Thursday, November 30, 2017
Quandry
I know someone who is "practically perfect in every way."
She is a loving mother and grandmother, not critical, always wise. She loves God and she is a joy to be with.
I always think about her and wish I could be like her.
I think she really demonstrates Christ's love.
She is an example.
She's not like Charles Spurgeon or Jonathon Edwards. These old preachers weren't afraid to tell people unpopular things. Unpleasant things.
I think it takes all kinds of people, and I am always torn between being only loving and being truthful.
I guess I become more concerned about being truthful and I risk relationships because of it.
I try to be kind.
I am loving. I think the most loving thing you can do is be concerned for someone's eternal welfare. To dally along the primrose path of an unconvicted life seems a great hazard eternally.
So there must be this perfect balance, a golden mean of sorts, of care and careless---of sweet and stern, of judgment and mercy.
It is a path of great value and really few find it.
I listen to my fellow believer's stories of children who are lost, friends who don't respond, family who rejects. It's heart breaking. I know.
And we care. We want to have a sweet joy of shared faith, assurance of salvation, and honest fellowship. It's out there, but it is with ones God gifted you with, perhaps outside of your inner circles, and unexpected. It surprises.
But we can continue to pray for our dear ones who need Jesus.
Jesus saves. We are His workmanship, we are His living Gospel.
Preach it. Love. Serve.
And leave it in God's hands.
She is a loving mother and grandmother, not critical, always wise. She loves God and she is a joy to be with.
I always think about her and wish I could be like her.
I think she really demonstrates Christ's love.
She is an example.
She's not like Charles Spurgeon or Jonathon Edwards. These old preachers weren't afraid to tell people unpopular things. Unpleasant things.
I think it takes all kinds of people, and I am always torn between being only loving and being truthful.
I guess I become more concerned about being truthful and I risk relationships because of it.
I try to be kind.
I am loving. I think the most loving thing you can do is be concerned for someone's eternal welfare. To dally along the primrose path of an unconvicted life seems a great hazard eternally.
So there must be this perfect balance, a golden mean of sorts, of care and careless---of sweet and stern, of judgment and mercy.
It is a path of great value and really few find it.
I listen to my fellow believer's stories of children who are lost, friends who don't respond, family who rejects. It's heart breaking. I know.
And we care. We want to have a sweet joy of shared faith, assurance of salvation, and honest fellowship. It's out there, but it is with ones God gifted you with, perhaps outside of your inner circles, and unexpected. It surprises.
But we can continue to pray for our dear ones who need Jesus.
Jesus saves. We are His workmanship, we are His living Gospel.
Preach it. Love. Serve.
And leave it in God's hands.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Catching Up
I had the most lovely Thanksgiving surprise.
My son and daughter-in-law flew in for the feast days without any warning, no inkling, no suggestion. I've never been so unsuspecting of a pleasant event in my entire life. It was marvelous.
We had a wonderful feast day, with ten around the table. All the expected dishes were served including a 23 lb turkey. We all contributed, and it was rather easy to put it together!
Excellent.
I bought four books over the weekend. "The Paradigm," "Trumpapocalypse," "Love Your Body," and "The Mysteries."
I read "Paradigm" already, and it is very interesting.
For all the sad ones who hate Trump it may be comforting for them to know that he is compared to Jehu in the Biblical narrative. There is a fascinating pattern that includes him, the Clintons, Obama, and other politicians and how they parallel certain Biblical personalities.
Fascinating.
For those of us watching for a revival of Godly values-----no more child sacrifice, sexual immorality, Christian persecution----it presents a call to faith.
It is disheartening to see so much apostasy running rampant.
https://medium.com/@jcweatherby_49412/its-time-to-start-calling-evangelicals-what-they-are-the-american-taliban-4a41731296e4 A liberal news site equated Believers with the Taliban. There is so little understanding of God's nature. So many try to fashion God into a different being than He is, an idol who pleases them.
How Baalish.
Sadly, many of us have family and friends who have chosen the broad path, not the strait one, the path that leads to destruction, that breaking of the first commandment about having other gods before the Creator of the Universe.
I'm afraid that command is pretty important. Jesus is the ONLY way.
I'm so excited to see the end times unfold, but I grieve for those I believe are headed in a different way. God is the judge of their hearts, but I can only see compromise with the world by their actions and words. That saddens me.
I read God's words, and I see an unattainable standard. Yet I see the command to obey, and the fruits of the Spirit as evidence of godly lives.
I'm responsible to preach Christ. I'm responsible to live Christ-like. I'm responsible to be loving to everyone, including my enemy.
My enemy can be someone fairly close, sometimes.
Call me out, call out my sin! I beg you to show me my errant ways! I want to be clean before the LORD.
Sometimes we don't see what others do. Can we take the pain of conviction?
It's worth trying.
If your children are serving the god of abortion and homosexuality, you need to examine your life, your salvation. They are in danger of hellfire.
If you are in sin, by marrying a divorced person, repent. God hates divorce. Please God, not men. Don't try to justify your sin! Read the Word of God and follow your own heart.
Are you married to a divorced person? Ask God to forgive you, and live in obedience to Him from now on. Don't try to justify or encourage others in sin. Their blood will be upon your head.
Are you enslaved to a past wrong? Did you sexually harass someone? Expose yourseld in a moment of carnal lust? Repent. Ask God to forgive. Ask the person you wronged to forgive you.
Too often a person who has committed a sexual sin against an innocent victim cannot forgive themselves or humble themselves. They prefer to hate the victim, hide the sin (if possible) and pretend it did not matter.
Al Franken is learning the consequences of that right now. So is Trump, Bill Clinton, Roy Moore, Clarence Thomas, Dennis Hastert, Al Gore, and just about every guy I've ever heard of.
Seriously.
I'm blessed to be married to the geek/nerd/brain that loves God more than himself. I got one of the few truly good men to be my husband.
I'm jaded on the rest of the species.
No, I'm not a feminist. Women are just as prone to sexual sin as men. They are just as guilty. I'm just sick and tired of sexual perversion and human nature. I'm guilty of sinful thoughts. I've let my tongue run wild like fire with terrible things that never should have been said, borne the embarrassment of sin, humiliated, tainted.
Needing to repent.
(Some of the accused may not have been guilty, but some clearly are sexual predators. It's easy to generalize men and their lust. The man who can control his lust is a rare species. Men who have an appetite for perversion are even more guilty. There are levels of guilt.)
I'm saying STOP the sin. REPENT! Don't condone sin in your life, or anyone's.
God made us sexual beings with a place for sex. MARRIAGE, xx - chromosome + xy chromosome.
Committed, monogamous relationship, life-long.
That's His standard.
You failed? You have company. Repent, ask forgiveness, ask for spiritual help in overcoming.
Read the little book by Richard S. Taylor, "The Disciplined Life."
This may help you overcome your sin in this brief life. Don't give up hope. You are running a race of endurance, and the race is almost over. Jesus IS coming soon.
Maranatha
My son and daughter-in-law flew in for the feast days without any warning, no inkling, no suggestion. I've never been so unsuspecting of a pleasant event in my entire life. It was marvelous.
We had a wonderful feast day, with ten around the table. All the expected dishes were served including a 23 lb turkey. We all contributed, and it was rather easy to put it together!
Excellent.
I bought four books over the weekend. "The Paradigm," "Trumpapocalypse," "Love Your Body," and "The Mysteries."
I read "Paradigm" already, and it is very interesting.
For all the sad ones who hate Trump it may be comforting for them to know that he is compared to Jehu in the Biblical narrative. There is a fascinating pattern that includes him, the Clintons, Obama, and other politicians and how they parallel certain Biblical personalities.
Fascinating.
For those of us watching for a revival of Godly values-----no more child sacrifice, sexual immorality, Christian persecution----it presents a call to faith.
It is disheartening to see so much apostasy running rampant.
https://medium.com/@jcweatherby_49412/its-time-to-start-calling-evangelicals-what-they-are-the-american-taliban-4a41731296e4 A liberal news site equated Believers with the Taliban. There is so little understanding of God's nature. So many try to fashion God into a different being than He is, an idol who pleases them.
How Baalish.
Sadly, many of us have family and friends who have chosen the broad path, not the strait one, the path that leads to destruction, that breaking of the first commandment about having other gods before the Creator of the Universe.
I'm afraid that command is pretty important. Jesus is the ONLY way.
I'm so excited to see the end times unfold, but I grieve for those I believe are headed in a different way. God is the judge of their hearts, but I can only see compromise with the world by their actions and words. That saddens me.
I read God's words, and I see an unattainable standard. Yet I see the command to obey, and the fruits of the Spirit as evidence of godly lives.
I'm responsible to preach Christ. I'm responsible to live Christ-like. I'm responsible to be loving to everyone, including my enemy.
My enemy can be someone fairly close, sometimes.
Call me out, call out my sin! I beg you to show me my errant ways! I want to be clean before the LORD.
Sometimes we don't see what others do. Can we take the pain of conviction?
It's worth trying.
If your children are serving the god of abortion and homosexuality, you need to examine your life, your salvation. They are in danger of hellfire.
If you are in sin, by marrying a divorced person, repent. God hates divorce. Please God, not men. Don't try to justify your sin! Read the Word of God and follow your own heart.
Are you married to a divorced person? Ask God to forgive you, and live in obedience to Him from now on. Don't try to justify or encourage others in sin. Their blood will be upon your head.
Are you enslaved to a past wrong? Did you sexually harass someone? Expose yourseld in a moment of carnal lust? Repent. Ask God to forgive. Ask the person you wronged to forgive you.
Too often a person who has committed a sexual sin against an innocent victim cannot forgive themselves or humble themselves. They prefer to hate the victim, hide the sin (if possible) and pretend it did not matter.
Al Franken is learning the consequences of that right now. So is Trump, Bill Clinton, Roy Moore, Clarence Thomas, Dennis Hastert, Al Gore, and just about every guy I've ever heard of.
Seriously.
I'm blessed to be married to the geek/nerd/brain that loves God more than himself. I got one of the few truly good men to be my husband.
I'm jaded on the rest of the species.
No, I'm not a feminist. Women are just as prone to sexual sin as men. They are just as guilty. I'm just sick and tired of sexual perversion and human nature. I'm guilty of sinful thoughts. I've let my tongue run wild like fire with terrible things that never should have been said, borne the embarrassment of sin, humiliated, tainted.
Needing to repent.
(Some of the accused may not have been guilty, but some clearly are sexual predators. It's easy to generalize men and their lust. The man who can control his lust is a rare species. Men who have an appetite for perversion are even more guilty. There are levels of guilt.)
I'm saying STOP the sin. REPENT! Don't condone sin in your life, or anyone's.
God made us sexual beings with a place for sex. MARRIAGE, xx - chromosome + xy chromosome.
Committed, monogamous relationship, life-long.
That's His standard.
You failed? You have company. Repent, ask forgiveness, ask for spiritual help in overcoming.
Read the little book by Richard S. Taylor, "The Disciplined Life."
This may help you overcome your sin in this brief life. Don't give up hope. You are running a race of endurance, and the race is almost over. Jesus IS coming soon.
Maranatha
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Thank You
Blog Readers, tomorrow we are celebrating the end of Ed's cancer treatment. I'm sharing my letter/speech of thanks for this clinic visit. We are bringing cake to mark this milestone of BEATING CANCER! I think that the medical personnel in the HEMONC clinic don't get to celebrate the successful end of treatment as often as they'd wish.
I am not a speaker. I'm a writer. I have something to say to you all, so I'm writing it out to read to you.
This is my word of thanks to all of you standing here.
It was Friday the 13th, June of 2014, after a significant battle with "tonsillitis" Ed ended up at Urgent care for antibiotics, which channeled us via Mercy Hospital ER to Children's Hospital Minneapolis.
Leukemia had been mentioned but that wasn't even on our scope of understanding. Such a foreign word. Fearful.
That Friday morning I remember Dr. Richards gently preparing us with the unwelcome news that Ed probably had leukemia.
I held on to the 15% unsureness he said he had left after 85% sureness that Ed had leukemia. It's funny how we remember these pivotal moments. I can see him sitting there in the room up on seventh floor, still dark outside after a sleepless night, his calm demeanor, and his quiet words.
A parent's heart fails. A head reels. A family quakes. It's catastrophe all at once. Heartstopping.
///
It was at that time of severe disquiet that you all stepped in with reassurance, comfort, and a life line of hope.
We all turned inward to find some strength to be able to handle the reality facing us. As people of faith I went immediately to Scripture:
Job 14:5 Seeing man's days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
I love BBC films and in the series "Wives and Daughters" the old squire character said to a suicidal young woman -"you must live the appointed days."
I thought about that a lot, and I trusted God to give Ed his appointed days, and YOU ALL to work your chemo magic.
Ed is still here. He has lived to this day, and that is because you kindly, carefully, compassionately took care of Ed. I thank God, and I thank you.
How does a mother express her gratitude to a team of medical personnel who saves her son?
It's hard. A cake of celebration doesn't scratch the surface. I want you all to know that we are touched. We have been blessed by you, and we want you to know it.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you to all who saw Ed here in the clinic, who were with him upstairs on that difficult floor in the hospital. Thanks for the fun moments, Jodi, the Twins Games and the Shine Bright Bash, the concert... Those came at just the right moments, always, it seemed.
Thanks for making Camp Mak a Dream possible. Ed has gone twice and come back enriched.
Maybe our cancer experience wasn't as devastating as some cases you see here in the clinic, but it was ours, and we were blessed by your help and healing.
We have grown to love you too! Dr. Rawwas, your sensitive and careful manner, your expert care! You are someone we have really loved to get to know. We always had total confidence in you.
Sarah, thank you. We couldn't have done this without you.
John, your jokes and banter are the spice needed to offset chemo flavors! Thank you for your quick response when Ed slipped into anaphylaxis. You did save his life. For that we will be eternally grateful. :)
Joan, Claire, Erin (who isn't here anymore) wormed their way into our hearts. Thank you for all those many visits we had with you and choosing Ed as your patient!
Theresa, from Iowa, was there the first day in the hospital and the last day in the clinic! Thanks.
Jodi, and Sam it's been a joy to get to know you. Thanks for all you do.
Chaplain Hal, you're pretty wonderful. You and Ed hit it off, and I really treasured your time with him and with us. Cancer is a spiritual battle as well as a physical one, and I do believe the spiritual battle must be won to take on the physical one. You play a vital role.
All of you here, I mention all of you, because anytime we saw your faces you were an encouragement to all of us. Thank you.
Dr. Bostrum, thank you for being Norwegian and for dressing up like Thor. It's nice to have some solid Scandinavian humor around here, especially for those of us who grew up on it.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
And this is "thanks," not good-bye!
I am not a speaker. I'm a writer. I have something to say to you all, so I'm writing it out to read to you.
This is my word of thanks to all of you standing here.
It was Friday the 13th, June of 2014, after a significant battle with "tonsillitis" Ed ended up at Urgent care for antibiotics, which channeled us via Mercy Hospital ER to Children's Hospital Minneapolis.
Leukemia had been mentioned but that wasn't even on our scope of understanding. Such a foreign word. Fearful.
That Friday morning I remember Dr. Richards gently preparing us with the unwelcome news that Ed probably had leukemia.
I held on to the 15% unsureness he said he had left after 85% sureness that Ed had leukemia. It's funny how we remember these pivotal moments. I can see him sitting there in the room up on seventh floor, still dark outside after a sleepless night, his calm demeanor, and his quiet words.
A parent's heart fails. A head reels. A family quakes. It's catastrophe all at once. Heartstopping.
///
It was at that time of severe disquiet that you all stepped in with reassurance, comfort, and a life line of hope.
We all turned inward to find some strength to be able to handle the reality facing us. As people of faith I went immediately to Scripture:
Job 14:5 Seeing man's days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
I love BBC films and in the series "Wives and Daughters" the old squire character said to a suicidal young woman -"you must live the appointed days."
I thought about that a lot, and I trusted God to give Ed his appointed days, and YOU ALL to work your chemo magic.
Ed is still here. He has lived to this day, and that is because you kindly, carefully, compassionately took care of Ed. I thank God, and I thank you.
How does a mother express her gratitude to a team of medical personnel who saves her son?
It's hard. A cake of celebration doesn't scratch the surface. I want you all to know that we are touched. We have been blessed by you, and we want you to know it.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you to all who saw Ed here in the clinic, who were with him upstairs on that difficult floor in the hospital. Thanks for the fun moments, Jodi, the Twins Games and the Shine Bright Bash, the concert... Those came at just the right moments, always, it seemed.
Thanks for making Camp Mak a Dream possible. Ed has gone twice and come back enriched.
Maybe our cancer experience wasn't as devastating as some cases you see here in the clinic, but it was ours, and we were blessed by your help and healing.
We have grown to love you too! Dr. Rawwas, your sensitive and careful manner, your expert care! You are someone we have really loved to get to know. We always had total confidence in you.
Sarah, thank you. We couldn't have done this without you.
John, your jokes and banter are the spice needed to offset chemo flavors! Thank you for your quick response when Ed slipped into anaphylaxis. You did save his life. For that we will be eternally grateful. :)
Joan, Claire, Erin (who isn't here anymore) wormed their way into our hearts. Thank you for all those many visits we had with you and choosing Ed as your patient!
Theresa, from Iowa, was there the first day in the hospital and the last day in the clinic! Thanks.
Jodi, and Sam it's been a joy to get to know you. Thanks for all you do.
Chaplain Hal, you're pretty wonderful. You and Ed hit it off, and I really treasured your time with him and with us. Cancer is a spiritual battle as well as a physical one, and I do believe the spiritual battle must be won to take on the physical one. You play a vital role.
All of you here, I mention all of you, because anytime we saw your faces you were an encouragement to all of us. Thank you.
Dr. Bostrum, thank you for being Norwegian and for dressing up like Thor. It's nice to have some solid Scandinavian humor around here, especially for those of us who grew up on it.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
And this is "thanks," not good-bye!
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Bruised
I had a rough day yesterday.
I felt horrible, coughed and had a stuffed up head. Headache, sore throat.
I had an hour long conversation with a friend who is a universalist. We've "fought" for 40 years, and he's closer than a brother to me, but when we get into arguing it can get ugly. Don't worry, we ended with a big hug---but I felt bruised afterward.
I had a discussion with two people about the Rapture of the church online. I find it interesting that the argument "that's not Scriptural" can be tossed around even after pointing out specific scriptures to refute the argument!
*sigh*
I understand why people don't even try to convince other people of their convictions.
I KNOW THIS. But I am an evangelist type, and the preaching of conviction, the preaching of the Gospel, the preaching of the truth I perceive----
So I take the hits.
I'm getting a lot of blog hits from Italy lately. Ed joked that the Pope is reading my blog.
That would be something...
We are at war, and the battle grows wearying.
This is a weekend of music. My husband still sings with the Northern Lights Chorale and they are having a concert today and tomorrow. I'm planning on going to both, but I'll sit near the back so I can leave to cough.
You can't imagine how annoying even a single cough can be in a choral moment. I know this.
My choir, new for me, but actually one of the oldest community choirs in the area, has its concert on the 10th of December. I'm glad to be a part of a choir, but this is a totally different experience than being with the Northern Lights Chorale.
It's a much older choir. The sound is not as pure. The director knows this, and he picks music that suits the sound, but I miss that pure Lutheran college choir tone.
Changes.
My son has accused me of changing over the years, my friend accused me of changing over the years. I have changed. They apparently grieve the loss of who I was---but I don't.
I'm a living, changing creature and God is good. My change has been to grow closer to God, trust in Him more, see His ultimate plan working out, and shine for Jesus.
I'm a bruised, battered, imperfect, sinful, ugly failure on so many counts, but I'm changing. I'm growing toward Christ.
Spend time in the Word today. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, comfort you, heal you, teach you. That's what I'm going to do.
Thanks for your prayers!
I felt horrible, coughed and had a stuffed up head. Headache, sore throat.
I had an hour long conversation with a friend who is a universalist. We've "fought" for 40 years, and he's closer than a brother to me, but when we get into arguing it can get ugly. Don't worry, we ended with a big hug---but I felt bruised afterward.
I had a discussion with two people about the Rapture of the church online. I find it interesting that the argument "that's not Scriptural" can be tossed around even after pointing out specific scriptures to refute the argument!
*sigh*
I understand why people don't even try to convince other people of their convictions.
I KNOW THIS. But I am an evangelist type, and the preaching of conviction, the preaching of the Gospel, the preaching of the truth I perceive----
So I take the hits.
I'm getting a lot of blog hits from Italy lately. Ed joked that the Pope is reading my blog.
That would be something...
We are at war, and the battle grows wearying.
This is a weekend of music. My husband still sings with the Northern Lights Chorale and they are having a concert today and tomorrow. I'm planning on going to both, but I'll sit near the back so I can leave to cough.
You can't imagine how annoying even a single cough can be in a choral moment. I know this.
My choir, new for me, but actually one of the oldest community choirs in the area, has its concert on the 10th of December. I'm glad to be a part of a choir, but this is a totally different experience than being with the Northern Lights Chorale.
It's a much older choir. The sound is not as pure. The director knows this, and he picks music that suits the sound, but I miss that pure Lutheran college choir tone.
Changes.
My son has accused me of changing over the years, my friend accused me of changing over the years. I have changed. They apparently grieve the loss of who I was---but I don't.
I'm a living, changing creature and God is good. My change has been to grow closer to God, trust in Him more, see His ultimate plan working out, and shine for Jesus.
I'm a bruised, battered, imperfect, sinful, ugly failure on so many counts, but I'm changing. I'm growing toward Christ.
Spend time in the Word today. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, comfort you, heal you, teach you. That's what I'm going to do.
Thanks for your prayers!
Friday, November 17, 2017
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Helpful Sources
Do you have issues with translations of Scripture?
The film by John Rhys Davies about the KJV is really good.
I'd recommend it. There are several preachers out there that are KJV only folk. I'm gravitating toward their camp. The more you learn, the more reason to do so.
Look up Christian J. Pinto of Adullam Films. His research is noteworthy.
Check out LA Marzulli. What a sweet and humble spirit, looking for Christ's return! Also, a watchman.
Ken Ham's newly re-released book "The Lie," is a wonderful "argument" against secular humanism and evolution.
Check out your theology. Theology is important, but are you getting a balanced diet? In which camp do you stake your tent? Do you care? You should.
Theology matters. Doctrine matters. You are first of all accountable to God for your decision to follow Christ. After that you must seek a Bible believing fellowship to belong to.
Do not forsake the gathering of the saints.
Don't just follow a herd. Be an active and questioning member.
Don't follow personalities. This NEVER ends well. People, men, are sinners. Whether it's John MacArthur, John Piper, RC Sproul, Joel Osteen, Mac Hammond, Joyce Meyers, Kay Arthur, ----You recognize the name? Don't follow.
People disappoint.
There are skeletons in everyone's closets.
There are mistakes, false emphasis, outright heresies! Don't get sucked in. Stake your tent, pitch your tent on God's Word.
Stop calling names and stop accusing! JUST PREACH CHRIST, and Him crucified, resurrected! Be prepared with a good answer for questioners. Be like the Apostle Paul. Study to show yourself approved unto God!
The Holy Spirit will give wisdom and help.
Test the spirits. The Bible tells you to do this, so do it!
Perhaps we live in a world that advocates a denial of the supernatural, but a majority of us humans have actually experienced the supernatural, therefore we know it exists.
You cannot prove it to those who refuse to believe or chalk it up to nerves or drugs....hallucinations....but that doesn't stop us from going forward in our faith walk.
We know. We believe. We may have doubts, but that is all the better! We learn of Him with a steady diet of reading Scripture, OLD and NEW Testaments. We take it to the Word.
Check out a Systematic Theology----Ryrie's is very readable. Grudem's is good.
Read a Bible Story Book, like Hurlbet's, or Voss. These scholars have helped the reader understand the overlapping stories in the New Testament in particular. Very helpful.
Spend time with the LORD in prayer. Trust Him to work out ALL DETAILS whatever happens.
He does. All things work together for good, according to those who believe.
Trust Him with your time, your body, your work, your abilities. He made you, He loves you, He is using you in His vast plan. You belong to Him and He cares. He has your days numbered, and He is watching everything you do. He knows your every thought.
AND HE LOVES YOU ANYWAY!
Don't grieve Him. Believe Him. Love Him. Serve Him.
Watch for Him.
The film by John Rhys Davies about the KJV is really good.
I'd recommend it. There are several preachers out there that are KJV only folk. I'm gravitating toward their camp. The more you learn, the more reason to do so.
Look up Christian J. Pinto of Adullam Films. His research is noteworthy.
Check out LA Marzulli. What a sweet and humble spirit, looking for Christ's return! Also, a watchman.
Ken Ham's newly re-released book "The Lie," is a wonderful "argument" against secular humanism and evolution.
Check out your theology. Theology is important, but are you getting a balanced diet? In which camp do you stake your tent? Do you care? You should.
Theology matters. Doctrine matters. You are first of all accountable to God for your decision to follow Christ. After that you must seek a Bible believing fellowship to belong to.
Do not forsake the gathering of the saints.
Don't just follow a herd. Be an active and questioning member.
Don't follow personalities. This NEVER ends well. People, men, are sinners. Whether it's John MacArthur, John Piper, RC Sproul, Joel Osteen, Mac Hammond, Joyce Meyers, Kay Arthur, ----You recognize the name? Don't follow.
People disappoint.
There are skeletons in everyone's closets.
There are mistakes, false emphasis, outright heresies! Don't get sucked in. Stake your tent, pitch your tent on God's Word.
Stop calling names and stop accusing! JUST PREACH CHRIST, and Him crucified, resurrected! Be prepared with a good answer for questioners. Be like the Apostle Paul. Study to show yourself approved unto God!
The Holy Spirit will give wisdom and help.
Test the spirits. The Bible tells you to do this, so do it!
Perhaps we live in a world that advocates a denial of the supernatural, but a majority of us humans have actually experienced the supernatural, therefore we know it exists.
You cannot prove it to those who refuse to believe or chalk it up to nerves or drugs....hallucinations....but that doesn't stop us from going forward in our faith walk.
We know. We believe. We may have doubts, but that is all the better! We learn of Him with a steady diet of reading Scripture, OLD and NEW Testaments. We take it to the Word.
Check out a Systematic Theology----Ryrie's is very readable. Grudem's is good.
Read a Bible Story Book, like Hurlbet's, or Voss. These scholars have helped the reader understand the overlapping stories in the New Testament in particular. Very helpful.
Spend time with the LORD in prayer. Trust Him to work out ALL DETAILS whatever happens.
He does. All things work together for good, according to those who believe.
Trust Him with your time, your body, your work, your abilities. He made you, He loves you, He is using you in His vast plan. You belong to Him and He cares. He has your days numbered, and He is watching everything you do. He knows your every thought.
AND HE LOVES YOU ANYWAY!
Don't grieve Him. Believe Him. Love Him. Serve Him.
Watch for Him.
Our Duty
We believers stand accountable to God alone. We have alliances on earth that we honor, but the final commitment is to God and what matters to Him is our main focus, our main reason.
Is Jesus coming soon?
Well, I hope so.
There is a sense that every man in any position ever has committed unspeakable acts against helpless victims.
Is that true?
Is anyone innocent?
This is the age of fake news. We are easily discouraged by what we hear, what we believe.
I look at this time as a gift. There is NOTHING on this earth that you can trust but the written word of God. God affirms His Word himself.
Our society has completely abandoned any semblance of morality in light of Judeo-Christian values. We are in the borderlands of anarchy.
Secular Humanism is in control. Atheism is the acceptable creed of the government, school systems, and the media.
But not for long.
Even IF Jesus tarries we know the inevitable end comes.
Morals go down the toilet. God is mocked. Believers are accused falsely (?) and mocked. Debunked.
We are completely aware of our sin, our failures, but we know a God who forgives, and loves.
More now than ever we cling to His Word, his promises, our blessed hope-----the Rapture of the church.
Is there oil in your lamp? Are you filled with the Spirit? Have you repented from all of your sin? Are you living for Jesus? Do you believe?
Have you been baptised?
It's time. Get right with Jesus. Clean up your act.
Jesus saves, but you have the responsibility to obey Him. He alone knows your spiritual status, you alone know if you believe and have repented of sin.
Go and sin no more.
Don't marry against God's commands! Don't allow lust to reign in your flesh. Don't, don't, Don't.
Stop justifying sin in your life and repent.
There may be little time before you lose your head, die peacefully, or watch the children of God disappear from the earth.
I fully expect to see Jesus soon. I anticipate that meeting daily.
Maranatha. Time is short. It has been for 2,000 years, and the USA is another blip in the passage of history. Things are out of control and we know it.
Our duty is to keep our focus on the chart of God's Word and weather this latest storm.
Hold fast.
Is Jesus coming soon?
Well, I hope so.
There is a sense that every man in any position ever has committed unspeakable acts against helpless victims.
Is that true?
Is anyone innocent?
This is the age of fake news. We are easily discouraged by what we hear, what we believe.
I look at this time as a gift. There is NOTHING on this earth that you can trust but the written word of God. God affirms His Word himself.
Our society has completely abandoned any semblance of morality in light of Judeo-Christian values. We are in the borderlands of anarchy.
Secular Humanism is in control. Atheism is the acceptable creed of the government, school systems, and the media.
But not for long.
Even IF Jesus tarries we know the inevitable end comes.
Morals go down the toilet. God is mocked. Believers are accused falsely (?) and mocked. Debunked.
We are completely aware of our sin, our failures, but we know a God who forgives, and loves.
More now than ever we cling to His Word, his promises, our blessed hope-----the Rapture of the church.
Is there oil in your lamp? Are you filled with the Spirit? Have you repented from all of your sin? Are you living for Jesus? Do you believe?
Have you been baptised?
It's time. Get right with Jesus. Clean up your act.
Jesus saves, but you have the responsibility to obey Him. He alone knows your spiritual status, you alone know if you believe and have repented of sin.
Go and sin no more.
Don't marry against God's commands! Don't allow lust to reign in your flesh. Don't, don't, Don't.
Stop justifying sin in your life and repent.
There may be little time before you lose your head, die peacefully, or watch the children of God disappear from the earth.
I fully expect to see Jesus soon. I anticipate that meeting daily.
Maranatha. Time is short. It has been for 2,000 years, and the USA is another blip in the passage of history. Things are out of control and we know it.
Our duty is to keep our focus on the chart of God's Word and weather this latest storm.
Hold fast.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Monday, November 13, 2017
Much Going On
There was a report that WWIII almost started three times last week.
At our prophecy study on Sunday evening there was talk of all of the happenings across the world---Saudi Arabia, Asia, Russia---Trump in Asia. It seems as if everything is on tenterhooks.
The church is full of issues, too. Christians are good at airing their dirty laundry. So are political conservatives. It seems that leftists deftly slide their garbage under the rug and pretend nothing happened.
Roy Moore. What to believe? We are in the throes of fake news stories, and these stories are coming from all sides. Even well-meaning believers can pass on fake stories in good faith. I've done it. I'm guilty.
It makes us all unsure, tentative, and unconfident.
But what a wonderful time to wholly cast ourselves on the authority of Scripture!
If Roy Moore and Harvey Weinstein are sexual perverts we are little affected. Bill Clinton and all of his sexual exploits mean little. The televangelists and their shenanigans are nothing.
We are all affected by sexual immorality, though, and it is rampant. Rampant.
We do live in a degenerate age.
People are fornicating, committing adultery, having abortions, murdering, lying, stealing, disrespecting parents and God Himself.
Our age is full of idolatry, making God into our own image, casting away the things that disturb us, creating a being that does not exist, yet our finite minds persist in the prideful exercise of God-conjuring.
When you don't have an authority (the Bible) you have nothing.
I watched a little clip from a movie I think. It had Alec Baldwin mocking Christians for disobeying the Bible by touching a pig skin, eating shellfish, and wearing clothing that was against Mosaic ceremonial law. He mocked the stoning that was called for in the Old Testament.
Taking things from Scripture and twisting their significance is an old trick that Satan has mastered. As spirit-filled believers we know better. We know the context of ceremonial law, Christ's sacrifice to pay for the sins of breaking God's law, and our efforts to please God as believers in this world----in the world and not of the world.
The law stands. It is not nullified. Christ gave Himself to satisfy the law, blood shed on the cross for our sin.
Satan loves to trip us up.
We know that God declares us clean. We remember Peter's dream and we know that Gentiles are also included in the saving grace of God.
It's getting dark out there!
I'm glad for the inner light that comes from reading God's Word daily.
I don't know how anyone gets through the day without His promises.
It's beyond me.
I've been managing a cold this past week and a half. I think I relapsed. Not working the Deli, and I don't want to be Typhoid Mary. I am at school this week, but I'm keeping my distance from the kids, floating through the assignments.
Thanksgiving next week, and I've pulled the significant cookbooks from the shelves to plan the holiday feasts.
Tonight we are going to see the "Genesis" movie. I've been interestedly watching the development of this film for about five years now, so I'm excited to see it tonight.
Genesis is true. It's history.
And that is faith, believing that God revealed Himself through creation and His Word, and then taking Him at His word.
That's the part that messes some people up. They just cannot bring themselves to let God Define Himself.
They always have a better idea about who God should be.
As if.
There's a lot going on. It's so freeing to rest in the knowledge that God has it completely under control. All of it.
At our prophecy study on Sunday evening there was talk of all of the happenings across the world---Saudi Arabia, Asia, Russia---Trump in Asia. It seems as if everything is on tenterhooks.
The church is full of issues, too. Christians are good at airing their dirty laundry. So are political conservatives. It seems that leftists deftly slide their garbage under the rug and pretend nothing happened.
Roy Moore. What to believe? We are in the throes of fake news stories, and these stories are coming from all sides. Even well-meaning believers can pass on fake stories in good faith. I've done it. I'm guilty.
It makes us all unsure, tentative, and unconfident.
But what a wonderful time to wholly cast ourselves on the authority of Scripture!
If Roy Moore and Harvey Weinstein are sexual perverts we are little affected. Bill Clinton and all of his sexual exploits mean little. The televangelists and their shenanigans are nothing.
We are all affected by sexual immorality, though, and it is rampant. Rampant.
We do live in a degenerate age.
People are fornicating, committing adultery, having abortions, murdering, lying, stealing, disrespecting parents and God Himself.
Our age is full of idolatry, making God into our own image, casting away the things that disturb us, creating a being that does not exist, yet our finite minds persist in the prideful exercise of God-conjuring.
When you don't have an authority (the Bible) you have nothing.
I watched a little clip from a movie I think. It had Alec Baldwin mocking Christians for disobeying the Bible by touching a pig skin, eating shellfish, and wearing clothing that was against Mosaic ceremonial law. He mocked the stoning that was called for in the Old Testament.
Taking things from Scripture and twisting their significance is an old trick that Satan has mastered. As spirit-filled believers we know better. We know the context of ceremonial law, Christ's sacrifice to pay for the sins of breaking God's law, and our efforts to please God as believers in this world----in the world and not of the world.
The law stands. It is not nullified. Christ gave Himself to satisfy the law, blood shed on the cross for our sin.
Satan loves to trip us up.
We know that God declares us clean. We remember Peter's dream and we know that Gentiles are also included in the saving grace of God.
It's getting dark out there!
I'm glad for the inner light that comes from reading God's Word daily.
I don't know how anyone gets through the day without His promises.
It's beyond me.
I've been managing a cold this past week and a half. I think I relapsed. Not working the Deli, and I don't want to be Typhoid Mary. I am at school this week, but I'm keeping my distance from the kids, floating through the assignments.
Thanksgiving next week, and I've pulled the significant cookbooks from the shelves to plan the holiday feasts.
Tonight we are going to see the "Genesis" movie. I've been interestedly watching the development of this film for about five years now, so I'm excited to see it tonight.
Genesis is true. It's history.
And that is faith, believing that God revealed Himself through creation and His Word, and then taking Him at His word.
That's the part that messes some people up. They just cannot bring themselves to let God Define Himself.
They always have a better idea about who God should be.
As if.
There's a lot going on. It's so freeing to rest in the knowledge that God has it completely under control. All of it.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Friday, November 3, 2017
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Time, Times, and Half Time
I'm home today.
Yesterday I fell down the stairs at the Middle School, right as kids were coming in from the bus. I knew I'd hurt my foot, but since I had tight boots on I made it through the day, hobbling around.
The kids were sweet, sympathetic! I was teaching English for the fifth grade.
The doctor says I sprained my foot, and I am so grateful it isn't broken! Today I can take it easy, and there was much healing during the night. I can get around with an ace bandage.
You never know what a day will bring, do you?
But God knows! How comforting.
This time it wasn't serious.
Today I get time to catch up on the Times. I miss having the time to read articles on the internet. I'm a news junkie to a point. Since I didn't log onto Facebook this week until this morning I missed out on some interesting news.
That's okay.
But these Times are surely fascinating. Prophecy watchers are ALWAYS interpreting the news in light of the prophesied events, and we cannot deny the significance of the Trump administration, the global issues, the natural disasters.
Even dyed-in-the-wool pagans are predicting things the Bible predicted! Mass extinctions, dire conditions.
It's coming, and it's time to get in the ark of salvation. It's the ONLY hope.
My husband celebrated a birthday this week. I had to calculate his age. I've become accustomed to our regular occurrence of birthdays, and forget the exact one now.
This weekend we celebrate a month of marriage weeks. Or a month of marriage years! Four times seven. Twenty-eight. We've stuck it out, through thick and thin!
It's an anniversary worth celebrating!
Sevens figure prominently in Scripture. We are looking ahead to a Bridal feast that will last a "week"----most interpret that as seven years, not days. "Yom" isn't used here, the Hebrew word for "day."
Humans have their earth-rotated days as symbols of times in eternity. A week of years is a tiny fraction of our eternal existence.
This week corresponds to the time of tribulation that falls on Yahweh's bride here on earth. But there is hope. They will come to salvation! Everyone who is of Israel will be saved! All, says the Word. Hard times, but hope for the end.
They will recognize their Messiah, they will look on Him and grieve. (Isaiah)
Jewish people need to repent and ask Jesus to be their savior to be saved eternally, but they do have that prediction that in the Tribulation they WILL do that. They will see Jesus and they will believe. That's prophecy.
Those of the "Replacement Theology" mindset don't believe in Scripture, and they preach that the church has completely replaced Israel. They "interpret" all the Scriptures mentioning Israel as referring to the church.
There has been controversy about Martin Luther and his anti-semitic views. He read Scripture, saw the prophecies concerning Israel, believed them, became frustrated that the Jews he knew weren't "getting on with things!" Angered, he decried their lack of understanding and published some very nasty things.
He had a problem with anger, apparently. He had a problem with alcohol. He had problems. He was an imperfect human.
But he sure got a lot right! Abandoning the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church for the truth of Scripture was pivotal and world-changing.
When we forget the plain reading of Scripture, with the knowledge of cultural context, we find ourselves in murky waters. Each and everyone of us should be looking for Christ's return for HIS bride, the church (distinction here, from Yahweh's bride----Israel) and that has been the case for 2,000 years. We all want Him to come and get us!
And we are watching and waiting.
The Bible says that half way through the Tribulation period there will be an abomination set in the temple by the Antichrist. This is the Half Time I mentioned. We can be confident that we will not see that event because we believers will be with the bridegroom celebrating our bridal week in heaven!
We can be confident that we will be with Christ because He is returning with his BRIDE at the second coming! We will all return to earth on white horses and reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
So get ready. Have oil (the Holy Spirit) in your lamps. The shout is about to be heard, and the bridegroom is about to come to take us to His mansion.
How exciting. How romantic.
I love a love story. It's time to be watching, and the time is ripe.
Believe today.
Yesterday I fell down the stairs at the Middle School, right as kids were coming in from the bus. I knew I'd hurt my foot, but since I had tight boots on I made it through the day, hobbling around.
The kids were sweet, sympathetic! I was teaching English for the fifth grade.
The doctor says I sprained my foot, and I am so grateful it isn't broken! Today I can take it easy, and there was much healing during the night. I can get around with an ace bandage.
You never know what a day will bring, do you?
But God knows! How comforting.
This time it wasn't serious.
Today I get time to catch up on the Times. I miss having the time to read articles on the internet. I'm a news junkie to a point. Since I didn't log onto Facebook this week until this morning I missed out on some interesting news.
That's okay.
But these Times are surely fascinating. Prophecy watchers are ALWAYS interpreting the news in light of the prophesied events, and we cannot deny the significance of the Trump administration, the global issues, the natural disasters.
Even dyed-in-the-wool pagans are predicting things the Bible predicted! Mass extinctions, dire conditions.
It's coming, and it's time to get in the ark of salvation. It's the ONLY hope.
My husband celebrated a birthday this week. I had to calculate his age. I've become accustomed to our regular occurrence of birthdays, and forget the exact one now.
This weekend we celebrate a month of marriage weeks. Or a month of marriage years! Four times seven. Twenty-eight. We've stuck it out, through thick and thin!
It's an anniversary worth celebrating!
Sevens figure prominently in Scripture. We are looking ahead to a Bridal feast that will last a "week"----most interpret that as seven years, not days. "Yom" isn't used here, the Hebrew word for "day."
Humans have their earth-rotated days as symbols of times in eternity. A week of years is a tiny fraction of our eternal existence.
This week corresponds to the time of tribulation that falls on Yahweh's bride here on earth. But there is hope. They will come to salvation! Everyone who is of Israel will be saved! All, says the Word. Hard times, but hope for the end.
They will recognize their Messiah, they will look on Him and grieve. (Isaiah)
Jewish people need to repent and ask Jesus to be their savior to be saved eternally, but they do have that prediction that in the Tribulation they WILL do that. They will see Jesus and they will believe. That's prophecy.
Those of the "Replacement Theology" mindset don't believe in Scripture, and they preach that the church has completely replaced Israel. They "interpret" all the Scriptures mentioning Israel as referring to the church.
There has been controversy about Martin Luther and his anti-semitic views. He read Scripture, saw the prophecies concerning Israel, believed them, became frustrated that the Jews he knew weren't "getting on with things!" Angered, he decried their lack of understanding and published some very nasty things.
He had a problem with anger, apparently. He had a problem with alcohol. He had problems. He was an imperfect human.
But he sure got a lot right! Abandoning the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church for the truth of Scripture was pivotal and world-changing.
When we forget the plain reading of Scripture, with the knowledge of cultural context, we find ourselves in murky waters. Each and everyone of us should be looking for Christ's return for HIS bride, the church (distinction here, from Yahweh's bride----Israel) and that has been the case for 2,000 years. We all want Him to come and get us!
And we are watching and waiting.
The Bible says that half way through the Tribulation period there will be an abomination set in the temple by the Antichrist. This is the Half Time I mentioned. We can be confident that we will not see that event because we believers will be with the bridegroom celebrating our bridal week in heaven!
We can be confident that we will be with Christ because He is returning with his BRIDE at the second coming! We will all return to earth on white horses and reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
So get ready. Have oil (the Holy Spirit) in your lamps. The shout is about to be heard, and the bridegroom is about to come to take us to His mansion.
How exciting. How romantic.
I love a love story. It's time to be watching, and the time is ripe.
Believe today.
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