Making a Difference in your Life, in the Parts that are for Keeps!
We can stand up and speak up against this horror of child abuse now, or watch our children and our country be destroyed.
And that destruction is the goal—heart and center—of those behind this evil tsunami blindsiding America.
Start now, saying something against this, every chance you get, to anyone.
I wonder what it was like when David and Uriah met again, in heaven.
(Inspired by Jeff Shreve this morning, on afr)
King David directly arranged the murder of his trusted soldier, Uriah, to ‘cover up’ his sin of sleeping with Uriah’s wife.
Uriah never knew what happened—until he got to heaven ?
Hmmm.
Did God explain it to Uriah ?
Or, did God wait till David got to heaven, and let him explain ?
Or, does God erase our memories of sin when we get to heaven, like He erases the record of our sin now, when we repent ?
(That last one sounds more Biblical.)
– – –
This would be a good example, a time to give a very serious caution, even a warning, about all the myriad of imaginations about heaven.
There are few topics that inspire speculation like thoughts of what we will do and think and remember when we get to heaven.
The one topic that exceeds creative ideas about heaven is invented ways to get there.
Whether we’re thinking about life in heaven or how to get there, there is only one source of facts, of truth, and it’s not from our mind.
From the fall of man, “every imagination of man’s heart is evil continually.”
People vigorously resist being told their ideas about heaven may be wrong—you can count on it.
If you want to know what you’re signing up for when you trust Jesus to forgive your sins and write your name in His heavenly Lamb’s Book of Life, then trust Him to tell you everything you need to know in His Book that we have here, the Bible.
If it’s in the Bible, you can take it to the bank, to heaven.
It it’s not in the Bible, you can know it’s someone’s imagination, even your own.
Don’t count on it.
Don’t put any weight on it.
Don’t put any faith in it.
Don’t depend on it, no matter how good it makes you feel.
Don’t take it in, not even a [harmless] bite.
“Eve saw that the tree was good food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise; she took of its fruit and ate.”
Everybody asks God, “WHY ?”
WHY God does . . .
WHY God did . . .
WHY God doesn’t . . .
Many conclude why God cannot exist.
We want explanations.
We want God to explain.
And when God doesn’t explain—
—We use our intellect and reason to explain what doesn’t fit our feelings.
Some with very high intelligence use it to prove there is no God, and some to prove there is a god, and some to prove there is God.
Some with very high intelligence use logic and philosophy to show God’s existence, or not.
Some use that—good use of gifts.
Some use that and Bible verses—good use of the Sword of the Spirit.
– Win souls—that counts—lives changed.
– ‘Win’ debates—that feels good—? ? ? changed.
One conclusion—one universal, perennial fact of history—there always have been, always will be, deniers of God, haters of God, objectors of how God does things, rejecters of what God says.
Man can think anything he wants to think about God, and someday, certainly, find the end point of his thinking—
BUT, it will be forever true,
“My ways are higher than your ways; and My thoughts than your thoughts (declares the Lord).”
And that is true for everyone, including those who believe in God.
Even when we are ‘defending’ God, we must humbly set aside our intellect and everything else—another Bible verse coming . . .
“Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence.”
It’s always another Bible verse that keeps us straight, and brings us back from wandering on our own . . .
If the Bible is not the heart and center of, the foundation of, and saturating all we say and do and reason, then we have nothing more to offer than anyone else, in the world of ideas.
“All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.”
Paul engaged them, starting with their interest in new ideas and their ‘unknown god’ (which he was delighted to introduce to them) . . . to get their attention, on their turf, but then not on their terms.
The power of intellect engages, may even win debates.
BUT, always the Power of the Word of God wins hearts for His Kingdom, for heaven.
The verse for direction here,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
– – –
A word of caution to the super-intellectuals on ‘God’s Side’:
+ Don’t let your focus, zeal for apologetics, become an end in itself.
Look closely how you advertise and talk about your conferences and your books and your people.
+ Slow down, stop occasionally, take a deep breath of fresh humility—and let it be known to all, first to yourself, and then to others, that power comes from God alone—
—power to win a debate, perhaps
—power to win a soul, yes
—all power from God, all glory to God, not us.
+ While you reach out to the intellectuals, remember the rest of your ‘audience’ that may struggle to keep up with your speed, and wonder where you got these principles you build on so rapidly.
+ These folks may be left wondering if they must have your level of understanding before a Bible verse can apply to their life.
+ AND, every Christian presentation should include the simple Gospel message, because there may be some listener ready to receive Jesus.
“In the world you will have tribulation.”
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous.”
“Everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
“In the last days evildoers will get worse and worse.”
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble.”
– – –
Around the world today, clearly evildoers get worse and worse.
Around the world today, days of trouble require believers to call on God more and more.
Around the world today, God’s people have more and more afflictions.
Around the world today, promised tribulation is coming true more and more.
Around the world today, the Godly in Christ suffer persecution more and more.
– – –
Around the world today, there is a lot of talk and teaching about the promised evil, trouble, afflictions, tribulation, persecution.
BUT, nearly unanimous silence on Jesus’ prayer for His dear followers when we face all this.
“Father, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your Word.
I pray for them.
Keep those You have given Me, that they may be one.
The world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”
– – –
Shall we not count the promises unchanged when we face all this (we will face all this) ?
“In the world you will have tribulation, BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, FOR I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL.”
“Everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution . . . the persecutions I endured, THE LORD DELIVERED ME FROM THEM ALL.”
“In the last days evildoers will get worse and worse, . . . but continue in the Holy Scriptures, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE YOU WISE FOR SALVATION.”
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I WILL DELIVER YOU, AND YOU WILL GLORIFY ME.”
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL ONE.”
– – –
Now that big-time trouble looks ominously threatening to us (American Christians), nearly universal teaching promises we’re out of here before great tribulation.
So, some tribulation—yes.
Great tribulation—no.
Question, try this:
Try broadcasting that teaching to Christians facing severe persecution and death now—tell them that’s not great tribulation, because it’s not “The Great Tribulation”.
Are we different, to expect to be exempt, because suddenly a ‘consensus’ of teachers say so—in America ?
Jesus prayed to keep us safe from the evil one—no disclaimers, no exemptions, no interpretations, no exception, no matter what—not taken out of the world when the evil one brings on more evil.
It is dangerous for a Christian to be comfortable.
“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion.”
It is very displeasing to God for a Christian to be lukewarm.
“Because you are lukewarm, I will spew (vomit) you out of my mouth.”
– – –
There is something worse than comfortable, worse than lukewarm—it is the assumption that one is a Christian.
“Not everyone that says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’
Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you evildoers.’ “
“Just Say ‘NO’ To Drugs” was a worthwhile campaign against what is bad for kids—and everybody agreed drugs were bad.
Today, nearly everything is turned upside down for kids, AND everything imaginable and unimaginable is given a green light for kids, by adults, and even pushed and forced on kids, by adults.
— Everything gay-accepting, gay-affirming, gay-endorsing is everywhere.
— Boys cannot be left alone to be boys.
— Girls cannot be left alone to be girls.
— Drag queen shows welcome and cater to kids.
— School libraries defend pornography.
— Unrestricted technology gives free tickets to any evil, at any age.
— Murder openly seen on TV breeds a right to unseen medical murder of kids.
And, even the war on drugs to save kids, is turned upside down—by our leaders, BY ADULTS.
Do not think for a moment that the fentanyl crisis is accidental or unavoidable.
Just as surely as the border crossing crisis is totally intentional, so is the companion disaster of the drug crossing crisis catastrophe also by design.
We could stop both at one time by securing the border, like any other sane and healthy country.
But our leadership, adults, don’t want to.
They want to destroy this country, and are pleased to be well on their way by destroying our border integrity and destroying our kids—by doing nothing about it.
We know what needs to be done.
We know it can be done.
But it doesn’t get done.
We watch, and nothing happens.
Sometimes, do we just have to leave things hanging, like when we say, “Why, God?” in our personal lives, without answers ?
Be careful what you get really excited about, if it’s what somebody tells you, if it’s not straight from the Bible you read for yourself.
Anyone who talks/teaches for any length of time without the Bible—BEWARE !
It’s time for change in the talking points of conservatives and Christians in media and government.
I listen as much as anyone can, to the reporting and documenting of the bad things going on in America, in government, especially in the Biden Administration.
I am painfully conscious of repetition of the facts, as though most of the audience doesn’t already know the terrible shape we’re in.
As I’ve said before, every leader and reporter and commentator on the side for America must no longer be satisfied and think you’ve done your job by telling us how bad the bad things are the bad people in Washington are doing, and what they should be doing (and never will).
More Americans stuffed with more information—yes, the truth—is not and will not stop the evil people taking over.
Yes, we vote—Yes, we campaign—Yes, I feel hope when I listen to Trump—Yes, I pray—I remember prayers of our leaders like Roosevelt before the nation on the eve of D-Day – – – and so much is so different today.
God blessed the American form of government in our Constitution, as long as we maintained the mindset of the founding fathers,
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”—–John Adams
That declaration says our Constitution and democratic process will no longer work, because we are no longer a moral and religious people.
IN GOD WE TRUSTED – – – past tense
GOD BLESSED AMERICA – – – past tense
– – –
Sadly, it seems like everyone vigorously sounding the alarms (and rightly so) doesn’t really know what we should be doing to stop this wayward government.
Or, fear is so effective, that no one steps forward to lead and direct us to stop the people destroying our country by design.
Diplomacy, negotiation, legislation, appeasement—DID NOT WORK in the American Revolution against King George—DID NOT WORK in World War II against Hitler—WILL NOT WORK saving Israel from terrorists—IS NOT WORKING to defeat those running America in the ground.
– – –
Question:
Would God honor the second amendment of the United States Constitution if we applied it literally today, to stop this wayward government ?
Nothing else will.
Bible teaching and preaching.
Is it not typical to make a point—then back it up with Bible verses ?
Everyone is so accustomed to this pattern, that we expect the learned leader to state doctrinal teaching, first, and share Scripture that agrees with with it, second.
Start observing now, and consider why this is so, and if it is best.
Consciously or unconsciously, knowingly or unknowingly, this is built on the premise that the teacher/preacher is more educated to tell the listeners what to believe, and the Bible proves it.
This is subtle, but universal.
There is a simple, higher plane for relating the Bible to teaching and doctrine.
It is not difficult, but calls for putting the Bible first, literally, always.
Just read the Bible first !
Let the listeners see how you arrived at your beliefs/teachings from Scripture, not from others, no matter how revered they may be.
Take them slowly to verses that they can read in their own Bible, right then, and develop understanding at their own pace, not suddenly just because you said so.
Patience.
Humility.
Encourage your listeners to “search the Scriptures daily, to see if those things are true” that you tell them.
Success in Politics.
Success in Power.
Success in Money.
Actually, those are pretty much synonymous.
– – –
Is there success that breaks that pattern, that mold, that controls so many who achieve such success ?
YES, but not what you first think.
It’s two steps—a formula, if you will.
“Having food and clothing, let us be content.”
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Put in formula form:
Food + Clothes = Contentment
Godliness + Contentment = Success
Therefore:
Godliness + Food + Clothes = Success
And that would be:
Success in Life.
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