly people are drawn toward the world’s siren song. Some tread down side paths because they have lost sight of the ultimate purpose. Never fear, God won’t leave them on the wrong path. He has determined a plan for their life and side trips are the way for believers to learn lessons the hard way, rather than the easy way. These unwise choices result in pitfalls and potholes that could so easily be avoided if the Lamp of God had been used.
A somewhat famous actor on TV back in the 1970s and early 1980s did not use that Lamp I'm talking about. You might know him better as the husband of Mary Ann
Mobley (1937-2014), a former Miss America from Mississippi. His name was Gary
Collins (1938-2012), quite a handsome fellow, distinguished-looking, and successful
in his own right. He was in the series The Sixth Sense, and had guest appearances on shows like Jag, Hollywood Squares, and even on a Perry Mason Mystery.
However, in 2007 he walked out of a Biloxi, MS restaurant without paying his $59 bill according to a news article from several years ago, which is a felony in the state of Mississippi. The article reads like a litany of all his brushes with the law. An updated report states Collins told the police he had ordered dinner, and the kitchen was taking too long to bring his steak. He was drinking alcoholic beverages and he was afraid he'd be too drunk to drive home so he left. He had two previous drunk driving convictions, so I can understand his dilemma. Yet, he should have paid for the drinks and canceled his order.
However, in 2007 he walked out of a Biloxi, MS restaurant without paying his $59 bill according to a news article from several years ago, which is a felony in the state of Mississippi. The article reads like a litany of all his brushes with the law. An updated report states Collins told the police he had ordered dinner, and the kitchen was taking too long to bring his steak. He was drinking alcoholic beverages and he was afraid he'd be too drunk to drive home so he left. He had two previous drunk driving convictions, so I can understand his dilemma. Yet, he should have paid for the drinks and canceled his order.
It would be just another actor/police story if I didn’t remember an interview from decades ago.
I remember watching a talk show hosted by Dinah Shore one summer morning with guests Mary Ann Mobley and Gary Collins who had just gotten married in November, 1967. During the interview, they both expressed how blessed by God they were to have found each other and discussed how being Christian in Hollywood affected their careers. I know, I can hear someone asking, “How in the world can you remember that from so long ago?”
I was thirteen years old, and I had aspirations of being Miss America. I thought Miss America was the most fabulous woman on earth at that time. Furthermore, I carefully watched those actors who professed Jesus (and there weren’t that many, in fact there still aren't that many).
What is extraordinarily sad is I can’t find any reference to that interview anywhere. After extensive research, I found a quote by Mary Ann about growing up in the church and feeling strongly about it. I also found out that she bought chimes for her church, Brandon Methodist Church, with her first check as an entertainer as well as that is where the couple got married. She made the mustard seed necklace famous, and often quoted Luke 17:6 when talking to the press. She and Gary were married until he died in 2012 (45 years). That is certainly an achievement.
This just illustrates that bad choices and bad decisions are not the property of fools, idiots, and unbelievers. Only Jesus never made a bad choice or decision. Peter said, “Don’t wash my feet, Lord.” The disciples deserted Jesus in His hour of need. David watched a woman bathe. Solomon married foreign wives and had 1,000 women in his household. Rehoboam listened to the young kids on the block rather than the wise old sages. These weren’t the smartest decisions made by believers and they certainly weren’t the last. The world is full of people who have made, and will make unwise choices.
Of one thing I’m absolutely sure: No matter how bad the choice or the consequences, God gives us the opportunity to humble ourselves in His presence and to turn away from the dark path back to the lighted one. Sometimes, God will even pick us up when we’ve reached the dead end and put us back on track. The key is recognizing when we’ve made a wrong turn, accepting the consequences of that decision, and following the directions for the best product available under Heaven which is the Christian lifestyle.
Celebrating the Quad Centenial of 1611 King James Bible
The new year will mark the 4th Centennial of the KJV. While this was not the first English translation, it has become one of the most widely used, in its modernized form, of all the early English translations. John Wycliffe was the first to translate the Bible into English that was widely circulated in manuscript form (before the printing press). It became illegal because of his stance against the Catholic Church’s teachings on several things in England in 1409. The manuscripts usually had a date before 1409 to circumvent the religious ban. Interestingly, because Wycliffe translated word for word from the Latin Vulgate, there wasn’t any way to distinguish it from other English translations so later Bible commentators from about 1600 through 1799 mistook the banned manuscripts as orthodox translations.
William Tyndale translated the New Testament in 1525 and later began a translation of the Old Testament but did not finish it before his death. Myles Coverdale took Tyndale’s translation and with only minor adaptations made it into the Great Bible version which was adopted as the Authorized Version by the Church of England during the reign of King Henry VIII. After his death, Edward I became king at age eight, and he named Lady Jane Grey as his successor in his will. She was queen for nine days. The movie about her depicts some of her arguments with the religious leaders of the day. She believed in individual salvation by grace, not works based salvation, and she believed the Eucharist did not turn into Christ’s body and blood. She was beheaded in the Tower of London in 1553 and was succeeded by her cousin, Mary I, Queen of Scots who reinstated the Roman Catholicism as the state religion resulting in many English Reformers fleeing the country.
John Calvin led these Reformed Protestants in Geneva where these scholars produced the Geneva Bible. This translation was actually a revision of the Great Bible and Tyndale’s Bible based on the original languages. Then came the Church of England’s Bishop’s Bible which failed to displace the Geneva Bible in the hearts and parlors of the common folk. The Roman Catholics subversively imported the Douay-Rheims translation in 1582.
King James VI of Scotland convened the Hampton Court Conference in 1604 with instructions that the Bishop’s Bible, then the Authorized Version of the Church of England, as the primary guide so as to keep the words recognizable to readers, and the translation to be true to the ecclesiology of the Church of England.
Forty-seven scholars divided into six groups and translated sections of the book, each completed by 1608. The King’s Printer, Robert Barker published the Authorized Version in 1611 which was sold loose leaf for ten shillings, and bound for twelve shillings.
This volume opened the eyes of many ordinary people like you and me. Suddenly, God’s word was there for all to read, albeit not all people could read. However, it has been one of the most published Bibles since the first day ink was set to paper. However, there have been many modernizations made to the original 1611 text. For example…
1611 version of 1 Corinthians 13:
1. Though I speake with the tongues of men & of Angels, and haue not charity, I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I haue the gift of prophesie, and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge: and though I haue all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines, and haue no charitie, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestowe all my goods to feede the poore, and though I giue my body to bee burned, and haue not charitie, it profiteth me nothing.
1769 version:
1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Comparing the two, besides the punctuation and spelling changes, the word no is substituted erroneously for the word not. In the original Greek the word μή mē (may) is a primary particle of qualified negation and is adverbially translated not. It is apparent that the 150 something years between the first publication of the King James Version and the 1769 published version the English language had undergone tremendous changes indicated by the nearly 24,000 changes between the first edition and the 1769 Oxford text edition. The substance is the same, no matter what language a person reads. While the words may be spelled differently, and some of the meanings of the words have shifted with modern usage, we can still be astounded that the Bible has remained steadfast since Moses wrote the Law and the Apostles wrote their epistles.
(A lot of this history came from Wikipedia. While I generally take this source with a huge grain of salt, the sources for this piece on Wikipedia are quite authoritative. You might also want to check out The King James Bible Trust)
Psalm 32
Have you ever taken a cat to the vet?
(This is not our cat Scooter, but a stand in actor.)
Like all good owners ,we had to take our cat to the vet and the caterwauling he set up all the way there and all the way back! (that’s where that word comes from, you know= CAT—er—wailing)
I was grateful it was only a 30 minute drive. “Out, out, I want out,” he wailed all the way there.
I can imagine it was much like David’s misery which he describes in Psalm 32. Our cat didn't have unconfessed sin, but he was sick. Unconfessed sin makes people bodies sick.
Look at verse 3…When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
It is like borrowing money from a friend knowing you can’t pay it back. After awhile you start avoiding your friend. Soon, you’re ducking down hallways and going the long way around just so you won’t bump into your friend. Then you want to avoid your friend at all costs because you have built a wall. (Can you tell this happened to me?) The person you borrowed from doesn’t care about the money, never did care about it, and most likely never truly wanted you to pay it back. Your friend loves the fellowship with you, and would much rather have you than the money. That’s how God is. He wants that relationship with you, but sin breaks the fellowship on your part, not His part because He promised to never leave or forsake you. David finally understood this.
Psalm 32 – the ungodly can be reinstated into godliness. David is prostrate in repentance and worship. This was after Nathan had confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. We get a peek into his heart in this Psalm.
His bones became old. Now, I’m growing older and I have more aches and pains than I ever had when I was younger. Just to get out of bed sometimes sounds like a tool box being turned over with all the clanks and grindings.
He was howling all day. Imagine that. King James translates it roaring. The word means literally “a rumbling or moan”, so I translate that as CAT-er-wailing.
He says in verse 5: I confessed my sin to You, and I have not hidden my iniquity; I said, I will confess over my transgression to Jehovah; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Glory! There is something so incredibly important here. First we see David angry at the injustice, then he is deeply repentant when he recognizes his own sin. (2 Samuel 12:13), Then he is prostrate (2 Samuel 12:16) for his son, fasting, seeking God in the hope God may have mercy and let his son live. David understands the deep necessity of confession in order to be right with the Lord and how God forgives. It is essential that we know beyond doubt that God forgives our transgressions.
Without that knowledge, we cannot worship from our heart. Without that knowledge, Satan builds a web of guilt and shame around us to keep us from Worshipping God.
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in Jehovah and rejoice, you righteous ones; and all the upright in heart, shout for joy.
David addresses it again in Psalm 51. He tells us Who to go to to get right with God. We can't do it on our own. God can.
We have established that there is much more to worship than singing and praising, although that is part of worship. The word Worship means to bow low and to serve. In actions, it means,
Obedience regardless of the apparent cost, as Abraham obeyed.
Sacrifice as ordained by God.
Confession and repentance is crucial to experience worship as God would have us experience it.
Then God gives us a renewed, sparkling clean and a right spirit (some translations state steadfast spirit). It can be done from a distance as the Children of Israel did when God came to the Tabernacle, but is that how we should worship? It involves the heart (will), and the ears (understanding).
Worship is a constant and continual state when we are right with God. We can barely understand how the Holy Spirit indwells, how much we miss of true worship in these frail bodies, temporary tents we inhabit for such a speck of time. What a blessing it is to have the Holy Spirit joined to body and soul to help with our worship. It is a fascinating, imagination stretcher to contemplate worship in the proper setting (God's Heavenly Temple) and in the proper dress (our bright, white linen robes of righteousness), surrounded by millions of angels all of us singing a new song of the Lamb. I can't wait.
Have you ever taken a cat to the vet?
(This is not our cat Scooter, but a stand in actor.)
Like all good owners ,we had to take our cat to the vet and the caterwauling he set up all the way there and all the way back! (that’s where that word comes from, you know= CAT—er—wailing)
I was grateful it was only a 30 minute drive. “Out, out, I want out,” he wailed all the way there.
I can imagine it was much like David’s misery which he describes in Psalm 32. Our cat didn't have unconfessed sin, but he was sick. Unconfessed sin makes people bodies sick.
Look at verse 3…When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
It is like borrowing money from a friend knowing you can’t pay it back. After awhile you start avoiding your friend. Soon, you’re ducking down hallways and going the long way around just so you won’t bump into your friend. Then you want to avoid your friend at all costs because you have built a wall. (Can you tell this happened to me?) The person you borrowed from doesn’t care about the money, never did care about it, and most likely never truly wanted you to pay it back. Your friend loves the fellowship with you, and would much rather have you than the money. That’s how God is. He wants that relationship with you, but sin breaks the fellowship on your part, not His part because He promised to never leave or forsake you. David finally understood this.
Psalm 32 – the ungodly can be reinstated into godliness. David is prostrate in repentance and worship. This was after Nathan had confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. We get a peek into his heart in this Psalm.
His bones became old. Now, I’m growing older and I have more aches and pains than I ever had when I was younger. Just to get out of bed sometimes sounds like a tool box being turned over with all the clanks and grindings.
He was howling all day. Imagine that. King James translates it roaring. The word means literally “a rumbling or moan”, so I translate that as CAT-er-wailing.
He says in verse 5: I confessed my sin to You, and I have not hidden my iniquity; I said, I will confess over my transgression to Jehovah; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Glory! There is something so incredibly important here. First we see David angry at the injustice, then he is deeply repentant when he recognizes his own sin. (2 Samuel 12:13), Then he is prostrate (2 Samuel 12:16) for his son, fasting, seeking God in the hope God may have mercy and let his son live. David understands the deep necessity of confession in order to be right with the Lord and how God forgives. It is essential that we know beyond doubt that God forgives our transgressions.
Without that knowledge, we cannot worship from our heart. Without that knowledge, Satan builds a web of guilt and shame around us to keep us from Worshipping God.
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in Jehovah and rejoice, you righteous ones; and all the upright in heart, shout for joy.
David addresses it again in Psalm 51. He tells us Who to go to to get right with God. We can't do it on our own. God can.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me out from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Obedience regardless of the apparent cost, as Abraham obeyed.
Sacrifice as ordained by God.
Confession and repentance is crucial to experience worship as God would have us experience it.
Then God gives us a renewed, sparkling clean and a right spirit (some translations state steadfast spirit). It can be done from a distance as the Children of Israel did when God came to the Tabernacle, but is that how we should worship? It involves the heart (will), and the ears (understanding).
Worship is a constant and continual state when we are right with God. We can barely understand how the Holy Spirit indwells, how much we miss of true worship in these frail bodies, temporary tents we inhabit for such a speck of time. What a blessing it is to have the Holy Spirit joined to body and soul to help with our worship. It is a fascinating, imagination stretcher to contemplate worship in the proper setting (God's Heavenly Temple) and in the proper dress (our bright, white linen robes of righteousness), surrounded by millions of angels all of us singing a new song of the Lamb. I can't wait.
Sin is contagious, righteousness is not
I read those words this morning and my brain came to a screeching halt. They come from Haggai 2:12-13. Something cannot be made holy by merely touching the thing with the holy thing. However, an unclean person touching something will make it unclean. This is the Old Testament, and it has far reaching meaning into the New Testament such as the old adage "One bad apple will spoil the whole barrel." Any sales executive knows that one person with a bad attitude can infect the whole floor of sales representatives, or clerks, or secretaries which will infect everyone else. It is contagious.
This is exactly why the world can have such power over Christians. The ways of the world insidiously creep into our thought processes and we think, "What's the harm in that?" First thinking about it, then the thoughts consume our mind, then action follows thought and without actually realizing it, we've become entangled in Satan's World Wide Web.
Righteousness is not contagious, nor can it be transferred to another by sheer will power or thought process or even prayer. Our own righteousness is our own by birth right, being born again into the Spirit through the blood of Christ. It is individual, personal, and directed to each soul. We need do only one thing which is believe God exists (which must happen before anyone can be saved) and believe in Jesus. God does everything else.
In order to live the abundant life provided by Jesus, one must unlock every secret compartment of the heart and allow God to fill that God-sized hole in the soul. Keeping one part unsurrendered will hinder Christian living and God's power in your life. It is very similar to two people rowing a single boat in opposite directions. Unless there is a current stronger than one of the rowers, the boat goes no where and if the strongest rower, rows against the current the boat's forward motion slows to a crawl. It's like the two steps forward and one step back; progress is half what it could be. Surrender and live abundantly, full of joy.
This is exactly why the world can have such power over Christians. The ways of the world insidiously creep into our thought processes and we think, "What's the harm in that?" First thinking about it, then the thoughts consume our mind, then action follows thought and without actually realizing it, we've become entangled in Satan's World Wide Web.
Righteousness is not contagious, nor can it be transferred to another by sheer will power or thought process or even prayer. Our own righteousness is our own by birth right, being born again into the Spirit through the blood of Christ. It is individual, personal, and directed to each soul. We need do only one thing which is believe God exists (which must happen before anyone can be saved) and believe in Jesus. God does everything else.
In order to live the abundant life provided by Jesus, one must unlock every secret compartment of the heart and allow God to fill that God-sized hole in the soul. Keeping one part unsurrendered will hinder Christian living and God's power in your life. It is very similar to two people rowing a single boat in opposite directions. Unless there is a current stronger than one of the rowers, the boat goes no where and if the strongest rower, rows against the current the boat's forward motion slows to a crawl. It's like the two steps forward and one step back; progress is half what it could be. Surrender and live abundantly, full of joy.
Red Cross bans Christmas across the Pond
It seems the Red Cross of Great Britain is valiantly trying to become a completely neutral charity. Isn't that an oxymoron?
Scanning this article (click the title), I was chagrined at first, and then it became funny, especially in the last paragraph. It seems the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) tried to find a less prickly symbol than the cross five years ago and amidst boos, hisses and criticisms finally gave up the task.
This was just going to be a simple story, written before I went to bed. Now, after all this research into the background of the Red Cross, where it came from (American Red Cross came through the efforts of one Clara Barton). The ICRC began in Switzerland due to one man's observation of a battle fought in 1859 in Suferino where 40,000 men on both sides fell wounded and dead with no medical help. Henry Dunant persuaded locals to minister to the wounded without prejudice. An amazing feat.
The hooha concerning the religious nature of the symbol, a cross, is what spurred the international committee to try to design another symbol. Purely for neutrality since the Muslim countries were beginning their own Red Cross organizations. Somewhere in the first part of the 20th century, they adopted the Red Crescent which was immediately adopted by Russia and several Muslim countries. I'm confused now.
If the thing is not religious in nature, then why must they conjure up a Red Crescent, a Red Crystal and what's up with this Red Lion and Sun thing? The Red Star of David is nationally recognized in Israel, but the Jews adopt the Red Crystal for protection in international conflicts.
Can't the leadership of the Red Cross discern that we are divided along religious lines no matter what their symbol is?
So the Brits can't have Christmas decorations in their 430 Red Cross stores, yet they can sell Christmas cards with angels and nativity scenes "to help the charity".
Arise and shine for the light has come
I love that verse found in Isaiah 60:1. I use it all year round, but at this time of year it reminds us that God is faithful and always fulfills His promises.
Isn't it interesting that God wrote this in the past tense? To Isaiah, it was as if the Light had already come when it would be centuries before Christ would be born. I love it when God talks in the past tense because it makes it so done-dealish. It's a fact, Jack. No questions, Sessions. Isaiah already had his Messiah, the time/space continuum just hadn't caught up with God, yet.
So, I hold on to this verse all year, because it is an assurance to me that God is who He says He is, and God has done what He said He would do. Since God is so very consistent and constant, this is the assurance that all the rest of prophecy will come about just as it was foretold and is written.
Isn't it interesting that God wrote this in the past tense? To Isaiah, it was as if the Light had already come when it would be centuries before Christ would be born. I love it when God talks in the past tense because it makes it so done-dealish. It's a fact, Jack. No questions, Sessions. Isaiah already had his Messiah, the time/space continuum just hadn't caught up with God, yet.
So, I hold on to this verse all year, because it is an assurance to me that God is who He says He is, and God has done what He said He would do. Since God is so very consistent and constant, this is the assurance that all the rest of prophecy will come about just as it was foretold and is written.
Best cake ever
In honor of the Holidays, I dug up this recipe again and am re-posting it. I hope you enjoy :)
Hey everybody,
I wanted to share this favorite recipe of mine. I've had it for years and years and it never fails
BEST RUM CAKE EVER
Ingredients
1 or 2 quarts rum
3 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup dried fruit
1 teaspoon soda
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup nuts
Before you start - sample the rum to check for quality. Good - isn't it?
Now go ahead.
Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.
Check the rum again. It must be just right.
To be sure rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.
With an electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a fluffy bowl. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again. Meanwhile, make sure that the rum is of the quinest fality. Cry another tup.
Open second quart if necessary. Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat till high. If druit get stuck in beater, just pry loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity.
Next, sift 3 cups of peper or salt (it really doesn't matter). Sample the rum again.
Sift 1/2 pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add a babblespoon of brown thugar, or whatever color you can find. Wix mell.
Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Now pour the whole mess into the cover and toss toward open hole and akeb.
Check the rum again, and bo to ged.
to make my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. I am NOT advocating drinking. But this is just so halarious!
Hey everybody,
I wanted to share this favorite recipe of mine. I've had it for years and years and it never fails
BEST RUM CAKE EVER
Ingredients
1 or 2 quarts rum
3 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup dried fruit
1 teaspoon soda
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup nuts
Before you start - sample the rum to check for quality. Good - isn't it?
Now go ahead.
Select a large mixing bowl, measuring cup, etc.
Check the rum again. It must be just right.
To be sure rum is of the highest quality, pour one level cup of rum into a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat.
With an electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a fluffy bowl. Add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again. Meanwhile, make sure that the rum is of the quinest fality. Cry another tup.
Open second quart if necessary. Add 2 arge leggs, 2 cups fried druit and beat till high. If druit get stuck in beater, just pry loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the rum again, checking for tonscisticity.
Next, sift 3 cups of peper or salt (it really doesn't matter). Sample the rum again.
Sift 1/2 pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Add a babblespoon of brown thugar, or whatever color you can find. Wix mell.
Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredees. Now pour the whole mess into the cover and toss toward open hole and akeb.
Check the rum again, and bo to ged.
to make my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. I am NOT advocating drinking. But this is just so halarious!
Ruined
I fight to open my eyes, but something inside me warns me not to wake up. My stomach hurts. My head feels heavy. And who’s vacuuming? Don’t they know I’m trying to sleep? Where am I, anyway?
“Happy birthday dear Chloe, happy birthday to you.” I blow out the six pink candles, straighten the princess birthday crown on my head, and eagerly anticipate a giant piece of angel food cake with strawberry frosting and my most favorite ice cream—chocolate, chocolate chip.
“Oops, Mommy, I dropped ice cream on my princess dress. Now my life is ruined.”
“No worries, sweetie, Mommy will take care of it. Mommies can fix anything.” Mommy kisses me on the cheek, and I know everything will be okay.
The incessant vacuuming is joined by talking. Loud talking. Hey, am I invisible here? It sounds like someone is moving silverware around—dropping it onto a metal tray. Would everyone please stop making so much noise? I just need to get some sleep. There is way too much commotion going on here. What’s the crisis, anyway?
Mom brings our blue mini-van to a screeching halt in front of Madison Middle School. I am late for school…again.
“Do you have your science project, sweetie?”
“Yes, Mom.” I roll my eyes. “Why do you always question me? I’m a teenager now—I can take care of myself.”
I wrestle the white display board out the back sliding door.
“Oops, the spring fell off the board. Oh, great. Now what am I supposed to do? I’m already late for first period. My life is ruined.”
“No worries, sweetie. I’ll take care of it. I’ll just run home, grab the glue gun, come back and have this board fixed before your science class. Remember, Mommies can fix anything.” She blows me a kiss and mouths “everything will be okay” before speeding away.
The vacuuming stops. My stomach cramps. The loud talking is replaced by hushed voices. I strain to hear, but can only make out a few words. Missed. Pieces. Bleeding. The vacuum starts up again. Good grief, how big is the room, anyway?
“Oh, Eric, I wish you didn’t have to leave tomorrow. How am I going to live without you?”
“Sshh, baby, I know.” Eric pulls me tighter into his embrace. “It’s only for a few months, and then I’ll be home for winter break.”
“But what if you meet some college girl who steals your heart away from me?”
“Hey, I already told you, nobody’s going to steal my heart. And, besides, the love we’re going to share with each other tonight will bond us together as one. Forever.
Eric lies back on his bed and tugs at my arm. His parents are gone for the evening; my parents think we’re at a movie. Eric and I have been dating for two years. Everyone calls us the perfect couple. He was captain of the Debate team—I was co-captain. He plays bass in the youth group worship band, I sing lead. We both volunteer at the city soup kitchen.
We’d been talking for weeks about how we would spend our last night together, and I really did want to give myself to Eric completely, but…
“I don’t know, Eric. The Bible says this is wrong.”
“Come on, Chloe. We love each other. And it will only be this one time. Then we’ll wait until we’re married.”
Eric gently caresses my cheek with the back of his hand. His tender kisses on my neck make me melt in his arms. As he slowly begins unbuttoning my blouse, I hesitate, pushing his hand away from my now exposed bare skin.
“What if, you know—something goes wrong?”
“Relax, Chloe, I got protection from the school nurse.”
Eric returns to my buttons and I stop listening to the still small voice and start reacting to my passionate desires.
It all happens very quickly. Not quite like I’d pictured…or seen in the movies.
“Oops.” Eric abruptly rolls away from me.
“What’s wrong?” I reach for the blanket…suddenly ashamed of my nakedness.
“Uh, nothing. Just a little slippage. No worries.”
“Chloe, Chloe. Can you hear me?”
I hear her voice. I don’t want to open my eyes. I have intense pain in my lower abdomen. I know what that vacuuming was. My life is ruined.
“The nurse said everything went fine, sweetie. It’s all taken care of. See? Mommies can fix anything.”
She kisses me and I know…everything is not okay.
This story has been brought to you by me, but written by Sheri Gordon who can be contacted at writingsbysheri@gmail.com. She graciously gave me permission to reprint it. You can click on the title above and find more stories by Sheri. I read it this morning and cried for women in America who take this awful step. It hits home in a way that a 30-minute sermon never could.
Bradley Manning's "awkard moment"
Ann Coulter has a diatribe about Bradley Manning and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" uproar. In my opinion, it is a lot harsh against homosexuals who, I believe are misguided and deceived by Satan. They will defend their lifestyle and will shove it in everyone's faces because they want us to accept homosexuality as a normal lifestyle.
While reading the comments to this, there were some good arguments, but also some things were brought up that I do not feel edified for reading. I do not understand why people cannot seem to understand that homosexuality is a perversion. But, no matter what, if there were none but homosexuals on the earth, God would have still sent His Son to die for them.
As I grow older, I understand better the premise of loving the sinner, but hating the sin. I'm still trying to learn the differences between those who are wicked and God has given up to themselves, and those who act wickedly but whom God sees hope for. That is a toughy.
While reading the comments to this, there were some good arguments, but also some things were brought up that I do not feel edified for reading. I do not understand why people cannot seem to understand that homosexuality is a perversion. But, no matter what, if there were none but homosexuals on the earth, God would have still sent His Son to die for them.
As I grow older, I understand better the premise of loving the sinner, but hating the sin. I'm still trying to learn the differences between those who are wicked and God has given up to themselves, and those who act wickedly but whom God sees hope for. That is a toughy.
Danny Wallace tells his story
Danny Wallace was molested by his father from ages 5 to 17, sold to other men, carried on homosexual affairs throughout his marriage, contracted HIV/AIDS - and has been delivered. How? He got real with God, and God honored his authenticity.
You can learn more about his powerful testimony at www.dannywallace.org
You can learn more about his powerful testimony at www.dannywallace.org
Julian Assange and Wikileaks...
I learned in high school that very few people can be trusted. When once a "squealer" always a squealer became my alarm system. As I was grew up, I found out that tactics and schemes devised by teenagers were child's play when compared to those of adults in corporate America.
This rule applies to Julian Assange and his Wikileaks site. No country is safe from him. Since he has been able to penetrate into the secret realms of the United States, we can be sure he is busily working, just like a termite, to uncover secrets of other countries. All for a few hits on his website and to see what kind of stir he can cause. It certainly isn't responsible journalism. To even compare it to journalism is laughable in a sarcastic sort of way.
Back in the 1800's Yellow Journalism became a fashion trend, hype became the normal way to sell Dr. Quack's Stress Relief Medicine (filled with alcohol or Laudanum or both); the years have only made the trends more slick and, for the most part, harder to detect. This sort of irresponsible bleating of secrets is nothing short of criminal. Not even Russia, nor any other cold war enemy ever used this tactic. Of course, that was war between governments and was carried on with less emotion and clearer heads.
If one does a study on this man, Assange, one will find a heinous person who advocates pornography, child exploitation, and other perverted sexual things. Therefore, one doesn't have to wonder at the appalling lack of regard for human life or societal balance this man has.
Be on the watch. He's ferreting out secrets from other countries and rest assured he will make them public. I won't be surprised if he causes a world war. It won't be the first time one man has caused world turmoil, and it won't be the last.
I am appalled that the U.S. has allowed these leaks. This is proof that the lackadaisical national security mindset of the Democrats is far from safe and in a galaxy far, far away from security of the fourth kind.
This rule applies to Julian Assange and his Wikileaks site. No country is safe from him. Since he has been able to penetrate into the secret realms of the United States, we can be sure he is busily working, just like a termite, to uncover secrets of other countries. All for a few hits on his website and to see what kind of stir he can cause. It certainly isn't responsible journalism. To even compare it to journalism is laughable in a sarcastic sort of way.
Back in the 1800's Yellow Journalism became a fashion trend, hype became the normal way to sell Dr. Quack's Stress Relief Medicine (filled with alcohol or Laudanum or both); the years have only made the trends more slick and, for the most part, harder to detect. This sort of irresponsible bleating of secrets is nothing short of criminal. Not even Russia, nor any other cold war enemy ever used this tactic. Of course, that was war between governments and was carried on with less emotion and clearer heads.
If one does a study on this man, Assange, one will find a heinous person who advocates pornography, child exploitation, and other perverted sexual things. Therefore, one doesn't have to wonder at the appalling lack of regard for human life or societal balance this man has.
Be on the watch. He's ferreting out secrets from other countries and rest assured he will make them public. I won't be surprised if he causes a world war. It won't be the first time one man has caused world turmoil, and it won't be the last.
I am appalled that the U.S. has allowed these leaks. This is proof that the lackadaisical national security mindset of the Democrats is far from safe and in a galaxy far, far away from security of the fourth kind.
Faith of a child
"Would you like to take a walk with me?" my grandfather held out his huge hand.
Eagerly, I jumped up and ran to him, my tiny fingers barely able to grip his. I was somewhere between one and two. I remember I was fascinated by the sun in the trees; and Granddad asked this question of me every day. As we would walk down the gravel road, he was very careful of the ruts, holes and rocks for us both.
I, on the other hand, walked with my face toward the sun, watching the play of light in the leaves. I had no notion where I put my feet or which direction I was walking, but always trusting that Granddad would never let me fall or wander from the path we trod together.
I do not know why I have this memory, or why it has stayed so vibrant with me for more than five decades (that makes me sound old). I'm walking, safe and secure with my eyes lifted above, no fear of where my feet were going.
This is how it should be with God. If we hold on to His hand, if we trust He will not lead us into temptation and will deliver us from evil, then we can keep our eyes lifted to Him and never fear where our feet are walking. Even when we drop our eyes for that fleeting instant, He is there to grab us and lift us from the depths as He did Peter in the storm. There is nothing He cannot do.
Stuck in a rut?
Yep, we've all felt that way at one time or another. I get that way whenever I don't study my Bible for a few days.
What you are feeling is an emptiness, like you are sitting on the edge of a cliff.
Take this promptly to God. Seriously, don't stop to smell the coffee and don't do anything until you've spent time on God's lap or at His feet. Ruts are dangerous. Satan just loves it when Christians suddenly look up and the sides of the rut are higher than their heads.
Galatians 5:16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
That word desire means there is something that is longed for, something in particular and it is on the verge of unleashing toward anything that will fill that void or satisfy that hunger.
What void? What hunger you ask. When a person feels unsatisfied, there is a hankering to eat more or drink more to fill the void. We've all been on diets and felt that desire to eat everything in the fridge. That is exactly what Paul is talking about. He goes on to list some things that the flesh desires. This is not in anyway to suggest that you would do this... it is a warning that this is what could happen. Beth Moore coined the phrase in her book, "Godly People Can Do Ungodly Things". It's very true. When we are constantly expecting that body-jarring emotion when we go to church or when we hear that favorite song, we can make our mind numb to the more subtle nuances of God's blessings. There is so much more to God than a spectacular high. Those kinds of highs are more like dessert and precious few people can eat dessert before the main meal and still do the main course justice.
Don't think that you will always be in the fiery chariot. Our emotions play tricks on us and Satan uses these to influence us into making choices that are ungodly. Try, instead, to focus on your love for God.
Have you ever been in love? That first flush of goose-pimply, heart fluttering adrenalin rush when ever you even think of the person much less be in their presence. When all you want to do is just please that person with whatever means you can devise, use or imagine. Then you settle into a comfortable relationship and your love grows deeper and greater than the day before. This is the time that God is most pleasing to His children and is pleased by His children.
That is the kind of emotion and pleasure that survives these little flat places in our lives. It is the time that God gives us for inner rest. Who wants to always be climbing to the mountain top or tumbling down to the valley all the time? I don't... it is what makes life exciting, granted, but I also want that quiet time to focus on just Him and me. We all need that quiet time with Him so our love and our relationship can blossom. Use the time wisely by talking to Him about everything and pour out your thoughts, your feelings, your heart to God so that He can fill you up with His Spirit and the fruit will come pouring out of you. When you get to this point, there are no more ruts. Oh, you’ll find the occasional pot hole, but you won’t be stuck in a rut up to your neck again.
Psalm 4:1 Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. You gave room to me in distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2 O sons of men, until when shall My glory be for a reproach? Will you love vanity? Will you run after a lie? Selah. 3 But know that Jehovah has set apart the godly for Himself. Jehovah hears when I call to Him. 4 Tremble and do not sin. Speak within your own heart on your bed and be still. Selah. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in Jehovah. 6 Many are saying, Who will make us see any good? O Jehovah, lift up the light of Your face on us. 7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the time their grain and their wine grew. 8 I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in safety.
What you are feeling is an emptiness, like you are sitting on the edge of a cliff.
Take this promptly to God. Seriously, don't stop to smell the coffee and don't do anything until you've spent time on God's lap or at His feet. Ruts are dangerous. Satan just loves it when Christians suddenly look up and the sides of the rut are higher than their heads.
Galatians 5:16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
That word desire means there is something that is longed for, something in particular and it is on the verge of unleashing toward anything that will fill that void or satisfy that hunger.
What void? What hunger you ask. When a person feels unsatisfied, there is a hankering to eat more or drink more to fill the void. We've all been on diets and felt that desire to eat everything in the fridge. That is exactly what Paul is talking about. He goes on to list some things that the flesh desires. This is not in anyway to suggest that you would do this... it is a warning that this is what could happen. Beth Moore coined the phrase in her book, "Godly People Can Do Ungodly Things". It's very true. When we are constantly expecting that body-jarring emotion when we go to church or when we hear that favorite song, we can make our mind numb to the more subtle nuances of God's blessings. There is so much more to God than a spectacular high. Those kinds of highs are more like dessert and precious few people can eat dessert before the main meal and still do the main course justice.
Don't think that you will always be in the fiery chariot. Our emotions play tricks on us and Satan uses these to influence us into making choices that are ungodly. Try, instead, to focus on your love for God.
Have you ever been in love? That first flush of goose-pimply, heart fluttering adrenalin rush when ever you even think of the person much less be in their presence. When all you want to do is just please that person with whatever means you can devise, use or imagine. Then you settle into a comfortable relationship and your love grows deeper and greater than the day before. This is the time that God is most pleasing to His children and is pleased by His children.
That is the kind of emotion and pleasure that survives these little flat places in our lives. It is the time that God gives us for inner rest. Who wants to always be climbing to the mountain top or tumbling down to the valley all the time? I don't... it is what makes life exciting, granted, but I also want that quiet time to focus on just Him and me. We all need that quiet time with Him so our love and our relationship can blossom. Use the time wisely by talking to Him about everything and pour out your thoughts, your feelings, your heart to God so that He can fill you up with His Spirit and the fruit will come pouring out of you. When you get to this point, there are no more ruts. Oh, you’ll find the occasional pot hole, but you won’t be stuck in a rut up to your neck again.
Psalm 4:1 Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness. You gave room to me in distress. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 2 O sons of men, until when shall My glory be for a reproach? Will you love vanity? Will you run after a lie? Selah. 3 But know that Jehovah has set apart the godly for Himself. Jehovah hears when I call to Him. 4 Tremble and do not sin. Speak within your own heart on your bed and be still. Selah. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in Jehovah. 6 Many are saying, Who will make us see any good? O Jehovah, lift up the light of Your face on us. 7 You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the time their grain and their wine grew. 8 I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in safety.
Classics that are MUST reads
Something interesting on Facebook caught my eye. It was a list of 100 classics that some Brit said almost no one had read more than six on the list. I've read thirty of them. So I've listed those that I've read and added some more of my own that I believe are must reads.
The Bible
Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye
Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne
Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Edgar Allen Poe complete works
The House of the Seven Gables Nathaniel Hawthorne
Scarlett Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Kim by Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The Odyssey by Homer
No Time for Sergeants by Mac Hyman
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Ben Hur Lew Wallace
The Virginian by Owen Wister
Silas Marner by George Elliot
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway
The Winds of War Herman Wouk
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
Emma by Jane Austin
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin
Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
1984 by George Orwell
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Complete novel set of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montegomry
Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Lewis Stevenson
Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Dune by Frank Herbert
Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White
Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Complete Works of Shakespeare (or at least one of his plays)
Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
By no means classics but still quite interesting:
Star Wars -- various authors
Star Trek novels -- numerous authors
All of Georgette Heyer's novels
By no means classics but still quite interesting:
Star Wars -- various authors
Star Trek novels -- numerous authors
All of Georgette Heyer's novels
This is by no means a complete list of must reads. Some deal with some very ugly issues, some are quite thrilling (Ben Hur and Scarlet Pimpernel for example). I am quite intrigued because I know I’ve read quite a few more than these that are considered classics, but I can’t remember their titles or author’s names. If you can’t remember one or the other, then you can’t Google. Perhaps you’ve read some that I don’t have on the list!
What are some classics that you've read and remember fondly?
What are some classics that you've read and remember fondly?
God is Compassionate
The perpetual covenant of peace...
There is a promise of peace to Israel who is currently dispersed into the nations, scattered around the world. Isaiah prophesied that Israel would need a much larger space because her descendants would be coming home and inheriting the nations.
Conversely, the children of the desolate (that is the Gentiles, Goyim) far out number those of the married woman (Israel). Israel was charged with being the Light of the World and of converting others to know God. Yet, they got confused with God’s command to have nothing to do with the inhabitants of Canaan. They were legalistic concerning the infection of the wickedness from the surrounding nations, and yet, they embraced that wickedness over and over. Finally, God had to scatter the ten tribes of Israel because of their stubbornness and their idolatry. All that can be found in the third chapter of Jeremiah.
However, even with all her wickedness, God’s greatest desire was for His wife to return to Him.
Isa 54:4 Do not fear, for you shall not be shamed, nor shall you be abashed, for you shall not be wounded. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
That word widowhood comes from a Hebrew word
אלמן ‘almânal-mawn' – Prolonged from H481 in the sense of bereavement; discarded (as a divorced person): - forsaken
God discarded Israel, (but is keeping track of her. We know this because in the Revelation, God seals His chosen witnesses Revelation 7:3 saying, Do not hurt the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Then announces 12 thousand from each tribe will be sealed.) This is precisely what God did to Israel because of her iniquity. He cast her off as a divorced woman. Jeremiah 3 is the dictate of the divorce decree. There are many other references that point to her iniquity, but this one suffices. The bright spot of hope is that this is not forever. God will gather His chosen people to Himself.
Soon God will be wooing His beloved and all will be forgiven once the stubborn necks are bowed and the stiff knees are bent. All the Jews will recognize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Jesus prophesied this in Matthew 23:39 For I say to you, You shall not see Me from now on until you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."
There are all kinds of examples in the Bible of sin and consequences.
Adam – the sin of unbelief—he repented – but the consequence was physical death.
Cain – the sin of murder – he did not repent – he wandered the earth.
Abraham – the sin of lying which sprang from unbelief of God’s ultimate protection -- he did repent – he got his wife back
Sarah – the sin of unbelief and laughing at God – she did repent – bore a son, Isaac
Jacob – the sin of unbelief and he deceived brother/father – he repented -- wrestled with God and preserved a nation.
Joseph – the sin of pride – he repented – he saved Israel in Egypt
Rueben – the sin of sleeping with his father’s wife – do not know if he repented – passed over for royalty (Jesus did not come from his line.)
Simeon—the sin of murder. He killed a tribe for offense to sister -- passed over royalty
Judah—he married foreign wife, did not teach his sons in the way of the Lord – he did repent—from him came the royal lineage and through him came Jesus
Moses – disobedience, lack of self-control, in a fit of temper he struck the rock instead of speaking – for this he did not go to Canaan.
And that is just in Genesis and Exodus. Those were sins against God.
Our selfish acts of disobedience will result in consequences. Nothing happens in secret that will not be exposed to the light. The most wonderful thing is that the LORD forgives the past. His great compassion is far beyond understanding. If we were to be asked to give our first born son to pay for the lives of the most wicked of people who had nothing of worthy to give back, our hearts would be granite and our faces be flint. Yet, God has mercy for us because while we were yet sinners, Christ willingly died for us.
What happens to our past moral and spiritual failures when we repent of our sins and claim God’s forgiveness? I keep going back to these verses. Because He is God, He can do this.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."
Because I am not God, it is much for difficult for me to forgive. I want to give my brother-in-law a good shake and ask him, “What were you thinking? How dare you do that to my sister?” I want to shake my Bible in his face and scream “Shame on you.” But, is that God’s way or my own anger? It doesn’t matter what sin is committed, God will forgive. Except the unpardonable sin and that is the sin committed by the self-righteous bigot who attributes the deeds of the Holy Spirit to the Devil.
Heb 10:17 also He adds, "their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."
But, once repentance is accomplished, once the pride is gone and the spirit is broken, once forgiveness is asked for, God reaches down and takes that sin, tossing it where it can never again accost, accuse or indict. That sin is as if it had never been committed. But, we are not like that. We hold on to it. We wallow in it. We add up all the sins done to us or to those we love and make walls of them. What we don’t realize is those walls have built in speakers that drown out the voice of God. Those walls harden the heart. Those walls steal our joy, destroy our peace, kill our fellowship with God. Those walls are built with supplies from Satan.
Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace was bitter to me, most bitter; but You loved my soul from the pit of destruction; You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
I understand this intellectually, certainly. How it works is beyond my understanding. Peace is as allusive as a wisp of fog when we harbor feelings of anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness towards our siblings in Christ. We lash out, unthinking of how the words can slice and dice. We use the Bible as an offensive Sword, and I do mean that in both senses of the word. It is offensive to God for us to use His Word to decimate our brothers and sisters.
We are Children of God. We bear His name. We are charged with bringing the Light of the Gospel to the world through the Great Commission. Jesus said the way the world would know Him was by our love for one another. We should be acting and speaking in such a way that whoever we meet, where ever we go, someone says, “I covet what they have.”
Any Christian who has back slid down that slippery slope into the Valley of Death, must understand that the LORD has called all of us back to Himself as a much beloved, betrothed wife. Because of Christ, God will never reject us. He treasures us far above rubies. We should treasure each other far above diamonds at the very least.
There is a promise of peace to Israel who is currently dispersed into the nations, scattered around the world. Isaiah prophesied that Israel would need a much larger space because her descendants would be coming home and inheriting the nations.
Conversely, the children of the desolate (that is the Gentiles, Goyim) far out number those of the married woman (Israel). Israel was charged with being the Light of the World and of converting others to know God. Yet, they got confused with God’s command to have nothing to do with the inhabitants of Canaan. They were legalistic concerning the infection of the wickedness from the surrounding nations, and yet, they embraced that wickedness over and over. Finally, God had to scatter the ten tribes of Israel because of their stubbornness and their idolatry. All that can be found in the third chapter of Jeremiah.
However, even with all her wickedness, God’s greatest desire was for His wife to return to Him.
Isa 54:4 Do not fear, for you shall not be shamed, nor shall you be abashed, for you shall not be wounded. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
That word widowhood comes from a Hebrew word
אלמן ‘almânal-mawn' – Prolonged from H481 in the sense of bereavement; discarded (as a divorced person): - forsaken
God discarded Israel, (but is keeping track of her. We know this because in the Revelation, God seals His chosen witnesses Revelation 7:3 saying, Do not hurt the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Then announces 12 thousand from each tribe will be sealed.) This is precisely what God did to Israel because of her iniquity. He cast her off as a divorced woman. Jeremiah 3 is the dictate of the divorce decree. There are many other references that point to her iniquity, but this one suffices. The bright spot of hope is that this is not forever. God will gather His chosen people to Himself.
Soon God will be wooing His beloved and all will be forgiven once the stubborn necks are bowed and the stiff knees are bent. All the Jews will recognize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Jesus prophesied this in Matthew 23:39 For I say to you, You shall not see Me from now on until you say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."
There are all kinds of examples in the Bible of sin and consequences.
Adam – the sin of unbelief—he repented – but the consequence was physical death.
Cain – the sin of murder – he did not repent – he wandered the earth.
Abraham – the sin of lying which sprang from unbelief of God’s ultimate protection -- he did repent – he got his wife back
Sarah – the sin of unbelief and laughing at God – she did repent – bore a son, Isaac
Jacob – the sin of unbelief and he deceived brother/father – he repented -- wrestled with God and preserved a nation.
Joseph – the sin of pride – he repented – he saved Israel in Egypt
Rueben – the sin of sleeping with his father’s wife – do not know if he repented – passed over for royalty (Jesus did not come from his line.)
Simeon—the sin of murder. He killed a tribe for offense to sister -- passed over royalty
Judah—he married foreign wife, did not teach his sons in the way of the Lord – he did repent—from him came the royal lineage and through him came Jesus
Moses – disobedience, lack of self-control, in a fit of temper he struck the rock instead of speaking – for this he did not go to Canaan.
And that is just in Genesis and Exodus. Those were sins against God.
Our selfish acts of disobedience will result in consequences. Nothing happens in secret that will not be exposed to the light. The most wonderful thing is that the LORD forgives the past. His great compassion is far beyond understanding. If we were to be asked to give our first born son to pay for the lives of the most wicked of people who had nothing of worthy to give back, our hearts would be granite and our faces be flint. Yet, God has mercy for us because while we were yet sinners, Christ willingly died for us.
What happens to our past moral and spiritual failures when we repent of our sins and claim God’s forgiveness? I keep going back to these verses. Because He is God, He can do this.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."
Because I am not God, it is much for difficult for me to forgive. I want to give my brother-in-law a good shake and ask him, “What were you thinking? How dare you do that to my sister?” I want to shake my Bible in his face and scream “Shame on you.” But, is that God’s way or my own anger? It doesn’t matter what sin is committed, God will forgive. Except the unpardonable sin and that is the sin committed by the self-righteous bigot who attributes the deeds of the Holy Spirit to the Devil.
Heb 10:17 also He adds, "their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."
But, once repentance is accomplished, once the pride is gone and the spirit is broken, once forgiveness is asked for, God reaches down and takes that sin, tossing it where it can never again accost, accuse or indict. That sin is as if it had never been committed. But, we are not like that. We hold on to it. We wallow in it. We add up all the sins done to us or to those we love and make walls of them. What we don’t realize is those walls have built in speakers that drown out the voice of God. Those walls harden the heart. Those walls steal our joy, destroy our peace, kill our fellowship with God. Those walls are built with supplies from Satan.
Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace was bitter to me, most bitter; but You loved my soul from the pit of destruction; You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
I understand this intellectually, certainly. How it works is beyond my understanding. Peace is as allusive as a wisp of fog when we harbor feelings of anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness towards our siblings in Christ. We lash out, unthinking of how the words can slice and dice. We use the Bible as an offensive Sword, and I do mean that in both senses of the word. It is offensive to God for us to use His Word to decimate our brothers and sisters.
We are Children of God. We bear His name. We are charged with bringing the Light of the Gospel to the world through the Great Commission. Jesus said the way the world would know Him was by our love for one another. We should be acting and speaking in such a way that whoever we meet, where ever we go, someone says, “I covet what they have.”
Any Christian who has back slid down that slippery slope into the Valley of Death, must understand that the LORD has called all of us back to Himself as a much beloved, betrothed wife. Because of Christ, God will never reject us. He treasures us far above rubies. We should treasure each other far above diamonds at the very least.
Lt. Col. Allen West about Islam terrorists
I agree with him! We need leadership in Washington who understand exactly what we are up against and be LOYAL to our Christian nation.
Dealing with anxious thinking...
I had to drag this out of archives. It is speaking to my heart especially today because I am dealing with anxious thinking. Of course, we all have things that happen, troubles that are common to man, but we can't help getting anxious sometimes.
There are times when a little fear is good... like when walking across a swinging bridge that has no guardrails and the drop down is about 100 feet or so to cold rushing water. Did that one time and my heart still pounds at the thought of it.Those times don't come around very often. God says we are not to worry. Jesus said, "Do not worry." Angels have told men, "Do not fear." I don't know how many times this is said in the Bible and we all do it. I do it.
Worry is a sin.
So how do we deal with worry? I love what Dale Carnegie said, "Figure out what's the worst thing that could happen, then make a plan if that thing happens and set the whole thing aside." We worry about things that 90% of the time do not happen. Why is that?
When we are anxious, it affects our thinking. It clouds our thought process and we are consumed about what might happen... then it never does, or rarely does.
Unfortunately, anxious thinking or negative thinking can become a habit and we never realize what we are doing to ourselves. When walking into a room, have you ever thought, "Gee, everyone is staring at me, I must look awlful." Or "No one will like me here, they all think I'm stupid."
Seriously... think about that. Maybe one person... maybe two, might think that but, trust me on this, a room full of people have a room full of thoughts and they are not all centered on you! Well, perhaps if you are the Governor or the President, they might. Get a grip on those negative thoughts! (I'm talking to myself, here.)
What are some other ones?
"If I don't do this with no mistakes, I've failed."
"This is a total disaster. I made an absolute mess."
"Everybody hates me, I'm going to go eat worms."
And lately, this one has been cropping up more and more:
"I can't find a job! No one wants to pay for my experience. I'm too old.
That is stinkin' thinkin'. Face the fact the world does not revolve around you. We do not live in a world of black and white... but in a myriad of colors and shades. The likelyhood of any event striking instant dislike for you in the breasts of a roomful of people is nil and none. You do not have to do a poll on that to find out.
The bald fact is, our thoughts should not revolve around our own selves, but we should consistently and constantly keep our eyes on Jesus. If Peter had never taken his eyes off Jesus, then he would never have sunk in the waves... or denied him three times.
Jeremiah 17:5 So says Jehovah, Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and who makes flesh his arm, and who turns aside his heart from Jehovah. 6 For he shall be like a juniper in the desert, and shall not see when good comes. But he shall live in parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land that is not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, and Jehovah is his refuge. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters. It sends out its roots by the stream, and it will not fear when the heat comes; but its foliage will be green; and it is not anxious in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit.
Birth control free under Obamacare
This month, a committee comprised of experts will meet to decide what preventive care should be provided to women free of charge under "Obama's medical overhaul". One of the things being considered is birth control, or using the nice term, Family Planning. What it really means is abortion in its most extreme sense and contraceptives in the less extreme.
Associate Press reporter Richard Alonso-Zaldivar asks the question, "But what part of that is preventive medicine?" I'd like to know the answer to that question as well.
How many senators and representatives stood up to Pelosi and Obama declaring they would not vote to use public funds for abortions? Enough to have ground that monolith to a legislative halt. Yet, how did that amendment under the guise of women's health make it into the bill? According to its author, Sen. Barbara Mikulski D-Md, it was clearly understood it was about family planning. Again, what is meant by family planning by every abortion clinic from here to Timbuktu? Abortion. Were the legislators horns waggled? Come now. Surely, they watch the news regularly. Surely, they knew what "family planning" meant. After all, Mikulski said it was clearly implied it was woman health. There is little doubt about the true meaning because our nation's largest provider of abortions, Planned Parenthood, is pushing their agenda in the matter.
Some physicians state emphatically that family planning saves lives and promotes health. Certainly, if we do not consider the life of the baby, that may be true. Do they mean by promoting health in the same way removing a tumor helps prevent cancer from spreading? Surely not. Yet, the morning after pill which aborts any fertilized egg is considered contraceptive by the Food and Drug Administration. Dressing it up and calling it something else doesn't change what it actually is, just like calling poop excrement doesn't change the smell.
Our society has lost so much self-control that abstinence isn't even considered as a viable solution to preventing pregnancies. Yet, it is the only contraceptive which is 100% effective that does not cause damage to the womb or death to a living human being who has no voice to say, "I want to live!"
Why was that amendment left in the bill? Because the U.S. government set a goal to reduce unplanned pregnancies by 30% by this year. The CDC also says one half of the 6,000,000 U.S. pregnancies each year are unplanned. Amazing statistics posted by the American Pregnancy Association; only 26,000 pregnancies end in a stillborn child. Does that resonate with anyone else?
I shiver to imagine what God thinks of this offering innocents to the god Convenience. How now shall we give honor to the LORD God Almighty and remain silent about those who are speechless?
Associate Press reporter Richard Alonso-Zaldivar asks the question, "But what part of that is preventive medicine?" I'd like to know the answer to that question as well.
How many senators and representatives stood up to Pelosi and Obama declaring they would not vote to use public funds for abortions? Enough to have ground that monolith to a legislative halt. Yet, how did that amendment under the guise of women's health make it into the bill? According to its author, Sen. Barbara Mikulski D-Md, it was clearly understood it was about family planning. Again, what is meant by family planning by every abortion clinic from here to Timbuktu? Abortion. Were the legislators horns waggled? Come now. Surely, they watch the news regularly. Surely, they knew what "family planning" meant. After all, Mikulski said it was clearly implied it was woman health. There is little doubt about the true meaning because our nation's largest provider of abortions, Planned Parenthood, is pushing their agenda in the matter.
Some physicians state emphatically that family planning saves lives and promotes health. Certainly, if we do not consider the life of the baby, that may be true. Do they mean by promoting health in the same way removing a tumor helps prevent cancer from spreading? Surely not. Yet, the morning after pill which aborts any fertilized egg is considered contraceptive by the Food and Drug Administration. Dressing it up and calling it something else doesn't change what it actually is, just like calling poop excrement doesn't change the smell.
Our society has lost so much self-control that abstinence isn't even considered as a viable solution to preventing pregnancies. Yet, it is the only contraceptive which is 100% effective that does not cause damage to the womb or death to a living human being who has no voice to say, "I want to live!"
Why was that amendment left in the bill? Because the U.S. government set a goal to reduce unplanned pregnancies by 30% by this year. The CDC also says one half of the 6,000,000 U.S. pregnancies each year are unplanned. Amazing statistics posted by the American Pregnancy Association; only 26,000 pregnancies end in a stillborn child. Does that resonate with anyone else?
I shiver to imagine what God thinks of this offering innocents to the god Convenience. How now shall we give honor to the LORD God Almighty and remain silent about those who are speechless?
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