PRAY – VICTORY – PRAY – – – UNTIL . . .

We face stuff.

We pray.

We have victory.

We praise.

We face more stuff.

We pray more.

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You know, we don’t ‘arrive’ as long as we’re alive, here.

And we won’t know ‘alive’ until we’re there.

“THE WIND DIED DOWN”

“The wind died down, and immediately there was a great calm.”

How long does it take for storms on water to die down?

Not immediately.

With the storms in our life—we cry out to Jesus to calm them.

He tells us, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble . . .”

+Sometimes He calms them quickly.

+Sometimes He calms them slowly.

He tells us, “. . . I will deliver you, . . .”

When He delivers us, we thank Him profusely.

He tells us, “. . . and you will glorify Me.”

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble,

I will deliver you,

And you will glorify Me.”

+Sometimes He calms us, instead.

“Sometimes He calms the storm,

Sometimes He calms His child.”

Some times He changes our circumstances.

All times His purpose is to change us.

To change us, He must first get our attention.

To get our attention, He can use anything—good, bad, ugly.

Then, when He has our attention, He asks, “Now, how long will I have your attention?”

You see, the only way God can change us—He must get our undivided attention, and keep our attention long enough to develop a relationship with us.

A changed life with Jesus is not just an event—it is an ongoing, daily lifestyle.

Practice walking with Jesus—then, when trouble comes, you won’t have to run to catch up.

TEN WAYS TO LOSE THE WAR ON TERROR

ONE—–Negotiate

TWO—–“Investigate”

THREE—–Delay

FOUR—–Divert

FIVE—–Downsize

SIX—–Apologize

SEVEN—–Patronize

EIGHT—–Legitimize

NINE—–Compromise

TEN—–Deny the Obvious

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ONE—–Negotiate—sounds like a way to avoid war—never works for winning.

TWO—–“Investigate”—a way to buy time for p/r and the enemy—never works for winning.

THREE—–Delay—gives the illusion of patience and gives the enemy time to refuel—never works for winning.

FOUR—–Divert—make something else the issue, other than the enemy’s stated goal—never works for winning.

FIVE—–Downsize—reduce the military, to be less threatening to the enemy—never works for winning.

SIX—–Apologize—be sorry for strength that offends and makes a target—never works for winning.

SEVEN—–Patronize—appease, be nice, so they will be nice in return—never works for winning.

EIGHT—–Legitimize—sympathize with false reasons for their dissatisfaction—never works for winning.

NINE—–Compromise—not confrontation, make a deal to make them happy—never works for winning.

TEN—–Deny the Obvious—repeat of history does not apply, the world is better now, we don’t have enemies dedicated to killing us, we must avoid war, high-tech will save us—never works for winning.

PIONEERS AND US (10)

Did the pioneers have something inside, that we don’t have today?

Yes, several things—one at a time here.

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Pioneers had a consistent set of values and beliefs that they were bound and determined to pass on to the next generation, intact.

It was a package—with God, family, work, the 3R’s, right and wrong, Bible, morality—known and universally sanctioned in the home and in the community.

It is referred to as ‘the old school.’

Today we scarcely even know what that package is, to pass on, much less how to pass it on.

Question before us, not faced by pioneers:

What will happen when the few people who can remember the old school are gone?

PIONEERS AND US (9)

Did the pioneers have something inside, that we don’t have today?

Yes, several things—one at a time here.

Pioneers accepted hard times, and welcomed hard work, as part of life.

They did not spend so much (time, effort, money) seeking or expecting life to be easier—like we do.

WHAT DO WE KNOW NOW – – – REALLY ?

I can’t say I know it all or get excited about The Renaissance or The Enlightenment, that supposedly freed us from The (Dark) Middle Ages.

Man is always driven by the urge to do better than the past, to think we have arrived—and then, we do what we do best—we repeat history, especially the parts that produce tyranny, slavery, suffering, and massive murders.

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Philosophers influence educators and aspiring political leaders, and ideologues capitalize on the perfect moment to change the world.

And, except for the unique record of The United States of America, nearly all world-changers driven by the newest ideas, create repeated disasters instead of promised utopia.

“From each according to his ability—to each according to his needs.” Never works.

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+Communism worldwide—110 million murdered, particularly in Russia, China, Cambodia.

+Emperor worship in Japan—6 million killed.

+Dictatorship in North Korea—zero freedom, no light at night (satellite picture).

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“Eliminate imperfect people to maintain a perfect race.” Always reveals demonic evil.

+Nazism—20 million murdered.

+Eugenics eliminate inferior or unwanted, especially unborn—60 million murdered in America so far—70 million murdered in the world every year.

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It is no wonder the increased horrors of the last century, and those continuing today, and the new horrors on the horizon—it is no wonder this matches what the Bible says will happen without God in our knowledge.

Type in the search bar on the internet “in the last days” and find an abundance of passages that read like a current newspaper.

Let it sober you, to call on God, for these times.

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Beware of promises that hide the cost.

Promised utopia—at the cost of freedom, always !

And the people end up with neither utopia nor freedom, always !

And millions end up without life itself, always !

OLD [NEW] YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Just a few comments, not necessarily profound, except for the one verse from His Book.

Words matter.

Words count.

Words can make us feel good, or bad.

Oldest cliche—doesn’t cut it, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

– – –

Words reveal what’s inside—good or bad.

“Out of the heart, the mouth speaks.”—–His Book

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Can our words change our heart?

Can our words change our actions?

– – –

Words are words.

Action is more.

Second oldest cliche, “Actions speak louder than words.”

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Is New Years Day just another day, or a meaningful opportunity for what we need or want to be different?

New Year’s Resolutions—words we say to change our life.

Is it possible for a New Year’s Resolution to change our life?

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Perhaps the value in New Year’s Resolutions is hope—commitment in anticipation of something better.

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Consider your own words from day to day—when do they result in change—when do they waste time and energy?

I would like for this to be my New Year’s Resolution:

“I pledge to talk only about something I will do, today.”

THE FUSE IS LIT

The end is near—the end of the fuse, that is.

– – –

A fuse is designed—and a fuse is lit—to make something significant, something very noticeable, happen when the fuse burns to the end.

Most fuses are designed to burn fast.

Most fuses are not stopped once they are lit, even if they could be.

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Some fuses ignite something harmless, for entertainment or celebration or inspiration.

Many fuses ignite something dangerous and destructive.

Most of these are secretive, with the element of surprise to increase the impact.

Sometimes the secret is discovered, and the fuse is de-fused.

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And then there are times when the fuse is lit, and it is known, and it is also known where the fuse leads, and the inevitable, pending devastation can be known—and it could be stopped—and the clear warnings are ignored ! ! !

– – –

Wait a minute—how can this be—in what kind of world would ominous disaster intentionally be ignored?

Answer: In world where those in power, ostensibly there by the will of the people, orchestrate the very plan for destruction of everything good.

They themselves expect to survive.

How can that happen?

Answer: When all that is good is gone, only evil remains, and the evil people reveal their true identity.

– – –

– – –

And, this is happening now, in real time, right before our eyes, with historical outcome a certainty.

This fuse could have been stopped—could be stopped now.

But this fuse has branched and ignited unknown numbers of additional fuses.

No will exists to stop the fuse, by anyone who could.

It is very difficult, or impossible, to stop the additional fuses burning all over, and they are all getting very close to their detonation targets.

– – –

Question: Why isn’t anything blowing up yet?

Answer: Waiting for the maximum impact with the maximum number of targets.

– – –

– – –

Now, review all the above in the reality of the invasion at the U S border.

Re-read the above, and match the analogies between past history (nazism, communism, socialism) and present history playing out in reruns, RIGHT HERE !

SO MUCH !

So much to plan!

So much to do!

So much to leave undone!

So much to accept!

So much to discern!

So much does not last!

So much is gone!

Most everything here is soon gone.

Set our lives on everything “here” that goes “there.”

TALK – – – A FOUR-LETTER WORD ?

Talk is good.

Be thankful for people to talk to/with.

Just be careful to not let it become profane.

How could that happen?

– – –

Talk can be a thief.

– – –

+Talk can steal time, to keep us from doing something good.

+Talk can steal our rest.

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Talking and doing are mutually exclusive.

Resting and talking do not happen at the same time.