MAKE YOUR POINT – – – BACK IT UP

May 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational

JUST SAY “NO” – – – OR “YES” ?

May 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment

“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 ?

Filed Under: Faith Based, Family, Health, Political---Cultural

SUCCESS – – – IN . . .

May 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment

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.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Financial, Inspirational, Political---Cultural

SNOW IS FUN, IF . . .

May 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment

. . . if you don’t live up north.
. . . if snow is not in your forecast, in May.
. . . if you live in Central Texas (snows—not often enough, but I’m not complaining).
. . . if you don’t have to drive.
. . . if you don’t need to own a snow shovel.
. . . if you can just watch it.
. . . if it’s not too cold (it’s always too cold).
. . . if you measure it in inches (single digits), not in feet.
. . . if it doesn’t put you in danger.
. . . if you still smile while it falls, no matter where you live.
. . . if you think on a hundred Bible verses about snow (check that out !).
. . . if you have kids.
. . . if you are a kid, or feel like one when it snows.
. . . if you remember to praise God for making infinite trillions of snowflakes—for making each one different—for making each one a phenomenal geometric masterpiece—for making each one just for fun—for making each one just because HE CAN !

Filed Under: Faith Based, Family, Fun, Inspirational

HUMBLE OR HUMILIATED

May 11, 2024 By Leave a Comment

A little over a year ago on this site, I wrote an article titled, “HUMBLE YOURSELF . . .” – – – AND HOW DO I DO THAT ?

I encourage you to look it up and be blessed.

This article will be a simple, condensed version of the same thought, same challenge.

So often the human experience of being humbled means being humiliated.
But there is a higher plane in living for Jesus when we ask the Lord to lift us up.
How ?
Humble ourselves first.
Only then can He lift us.
And, He gets all the credit, all the glory.

A couple quotes from a year ago:

“As long as we worry, we’re trying to take care of some things that God might not.”
“Casting our cares on Him must be the way to humble ourselves.”

Please read the whole article.

Filed Under: Faith Based, Inspirational

WHY DID YOU JUST NOW SAY “TRINITY” ?

May 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Every time I hear a preacher or Bible teacher say “trinity” in the middle of a sentence, I want to ask some questions.

Did you consciously say “trinity”, on purpose, with a purpose ?

So, why did you say “trinity” ?

Did you ever stop to think about why you said “trinity” ?

What did saying “trinity” add to your message ?

What difference did it make to you when you said “trinity” ?

What difference did it make to your listeners when you said “trinity” ?

Do your listeners know what you mean when you say “trinity” ?

What if your listeners asked what you mean when you say “trinity” ?

Have you ever explained “trinity” when you said it ?

How many ways have people explained “trinity” ?
(over thirty million different attempts listed on the internet, and counting)

– – –

Who tells you to say “trinity” in your message ?

What if you did not say “trinity” ?

Would your listeners lose anything in their relationship with Jesus if you did not say “trinity” ?

– – –

I am so tempted to answer these questions, but some theologians need to think about “Why say ‘trinity?'”

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Political---Cultural

D E I – – – DO WE KNOW BETTER NOW ?

May 1, 2024 By Leave a Comment

The rapid-fire volley of new stuff, new ideas, new science, new religion, new crises, new mandates, new problems, new ‘solutions’, new education, new government, in recent years, pressures us to go along with—accept, endorse—all the latest, and apologize for everything that we hold dear, and that holds us together.

Ideas get recycled.

From the original wanna-be master of the universe, the first successful propaganda, “Did God Really Say, ‘Don’t eat that.’ ?”
It still works for him, and for all the willing cohorts who can’t submit to God, and serve the devil.

New methods accomplish the same old goals.

Distract/fool people to focus on the latest ideas/trends, while behind-the-scenes leaders try again to take over and rule the world.
Tried before throughout history.
Many failed.
Some succeeded.
This time looks like The Big One, with so many new devices to control the people, by fear, by threats, by canceling daily functions to stay alive—for anyone who does not comply.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Political---Cultural, Time

HORRIBLE – – – YES

April 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment

— “Lake of fire”
— “Torment day and night forever”
— “Weeping”
— “Agony”
— “Eternal punishment”
— “Lake that burns with fire and sulphur”
— “Outer darkness”
— “Furnace of fire”
— “Unquenchable fire”
— “Gnashing of teeth”
— “Eternal death”
— “The ‘worm’ never dies”
— “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
— “. . . I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
— “. . . the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
— “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels . . .”

– – –
– – –

Going there ?

Yes, unless you repent for your sin, accept Jesus’ payment for your sin, and ask Him to save you and write your name in His Book of Life in heaven.
“And there shall in no way enter any thing . . . but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

How about today ? – – – for you ?

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Time

RESIDENT – – – OR – – – PRESIDENT

April 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment

What place is Jesus in your life ?

(listening to afr)

Filed Under: Faith Based, Inspirational

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

April 26, 2024 By Leave a Comment

Not just once and you’re done.

Keep praying—Jesus did, often, a lot.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
So we should pray for the Holy Spirit, surely not just once.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”
So Jesus prays for the Holy Spirit for us, surely not just once.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
So the Holy Spirit teaches and helps us remember, surely not just once.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
So we get power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to Jesus, surely not just once.
– – –
Do we need prayer just once ?
Do we need teaching just once ?
Do we need power just once ?
Do we need the Holy Spirit just once ?
– – –
So, be filled with the Spirit—ask—surely not just once and you’re done.

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Time
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