May you enjoy this holiday season. A quick perusal of the news on the WWW and the prayer list on www.cbn.com shows that many are facing difficult challenges this seasons. Whether we have little or much let us count our blessings. If we have nothing else, we have our relationship with the Creator. He is El-Shaddai, The God of More Than Enough. For those who lack the basics, let us pray that your needs be met in this upcoming year. For those that have much should not have excess, and those that lack should have beyond a paucity. Since we are told that we should love our enemies, let us share with those who might hate us and insult us as we help them. Our blessing is not from them. It is from the Lord.
Stay Eternally Blessed...
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Friday, December 16, 2016
Swaddling Clothes Project
Over the past few years, the author of this weblog has participated in an annual project which supplies the local shelter network with warm clothes for the homeless in the city. This is particularly important in our vicinity where wind chills can dip below eighty minus Fahrenheit during mid and late January. If you would be interested in finding out more about the project and possibly donating, please visit the GoFundMe Campaign for Swaddling Clothes.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
The Potter's Touch
We have touched on a few topics outside of religion in this weblog hoping that we can reach individuals in the field of the sciences. Among some of them are arguments which include some concepts from elementary physics. Although wrapped in high-sounding terms and concepts which might be unfamiliar for many, the crux of the concept was that all that a physicist studies basically is matter. This is sensible in that the term physics is related with the word "physical". That is as in all which is tangible and touchable, physical. We argued earlier, based upon the concepts of dimensional analysis studied in most high school general physics courses, that one can decomposed the three "dimensions" of physics, mass, length, and time, producing only mass. This arises because time and length are ways measuring the changes and shape in and of the mass of matter. So, the dimension of mass is a primitive concept. From this we deduced, that since men have "discovered" that all matter is essentially composed of light, we have come full-circle with what was well-known and widely accepted at least since Moses penned Genesis. And, was reiterated with the words, "Jesus is the Light of The World". And, united by the words of John 1.
Seeing that the clay in a vessel cannot mold and shape itself, how could it be that scripture records accounts of translations such as Phillip's. Only, the Potter can take clay from one fixed point of state change in a frame of reference, based physics concepts, and place it at another locus. In short, the Potter must not only be capable of existing in the same frame as the vessel, but also in a super frame which encloses and supercedes the vessel's frame. Hence, the general physics "discoveries" of the 18th and 19th century, which are the foundation for the modern sciences, only echo the wisdom which was well-known among the ancients.
Consider other concepts which pervade human thinking. Consider the concept of universality, being applicable in all instances and found everywhere. Synonymous with this is the term, catholic-ism. Interestingly enough, with the rift that occur among the followers of Christ with Protestant Reformation, those who protested the "abuses" of the Church during that period often say that who follow the Catholic belief system are not Christian. Also, many modern Catholics, which this author have met, accept that statement. This is an unfortunate disunity on the fabric of God-fearing humanity.
However, on the topic of being universal, not only is it the goal of every Christian that he spread the Gospel between the pillars and post of this world, but also the message of the Gospel and the rest of scripture is applicable for all of life's situations. This bi-stable concept of universality is found in modern computing in the instance of the modern virtual machine languages and their computing platforms, JAVA and .NET. The world cries His Name in our actions and deeds whether good or bad. His Justice reigns. Did he not say that He could make the rocks cry out, why not a few "rock-heads". In our quest for a "sane" world, let us not enter the "insane" state of denying the Creator's Omnipotence, Omnipresence, or Omniscience.
With that said, let us pray for a more peaceful and harmonious world. May you walk in blessings! Please forgive any typos. This was written hastily before an appointment.
Seeing that the clay in a vessel cannot mold and shape itself, how could it be that scripture records accounts of translations such as Phillip's. Only, the Potter can take clay from one fixed point of state change in a frame of reference, based physics concepts, and place it at another locus. In short, the Potter must not only be capable of existing in the same frame as the vessel, but also in a super frame which encloses and supercedes the vessel's frame. Hence, the general physics "discoveries" of the 18th and 19th century, which are the foundation for the modern sciences, only echo the wisdom which was well-known among the ancients.
Consider other concepts which pervade human thinking. Consider the concept of universality, being applicable in all instances and found everywhere. Synonymous with this is the term, catholic-ism. Interestingly enough, with the rift that occur among the followers of Christ with Protestant Reformation, those who protested the "abuses" of the Church during that period often say that who follow the Catholic belief system are not Christian. Also, many modern Catholics, which this author have met, accept that statement. This is an unfortunate disunity on the fabric of God-fearing humanity.
However, on the topic of being universal, not only is it the goal of every Christian that he spread the Gospel between the pillars and post of this world, but also the message of the Gospel and the rest of scripture is applicable for all of life's situations. This bi-stable concept of universality is found in modern computing in the instance of the modern virtual machine languages and their computing platforms, JAVA and .NET. The world cries His Name in our actions and deeds whether good or bad. His Justice reigns. Did he not say that He could make the rocks cry out, why not a few "rock-heads". In our quest for a "sane" world, let us not enter the "insane" state of denying the Creator's Omnipotence, Omnipresence, or Omniscience.
With that said, let us pray for a more peaceful and harmonious world. May you walk in blessings! Please forgive any typos. This was written hastily before an appointment.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
The Heart of Josiah
For those of us who have aged reaching a point where we have stopped feigning more years than we actually have, it is refreshing remembering those childhood years and the Godliness which accompanies them. Although Paul admonishes us that a person can be quite wise when they are young and we should not despise such an individuals rebuke, we often discount correction which comes from younger members of society. Yet, remember when cigarette smoke made one cough. Did you lose that wisdom and try one someday. Remember when beer had a sour taste. Did you lose that wisdom and continue drinking. And, the list goes on. But for most children, life is relatively simple. Do what is right and all will go much better than if one does what is wrong. With that said, this weblogger performed wrongful acts and continues doing so. He is striving for perfection and is at a lower point in his spiritual walk than he was a decade ago. These pages are an effort at self-discipline and reform.
Inspiration on how we should conduct ourselves as adults can be drawn from Israel's child king Josiah. As Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is such as these. Here is a brief profile on Josiah from 2 Kings 22:
*******************************************************************************
Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, [that] the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which [is] in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [As touching] the words which thou hast heard;
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard [thee], saith the LORD.
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
*******************************************************************************
It is amazing how doing what is right is so incredible simple when we are young. Raise up a child in the way in which he should go and he will not depart from it. But, unfortunately, we often deviate from that straight and narrow path in different ways. This weblogger is as guilty as the rest. But, starting a "good" practice and maintaining is health for your navel and nourishment for your bones.
So, let's all see if we can get back on track.
Bless Someone with a kind smile and a few cheerful words this week!
May You Find a Life's Path Which Is Filled With Peace.
Inspiration on how we should conduct ourselves as adults can be drawn from Israel's child king Josiah. As Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is such as these. Here is a brief profile on Josiah from 2 Kings 22:
*******************************************************************************
Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, [that] the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which [is] in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [As touching] the words which thou hast heard;
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard [thee], saith the LORD.
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
*******************************************************************************
It is amazing how doing what is right is so incredible simple when we are young. Raise up a child in the way in which he should go and he will not depart from it. But, unfortunately, we often deviate from that straight and narrow path in different ways. This weblogger is as guilty as the rest. But, starting a "good" practice and maintaining is health for your navel and nourishment for your bones.
So, let's all see if we can get back on track.
Bless Someone with a kind smile and a few cheerful words this week!
May You Find a Life's Path Which Is Filled With Peace.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Joseph's Dream and the Promise It Contained
The Lord is the same in our yesterdays, in this our day, and in our forever.
One of the most well-known dreams in scripture is Joseph's, but as the Lord promised He will share visions, dreams, and prophesy with His children in these times as well as times past.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" Acts 2:17 (KJV)
When thinking of some of my personal dream experiences in life, I noticed a similarity with Joseph's in one aspect. The Lord did not reveal the totality of future experiences. I saw the blessings in later life, and not the struggles, hardship, hatred, and heartache which I must endure before experiencing those things which seemed ever so amazing and beyond my wildest imagination.
Joseph saw his future blessing of family leadership and respect. When he shared this dream with his siblings, their hateful response resulted in starting the very events which brought about the fruition of this dream.
If the Lord revealed a future key event in your life which might have a seemingly negative event in the short-term, how would you handle it.
Would you try changing the course of your history? Judah and the rest of Josephs' brothers tried changing his future, and this is what eventually brought about history. The Lord knows our hearts, and how we will react before the very thoughts that bring about the behaviors occur.
I have seen such an event in my life. While playing high-school football, I dreamed of a critical play sequence a few days before a game. It played within my mind in what seemed a few moments before waking one morning before school.
I was playing a five technique which is on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. As I saw the tackle whom I was playing against approach the line, he gave the guard who plays one position inside of him a glance and possibly made a slight hand gesture. At the snap of the ball, I was caught unaware when they executed a cross-block. The guard caught me below my knees moving me a yard or so away from my starting position, and the tackle double teamed the defensive nose-tackle with the center. This formed a lane which one could drive a herd of elephants through. This was a pivotal play in the game.
Also, in the dream sequence, I saw my coach watching the game's film with a recruiter whom I had never met, but had seen on campus when he recruited a defensive back for a college team in the previous year. The recruiter seemed disappointed in my performance upon seeing me beaten so badly on this play, and decided against pursuing me as a college player. The dream contained a few more details which might have resulted in me simply following the flow of the dream, but when the deja vu experience occurred on the field my mind was so focused on winning the game and not the long-term outcome which might have placed me in my primary choice for college studies. So, I played the cross-block perfectly tying up a couple of linemen which gave us a freeman who could make the play. If my memory serves me correctly, we won that game. And, I was also offered a division one football scholarship the next Spring. And, this attempted interference with the outcome of that small instance of "dreamed fate" resulted in other dreams which I had near that time being realized.
And, in all honesty, I do not know why the Lord would have thought enough of me that He would bring about the realization of some of the dreams of my late adolescence which offered me the most hope for my future. I was much like Paul, a rather outspoken opponent of "religion". At the time, I was rather focused on the imperfection of mankind and the seemingly lackadaisical approach most of us have with faith. Many of us are "summatime" believers. Summatime we act like we believe and love Him; Summatime we do not.
We lack consistency and rarely make an effort at it. In my immaturity, lack of serious, focused scriptural study, and limited life's experiences, I saw this as a flaw of faith when this is truly a failing of our own. Most of us are not really searching for Him, but we will perform those acts which are socially acceptable and expected of us. Token religious practice is one of those. Yet, Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door will be answered.
But, He blessed me despite of me and my failings. He doused the flames of fire that my unbridled tongue had set in my life, and He set me on a path that was rough, uneven, and thorny at times, but I am a much stronger believer at this age than I saw myself being in that dream about the cross-block had I not played it well. For, if I had blown the play, I would have attended my dream school on the West Coast with an academic scholarship and studied my favorite subject which was physics at the time. In the dream, I had earned a professorship in their department and was focused on winning all the elite prizes in the discipline with unconventional views on field's theoretical foundations. I was basically a faithless fool fantasizing about making Star Trek a reality and not the full establishment of His Kingdom. That last statement is not a scathing criticism or rebuke of all physicist or scientist, for that matter. It was where I saw myself in life had it taken another route.
I could try enumerating my blessings over the past few decades in this weblog, but the entire Internet lacks the storage space. And, it likely always will. But, as I said early, the end parts of my life's journey seemed incredibly peaceful, spiritually rich, and beautiful in that dream. In fact, they say that one will never find the end of a rainbow. But, during this year's rainy season numerous rainbows were spotted in the city of my residence. This includes a few double ones. And, after one rain shower, I came home and found a small ten foot rainbow with it base terminating in front of my doorway. Life is sweet. Not perfect by carnal standards, but approaching a spiritual perfection. The lifestyle of a believer is quite beautiful when it is lived with sincerity and zeal. With that said, I have had a few "cistern" experiences along the way. But, what has become of this dreamer and his dreams!
As the old gospel song says,
"I've had some good days
I've had some hills to climb
I've had some weary days
And some lonely nights
But when I look around and I think
Things over...all of my good days,
They outweigh my weary days - I won't complain
Sometimes my clouds hang low
I can hardly see the road
I ask the question-"Lord...Why so much pain?"
But He knows what's best for me
Although my weary eyes cannot see
And I say, Thank you Lord - I won't complain...
He dries all my tears away
Turn my dark nights into days
And I say, Thank you Lord - I won't complain...
God has been good to me
He's been so good to me
Better than you or this old world could ever be
He's been so good, He's been so good to me...
He dries all my tears away
Turn my dark nights into days
And I say, Thank you Lord...
When my friends turn their backs on me, Thank you, Lord
When the bills are due, Thank you, Lord
In the midnight hour, Thank you, Lord
I won't complain"
Above all in this life, know that the Creator has a plan and purpose for you!
Stay Forever Blessed.
One of the most well-known dreams in scripture is Joseph's, but as the Lord promised He will share visions, dreams, and prophesy with His children in these times as well as times past.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" Acts 2:17 (KJV)
When thinking of some of my personal dream experiences in life, I noticed a similarity with Joseph's in one aspect. The Lord did not reveal the totality of future experiences. I saw the blessings in later life, and not the struggles, hardship, hatred, and heartache which I must endure before experiencing those things which seemed ever so amazing and beyond my wildest imagination.
Joseph saw his future blessing of family leadership and respect. When he shared this dream with his siblings, their hateful response resulted in starting the very events which brought about the fruition of this dream.
If the Lord revealed a future key event in your life which might have a seemingly negative event in the short-term, how would you handle it.
Would you try changing the course of your history? Judah and the rest of Josephs' brothers tried changing his future, and this is what eventually brought about history. The Lord knows our hearts, and how we will react before the very thoughts that bring about the behaviors occur.
I have seen such an event in my life. While playing high-school football, I dreamed of a critical play sequence a few days before a game. It played within my mind in what seemed a few moments before waking one morning before school.
I was playing a five technique which is on the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle. As I saw the tackle whom I was playing against approach the line, he gave the guard who plays one position inside of him a glance and possibly made a slight hand gesture. At the snap of the ball, I was caught unaware when they executed a cross-block. The guard caught me below my knees moving me a yard or so away from my starting position, and the tackle double teamed the defensive nose-tackle with the center. This formed a lane which one could drive a herd of elephants through. This was a pivotal play in the game.
Also, in the dream sequence, I saw my coach watching the game's film with a recruiter whom I had never met, but had seen on campus when he recruited a defensive back for a college team in the previous year. The recruiter seemed disappointed in my performance upon seeing me beaten so badly on this play, and decided against pursuing me as a college player. The dream contained a few more details which might have resulted in me simply following the flow of the dream, but when the deja vu experience occurred on the field my mind was so focused on winning the game and not the long-term outcome which might have placed me in my primary choice for college studies. So, I played the cross-block perfectly tying up a couple of linemen which gave us a freeman who could make the play. If my memory serves me correctly, we won that game. And, I was also offered a division one football scholarship the next Spring. And, this attempted interference with the outcome of that small instance of "dreamed fate" resulted in other dreams which I had near that time being realized.
And, in all honesty, I do not know why the Lord would have thought enough of me that He would bring about the realization of some of the dreams of my late adolescence which offered me the most hope for my future. I was much like Paul, a rather outspoken opponent of "religion". At the time, I was rather focused on the imperfection of mankind and the seemingly lackadaisical approach most of us have with faith. Many of us are "summatime" believers. Summatime we act like we believe and love Him; Summatime we do not.
We lack consistency and rarely make an effort at it. In my immaturity, lack of serious, focused scriptural study, and limited life's experiences, I saw this as a flaw of faith when this is truly a failing of our own. Most of us are not really searching for Him, but we will perform those acts which are socially acceptable and expected of us. Token religious practice is one of those. Yet, Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door will be answered.
But, He blessed me despite of me and my failings. He doused the flames of fire that my unbridled tongue had set in my life, and He set me on a path that was rough, uneven, and thorny at times, but I am a much stronger believer at this age than I saw myself being in that dream about the cross-block had I not played it well. For, if I had blown the play, I would have attended my dream school on the West Coast with an academic scholarship and studied my favorite subject which was physics at the time. In the dream, I had earned a professorship in their department and was focused on winning all the elite prizes in the discipline with unconventional views on field's theoretical foundations. I was basically a faithless fool fantasizing about making Star Trek a reality and not the full establishment of His Kingdom. That last statement is not a scathing criticism or rebuke of all physicist or scientist, for that matter. It was where I saw myself in life had it taken another route.
I could try enumerating my blessings over the past few decades in this weblog, but the entire Internet lacks the storage space. And, it likely always will. But, as I said early, the end parts of my life's journey seemed incredibly peaceful, spiritually rich, and beautiful in that dream. In fact, they say that one will never find the end of a rainbow. But, during this year's rainy season numerous rainbows were spotted in the city of my residence. This includes a few double ones. And, after one rain shower, I came home and found a small ten foot rainbow with it base terminating in front of my doorway. Life is sweet. Not perfect by carnal standards, but approaching a spiritual perfection. The lifestyle of a believer is quite beautiful when it is lived with sincerity and zeal. With that said, I have had a few "cistern" experiences along the way. But, what has become of this dreamer and his dreams!
As the old gospel song says,
"I've had some good days
I've had some hills to climb
I've had some weary days
And some lonely nights
But when I look around and I think
Things over...all of my good days,
They outweigh my weary days - I won't complain
Sometimes my clouds hang low
I can hardly see the road
I ask the question-"Lord...Why so much pain?"
But He knows what's best for me
Although my weary eyes cannot see
And I say, Thank you Lord - I won't complain...
He dries all my tears away
Turn my dark nights into days
And I say, Thank you Lord - I won't complain...
God has been good to me
He's been so good to me
Better than you or this old world could ever be
He's been so good, He's been so good to me...
He dries all my tears away
Turn my dark nights into days
And I say, Thank you Lord...
When my friends turn their backs on me, Thank you, Lord
When the bills are due, Thank you, Lord
In the midnight hour, Thank you, Lord
I won't complain"
Above all in this life, know that the Creator has a plan and purpose for you!
Stay Forever Blessed.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Second Note on Relgiosity
It should be noted that we always must have balance, and in all things we must have charity which when translated means love and not necessarily alms. As Galatians says, when we find someone in a fallen state we should gently restore them until they are upright, standing firm, and steadfast. If so, we have gained a brother with a kindred spirit if his fault was an offense against us.
Galatians 6:1-2 (NIV) Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Matthew 18:15 (KJV) Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Sin is a sickness resulting in spiritual and physical death. As Romans 6:23 (KJV) says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
As with all illnesses, one requires time for healing. It might occur in a fraction of a second or might take longer, much longer. So, when we become so incredibly religious and law-abiding, that we forget scriptures that says that we should restore a brother gently, that we should forgive a brother for the same offense seven times in a day, and that a righteous man falls down seven times and rises up again, we have become the law-breaker. For, all scripture is valuable for reproof and correction. If it can correct others who profess that they follow it, then it should be useful in correcting us.
Let us lift those who are fallen and desire healing. Many are waiting besides the pools of Bethesda and begging for alms at the temple as in ACTS 3. Silver and gold we have not, but what we have which we can give is a Spirit of Love, Joy, Peace, Endurance, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. It is all the Strength that one needs.
May Your Blessing Be Rich and Plentiful.
Galatians 6:1-2 (NIV) Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Matthew 18:15 (KJV) Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Sin is a sickness resulting in spiritual and physical death. As Romans 6:23 (KJV) says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
As with all illnesses, one requires time for healing. It might occur in a fraction of a second or might take longer, much longer. So, when we become so incredibly religious and law-abiding, that we forget scriptures that says that we should restore a brother gently, that we should forgive a brother for the same offense seven times in a day, and that a righteous man falls down seven times and rises up again, we have become the law-breaker. For, all scripture is valuable for reproof and correction. If it can correct others who profess that they follow it, then it should be useful in correcting us.
Let us lift those who are fallen and desire healing. Many are waiting besides the pools of Bethesda and begging for alms at the temple as in ACTS 3. Silver and gold we have not, but what we have which we can give is a Spirit of Love, Joy, Peace, Endurance, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. It is all the Strength that one needs.
May Your Blessing Be Rich and Plentiful.
A Short Note on Religiosity
The word "religion", especially in the form "religiosity", has fallen out of favor in many of the modern Protestant Christian camps much like notions about the Law. Yet, both have a place in the life of a believer since both both denote and connote notions about controlling one's behavior.
2 Timothy 3:1-7 (RSV) states:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.
For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
And Christ said in Matthew 5:17-20 (RSV):
Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Christ's brother James wrote in James 1:26-27 (KJV):
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
So, religion and the Law are worthwhile pursuits.
Upon reading more about traditional Hebrew teachings and child-rearing, it became apparent that many daily behavioral practices define who one is as a Hebrew.
Scripture contains many instructions on behavior which define true membership in the faiths which arose from the Pentateuch.
In fact, regularly reading scripture and religious practice can be a great means for behavioral modification.
The following is a regimen which was shared with someone who was hoping that they could stop smoking. In this life, the writer of this weblog has overcome at least one addiction using such an approach. Hopefully, this regimen or one like it blesses you!
Religious Prescription For Behavior Modification***************************************
Here is a prescription which I once gave a physician for smoking cessation. She has been smoking most of her life. She said that it worked; but, she would not keep up the regimen. So, she eventually started smoking again.
One chapter of Proverbs exists for each day of the month. Some people read a chapter of Proverbs each morning. It only takes between five and ten minutes.
Read a chapter each morning until you have been sober and free of nicotine for three months.
Each time that you feel like smoking, read a few of your favorite verses in Proverbs and sip on a little water. Be careful that you do not drink a bunch of tumblers of water each day. Just sip on some in a cup while you read and think about the verse. Pour the rest out when the smoking urge dissipates.
In short, reach for scripture every time the cigarettes start drawing you. You must want some things in life more than an addictive behavior.
The word “religion” connotes “a behavior pattern”. Replace scripture reading with smoking, and you will eventually feel much better.
Also, the greatest Christian sermon ever preached can be found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. This would also be a great source of strength when you try ending your smoking habit again.
Also, think of the behaviors that you engage in before you smoke and while you smoke. Avoid these. This will help you reset your behavior pattern.
When you are ready for it, read Romans 1, 2, and 3 carefully every day for seven days. Consequences exist for not keeping one’s mind focused on “healthy things”. As a man thinketh, so is he. This thought is supported with the text found in Philippians 4:4-8.
Eventually, read the entire Bible when you develop a daily reading habit. It will change your life. It did mine. I read it all in my late twenties. I would not have survived graduate school without it. It is also available on compact disc.
If you want a recipe for other forms of sobriety regimens based on scripture, I have learned them. Some I have learned as a matter of self-survival.
I have found all that I needed within this statement, “In the Beginning, God created the Heaven and Earth…The Grace of The Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Maybe you can find some contentment within scripture also.
Also, it is best that you work on one sobriety effort at a time.
Finally, keep a simple hymn flowing in your mind when you can; it will help keep you focused on things above.
******************************************************************************
Stay Eternally Blessed
2 Timothy 3:1-7 (RSV) states:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.
For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
And Christ said in Matthew 5:17-20 (RSV):
Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Christ's brother James wrote in James 1:26-27 (KJV):
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
So, religion and the Law are worthwhile pursuits.
Upon reading more about traditional Hebrew teachings and child-rearing, it became apparent that many daily behavioral practices define who one is as a Hebrew.
Scripture contains many instructions on behavior which define true membership in the faiths which arose from the Pentateuch.
In fact, regularly reading scripture and religious practice can be a great means for behavioral modification.
The following is a regimen which was shared with someone who was hoping that they could stop smoking. In this life, the writer of this weblog has overcome at least one addiction using such an approach. Hopefully, this regimen or one like it blesses you!
Religious Prescription For Behavior Modification***************************************
Here is a prescription which I once gave a physician for smoking cessation. She has been smoking most of her life. She said that it worked; but, she would not keep up the regimen. So, she eventually started smoking again.
One chapter of Proverbs exists for each day of the month. Some people read a chapter of Proverbs each morning. It only takes between five and ten minutes.
Read a chapter each morning until you have been sober and free of nicotine for three months.
Each time that you feel like smoking, read a few of your favorite verses in Proverbs and sip on a little water. Be careful that you do not drink a bunch of tumblers of water each day. Just sip on some in a cup while you read and think about the verse. Pour the rest out when the smoking urge dissipates.
In short, reach for scripture every time the cigarettes start drawing you. You must want some things in life more than an addictive behavior.
The word “religion” connotes “a behavior pattern”. Replace scripture reading with smoking, and you will eventually feel much better.
Also, the greatest Christian sermon ever preached can be found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. This would also be a great source of strength when you try ending your smoking habit again.
Also, think of the behaviors that you engage in before you smoke and while you smoke. Avoid these. This will help you reset your behavior pattern.
When you are ready for it, read Romans 1, 2, and 3 carefully every day for seven days. Consequences exist for not keeping one’s mind focused on “healthy things”. As a man thinketh, so is he. This thought is supported with the text found in Philippians 4:4-8.
Eventually, read the entire Bible when you develop a daily reading habit. It will change your life. It did mine. I read it all in my late twenties. I would not have survived graduate school without it. It is also available on compact disc.
If you want a recipe for other forms of sobriety regimens based on scripture, I have learned them. Some I have learned as a matter of self-survival.
I have found all that I needed within this statement, “In the Beginning, God created the Heaven and Earth…The Grace of The Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Maybe you can find some contentment within scripture also.
Also, it is best that you work on one sobriety effort at a time.
Finally, keep a simple hymn flowing in your mind when you can; it will help keep you focused on things above.
******************************************************************************
Stay Eternally Blessed
Monday, October 24, 2016
The Uncommunnicated
While further pondering the thoughts placed within these pages, it became apparent that something unsaid might not have been fully communicated. As they say, the confusion arising from misunderstandings is in the details. Thankfully, the Lord is not the author of confusion. So, let us pray that we sort through this simply and abstractly.
We have seen that in Genesis 1:1-3 it states that :
We have seen that in Genesis 1:1-3 it states that :
1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
|
2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. What this writer has claimed based upon his interpretation of these verses was that the first action which "produced the physical" was the statement, "Let there be light: and there was light.". Some of us view this universe more abstractly than others. Some of us are highly concrete. Some are so overly pedantic that they will argue vehemently over what appears as if it a conflict in premises without seeking a reasonable resolution for an issue of complexity. This weblogger is extremely abstract and interprets the first pair of verses as the conception of thoughts within the Mind of God and believes that the manifestation of this thought, which we are, was realized with His Word spoken in the third verse. And, although one might argue differently about whether this Heavenly Imperative was one term or a multiplicity thereof, we all must agree the Lord's Complexity is greater than any human or other manner of His created creatures. So, it is fully possible that His One Command was One Word which set all in motion and released His Light. A Light that has produced the myriad of moments, plethora of possibilities, and eternity of events which we are. So, forgive this blogger if any of the statements found within this work created a falling away or seemed subtly blasphemous. We must study so we might show ourselves approved, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing His Word which is a Multifaceted, Diadem of Truth. And, trust this writer when he says that he is not an authority of authorities, will accept the consequences for any genuine fault within these pages, and give the Lord the credit for the truth found herein. May Your Life's Seasons Be Filled With Fair Weather. |
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Spiritual Paralysis in Life's Test
A day or so ago, this webloger placed a note on-line which in summary stated that, outside of the Creator, nothing truly worth continually pondering exists. Maybe this is why some call Him El-Qanna, or translated, the Jealous God. He wants and desires our full attention. The message was written with a scientific tone since, having worked professionally in various scientific fields, academics, and industry since the age of fifteen, my goal is reaching the scientific community who has a great influence on the world's lifestyle. The statements were somewhat bold comments of personal faith.
I have found in life that, when I do such, I am immediately tested after then. Unfortunately, I have often failed some of the critical questions on my life's test. Those big point test questions are often not conceptually difficult. I know in my mind, heart, and spirit what I should do, but often suffer a strange spiritual paralysis which impedes and prevents me from performing the very skill being tested. We have all been tested and tried being a humankind with like passions.
They say that confession is wonderfully cathartic for the soul, but horrible for the reputation. But, without expressing a personal short-coming which many of us have in the Western world that should not be, I fell abruptly. This stumble was unfortunate, but it is only a testimony about the wicked and perverse times in which we have all been born, our own inability of rising from the muck and mire which permeates this world and infects us all. This is not a reflection of the Creator's Mercy, Grace, or Everlasting Kindness. He has stated that certain consequences exist for not following as we should. These are outlined in the pages of Romans 1 - 3, I believe. But, please check that reference, that citation is from human recall and I have not verified it. My memory is foggy as OldTimer's sets in. So, my flaw is not evidence that He has any, as some claim. Furthermore, would be have not been told that we should be "perfect" as our Father above is if some level of perfection were not possible although that might be for our entire lives.
It has been my prayer as I struggle with my own personal shortcomings that he reign in the gift which he gave me called free will and self-determination. If having that gift cost me eternal happiness, it is one for which I am not mature enough and simply cannot handle. It is my prayer that as we are giving a free choice of answers in this test called life, that The Teacher give us ample guidance on any question which is so overwhelming that it induces spiritual paralysis! Lord, please pencil in the answer on the bubble-sheet when we become so weak that we cannot summon the strength within us for doing so.
May You Be Blessed and Stay Strong.
I have found in life that, when I do such, I am immediately tested after then. Unfortunately, I have often failed some of the critical questions on my life's test. Those big point test questions are often not conceptually difficult. I know in my mind, heart, and spirit what I should do, but often suffer a strange spiritual paralysis which impedes and prevents me from performing the very skill being tested. We have all been tested and tried being a humankind with like passions.
They say that confession is wonderfully cathartic for the soul, but horrible for the reputation. But, without expressing a personal short-coming which many of us have in the Western world that should not be, I fell abruptly. This stumble was unfortunate, but it is only a testimony about the wicked and perverse times in which we have all been born, our own inability of rising from the muck and mire which permeates this world and infects us all. This is not a reflection of the Creator's Mercy, Grace, or Everlasting Kindness. He has stated that certain consequences exist for not following as we should. These are outlined in the pages of Romans 1 - 3, I believe. But, please check that reference, that citation is from human recall and I have not verified it. My memory is foggy as OldTimer's sets in. So, my flaw is not evidence that He has any, as some claim. Furthermore, would be have not been told that we should be "perfect" as our Father above is if some level of perfection were not possible although that might be for our entire lives.
It has been my prayer as I struggle with my own personal shortcomings that he reign in the gift which he gave me called free will and self-determination. If having that gift cost me eternal happiness, it is one for which I am not mature enough and simply cannot handle. It is my prayer that as we are giving a free choice of answers in this test called life, that The Teacher give us ample guidance on any question which is so overwhelming that it induces spiritual paralysis! Lord, please pencil in the answer on the bubble-sheet when we become so weak that we cannot summon the strength within us for doing so.
May You Be Blessed and Stay Strong.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Back on the Beauty of a Few Spoken Words! Let There Be Light!
This past week, this writer spoke briefly with a physics adjunct at a local community college. Having a love for the subject and deriving a joy from thinking about such concepts, we pondered properties of this Universe beyond our understanding. This conversation sparked some more ideas about light's nature in the revelation of the Light. Much of the joy which this writer derives from dreaming about this subject comes from a continued child-like wonder and awe at the Lord's creation. It testifies of His Glory and Greatness, although it is a limited description of His Omnipotence. Most accomplished physicists would look on this blog with a slight grin when they mull over the "physics facts" presented. This blogger has only had general, modern, and mechanics many moons ago, but has enjoyed skimming books on mathematical physics and other sub-disciplines in the subject. A seasoned physics would say, "these things are not quite that simple". But, these facts are only presented as "accepted, secular, and measurable evidence" of the Presence and Sovereignty of the Immeasurable.
Consider what we know from the Book of the Beginnings, Genesis, which is accepted as absolute truth by members of three of the worlds five major religions and read by many more. We know that the first physical act was the creation of light.
Over the centuries, by poking and prodding around in the existence which the Creator gave us, we have conclude that all matter is ultimately an aggregate amalgamation of light. Furthermore, from physics we have gathered an understanding of our world that states that all physical measurement is based in three fundamental dimensions, mass [M], length [L], and time [T]. Speed [L]/[T], acceleration [L]/[T*T], and force ([M]*[L])/[T*T] are examples of these.
Let's examine these primitive dimensions further and see if they provide more evidence of a physical light which testifies of the Eternal Existence and Omniscience of a Spiritual Light.
Time which we feel is an integral part of our understanding of this world is simply an illusion. Of what we can be certain is that, since He said Let There Be Light, matter which has arisen from light is continually changing. We measure the flow of that change by comparing its different states and positions with a physical device which moves with an standardized and agreed upon flow. These devices we call clocks or timepieces. These were initially in the form of sundials and such. This being a direct carry over from the understanding that the sun rises in the morning, is at its apex at noon, and sets in the evening. We gave certain positions in these flow measurements names as we were taught and guided. These included times of day, seasons, and finally wall-clock time measures. So, time is a form of measurement concerning the change in matter and ultimately light which we use for understanding and communicating about this existence.
Next, if we consider length, it is obviously a form of measurement of this same dimension of matter which helps use communicate with it and about it. So, this also is a "fictitious" dimension which we impose upon the only "true" and "tangible" dimension of mass [M] which describes matter and its affinity for itself.
Once again, matter is only light that ultimately extols the Beauty and Omnipresence of the Light which is truly the only Matter which man should ponder with complete reverence and sincerity.
So, as we dissect our world, in a search for truth and meaning, we might find that many of us, make a full-circle in our reasoning. Not that this would be erroneous thought called circular reasoning, but we might say when all is said and done in our many circumbendibi of academic study and lucre chases: meaningless, meaningless, meaningless. And, when we utter those words, with all of our getting of knowledge, we would have finally gotten wisdom and understanding.
Stay Blessed, Share Some Joy With the Downcast This Week,
Consider what we know from the Book of the Beginnings, Genesis, which is accepted as absolute truth by members of three of the worlds five major religions and read by many more. We know that the first physical act was the creation of light.
Over the centuries, by poking and prodding around in the existence which the Creator gave us, we have conclude that all matter is ultimately an aggregate amalgamation of light. Furthermore, from physics we have gathered an understanding of our world that states that all physical measurement is based in three fundamental dimensions, mass [M], length [L], and time [T]. Speed [L]/[T], acceleration [L]/[T*T], and force ([M]*[L])/[T*T] are examples of these.
Let's examine these primitive dimensions further and see if they provide more evidence of a physical light which testifies of the Eternal Existence and Omniscience of a Spiritual Light.
Time which we feel is an integral part of our understanding of this world is simply an illusion. Of what we can be certain is that, since He said Let There Be Light, matter which has arisen from light is continually changing. We measure the flow of that change by comparing its different states and positions with a physical device which moves with an standardized and agreed upon flow. These devices we call clocks or timepieces. These were initially in the form of sundials and such. This being a direct carry over from the understanding that the sun rises in the morning, is at its apex at noon, and sets in the evening. We gave certain positions in these flow measurements names as we were taught and guided. These included times of day, seasons, and finally wall-clock time measures. So, time is a form of measurement concerning the change in matter and ultimately light which we use for understanding and communicating about this existence.
Next, if we consider length, it is obviously a form of measurement of this same dimension of matter which helps use communicate with it and about it. So, this also is a "fictitious" dimension which we impose upon the only "true" and "tangible" dimension of mass [M] which describes matter and its affinity for itself.
Once again, matter is only light that ultimately extols the Beauty and Omnipresence of the Light which is truly the only Matter which man should ponder with complete reverence and sincerity.
So, as we dissect our world, in a search for truth and meaning, we might find that many of us, make a full-circle in our reasoning. Not that this would be erroneous thought called circular reasoning, but we might say when all is said and done in our many circumbendibi of academic study and lucre chases: meaningless, meaningless, meaningless. And, when we utter those words, with all of our getting of knowledge, we would have finally gotten wisdom and understanding.
Stay Blessed, Share Some Joy With the Downcast This Week,
Monday, October 17, 2016
The Personal Thoughts of Joseph, The Patriach of the Tribe of Manasseh
A weekend or so ago, the Sunday School lesson touched upon Joseph's life as outlined in Genesis. We observed that, as it is chronicled in Scripture, Joseph never had a truly discouraging thought, never showed any trepidation, or complained for that matter. Seeing that scriptural accounts are meant as lessons in life for us, could anyone imagine being sold as a slave by family, being falsely accused of attempted rape, and being unjustly imprisoned without a single "why me?" moment. Did Joseph have this type of personal fortitude, or was such a personal weakness simply not recorded in scripture about him. This gift for "calmness in the midst of storms" might be why he was often found as the "second" in charge within many of the Egyptian institutions of which he was part.
Considering that often worrying and complaining brings about the very circumstances which we are hoping that we could avoid, Joseph's life is a valuable lesson in maintaining poise and a level head. But, it would be interesting imagining that Joseph might have been "incredible fearful" when he was purchased by Ishamelites or concerned that he would never be set free when wrongfully imprisoned. Could we have bore up under such circumstances as well? Without a doubt, his success was prerequisite for delivering his family during the famine which eventually struck the land.
Stay Blessed.
Considering that often worrying and complaining brings about the very circumstances which we are hoping that we could avoid, Joseph's life is a valuable lesson in maintaining poise and a level head. But, it would be interesting imagining that Joseph might have been "incredible fearful" when he was purchased by Ishamelites or concerned that he would never be set free when wrongfully imprisoned. Could we have bore up under such circumstances as well? Without a doubt, his success was prerequisite for delivering his family during the famine which eventually struck the land.
Stay Blessed.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
All Roads Ultimately Wind Up In Rome
Enough about science and its facts which support the Christian canons. The beauty of His Creation is evidence of His creation and enough that we praise Him. Most children find this self-evident. This is likely why Christ taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is such as "these small children". Whether gazing upon distant clusters of stars light-eons away or peering with a focused lens on the most minute forms of matter, we cannot escape His Glory and Majesty. Let us not miss the forest for the trees.
While speaking with a gentleman a few years ago about the nature of the eternal after-life, he shared with me that the denomination of his faith believed that this earth and heaven would be transformed becoming a place of unending physical comforts. This was contrasted with personal beliefs that we will all be transformed and enter a new spiritual realm where wickedness will cease from troubling and the weary will be at rest. For many of us, this physical world has little that it can offer. Those things which we lavish ultimately cause premature death. And, as stated in the above canon, the Creator desires that we have life and life more abundantly. This is the impetus for the laws, rules, and instructions given in scripture. They are given so we might build healthy, peaceful, pro-social communities.
Also, when upon speaking with the gentleman, we discussed the fact that, frequently, religious debates ultimately become arguments over semantics. What does "love" your neighbor mean? In the English language, this one word might have many meanings. We further specify the type with an adjective. For example, fraternal love, marital love, love of country, and Godly love. And, sadly, some also include carnal lusts in this category, although Saul of Tarsus teaches differently in scripture. In other languages, a number of words exists for such differing types of feelings. This is evident in the Christian cannon when Christ asked Peter, "Do you love me?" more than once using disparate words describing a different type of love each time. And, although we debated for nearly fifteen minutes, we both ultimately realized that we were arguing semantics. We saw the after-life as we each chose based upon what we desired. And, we both might be pleasantly surprised if the Lord lets us each enter it. It will likely be more beautiful than we can imagine.
In this lifetime, this is a trustworthy saying, "The Lord likes surprising His children". Consider Luke 11:11. If humans can provide their children with "good" things, how much more can the Father in Heaven above. If humans enjoy surprising their children with gifts, would not the One who created all the universe like surprising His children?
This weblog is written from a Christian perspective; however, in this life, the writer has witnessed acts which Christ would encourage on behalf of men and women who were non-Christians. One of these was the immolation of a Buddhist monk who was protesting a local pornography outlet in San Francisco during the Vietnam war when many Americans had an intense fear and hatred of Asians. Interestingly enough, the camera crew from the local news station that filmed this actually had the monk set on fire and were part of the same media network which owned the pornography store. Upon spending a few months in Silicon Valley and Oakland in 2011, the writer lived near a small Buddhist temple. They could not cash a "respect-check" in the community in which they were.
Yet, the goals of many of the Christians in nearby churches were the same. Safer neighborhoods, a brighter future for their children, a cessation of drug trafficking, and etc. Unfortunately, many Christians criticize other faiths and vice versa. Yet, we as men of many faiths often experience a maturing process as we travel along life's journey. We are often not all that we should be based upon our respective scriptural works which we claim that we follow. We who have matured and seek the "good" of all humanity should work in unison for the growth, security, and well-being of all peoples while seeing ourselves as one people seeking the glory of the Creator and the maintenance of the world which He has given us.
They say one will repeat a painful past if he does not learn from his history. In the account of the Tower of Babel, the world entered a state of chaos when the people were one and the sought their own glory and aggrandizement by building a tower which reached the heavens. The Lord sent confusion upon them since they were not building for His Glory.
As we build devices which enter the far most reaches of space, communication networks which span the globe, and myriads of potions, pills, and preparations for the treatment of all that ails us, let us be wise enough the we do it for His Glory, or ultimately it will collapse under its own weight.
May Blessings! Trust That He Can Deliver You From All Hurt, Harm, and Danger in the Coming Weeks!
While speaking with a gentleman a few years ago about the nature of the eternal after-life, he shared with me that the denomination of his faith believed that this earth and heaven would be transformed becoming a place of unending physical comforts. This was contrasted with personal beliefs that we will all be transformed and enter a new spiritual realm where wickedness will cease from troubling and the weary will be at rest. For many of us, this physical world has little that it can offer. Those things which we lavish ultimately cause premature death. And, as stated in the above canon, the Creator desires that we have life and life more abundantly. This is the impetus for the laws, rules, and instructions given in scripture. They are given so we might build healthy, peaceful, pro-social communities.
Also, when upon speaking with the gentleman, we discussed the fact that, frequently, religious debates ultimately become arguments over semantics. What does "love" your neighbor mean? In the English language, this one word might have many meanings. We further specify the type with an adjective. For example, fraternal love, marital love, love of country, and Godly love. And, sadly, some also include carnal lusts in this category, although Saul of Tarsus teaches differently in scripture. In other languages, a number of words exists for such differing types of feelings. This is evident in the Christian cannon when Christ asked Peter, "Do you love me?" more than once using disparate words describing a different type of love each time. And, although we debated for nearly fifteen minutes, we both ultimately realized that we were arguing semantics. We saw the after-life as we each chose based upon what we desired. And, we both might be pleasantly surprised if the Lord lets us each enter it. It will likely be more beautiful than we can imagine.
In this lifetime, this is a trustworthy saying, "The Lord likes surprising His children". Consider Luke 11:11. If humans can provide their children with "good" things, how much more can the Father in Heaven above. If humans enjoy surprising their children with gifts, would not the One who created all the universe like surprising His children?
This weblog is written from a Christian perspective; however, in this life, the writer has witnessed acts which Christ would encourage on behalf of men and women who were non-Christians. One of these was the immolation of a Buddhist monk who was protesting a local pornography outlet in San Francisco during the Vietnam war when many Americans had an intense fear and hatred of Asians. Interestingly enough, the camera crew from the local news station that filmed this actually had the monk set on fire and were part of the same media network which owned the pornography store. Upon spending a few months in Silicon Valley and Oakland in 2011, the writer lived near a small Buddhist temple. They could not cash a "respect-check" in the community in which they were.
Yet, the goals of many of the Christians in nearby churches were the same. Safer neighborhoods, a brighter future for their children, a cessation of drug trafficking, and etc. Unfortunately, many Christians criticize other faiths and vice versa. Yet, we as men of many faiths often experience a maturing process as we travel along life's journey. We are often not all that we should be based upon our respective scriptural works which we claim that we follow. We who have matured and seek the "good" of all humanity should work in unison for the growth, security, and well-being of all peoples while seeing ourselves as one people seeking the glory of the Creator and the maintenance of the world which He has given us.
They say one will repeat a painful past if he does not learn from his history. In the account of the Tower of Babel, the world entered a state of chaos when the people were one and the sought their own glory and aggrandizement by building a tower which reached the heavens. The Lord sent confusion upon them since they were not building for His Glory.
As we build devices which enter the far most reaches of space, communication networks which span the globe, and myriads of potions, pills, and preparations for the treatment of all that ails us, let us be wise enough the we do it for His Glory, or ultimately it will collapse under its own weight.
May Blessings! Trust That He Can Deliver You From All Hurt, Harm, and Danger in the Coming Weeks!
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Ere It Be - A Continued Treatise On Light and Its Nature
A while ago, some thoughts entered the forefront of this feeble and aging mind. Being formally trained in computing, a problem in compute-ability sparked some neural activity. Simply stated, this problem states how can an event, E, occur both before and after another referenced event, R. Hence, the name ERE It Be. In short, this was planned as an enrichment thought problem for any course in computing or mathematics which I might have in a teaching future. It is an "open" problem. One might say that a standard "acceptable" canned answer does not yet exist for it. Also, one might consider it solve-able by a myriad of means in computing and mathematics terms when one reasons outside the bounds placed upon him.
Yet, this evening while subconsciously working on numerous tasks and playing some Gospel music which helped regulate the ebb and flow of this thought, something from Genesis 1:1-5 called for my attention in light of the last weblog posting. Genesis 1:1-5 is as follows.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
The supposition in the previous posting was that light preceded the establishment of His universe. It has been corroborated by centuries of "scientific study" that a large release of energy produced this physical world and that all matter is the composition of small units of light. Yet, the knowledge of man is mere foolishness compared with the wisdom of God. As it states, in 1 Cor 3:19-21a:
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
Therefore let no man glory in men...
So, His Word needeth not verification, validation, or testing.
The first few verses of Gensis 1 which are the crux of this short note are intensely pithy!
From the given in these verses, we might draw the fact that His Vision for this universe, including its constituents, proceeded its realization of them with the spoken command "let there be light". This is based upon the fragment, "without form, and void".
Such support was not given in the earlier argument, On the Nature of Light.
Likely, the notion of ERE it BE was placed in my conscious thought so I might reach for scripture in resolution of this problem. This has provided a better solution than text and notes on distributed computing, novel approaches at modeling numerous dimensions, and etc.
Upon taking Theory of Computation and doing readings on man's reasoning about the infinitude of number sets, the thought that Cantor's choice for the transfinite numbers might be a faint voice telling him that he should read Psalm 119 crossed my mind. For assuming that infinity is at an attainable fixed location suggests that the Everlasting has a terminus. This must simply not be, or we shall be pitied above all creatures.
Hopefully, these note are not excessively academic. It is my goal that I reach a few in the scientific community.
I had the pleasure of meeting a leading figure in Internet development. I asked him if he was a man of faith. He gave a nebulus answer, but might have followed it with a subtle statement of faith. Some feel that discussing faith in certain public forums is unwise.
Forgive any "flight of ideas". These notes were drafted about the time that the PTA would show up knocking on doors in my neighborhood as old Charlie Brown would say. Also, pardon the antiquated popular music allusion.
Yet, this evening while subconsciously working on numerous tasks and playing some Gospel music which helped regulate the ebb and flow of this thought, something from Genesis 1:1-5 called for my attention in light of the last weblog posting. Genesis 1:1-5 is as follows.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
The supposition in the previous posting was that light preceded the establishment of His universe. It has been corroborated by centuries of "scientific study" that a large release of energy produced this physical world and that all matter is the composition of small units of light. Yet, the knowledge of man is mere foolishness compared with the wisdom of God. As it states, in 1 Cor 3:19-21a:
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
Therefore let no man glory in men...
So, His Word needeth not verification, validation, or testing.
The first few verses of Gensis 1 which are the crux of this short note are intensely pithy!
From the given in these verses, we might draw the fact that His Vision for this universe, including its constituents, proceeded its realization of them with the spoken command "let there be light". This is based upon the fragment, "without form, and void".
Such support was not given in the earlier argument, On the Nature of Light.
Likely, the notion of ERE it BE was placed in my conscious thought so I might reach for scripture in resolution of this problem. This has provided a better solution than text and notes on distributed computing, novel approaches at modeling numerous dimensions, and etc.
Upon taking Theory of Computation and doing readings on man's reasoning about the infinitude of number sets, the thought that Cantor's choice for the transfinite numbers might be a faint voice telling him that he should read Psalm 119 crossed my mind. For assuming that infinity is at an attainable fixed location suggests that the Everlasting has a terminus. This must simply not be, or we shall be pitied above all creatures.
Hopefully, these note are not excessively academic. It is my goal that I reach a few in the scientific community.
I had the pleasure of meeting a leading figure in Internet development. I asked him if he was a man of faith. He gave a nebulus answer, but might have followed it with a subtle statement of faith. Some feel that discussing faith in certain public forums is unwise.
Forgive any "flight of ideas". These notes were drafted about the time that the PTA would show up knocking on doors in my neighborhood as old Charlie Brown would say. Also, pardon the antiquated popular music allusion.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
On the Nature of Light
This is not quite Huygens but borrows some from the outgrowth of such ideas. We as humans are naturally inquisitive. This nature might have been part of the impetus with resulted in Eve reaching for fruit from a tree which was forbidden upon the coaxing of the evil one. She might have been thinking,"it said that I would be as wise as the Lord if I ate the fruit of this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and I wonder what such wisdom would be like."
It is a sad commentary on our foolish tendencies, proclivities, and predispositions that we must unravel each part and parcel of this cosmos which the Creator gave us. Modern physicist smash the tiniest of particles against each other after accelerating them beyond speeds at which most can imagine or comprehend traveling. The result is smaller fragments of matter. One is considered quite accomplished in this field when he can find a new tiny particle in the resulting smithereens of each new smash. Forgive the analogy, but many young children do the same so they might discover the inner workings of a new toy. If we can learn from such experiences when toys new holiday toys become broken beyond repair and we have often followed this destructive behavior by a trail of tears, we can be wise enough that we peacefully and reverently enjoy this creation of which the Lord has made us stewards.
Interestingly enough, in this day most men of letters feel that all matter is simply varying regular aggregate of light "particles" which by nature move as a wave. It was not mere chance that the Lord breathed in the ears of the writer of the Book of Beginnings that his first imperative in this new Universe was "Let there be light." This simple and complex command has actually been unfolding over the entire existence of this creations. Light shall continue coursing through this cosmos until He cries, "Halt". It shall continue forming matter and being released from matter which is unforming.
It is simple in that it opened a floodgate of blessings upon the His Creation; it is complex in that all that would occur in the moments since the onset of this command was determined by it being spoken.
As it says, His Ways and Thoughts are beyond ours. He communicates with us in anthropomorphic terms so we might understand his wishes. He imparts what we must know. Aspects of this life such as some the illusions of this world are often in existence so we might feel more comfortable. For instance, these are the beginnings of the end times. This has been proven in ways by twentieth century physicists for those who doubt Immutable Holy Scripture. Do a little reading on vector-clocks. Clocks simply stamp out a regular cadence of changes as a measure of the events which occur around us. When curious about the change of the sun and moon rising and setting, He told us that it was a day. This illusion makes us comfortable so we might track the events around us. The phases of the moon, He told us were months. The cycle of seasons he told us were a year. But, all that we can count on is that our environment changes until He says "Halt" and trouble shall last until He says the same.
This weblog has a strong Christian focus, yet numerous noble men and women among many noble faith exists. Otherwise, the One which we claim as His Son would not have stated in Matthew 25:31-46 (KIV):
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Or, Matthew 7:18-27:
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
With all that said, one of the most noble ways in which I saw a community deal with a wayward women who was tempting men in it was by a woman of a non-Christian faith who recognized that she had self-esteem issues and had been mistreated most of her life. Although she was a member of a faith tradition which we in this country are told is caste-based, her group of friends felt that it was best that they befriend and rehabilitate her than slander her name and publicly harass her. Is this not the type of love which Christ showed and of which he spoke? Should we as Christians not expect that such of His children receive the reward which He promised those which followed his teaching. If Rahab had not been redeemable, from where would promise of salvation be drawn.
Have a Beautiful and Blessed Week. Pardon any typos. This was a rapid draft.
It is a sad commentary on our foolish tendencies, proclivities, and predispositions that we must unravel each part and parcel of this cosmos which the Creator gave us. Modern physicist smash the tiniest of particles against each other after accelerating them beyond speeds at which most can imagine or comprehend traveling. The result is smaller fragments of matter. One is considered quite accomplished in this field when he can find a new tiny particle in the resulting smithereens of each new smash. Forgive the analogy, but many young children do the same so they might discover the inner workings of a new toy. If we can learn from such experiences when toys new holiday toys become broken beyond repair and we have often followed this destructive behavior by a trail of tears, we can be wise enough that we peacefully and reverently enjoy this creation of which the Lord has made us stewards.
Interestingly enough, in this day most men of letters feel that all matter is simply varying regular aggregate of light "particles" which by nature move as a wave. It was not mere chance that the Lord breathed in the ears of the writer of the Book of Beginnings that his first imperative in this new Universe was "Let there be light." This simple and complex command has actually been unfolding over the entire existence of this creations. Light shall continue coursing through this cosmos until He cries, "Halt". It shall continue forming matter and being released from matter which is unforming.
It is simple in that it opened a floodgate of blessings upon the His Creation; it is complex in that all that would occur in the moments since the onset of this command was determined by it being spoken.
As it says, His Ways and Thoughts are beyond ours. He communicates with us in anthropomorphic terms so we might understand his wishes. He imparts what we must know. Aspects of this life such as some the illusions of this world are often in existence so we might feel more comfortable. For instance, these are the beginnings of the end times. This has been proven in ways by twentieth century physicists for those who doubt Immutable Holy Scripture. Do a little reading on vector-clocks. Clocks simply stamp out a regular cadence of changes as a measure of the events which occur around us. When curious about the change of the sun and moon rising and setting, He told us that it was a day. This illusion makes us comfortable so we might track the events around us. The phases of the moon, He told us were months. The cycle of seasons he told us were a year. But, all that we can count on is that our environment changes until He says "Halt" and trouble shall last until He says the same.
This weblog has a strong Christian focus, yet numerous noble men and women among many noble faith exists. Otherwise, the One which we claim as His Son would not have stated in Matthew 25:31-46 (KIV):
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Or, Matthew 7:18-27:
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
With all that said, one of the most noble ways in which I saw a community deal with a wayward women who was tempting men in it was by a woman of a non-Christian faith who recognized that she had self-esteem issues and had been mistreated most of her life. Although she was a member of a faith tradition which we in this country are told is caste-based, her group of friends felt that it was best that they befriend and rehabilitate her than slander her name and publicly harass her. Is this not the type of love which Christ showed and of which he spoke? Should we as Christians not expect that such of His children receive the reward which He promised those which followed his teaching. If Rahab had not been redeemable, from where would promise of salvation be drawn.
Have a Beautiful and Blessed Week. Pardon any typos. This was a rapid draft.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Heart of a Child
Matthew 10:42
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Matthew 19:4
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3-4
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
2 Kings 22:1 - 23:25
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.
And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.
And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.
Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
Mark 9:42
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Commentary
Remember when deciding whether or not one should take an intoxicant, fornicate, lie, cheat, steal, and etc. was simple. The answer was a resounding "No!" Remember when those things simply seemed like a part of life which was inescapable. Did you stop and wonder, "How did life end up like this?!?" This day, make your escape like Daniel seeing the first rays of sunshine as the stone was rolled away from the mouth of the lion's den.
A day in His Courts is better than ten thousand elsewhere, and it can free you from the shackles and unpleasant consequences of sin. Start by blessing a stranger. Your local shelter can surely use some of your excess. If you have limited resources yourself, take the time, and pray for someone whom you do not know. This does not require stopping them on the street, holding hands, and praying aloud. Just silently pray for them as you walk or drive past. Your days will be sunnier, your sleep will be more pleasant, and your heart will be happier. Recapture that child-like (not childish) joy and the Godly wisdom that accompanies it!
Before the next week ends, be a blessing in some child's life. Let us take this world back from the hands of the enemy for the future generations of His Kingdom.
Be Blessed.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Matthew 19:4
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3-4
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
2 Kings 22:1 - 23:25
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people:
And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.
And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,
Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.
But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.
And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.
Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.
And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.
And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of men.
Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.
And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel.
And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.
And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.
And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.
Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;
But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.
Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
Mark 9:42
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Commentary
Remember when deciding whether or not one should take an intoxicant, fornicate, lie, cheat, steal, and etc. was simple. The answer was a resounding "No!" Remember when those things simply seemed like a part of life which was inescapable. Did you stop and wonder, "How did life end up like this?!?" This day, make your escape like Daniel seeing the first rays of sunshine as the stone was rolled away from the mouth of the lion's den.
A day in His Courts is better than ten thousand elsewhere, and it can free you from the shackles and unpleasant consequences of sin. Start by blessing a stranger. Your local shelter can surely use some of your excess. If you have limited resources yourself, take the time, and pray for someone whom you do not know. This does not require stopping them on the street, holding hands, and praying aloud. Just silently pray for them as you walk or drive past. Your days will be sunnier, your sleep will be more pleasant, and your heart will be happier. Recapture that child-like (not childish) joy and the Godly wisdom that accompanies it!
Before the next week ends, be a blessing in some child's life. Let us take this world back from the hands of the enemy for the future generations of His Kingdom.
Be Blessed.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Thesis Statement for My Ransom
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Matt 5:17-20
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Hebrews 12:6-11
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Revelations 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Proverbs 3:12-18
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
Short Commentary
Let us be conservative in our behaviors and liberal in our compassion as given by the Example in the New Testament.
Have a Wondrously Blessed Week;
We shall place another short message online when we are able.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Matt 5:17-20
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Hebrews 12:6-11
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Revelations 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Proverbs 3:12-18
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
Short Commentary
Let us be conservative in our behaviors and liberal in our compassion as given by the Example in the New Testament.
Have a Wondrously Blessed Week;
We shall place another short message online when we are able.
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