It's Saturday. I'm working at the delicatessen this afternoon. I worked all week.
Next week Ed has his left knee replaced at Mayo Clinic. Immanent change ahead!
I had a most interesting week with two hard days teaching. I met a four-year-old who has completely comprehended the new education system and defied it to the best of his abilities. You can ask me about the sordid details when I see you.
I met a sullen, unhappy teacher who cannot smile, and exudes hopelessness.
Her unhappiness is expressed in officiousness.
I subbed in Industrial Arts this week, and I'm scheduled to go back to that in a month. Of course I was not authorized to oversee machine usage, but it was still interesting to be in that environment. The students had a worksheet/quiz they had to complete. I learned that Industrial Arts programs are virtually a thing of the past in Minnesota and that this school is one of the only ones left.
I took "shop" in high school. I was one of those girls. I enjoyed it! How sad that that program has been shelved for the most part.
Can I say this without sounding completely jaded? With so little to do each hour in school these students waste 4/5ths of the time they spend in school. It's true. Yes, I'm a sub, and I have to oversee study hall after study hall---but they don't study. They look at their phones or computers and few read books. Just saying.
I enjoy getting to know the kids and suggesting productive activity---even if it's an exchange about life goals!
But I weep inside at the wasted time.
I'm a home-school mom. Remember?
There has been a theme developing in my mind these past two weeks. It's a leit motif singing "Come Apart!"
We are wheat. We are sheep. We are separate. We are in but not of.
Alcohol. I've had several conversations lately about alcohol usage. Interesting ones. I asked a woman I've been acquainted with for years how she got her children to not use alcohol. Her kids are just older than mine.
They all have roommates and friends who habitually drink.
"What's your secret?" I asked her.
"We never had it in our home," she replied. (Check, outside of flavorings)
"We talked about the abuse of alcohol." (Check)
"We lived it. No drinking." (Check)
I guess it works sometimes. This morning David Wheaton had a guest pastor on his radio show. This pastor mentioned the most difficult thing about pastoring people is waiting for change. Being patient with people.
We all know people who have been transformed overnight, in an instant. (Caryl Matrisciana!) But most people become gradually changed. A little here, a little there. Bit by bit.
It's true. There is conviction, then action, then growth. Give people time. Give them a chance!
I think of anything on this earth, in the confines of time----in light of CHANGE. It can be instant, but that is a fraction of the type. Change is always, constant, everywhere, comprehensive, and it happens slowly for most of us.
I'm praying for young people to lose their taste for alcohol. I'm praying for them to put their desires in serving God over filling their bellies. I am praying for self denial, self control, self discipline to be developed in their hearts and spirits.
I realize that we live in the days of "Eat, drink, and be merry." For tomorrow we die.
We do. It's a time of separation. The sheep will come out from the goats. The tares will be gathered and burned.
Some people fully align with the dark side. Witches and pagans, Wiccans openly eschew the Biblical God.
There are those that are less obviously aligned with evil. The religions of the world are not of God.
God is personal. He is the Creator. Religion is what man does to get close to God, but God gets close to man.
We talk about Christianity being the religion of Christ. There is a disconnect here. Christ is our savior, and we can do nothing to save ourselves. We can obey Him. We can love Him. We can serve Him.
We can care for orphans and widows.
We can give cold water.
We can visit in jail, feed the hungry and spread the Gospel.
Is this religion?
I prefer to call it obedience. Religion has too much baggage. Let's separate. Let's come apart.
His sheep hear His voice!
It's no secret that I totally believe in conspiracy. Lucifer is a grand conspirator, and I fully believe that. His wiles have been around from the Garden of Eden. He's no dummy. He's had counterfeits and delusions in his "pockets" since talking to Eve.
I find it amusing, and sad, that so many people---born in sin, and spiritually dead---think they are above his craft. WAKE UP! He's conspiring against you! I don't know why he still thinks he can win this cosmic game, but he keeps trying. He's going down, and he's bringing all of those on the broad path with him.
Narrow is the way to salvation, and few find it.
Enter by the strait gate.
There is only one way to salvation. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh to the Father, but by Me."
Harsh words?
Words of hope?
Both.
When you have a mentality shaped by the Bible and its claims it changes you. You no longer serve yourself. You have a master that demands your entire life, reputation, and time. Everything. The Holy Spirit works in your heart and reveals truths to your spirit that open up the possibilities of beautiful fellowship with the body of Christ, along with tremendous hope for the future.
It's not common, but it's wonderful.
Even death. Even losing everything for Him.
There is a couple that just lost everything because they stood for their convictions against homosexuality. They didn't want to bake a cake for a gay couple. The court took everything from them. A florist is in the same situation. She just lost in court too.
It will cost us, friends. It will cost some of us our heads.
Watered down Christianity is loathsome to God. Like water from Pamukkale in Turkey---tepid, distasteful. You must stand for what is written in God's moral law.
Just finished reading Leviticus and now I'm in Numbers. All those laws.
What was God thinking?
Certainly not my thoughts.
"My thoughts are not your thoughts."
God is holy, good, love. He defines Himself. The laws He gave had purpose and Jesus says they still matter.
"I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it!
Not one jot or tittle shall pass away----"
Are WE under the law? We are under God's grace.
But these laws still matter. They have value. They stand.
Can a homosexual be saved? If he repents.
Can a transgender be saved? If he repents.
Can a witch be saved? If she repents.
Can you or I be saved? If we repent.
It's not rocket science.
We ALL must repent.
Stop trying to change God. He is changeless. It doesn't work.
Repent, believe, and take the plan of salvation Jesus offered us by dying for our sin and iniquity on the cross.
Do it. Time is short.
The prophecies of the end are surely being fulfilled today.
I don't think we will be here much longer, but that's another post----
