BARACK AND HILLARY TO NANCY (reprint)

(Seems like an appropriate time to re-post this item from last December, with alternate title added)

PELOSI’S PERPLEXITY

Dear Nancy,

Please do not start something in January.

Donald might finish it.

And “it” would be us.

Sincerely,

Barack and Hillary

KNOWLEDGE VS WISDOM (part two)

(Please read part one first)

Gaining knowledge fills the brain, but not the soul—“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Education may help to prove one is smart—intelligence does not need to prove anything, speaks for itself.  “Do not let your education exceed your intelligence.”

Many assorted adjectives can describe a politicianstatesman never has an adjective because the word stands alone just as the statesman stands alone.

Man makes religion(s)—Jesus makes possible our relationship with God.

The lawman’s gun gives him power—his badge gives him authority.

For the ham and egg breakfast, the chicken made a contribution—the pig made a sacrifice.

One can have boldness and yet be foolish—courage requires a righteous cause.

“Only one life will soon be past . . .”  temporal—“Only what’s done for Christ will last”  eternal.

Praise of man is temporary glory for temporary accomplishments—praise of God is permanent for things done for eternity.

“Do not fear him who can only kill the body, and that’s all . . .”  fear of man—“Fear Him Who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell”  fear of God.

Financial security on earth is an oxymoron, and only a few can even try—eternal security is a sure thing, available to anyone.

“Do not store up treasure on earth, where moths and rust corrupt it, and thieves break in and steal it”—“Store up treasure in heaven, where moths and rust do not corrupt it, and where thieves do not break in and steal it.”  (Bonus fact, “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.”)

The toddler says, “Mine,” and we all want to own stuff, and ownership is good, especially for motivation—far better to add the attitude of stewardship, and hold loosely all the stuff that is not permanent, in order to gain and hold what lasts and cannot be lost.

People say you are successful if you have a good job or business, make a certain expected amount of money, and have a certain expected amount of stuff and prestige—God’s definition is different, with only one requirement, faithfulness, regardless of how much you make or how much you’ve got or how people rate you.  (And the benchmark that says you have ‘arrived’ is contentment.)

 

Jesus does not have a very high view of anyone who boasts about what he accomplishes and what he gains—if we daily acknowledge God in every single detail of our lives, and delight in Him, He is delighted to direct every single one of those details.

I guess we could add one more to summarize the list:

. . . like the difference between pride and surrender.

KNOWLEDGE VS WISDOM (part one)

The difference between knowledge and wisdom is like the difference between education and intelligence.

. . . like the difference between politician and statesman.

. . . like the difference between religion and relationship with Jesus.

. . . like the difference between power and authority.

. . . like the difference between contribution and sacrifice.

. . . like the difference between boldness and courage.

. . . like the difference between temporal and eternal.

. . . like the difference between praise of man and praise of God.

. . . like the difference between fear of man and fear of God.

. . . like the difference between financial security and eternal security.

. . . like the difference between storing treasure on earth and storing treasure in heaven.

. . . like the difference between ownership and stewardship.

. . . like the difference between success and faithfulness.

. . . like the difference between “I did it” and “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” because “without Me you can do nothing.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE

Something fun.

Something favorable.

Something offensive.

Something eternal.

MY “NEAR” DEATH EXPERIENCE

It is Biblical that we do not come back from death, until Jesus comes back.

I never heard or read about people coming back, and the in-between time of hesitation, until recent stories made it popular.

I don’t know—it could be.

But it’s not my experience—a one-way trip—a one-time trip—a one-way-up trip.

When my time came, there was no turning back, just like there was no turning back from following Jesus when I was alive.

I was fully conscious all the way through, even as my brain, my heart, my body faded beyond unconsciousness to lifeless and irreversibly cold.

Is it more sad if you don’t “come back?”

Is your story more exciting if you do, and you live to tell about it?

Can you more effectively tell people about heaven and hell if you “come back?”

Do more people believe someone who comes back—do more people have a genuine Biblical conversion with Jesus?

Answer—keep reading.

 

Leaving my body did not take a long time.

Actually, there was an exact moment in time when time ended for me, and I was beyond time.

Bottom line—my experience is over since I’m gone—no turning back.

Bottom line—my experience that determined my destiny at death was final when I gave my life to Jesus—no turning back since then.

And, the most important bottom line for you—my experience of telling you about Jesus while I was alive is also final—no turning around if I came back—that means you wouldn’t listen then if you didn’t listen before.

So, please get your eternal destiny settled now—or never!

Heaven or hell—Jesus or not.

The rich man in the Bible pleaded for someone to go back and warn his brothers—answer, they have the clear Bible message—if they reject it, “neither will they believe if one comes back from death.”

This casts doubt on some stories that people got saved by stories of near death experiences.

There are clear dangers, warnings, judgments on adding to His Book (Revelation).

 

Just a few more comments:

Death brings “No, No, No” from some of the living.

For me death brought “Yes, Yes, Yes!”

No regrets.

No pull back to earth.

I knew I was going.

My body reacted as I was leaving.

I could see the gates opening.

I lifted my arms—or the angel lifted them.

My voice said “Jesus.”

And I wasn’t the first to experience all that—folks in the Bible did too.

 

Like the blind Christian lady ended her testimony, all I can say is, “See you there.”

B E   T H E R E !

THE PROBLEM WITH THEOLOGIANS

The problem with ‘most’ theologians is this:

They usually start with statements (“doctrines”) that they write, and THEN they write a whole bunch more trying to explain and prove their statements, including Bible “proof ” texts.

The problem, and the answer:

The perennial problem with most man-written theological positions—they never come to agreement (except within their brand), and there are always proof texts for opposing views.

The solution—just start with the Bible, instead of man-worded conclusions.

Take all the Bible verses on a topic, including those that seem to be on “both sides.”

Let God’s Spirit speak, to you (personal), fresh through all the verses, including those that make you uncomfortable or seem to contradict your “position.”

AND CEASE FROM CRAMMING THE BIBLE INTO THE BOX OF YOUR THEOLOGY ! ! !

The hardest thing for theologians of every era (OT, NT, modern times, and in between) is to let things rest that they don’t understand.

Education creates competition to prove we know more than others, indeed that we know it all, and that makes us better and more right.

So, “My brand has got it right—a corner on the theology market.”

And somehow church leaders throughout history have capitalized on people’s willingness to follow man-made structure, and endorse and defend systems of belief they don’t really understand—but the endorsement gives people the church’s stamp of approval and inferred right standing with God.

We are in need of REFORMATION AGAIN, to get the Bible straight to the people, not watered down by “learned” theologians.

A BRAIN POWER STRIP

I need a power strip for my brain—can’t plug two things in at one time.

And, memory upgrades are not available either.

Faster and faster my be fine for computers, but not so for raising children and for getting older.

SMOOTH SAILING – – – OR TURBULENCE

(inspired by Allister Begg on American Family Radio)

When you fasten your seat belt on an airplane, after takeoff you expect to loosen it and relax for the rest of the flight.

Not so in the Christian life—get both parts of the belt very secure for a guaranteed turbulent flight, as promised in His Book.

“Smooth Sailing” may be desirable, may be promised by many, but then you may be on the wrong flight.

The Christian flight will be rough—need much courage, encouraging, comforting, reminding of guaranteed destination.

All other flights—saved up a lifetime for this flight, so for sure enjoy the retirement ‘cruise’—“eat, drink, and be merry.”

PRAYING, OR ?

Someone sat down close by at a cafe, and I was pleased to see the person bow her head to pray.

But then I realized she was using her cell phone instead.

Oh, I guess you could say she was praying—and it seems most of us give devotion to this god.

LIFE – – – OR NOT ? [6]

The only requirement for a two-year-old child to become and adult is time and nourishment.

The only requirement for a new-born child to become and adult is time and nourishment.

The only requirement for a pre-born child to become and adult is time and nourishment.