HOW MUCH BIBLE DOES IT TAKE ?

August 30, 2025 By Leave a Comment

QUESTIONS:
How much Bible does it take . . .
. . . to start my day ?

How much Bible does it take . . .
. . . to make it through the day ?

How much Bible does it take . . .
. . . to make God happy ?

How much Bible does it take . . .
. . . to make me happy ?


How much time in my Bible does it take every day, to be spiritually successful ?

ANSWERS:
Wrong questions !
If I answer directly, then my time with God in His Word becomes a checklist of obligations I do to stay good with Him.

Instead, remember that Jesus calls us His friends.
Friends spend time together, talking, and just being close.
Jesus said He’s waiting for us to hear Him knocking, and for us to open the door—He wants to come in and “eat and drink” with us—like family time at mealtime.

What does it take ?

If it takes a whale—if it takes a wilderness—so be it.

If you love Jesus,
Spend time with Him.
Talk to Him—pray.
Listen to Him—read His Words, and listen.

How much time ?
No telling—
No limit—
No obligation—
No worry—

Think about this question instead,
How much do I love Jesus ?

Think about this,
How much do I want to love Jesus ?

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Family, Health, Inspirational, Time

T H A N K Y O U, G O D

August 29, 2025 By Leave a Comment

THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR 75 YEARS !

Filed Under: Faith Based, Health, Inspirational, Time

OUR FATHER

August 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment

[WHO IS IN WASHINGTON]

— OMG
— NAME IT—CLAIM IT
— SELECTIVE
— PLUS RETIREMENT
— BARTERED DEAL
— DON’T BLAME US WHEN WE
— 911
— LATER

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

MUNDANE – – – MAGNIFICENT

August 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Service in the mundane prepares for service in the magnificent—

Service in the mundane is magnificent.

“Thank God for years of obscure ministry.”—–afr.net

Filed Under: Educational, Faith Based, Inspirational, Time

WHY SO INVOLVED IN POLITICS

August 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment

“I do what I have to do, so my children can do what they want to do.”
—– Florida Lt Gov Jay Collins (former Green Beret)

Filed Under: Educational, Family, Inspirational, Political---Cultural, Time

WHY HASN’T PUTEN TAKEN UKRAINE ?

August 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment

I suppose the truth is in adding the word “YET”.

Puten is planning on taking Ukraine—planning on it since the day he invaded.

Puten is proceeding with that plan to the limits of what NATO and the United States will allow.

Puten gives gestures of talking and peace as necessary to get more time to bomb Ukraine, to get closer to taking Ukraine.

Puten believes we can’t or won’t stop him.

Puten is an intelligent, patient, brutal dictator who wants Ukraine back, and he’s working on getting Ukraine back, no matter what it takes.

Puten, like all dictators, does not care about human lives sacrificed for HIS goals.

Puten, like all dictators, will be stopped only by force.
Military force to stop Puten is not looking very likely now.
Economic force to stop Puten is going to take a miracle.

We pray for that !

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

WARNING – – – DANGER – – – BEWARE

August 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment

“Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come.
‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.”

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

“But those desiring to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

“The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have strayed from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

“God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’ This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”

“A foolish woman is boisterous;
She says to him who lacks understanding,
‘Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’
But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell.”
“Keep your path far from her;
do not go near the door of her house.”

“You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood, in striving against sin.”

“A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

The Lord knows how to deliver those who are His—a Bible passage starting with “If . . .”
“If [then five verses listing dramatic punishments and deliverances, continues] then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.”

“The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and He will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom.”

Jesus told us to pray, “Our Father, . . . deliver us from evil.”
We must pray that prayer.
“Ask, and it will be given to you.”

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

TIME FOR ANOTHER ARTICLE GONE TO THE DOGS

August 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment

I have been very blessed with great dogs all my life, so the title is a positive tribute.
But this one has a surprise twist, that I just discovered recently, and continue to observe with my current dogs.

Some dog breeds like the border collies I have enjoyed, are known for their intelligence, and especially their relating to people.
My last two were rescues, and after a few years we certainly got closer, almost suddenly.
Then, after a few more years, we became even closer.
Indescribable, but so real, so miraculous.

This article focuses on the amazing capacity of some breeds of dogs to understand human words.
Sometimes the only limit seems to be time spent teaching a new word or phrase.
I enjoyed their sensitive, polite, effective ways of endearing me for treats from my plate.
Then I would calmly and quietly say, “That’s all”, and the dog would immediately walk away and lie down.

Now, for the first time, I have pyrenees—Goodness and Mercy, and their offspring Jojo.
Big dogs, big on love, big on 911 patrol of 32 acres, enlarged by Jojo who jumps the fence and enhances fear on the coyotes and endears herself to the neighbors.
Everything about pyrenees is BIG.
These pyrenees have a big capacity and a big need and a big demand for love and affection to match their size.
And I give it to them, and they are satisfied.

So they understand love, lots of loving.
But they don’t understand the word ‘love’.
I now observe and verify that my pyrenees actually do not learn and understand any human words—except for one word.
And they love it, love it, love it when I say that one word over and over and over while I give affection just the way they like it.
In fact, they can be lying 20 feet away (waiting for the next 911 alarm in dog code), and when I say the one word, their tale lifts off the ground.

But the word is not the same for each of them, and I often say the wrong word because they look alike.
What’s the good word(s) for my pyrenees, Goodness and Mercy ?
You guessed it—“Goodness” and “Mercy”—their names—they’ve got that down !

Simple Dogs—Loving Dogs—Profound Dogs—and I love them.
If you don’t give them enough love, the two can stand crosswise in your path until you do.

It remains to be seen if I can live out my days without another border collie.
You see, “Surely Goodness and Mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”
They’re three years old, and I’m 75.
Hmmm.

Filed Under: Educational, Fun, Inspirational

“DAILY BREAD” FOR RETIREMENT

August 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Is the title an oxymoron ?

??? What if there’s “our daily bread”, and then there’s . . .

??? What if “our daily bread”* that we have so dutifully prioritized, worked for, slaved over, stashed ‘securely’ for someday here, and followed the best financial advice to keep making more . . .**

??? What if the God Who provided “the means to get wealth” . . .

??? What if the God Who provided manna for Israel, with specific instructions . . .

??? What if the same God Who directed His people so carefully in the past . . .

??? What if He has something to say—a lot to say—about the details today . . .

??? Has He really turned us loose to make our own decisions about “our daily bread” – – –

??? Is the only parameter for us now, that our ‘hearts’ are in the right place—and then we’re on our own . . .

??? Do we still depend on “Our Father in heaven” for “our daily bread” . . .

??? Do we really even need to pray this prayer when we already have more “daily bread” than we need . . .

–

Manna spoiled BAD when they didn’t follow instructions in the wilderness.
What if our manna, “our daily bread”, spoils ROTTEN for not following instructions ?

AND—OH—BY THE WAY—
There is a boatload of instructions for us—unmistakable—can’t miss—about “our daily bread” (and other wealth, man-made, not from God).

But it’s working for thousands of people, Christians—their manna is not spoiling, saved up and stored up for someday, and providing wonderful retirement for many, even now.

–

Perhaps our provision for our better life here in our later years, perhaps that is not “our daily bread’ from God.
Perhaps God’s manna (His real Daily Bread) has spoiled rotten like it did for Israel in the wilderness, when they tried to save it in disobedience, and we don’t even know we’re missing “our daily bread” from “Our Father”.

We’re loading up, stashing plenty here to take care of us later, “treasures on earth”, and we miss “our daily bread”.

So simple:
“Daddy, Give us just what we need to live, just today.”
Any additions, corrections, deletions to improve on that ?

–

Our system of “laying up treasures on earth” with “much goods laid up for many years . . . to retire” is so tightly secure against criticism or debate, that even God can’t touch it, much less crazy people quoting Bible verses warning against it.

In light of so many warnings—so many warnings about the dangers of riches and the dangers of wanting to be rich and the dangers of riches making it harder to go to heaven . . . , why do so many Christians spend a lifetime trying to beat the odds ?

“God doesn’t settle all His accounts on . . .”***

– – –

* “our daily bread”
“this day”
“give us”
That is—
this day – – – just today, for today
daily – – – one day, then one day, then
give – – – receive, free, not ‘get’

** More means enough is never enough.

*** God does not settle all His accounts upon our ‘successful’ retirement.

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

IS IT A FAULT ?

August 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment

Observations
Questions

I see friends, family, acquaintances working very hard to ‘get ahead’, to do better, to ‘succeed’.
Some seem to accomplish this easily (with satisfaction)—others with great difficulty and setbacks (with frustration).

In America, is it a fault to be content with your economic level, your standard of living, and not want more, talk about more, and work to get more ?

Is something wrong if you are not dissatisfied with where you are in the first half of of life ?

Is it the American way that dissatisfaction drives free enterprise, to improve personal and national economics ?

Filed Under: Financial, Political---Cultural, Time
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