IMAGINING

I have been trying to do away with my imaginations.  I wonder if they do not short circuit any good that I might do?  (I imagine it, therefore I have “done” it, therefore I do not really do it.) 

God says, “without vision the people perish.”  Some sort of thinking about what will happen is good.  But I wonder if the way I imagine takes away from positive action.  Certainly the negative imagining is not good for it sets an evil cast upon events which have not yet happened.  Sometime is puts future events in the framework of the familiar - - the way we are used to events happening; yet, they may not actually happen that way.

I think, “men do not want me around” and I launch my imagination off in that direction.  Better for me to say, “I resist that thinking.  God said, ’resist the Devil and he will flee from you, draw neigh to
God and he will draw neigh unto you.’  In the name of Jesus I resist that thought.”

Maybe my mind being so full of imaginations keeps me from hearing from the Spirit of God.

I need to walk “by faith and not by sight”.  While I am doing what faith says, I can observe the results of faith - -  the “sight” part.

What would faith teach me about my relationships with other men?  I’m sure of this:  it’s important to know what God says is right - - as in the Law, Proverbs, parables, etc.

BEING WISE AS A SERPANT

Be careful of your personal information.  I recently read a Washington Post news article about Russian hackers implanting malicious code in a Vermont electrical grid computer system.  In the article it said:  “According to the report by the FBI and DHS, the hackers involved in the Russian operation used fraudulent emails that tricked their recipients into revealing passwords.”  This highlights something I hope you already know:  NEVER, NEVER give your personal information to any request for it to a source you are unsure about.  This applies to emails, phone calls and particularly to requests from the web.

I can’t imagine why you would provide an answer to anyone who wanted to know your password.  Why would they need to know it?  The very concept of “password” implies only you and that one particular entity (and no one else) already know what it is.

NO SOLOISTS

As I was thinking about a computer software problem I realized that I was feeling bad that I could not solve the problem alone.  I remembered that Jesus is called our “Advocate”.  How would you like to represent yourself as your own lawyer before God in Heaven’s courtroom?.  How wonderful That Jesus is our lawyer, our advocate.  Being a man, and not God, there are some things I can not do.  Then I remembered that God says that “in the multitude of counselors there is safety”.   So I should not feel bad to need another to help me solve a problem.

The world is such that if you do not keep pouring energy into your work, it will dissipate into nothing.  We have to keep active to keep anything we value.  Thank God he pours his energy into us.  How could we keep ourselves straight if we did not daily remind ourselves by reading, prayer, fellowship and church about God and his ways?  Even as we are doing that we need his Holy Spirit, and we need our family, friends and work-mates..

MUSINGS ON GENESIS

When God created the heaven some other things were there also:  darkness, the deep, waters.  Did these things come along with the creation, or was there darkness before there was an earth?  Before there was a heaven or earth was there nothing?  Or was this the place where, in the course of the spiritual dimension, God set the physical dimension running as a “new thing”:  Spiritual always, physical in time?

The earth was without form and void (empty)?  Does this mean there were no geologic features (lakes, mountains, seas . . .) or does it mean the Earth somehow was not coagulated into a solid physical sphere?

Where was the Deep?  On the Earth, outer space?

God created light and “saw” that it was good.  Did God “see” anything before there was light?  God knows everything, of course, but is “seeing” something different?

If darkness was upon the face of the deep, where was it not?  Were there other places that darkness was not upon?  If there were such places, what was upon them?  (Not light because light came after darkness).

God divided the light from the darkness (implying that light and darkness were mixed together).  When he did that “. . . the evening and the morning were the first day”.  This seems to be the start of time.

Apparently God was not satisfied with darkness and waters alone because he did not see that they were good, when God created light he saw that it was good; did the three have to be together?

CHURCH SELF-SEEKERS

(Jude 1:11)  “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

Cain:  The sacrifice of works rather than the sacrifice of blood.

Balaam:  Seeking to become rich in the doing of God’s work.

Core:  Pushing himself to usurp the place of God’s appointed leaders. 

Cain and Abel both brought sacrifices to God but God preferred Abel’s offering over Cain’s.  Cain killed Abel in a fit of jealousy; Why?  Perhaps he thought his offering should have been more valuable.  He put more labor in growing crops than raising animals.  He had to plow, sow, reap, transport his produce whereas all Abel had to do was watch his sheep feed themselves and  self-reproduce.  Are we in a figure murdering each other for jealousy over the gifts of another?

Balaam sought riches in the doing of God's work.  We shouldn’t seek reward for doing what is normally expected of us.  We should do God's work because it is right.  We should do God's work for God's profit, not our own.  What are our real reasons for what we do in the church?

Core (and Dathan and Abiram) attempted to take the place of the ones God had already appointed for leadership:  Moses and Aaron.  God positions the ones he wants to be leaders in the church.  We should seek a church position to benefit God's work, not for self status.  Are we seeking a position within the church body for the sake of our status?

We are supposed to rebuke these self-seekers in the Church:  how much does rebuking really happen in the church of today?

ANGRY PASTORS

I once attended a church where it appeared that I made two of the clergy angry. One was older. He never smiled at me or ever gave any indication of welcome, let alone kindness. Once or twice he reached around behind me to smile and welcome another. If I had committed some great offense I was never shown what it was. The other was younger and phoned me up to ask why I had not provided an “Exit Interview”. He seemed quite put out about it. I neither executed any “Membership Document” nor verbally expressed an interest in becoming a “Member”. I thought being a member of the Body of Christ was enough. If there was a contract written, stated or implied I was ignorant of it.

Perhaps I was wrong by being a regular participant in the worship and providing them with a portion of my tithe.

If someone is angry at you, and you both are going to continue in contact, he should tell you what it is you do or say bothers him. And you should do the same. No one can improve from a wrong if they don't know what the wrong is.  Things like that can bother a person for a lifetime.

CHANGING JUDGMENTS

2 Cor 1 (paraphrased):  "When we purpose things within ourselves it is 'yes' or 'no'.  But the purposes (or promises) of God are 'yes' "(v20).  We make up our minds according to an occasion and decide “yes” or “no” about the occasion.  It may be “yes” today, buy tomorrow the situation may change and then become “no”.

The promises of God are not made up to fit the situation but are decided beforehand.  What is “yes” today will be “yes” and not “no” tomorrow.  When we can, we should make up our minds using God’s everlasting principals as our base, and not with facts that change from day to day or minute to minute.

A man kills another man with a brick.  Today we say he should be hanged (“yes”).  Tomorrow we look at his background:  the brick thrower is disadvantaged, he was beaten and abused all his life, he was half crazed with drugs, the dead man was an undercover police officer who was wanting to entrap the brick thrower.  Tomorrow we reconsider and say he should not be hanged (“no”).

God’s law does not change.  If a man sheds a man’s blood, by the hand of other men must his blood be shed.   We say, “unless there is a situation such as war, self defense, or by accident (no malice of forethought)”.  Have we instituted mercy into a Biblical concept where there seems to be none?  Yet we notice men of the Bible were not put to death because they killed others in battle, cities of refuge were set aside for people who killed another accidentally.

WORK DIVISIONS

Here is how many companies are organized:
A.  Operations - Decide what Tasks should be done.
B.  Administration -  Decide how to accomplish the tasks: when and where.
C.  Laborers/Craftsmen – Perform the Manufacturing or service

Here is what 1 Corinthians 12 says:
A.  (v4) Diversities of gifts, same spirit – Father, Operations
B.  (v5) Differences of Administrations, same Lord – Son, Administration
C.  (v6) Diversities of Operations, same God – Holy Ghost, Gifts

1. Word of wisdom
2. Word of knowledge
3. Faith
4. Healing
5. Working of miracles
6. Prophecy
7. Discerning of spirits
8. Tongues
9. Interpretation of tongues

DAILY READING

When I was 50 years old I wrote:

I'm still not one for a strong personal devotional time.  Yet, all these married years, and a little before – 25 (now 53) years in all – I have had the family devotions.  The daily Bible reading.  This small thing has been great in my life.  As God said – it has been the mustard seed that, though a tiny seed, grew to a great tree with branches for the fowls of the air to nest in.  One thing I have confidence about:  I know what God thinks about a lot of things.  Some would whisk me aside as being a “Christian Bigot”;  I would say to them, “What principles are a guide for your life?  Any?  Some favorite author or politician?  Some particular group you belong to?”

I know right from wrong, good from bad, profitable from unprofitable.  Each time I read the Bible I get yet more from it.  I have been a better man to the world because of it – even to those who would say it's  “just another book”.

FAST JUDGEMENT

Pilate, otherwise having a peaceful day, was inadvertently sucked into Jewish religious matters.  The Jews had a serious problem with Jesus for which they wanted him executed.  However, the only authority that could legally execute a person was the Roman government.  Pilate tried to kick the ball back into the Jew’s court.  They refused because they wanted Jesus killed and they weren’t allowed.  Now Pilate cared nothing for Jesus’ life, it mattered not at all to him, nor did Jewish religious disputes.  When Jesus was forced back into his lap he tried to quickly get him to admit he was “King of the Jews”.  If he could do that, he could render a quick death penalty judgement:  for no one could be king but Caesar.  He could get no evidence against Jesus except the troublesome fact that Jesus had said he was the “Son of God”.  That wasn’t enough in Roman eyes.  He brought him out before the people in “kings clothing” saying, “Behold your king” but the people said, “We have no king but Caesar.”  Now Pilate was stuck because, in his view, there was only one king, and that was Caesar.  The people knew he could not back away.

He tried to release Jesus until the Jews said that Jesus made himself king in the place of Caesar.  That was enough to let Pilate off the hook and get Jesus crucified for no one could be king but Caesar

The fact that an innocent man might die had no effect on Pilate’s thinking.  He wanted to avoid anything that would embroil hem in consequences for months to come, and in Jerusalem religious matters always have consequences.  He wanted out of a Jewish religious argument.  He did not want to be exposed to a religious discrimination suit by the Jews because of anything he did.  After all, that was a career stopper.

EASY PROCRASTINATION

What comes ahead of time is really important.  Get to bed on time so I can get enough sleep, so I can get up in time, so I can exercise in time, so I can get ready in time so I can read on time, so I can get in to the day on time.  Everything is preceded by something.  Everything I'm doing has something else coming after it.  What I'm doing has been helped or hindered by what I did before.  I can help, or hinder, what I will be doing.  But I don't want to move from one thing to another.  It's like everything has sticky spider webs attached to it.

That's what procrastination is: the sticky spider web of not wanting to change.

Sometimes when I am doing something I am blessed because I can isolate myself in the moment  - I can ignore the spider webs.  I don't agonize about what I did, or didn't do.  I don't fret about what's next.  It's so easy just to stay the same.

But on the other hand, I often don't have the best I could have in the present because of what I've left out of what should have come before.  Also I don't hake the opportunity to set up for what's next, thereby making it easier for myself further on.

At the time of procrastination I could replace my for-the-moment self with a reflective, evaluative and forward looking, planning self.

This would take place at a very time when I don't want to make any changes.  Maybe I feel this way because I'm between two for-the-moment periods.  Since I am for-the-moment, and don't presently have anything to do I feel uncomfortable.  Yet my tendency is always to stay the same.  Changing from one thing to another is something I don't want to do - - I want to stay the course, whatever it is, even if changing the course would make things easier or better.

SCHEDULING A DRY HEAD

A journey of a thousand miles is traveled one inch at a time.  Sometimes we will not move an inch unless we schedule it in.  Sometimes the only reason we travel an inch is because, “it is time”, the schedule says, “do it now”.  At such times we possibly have no vision, no desire, no emotion:  only THE SCHEDULE.  Yet when that happens we can begin to achieve something, perhaps of great value.  In this way the mundane can build the glorious.

Most of the time scheduling is informal, done out of habit or as a need presents itself.  Practical scheduling acquires a bit more formality when we think, “what shall I do today, this week, this month.”  It becomes most formal when we take the time to carefully consider needs, times, other events, personalities and such, and proceed to write out a time line or schedule.  It becomes more formal  as we add more detail. 

As an example:
The need to get out of the rain requires a shelter and a schedule to find or build it.  It rains; we need protection so we either find a cave (if we're lucky) or build a lean-to from a tarp or  branches.  Even if we don't realize it we have to schedule time to erect the shelter.  The schedule may be as simple as:  “Do it now”.  “Do it before it rains”.  “Do it whenever and wherever we can”.

If we want more permanence we might require a cave or a log cabin.  Then we have to schedule time to locate a cave or to clear a site and gather trees.  We must re-arrange our schedule.  We have to set aside hunting for now and find or build the shelter.

For more convenience we might want to add rooms which means we have to schedule gathering yet more lumber, or stones, and setting aside time for the construction.  We would be helpful if we scheduled the drawing of a detailed construction plan.  We would have to rearrange other activities to either build the structure or oversee its construction.  As our use of time allows we schedule time for the acquisition of our amenities such as bringing the bathroom inside.

Most anything that takes repetition requires scheduling.  Important things like Bible reading certainly need scheduling.  Some days scheduling may be the only reason we read the Bible.  Important things, Bible reading, music practice, would never get done unless they are scheduled in, made to have important status.

In this way the mundane can build the glorious.

DETERMINING TRUTH

There seems to be two ways that people approach truth:  some do it inwardly first, and some do it outwardly first.

The ones that first approach truth inwardly make up their mind without outside input (for example:  "There is no God").  Once their truth is determined they take from the outside what supports their version of "truth".  If the outside evidence does not support their “truth” they may ignore, or develop arguments against, what the outside world may suggest.  Then they act toward the outside as if their "truth" is actual fact.

The ones that first approach truth outwardly try to observe in the events outside them that seem to be the truth.  They may wonder, “How does all that I see originate?”  They look at the outside to see what might represent the truth and try to discern what is the truth from those observations.  Then they evaluate what they have inwardly determined as the truth (for example, “There is a God”) to see if it tracks with the outside observation.  They will then act in accordance with this “truth”.

Both these views carry with them two aspects:  an inward and outward acknowledgment or definition of truth.  There is an inward reality of the individual.  This is the subjective reality that exists within the individual.  It is different for each person.  There is also an outward reality of the physical/social world.  This is objective and unchanging, or changes according to unvarying principles and is the same for all people.

One says, “There is no God”, the other says, “There is a God”.  But neither can prove the other wrong.  One can decide inwardly first "there is (or there is no) God and treat the outside world accordingly.  One can make outside observations about the world and conclude from these "there is (or there is no) God.

Seeing the Bible says, "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God' . . ." Which do you think is the safer conclusion as your physical life unceasingly, unremittingly moves toward the grave?

DANGER: TV!

Watching TV may provide little return on investment because:
-- May leave dangerous Hollywood-driven images and opinions upon the mind.
-- Soaks away time that could be better spent on other activities and therefore:
-- Robs us in areas of development we care about.
-- May rob us of sleep we need and therefore:
-- Makes us less effective in our work or business the next day and
-- May injure our health
-- Encourages and expands a pool of discouragement and self deprecation for activities we leave out

MUSIC IN CHURCH

Here are some of my observations about music in church:

Most churches divide their worship into separate times. They have a separate time for music which they call “Worship” music.  There may also be anther separate presentation called "Special" music.  These music performances seem to have been elevated to equal importance to other parts of the service (i.e. equal to, or better than, scripture reading, preaching or prayer).

While purporting to  lead the congregation in music, it resolves to the music being presented as a performance.  There are special performers, a "worship team" on the platform in front of the congregation.  These are the "Stars", the "Personalities".  This presentation has devolved away from being a single Worship Leader in front of a choir leading the congregants in music.  Frequently the style of music  is "Praise Music" exclusively, rarely, if ever using "traditional music" (i.e. hymns).  Often the praise music  lyrics are light on spiritual content.  Some of the songs may only consist of eight or nine words.  They may be oriented toward the needs of the singers as opposed to the will of God. 

For some unfathomable reason praise music needs to be loud music.  Most places we've been the music is too loud.  It is miked up so loud the congregants can not hear themselves sing.  It has become a show you watch and listen to rather than one in which to participate. 

The congregants that want to escape the volume of music must either sit outside during the music time or elect to attend a separate service.  This separate service is often called a "Traditional" service.  In some places the “traditional” service may be held at a non traditional time, i.e. not the 11am hour.  This presents the impression that "traditional" worshipers are of less value than the people who attend the "regular" service.  Sometimes this separate service is a video feed where the congregants  watch a big screen and are separated from the “real” service.  Perhaps music in the video service the may be at a reasonable volume.  This raises the question: if you're going to watch a TV why bother to leave your house to go to church?  Just sit at home and find a preacher who does good preaching and watch him.

My Mother-In-Law used to say, “The Devil often gets into the Church through the choir loft.” These days he gets in through the amplifiers, the sound control booth, and the need in people to be “stars”.

THE PASTOR SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT

Several years ago I was attending a Men's Bible study at a church.  We were working around the circle when the Pastor got into his “the primary purpose of the Old Testament is to show Jesus Christ” routine.  That makes it seem that anything else we get from reading the Old Testament is of lesser, inferior value.  Therefore any application we can draw can be dispensed with because, after all, that is not the main purpose of the writing.

Why then should we have the study if the only answer of worth will be: “How does this demonstrate Christ?”

Yet “. . . all scripture is given for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  Did the others also think this way - - that the Old Testament is of less worth?  So, according to this pastor, I should now know that the Old Testament is only about Christ.  So what good is the rest of it?  I suppose he wanted me to only see how the OT relates to Christ and forget about the rest since it only has minor meaning anyway.  Once I know the one important fact what else do I need to know?

If I want to explore the true ramifications about morality I suppose I should read contemporary books about morality and ignore what the Old Testament says is right or wrong.  But not to worry, according to this pastor, because moral prescriptions of the OT are not to teach us right from wrong; the point of the OT is to show us Jesus Christ.

This pastor also taught, “Your pastor reads and understands the Bible and teaches you what it means.”  I think I can do more than that.  I can read and understand the Bible for myself.  Indeed, I need to read it so I can defend myself form the one-sided incorrect opinion of any man.

BIDDING EXERCISE

What if I, or another person, were to seek to award a “contract” to someone among a group of students that would ask them to do a study.  This study would tell me the probability of a fallen pine tree falling where it lies. I would write up a “Request for Proposal” (RFP) and give it to a class, or to a particular grade level at a school.  The interested students would attend a “Pre Bid Meeting” where I would allow them to see the site where the tree fell.  My RFP would tell them I would award on the basis of merit as opposed to low price.  They would submit their dates on or before a certain time after the RFP meeting.  Their bids would detail their rationale and back-up material of how they reached their conclusion.  The winner would be paid $25.00 for the study plus expenses for developing their study.  The award would not guarantee that the study would ever actually be conducted.  (In fact the whole exercise it just to demonstrate the request-bid-award process.)

EXULTATION AT CALAMITIES

I once saw videos of a group of people dancing and singing because another group suffered a calamity.  Unlike them we should be very careful about assuming calamities are God's judgment upon People.

Calamities can be of two types:  those which God generates (as a tornado), and those which men generate (as in the Twin Towers.)

A “Calamity” is different than a “Judgment”.  Calamity happens to the guilty and innocent alike.  It is more generalized, far reaching, than a judgment.  It seems to cover much more area than a peoples' transgression would warrant.  A calamity is like a tornado destroying a whole town rather than a specific household.

Judgment is what happens to those deserving punishment for wrong-doing.  Judgment is targeted specifically toward the sinners and not the innocent about them.

Feeling of glee for the misfortunes of others is itself a sin.  It is bad, perhaps dangerous, to have happy feelings when something bad happens to someone you do not like.  "... and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished."  (Prov 17:5b)

The Twin Towers were a “Calamity” to us but a “Judgment” to the thugs who perpetrated it.  Under our law and under the international law, what these thugs did was a crime, not a judgment.  What we know is that God will have the ultimate judgment, maybe not at a time we desire, but it will be at the perfect time and it will be a perfect judgment.

We should hope that God's judgment will turn the wicked toward righteousness and that God will get glory from pulling diamonds out of the ashes.

DIFFERENT IMPRESSIONS

The Bible mentions “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”.  I notice there is no mention of the “lost of the ear” or “the lust of the nose”.  Is there some stronger aspect of the “lust of the eye”?  Is there some particular way this sense has more power to be damaging?  Is it wired more directly into the thoughts and emotions?.

The naked body is of the eye, but music is of the ear.  You can sexually arouse yourself by seeing or imagining visual scenes.  Can you sexually arouse yourself through music only?  Today's options include music videos.  If you heard the music without ever seeing the video, could you get the same impressions (thoughts, emotions and feelings) as you would while also seeing the video?

The song, “The Song Remembers When”, talks of a song being able to evoke a strong memory of a past event.  In reality that event had a host of other senses tagged to it - - not the least of which is what you saw when the event occurred.

I'll bet ten different people get ten different impressions from a piece of music.  But if all ten saw a video with the music they would all get the same impression - - the vision of the one who made the video (but not necessarily of the one who made the music).

There are events inside the head of the listener that are not the same as the events inside the song writer.

I'M FOR FREEWILL

There is balance between the theories of predestination and freewill.  I am firmly in the freewill camp, yet must be tempered with concepts from the predestination camp.  Consider the following:

Joseph said to his brothers, “You decided to do evil to me, but God used it for good.”  God had decided that Abraham's seed would go into Egypt and grow there. Joseph's brothers, on their own jealous volition, decided to murder Joseph and instead sold him into slavery.  Although their freewill choice was for evil by God's sovereignty the results of it turned out for good - - God's good, Joseph's good, even the brothers' good.

To say God made Joseph's brothers to decide to do murder is to say God made these men do something which is against the God's design for mankind's morality:  “Thou shalt not kill.”  The brothers chose to  do the evil; God did not force them to do evil.  God did not create the brothers intending them to do evil; his intention was they should do good.

God (who by definition is good) converted the evil actions into good.  God, being in existence at all times (that is:  existing in the future to us who are captured only in the present) knew before the bad happened that it was going to happen, and that the happening of it would turn out for the good.

We should not be afraid to make choices, or be made to think that our choices have no real meaning or effect because of the theory that God hard-wired the choices before we were created (as some who are hard-over on the predestination theory would say).  Because, as Joseph's brothers, we have options before us that we can choose.  But we should also know that God has all firmly in his control and in the end his will will work out for good.  And if God has all in control, we can see he will be more than willing to give us the power to accomplish his will.

If Joseph's brothers could choose evil than so can we.  But we can choose to do good.  Sometimes we are going to be in a place where we will have to choose - - we will not have the luxury of passing the choice by.

BIG NAMES NEED BIG MONEY

We went to a large church a while back (I am taking this from a 1998 journal entry).  One of the first things we noticed was they were using a boom TV camera.  This turned me off.  It made me think this is a church that is trying to be like all the other Big-Name T.V. Churches.  Do they worry more about technology than connecting with the Lord?  What proportion of their technology budget do they spend in proportion to the results they expect to reap?  Is this for the pastor who merely wants to be in the same league as the other big-time players?  Aside from shut-ins, does it really reach the people it is supposed to reach?  So $100,000.00 reaches one shut-in; what about the same 100k being spent to print and distribute gospel tracts that reach two people?  How much could go to missions?  Could the money be better spent? 

Arguments that Support “every possible step must be taken” can be softened by noticing that Jesus rested when there were souls to be preached to, souls to be healed.

If any effort is being spent for “look at me” rather than “look at the Lord” that effort is being spent wrong.

You can reach a point when your thinking turns from the numbers you are reaching toward how big and glorious your church is.  When does it turn from looking to the glory of God to looking to the glory of the pastor, the technology, the big-name church?

You know the church is really bent when they resort to computer controlled lighting effects and smoke; it has fallen from being a “church” to being a “show”.  The show needs lights and smoke; what next, mirrors?

THE TROUBLE WITH TIFFS

If I have a tiff with my wife I have trouble either praying or looking to the Scriptures.  When the heavy feelings or depression are upon me I just do not feel the praying or that reading will have value or effect.  Its hard to think, “I need to do this by faith”.  My prayers, I feel, would be insulting to the Lord being prayed from such a dry or angry or faithless personality.  I can not think of where to read in the Bible that would have application.

Perhaps I should start reading somewhere – anywhere:  Psalm of the day, Proverbs, a Gospel.  Maybe I would find the lord talking to me there.  Or maybe the Spirit would lead me somewhere else.  Perhaps then the prayers and answers would come.

WAIT FOR VENGEANCE

Psalm 21 speaks of the king trusting in the Lord and of God's vengeance upon his enemies.  As I was coming back from Jacksonville on a business trip a while ago (1998) I came upon a very severe traffic jam.  The two lanes of traffic were at a crawl.  At various times some people would cheat and come down the right-hand breakdown lane.  I thought, “here are these rude people taking advantage of the rest of us who are trying to be polite to each other and keep order and the law.  These have no concern but for themselves.  They will never receive punishment for their wrong doing that I will see.  I wonder if God even cares to take vengeance on such little things when much worse are happening.”

But when we got to the bridge over Lake Mary the police were pulling these over to the side and giving them tickets.  Yes, these were receiving the vengeance due to them.  Yes, God does care about such things.  Yes, it is worth while to have faith in God, that he will do what he says he will do.  Yes, it is worth while doing the right thing.

IN THE SPIRIT??

(Eph 5:18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”

What does it mean to pray “in the Spirit”? Does it mean to pray in tongues? Does it mean to “keep silence” before the Lord – to be listening for what the Spirit might be saying? Does it somehow mean to be sensitive to inward impressions that may be lingering just inside your conscious awareness? (Or are these just from your own “subconscious” speaking?) Do we cover over or chase away communication from the Spirit by attributing too much to the “subconscious” or by fearing too much the evil spirits?

ANGER SNARES

(Prov 20) The anger of a king is as the roaring of a lion, he that aggravates him gets a snare to his soul.

This shows it is not good to make your superiors angry. I suppose some people purposefully do things to make their Superior angry, but it only gets them trouble and does no good. It may be the desire to make an authority angry or agitated is a flaw in the personality of him that wishes to to it.

Another snare is associating with angry and furious people.

The desire for situations of anger is a trap - - possibly a habit or deception that is very hard to break. A snare is something that traps you and keeps you. Snares are difficult to get out of. (Lord, please help me to avoid snares like anger.)

Knowing you are in a snare can help you get out; not knowing you are in a snare can leave you trapped forever.

MAKING THE PROMISE TRUE

Psalm 105 speaks of remembering and rejoicing in what the Lord has done.  It speaks of the progress of the children of Israel to the promised land.  He gave the promise to Abraham, Issac and Jacob.  He preserved them in the places where they were.  He sent Joseph before them to prepare a place in Egypt  He developed them into a great number.  He delivered them from slavery.  He brought them to the promised land. 

Can we look at big, broad pictures like this and see comparisons in our own or our families lives?

 -- Giving of promise
 -- Protection from outsiders, adverse situations
 -- Development
 -- Delivery from bondage.
 -- Occupying the promised land

Here a generalized version:

 -- Start of a thing (giving promise to Abraham).
 -- The initial delicate stage (protection in Canaan).
 -- Development of the thing (growth in Egypt).
 -- Moving of the thing toward its purpose (delivery from slavery).
 -- Delivery of the thing into its purpose (bring to promised land).

CONSIDER YOUR PATH

“A wicked man hardeneth his face; but as for the upright, he directeth his way.” (Proverbs 21:29)

A wicked man decides he is going to do a thing, and once decided, proceeds through to the end without respect to how the situation may have changed or be different than how he planned.  He pays no attention to the effects of his action on others.  You don't have to be wicked to be this way, you can just be dumb.

The upright directs his way.  Once he decides on a thing he proceeds but keeps aware of how the situation develops  and changes his course (or stops) if it becomes necessary.

TO FIGHT FOR WISDOM

(Proverbs 21:11)  “When the scorner is punished the simple is made wise:  and when the wise is instructed he receiveth knowledge.”

A scorner is someone who speaks words of disgust against something or someone else.  He disapproves, he belittles.  This is not a healthful situation and it is a good thing to correct it.  The scorner needs to be publicly told his words are damaging and not helpful.  Apparently when this happens the simple see the damaging words for what they are:  destructive, unhelpful words.  When they make this perception – that scorning is a damaging activity – they become wiser than they were.  Once someone has perceived this they have increased in wisdom.

Two things happen when you publicly stand against scorning:  A bad activity is stopped, and people are instructed toward wisdom.

DRUMS AROUND THE FIRE

(From a 1998 Journal entry:)

First the thought, and then how I arrived at it:

We would criticize the native American for using drums to achieve some sort of spiritual contact during his religious ceremonies yet we Christians do the vary same things during ours.  Whether during services we use jumpy charismatic tunes or they are old hymns, we hope to achieve a state of worship for the Lord.

How I got here:

I was thinking of a native American who believed in the “Great Spirit” before the time when the Europeans began to emigrate to this hemisphere.  I have wondered if such a person, having never had contact with a Christian, and therefore could not properly state the Gospel, yet believing in the Creator of all things, could not be a “pagan believer”?  He would be a person whose heart was sincere and earnest for God.  I wonder if having a true desire to know the one true God, to be willing to forsake all for, and to suffer for the truth, has the equivalence before God to confessing Jesus with the mouth?  Could the verses in Romans, the ones that speak of the physically uncircumcised acting as if they were circumcised, figuratively apply to such a person?  Again, I am speaking of people who have never had any exposure to God as the sort of revelation the Jews and Europeans had through the Scriptures.  If there were many like him in his tribe, could not the drums about the council fire be the same as our worship music?

Could the name of “Great Spirit” be to this person as “Jehovah” or “Christ” is to us?  You would have to know his intended purpose for his calls to the “Great Spirit” and the intended purpose for the music.  More fundamentally, you would have to know what he thinks the “Great Spirit” can do, what he can not do, what he did, what his requirements of us are.  What is mankind's place in the world, in the after life and what is man's place before him?  What if his understanding does not line up exactly with our understanding of God?  Without the Bible how would he get that understanding?

But in the 21st century, with the spread of the Gospel over the globe, there are very few of such people to be found upon the earth.

LISTENING TO MUSIC

Back when I was a boy I remember hearing, every once and a great while, Latin music on the radio. I would hear the breaks when just the percussion instruments would play. To me it was a thrilling sound. Back then there were no records or tapes or CDs to buy - - you could only hear the music once, while it was playing. When it was done you had to wait until the next time something like it was played, perhaps months later. Back then the sound quality was poor. I don't remember that we listened to the radio all that much at our house yet I remember rhythmic syncopated music exciting me.

Now I can select from a wide variety of all types of music. If I have a recording I can play it over and over. By repetition I can learn it so well so as to know all the parts of it. I can know instantly if anything is different from another recording even if the voicing and arrangements are all the same. Now music performance is at our fingertips - - we may have it whenever we want: from a recording or from the radio or T.V. We are bound no longer to performance by live musicians, or to performing it for our own selves.

Why is it, then, that I don't listen more at home. I rarely ever do. Playing music distracts me from other things. With me it's one, or the other.

CHATTERBOXING

Once on the way into work I was having an imaginary conversation with someone. These people I “talk with” are usually people with some influence or importance in some area. I thought, “Why do I do this?” Am I wishing for some favor from them; do I want to gain their attention? Then I thought, “Here I am imagining a conversation with an imaginary person, who is not real, yet I do not pray to the Lord, who is real.”

Would it be a good thing for me to have these “conversations” with God instead? If I did this would it have a value to God? Would I be a chatter-box endlessly whining on about my problems and ideas and never leaving a space for God to respond?

WATCH FOR CURVES

In his word God tells us how he expects us to think and act via men like Moses, Paul, Peter, Mathew, John, etc.  This is how we can know what truth is.  As shown in 1 Tim 1 we are supposed to “teach no other doctrine”.  I take this to mean that we are not to modify the intended meaning of the Scripture.  There may be cases where we are teaching about a subject and use Scripture to support our teaching, but we should not use our teaching to modify the meaning.

When we wish to describe a topic we have many tools to use, and Scripture is one of them.  It is perfectly allowable to use Scripture this way.  Scripture is a tool of truth; we use it to give a foundation to a truth we want to communicate.  But we need to use the proper tool for the proper  job.  We do not use a chisel to turn a screw tighter, and we do not use a screw driver to trim a piece of wood.  We do not use truth to tell a lie.

Men are good at “weasel wording”, they can turn aside from the original intended meaning toward something different.  They start along the proper path and start walking along the edge of that path.  Sometimes they will take a little side path that parallels the original and hop back into the true path.  Perhaps they continue staying on the parallel path.  Then the path that was parallel may slowly start to veer, ever so slightly, to the left or right.  Perhaps the path they are following bends further astray until one day it is not going to the same destination at all.

Watch your compass to make sure you are taking the true path.

SERVING THE STICKS

God washed the disciples' feet and said “As you have seen me do, so should you do to one another.”  This is not unusual, God has always acted in service to us.  He gave us the run of his creation for our use and provision.  He required little from us other than to take care of it and of each other.  He overlooked many insulting and grievous transgressions we did as we were using it.

What do we do?  We create too:  we take sticks of wood and construct a house.  Then we become concerned over the house - - it becomes our protection; it is our peace-giver; it is our thing of beauty; it is our future; it is our life-giver.

When this happens the house is not serving us, we are serving the house.  We have come to worship the house.  Through his provision and forbearance God serves us.  We were never God, yet we turn ourselves to serve a pile of sticks which we  sawed from God's trees.

EXTENDED BRAINS

It's fascinating to think about how human-devised devices can work as extensions of our brains. Our brain registers and interprets sound, which we receive through our sense organs, the ears. So the brain becomes extended through the ear. The ear itself can be extended when we listen to a phone call. The phone extends our ear to the person at the other end, perhaps miles away. All our senses can be extended as Norman Doidge explains Marshall McLuhan's insight to us:

" . . .the communications media both extend our range and implode into us. His [McLuhan's] first law of media is that all the media are extensions of aspects of man. Writing extends memory, when we use a paper and pen to record our thoughts; the car extends the foot, clothing the skin. Electronic media are extensions of our nervous systems: the telegraph, radio, and telephone extend the range of the human ear, the television camera extends the eye and sight, the computer extends the processing capacities of our central nervous system. He argued that the process of extending our nervous system also alters it."

The Brain that Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, MD, Penguin Books, copyright 2007.

THE BEST POSITIONING

(2 Timothy 1:3) Paul served God “...from [his] forefathers...”  The tradition of serving God came to him from his family.  His father served God, his Grandfather served God, his nation served God.  Paul grew up in a family that served God.  (v5) Timothy also had a line of faith starting with his Grandmother Lois.

God has a plan for us, a calling according to his own purpose which may, or may not, coincide with our works.  God has had a plan for us which was in place before we ever started to plot out our own lives.  It was in place “... before the world began.”  Paul was called to be a preacher, apostle, and teacher (of the Gentiles) (v11).  Timothy had “... that good thing ...” (v3).

I believe God's plan for each of us in general in nature.  He wants all of us to live according to his instructions.  But he positions individuals with certain specific intellectual and skill tendencies and leaves the development of them to each of us, as he did with Paul and Timothy.  The more we try to be sensitive toward God, the more likely we will not disturb the positioning God has made for us.  The more self-centered and worldly we are, the more likely we are to make the position less effective, or perhaps destroy the positioning altogether.

How do we know what God's plan is for us personally?
- Word of God (Bible)
- Circumstances
- Observation
- Opportunities
- Other people as in:
    – Family
    – Friends
    – Books
    – Seminars
    – Test instruments

THE DOCTRINE OF DOCTRINE

Doctrine is principle or body of principles. A doctrine is a systematic attempt by men to describe what the Word of God says about a certain topic. There are elements within the Word of God that can be taken and used as building blocks for doctrines. Some doctrines can use one or more elements of other doctrines. Each doctrine is represented by a window through which we look at a portion of the Word of God. Each window looks at a different area; some windows cover only one area while other windows overlap each other.

Doctrines, taken individually, can not represent all of what the Word says to us. It may be that many doctrines linked together can approximate much of what the Word says.

Doctrines can be wrong, either partially or wholly. Sometimes doctrines take what God said simply and make it so complex that men go wrong or become discouraged. Conversely, some doctrines take a complex communication from God and so simplify that it looses it's intended meaning.

The Word is always larger than the efforts of man to classify or explain it. Given the limitations of our flesh, God has told us (mankind) more than we can comprehend, understand, or explain.

Similarly, no single man can comprehend fully all the knowledge wrapped up in a microchip. It took thousands of men hundreds of years to discover electricity and the technology to harness it to produce power and to manipulate knowledge. There are geniuses, but no one man can comprehend it all.

So don't feel bad about not knowing everything; you can't; no man can.

THE DOLLAR-EIGHTY SERMON

Is faith a matter of the mind only, or is there some feeling mixed in with it?  The Charismatics look for the feeling – the experience.  The Baptists look for the teaching.  When the Bible says “we walk by faith, not by sight” does that mean we set aside the feeling and recall from our minds what God said and walk that way?  What feeling could there possibly be that would be reason or justification enough to go against God's word?

If sermons can be rated as to worth, say from $0 to $3.00 dollars, X preaches a $2.00 sermon.  What does it mean when he preaches a $1.80 sermon and we have to add to it $0.20 from our own store so that it can be a somewhat balanced sermon?  Where do we get the other dollar?  What about when this happens Sunday after Sunday?  What about the people who don't have anything to add because they do not actually read the Bible.  If they read, they read books about what is said in the Bible.  What do they do?

GROWING THE UNDERSTANDING

When I first came to know the Lord, I accepted Jesus as my savior, but I has a problem with thinking of him as God.  Much later (after accepting Jesus as God) I had a problem with accepting the Holy Spirit as God.  Later (after recognizing the Holy Spirit as God) I struggled with the Trinity being “persons” rather than “offices”.  The growth of the concept came from doctrine taught over the years.

AVOIDING (THE WRONG WAY)

2 Timothy 3, vs 1-7 speaks very well of the current day people who are in the church but are really wicked. It seems to me the list can apply as well to lofty Legalists as the flamboyant Charismatics. The aberrant Charismatics* are more open and easy to see than those who have the “form of godliness, but deny the power thereof”.

We avoid them by:
- - Continuing in things learned and assured (proved).
- - Learn things that come from good sources
- - Life long learning from the Scripture..

This we get through:
- - Doctrine, systematic way of teaching, thinking. First we must know the basic truth.
- - Reproof, “you are wrong, stop, repent”. We must stop the wrong activity.
- - Correction, “you are going off course, this is what you must do to correct”. We must show where and how we are getting off course.
- - Instruction in righteousness, describing and demonstrating what are the right actions and thoughts. We must show what is the right way to do things..

Parents play a first, primary and major role in accomplishing this..

*Not the good ones, but the aberrant ones.

FINDING AND KEEPING THE WAY

God has many ways to teach us. We should read the Bible as our primary source but we also should seek instruction from other godly people.  We should attempt to achieve a right understanding in line with God's principles.  Thereby we can become a means of changing ourselves and others who want to be Godly.  Then we can be a source for our children.

Yet we have to be aware of wrong thinkers, those whose thinking does not match the moral principles taught in the Bible.  Then we can identify and avoid, and perhaps fight, false teaching.  It may be we could help such to change to a godly way.  But if they won't change we should avoid them and take steps to protect the innocent if necessary.

LANGUAGE FRUSTRATION

OVERUSED WORDS:

“Like” when used as a verbal pause as in “uh”, “err”, or other unnecessary noises people make when communicating.

“Not a problem” when you mean “you are welcome”.

“I love . . .” when you really mean you “like” or “admire” or “appreciate”. You would actually love (have a strong emotional attachment for) your spouse, children, country, etc. You do not “love” the way a room is decorated.

“Absolutely” Very few things are absolute.

“So” when it's used at the beginning of response: “So, the answer to that is . . . “, “So, when he went . . .”.

“Actually” Actually, there is very little need to use this word except to emphasize a contrast, which actually is rare.

"Utilize" I don't see why this word exists. It's enough to say I "use" something, I made "use" of something. For example: "I waste my time utilizing Facebook." I "use" Facebook; I don't "utilize" Facebook. Utilizing that word does not make you appear smarter.

DOING IT OUR WAY

Initially God wanted the people of his creation to be self-governing. He wanted each of them to know right from wrong and to act responsibly. He gave them his law through Moses and set up judges to interpret the law for them. But (as men do) the judges (who by then were Samuel's sons) started to become selfish and act badly. The people said to Samuel:

". . . Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now MAKE US A KING to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but THEY HAVE REJECTED ME, that I should not reign over them. (1Sam 8:5-7) (emphasis mine)

When people sought for a king God was displeased with them. They wanted someone to take responsibility for doing the work of governing. They did not want the responsibility for themselves. They wanted to point to the government for the common security and the common provision, they did not want to bother with it themselves. If there was lawlessness, it would be the king's fault; if there was general immorality, it would be the king's fault. The king would pay for their health care and for their education. The king would be responsible for their material health.

Thus we have a general sin: “Let the government do this or that for me . . .” But God wants everyone to obey his law personally within himself. Every man is to know what God's law is, and every man should keep God's law. But people do not want God, they want a king. They want the government (God, parents) to do something for them, yet in other things they want complete power; they do not want outside interference when they are “doing their own thing”.

Every man is responsible for his own actions and thoughts. Every man is responsible himself to administer his actions. Every man must govern himself.

In contrast there is another sin: that of Satin wanting to be God, to be the creator, to be the standard setter, to decide for himself what he shall do and shall not do.

WHAT DO WE DO TO TRAIN OUR CHILDREN SPIRITUALLY?

We do the formal things people usually associate with spiritual people: We read devotions, hopefully directly from the Bible, but at least from a devotional book that uses the Bible as a direct source. We Pray for guidance, protection and provision from God and for the well being of others. We "Talk of these things while [we walk] in the way", we speak using the concepts we have learned from the Scriptures.

It's very important to be spiritual by example. What does it mean to be Spiritual, how do we know if someone is spiritual? We see what such people teach, they do good work, they witness (they tell others of the existence and providence of God and specially of Jesus.) They care for others. They seek God by: reading the Bible, praying, having fellowship with other believers.

We train our children by telling them what good character is. To demonstrate to us they have learned we make them tell us what a good character is. We make them actually show good character. We encourage them to do good works by telling them what good works are and by doing good works ourselves.

We endeavor to be good examples because:  what we talk about and do, the children hear and see. We let them see by letting the Bible show us (how do you know what the standards are unless you read them?)   We let the Church show us and let others show us.

THE HEALTHFUL MOUTH

(Proverbs 10:32) “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.” The righteous shows consideration; he knows what is acceptable because he has studied the other person and knows something of their state and knows how different words would effect him. The wicked also knows of the other but speaks away from the appropriate answer (FROward = away from). So the wicked shows hurtful consideration, the desire to oppose.

(v11) “the mouth of a righteous man is a well of life, but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” A well in an opening from which something must be drawn out. What good is inside the righteous must be drawn out, he is not quick with his answers. The answers are healthful, as water is healthful. If there is any healthful thing within the wicked, it is inaccessible because the well is covered. Obvious to all is the violence that covers his mouth. It is always on top, always presenting to people.

Lord help me, give me the grace to be a healthful speaker on behalf of others. Please do not let me do damage and violence with my mouth.

JUDGEMENT

(Psalm 9:7) “But the Lord shall endure forever: he hath prepared this throne for judgment.”

I wonder, if man were not sinful, would God not have to set up his throne for judgment? His throne would be for ruling, but it would not have to be for discovering and pronouncing punishment of the wicked. But since there are the wicked, God is preparing his throne for a time when they will be brought to account for their transgression of God's will. God will outlast any hope of the wicked for covering up, or justifying, or getting past their wicked deeds (hoping the deeds will be forgotten). From the time a wicked act is performed God's judgment throne is ready to pronounce a punishment for that act. The time in court will come.

Let us not forget judgment of wrong doing is not only for the wicked: (v18) “For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” Since vengeance is from the Lord, the downcast will also have their day in court. There will also be recognition of those who have repented.

NOT ALL ROCK-AND-ROLL

(Proverbs 28:7)  "Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father."

Webster:  Rock-and-roll, a style of popular music marked by a heavily accented beat and a simple, repetitious phrase structure.

There are some things that cause the righteous to go aside into an evil way.  We have to be careful of rock-and-roll for that very reason.  Rock-and-roll seems to have originated in the world, not in the Church.

Sometimes secular (and sometimes Christian) rock music promotes those who disrespect authority, it can be the the ground of riotous men.  Therefore we have to be very careful how we use it.  As with anything that requires caution with its use, we perhaps should not even have it around.  Ideally all the members of the band, the singers, the audience have to have a good walk with God.  Even then, there should only be “seasons” of rock-and-roll, not rock-and-roll all the time.  We should avoid riotous people and riotous activity.

Who are the people at secular rock-and-roll concerts?  Loud beer drinkers, sensual dancers, women that dress to excite lust, men who exude dominance and violence, bitterness, people who can't be quiet and listen, people who think authorities (police, teachers, parents, etc.) are “them”, dope users.

It's strange I wrote this, me, a drummer who loves to play music with a strong rhythmic theme, one who likes rock-and-roll and latin.  But also, I am not riotous.  ALL “praise” music does not have to be in the rock-and-roll style.  I like hymns too.  I like songs that have more than eight words to them.  Music can have more than verse-and-chorus, it does not have to constantly repeat itself, it can also have an introduction, and ending and variations.  And, it does not have to be LOUD; I like it when people can hear themselves sing.

THE CALLS OF TWO WOMEN

In Proverbs 7 we can view the “adulterous woman” as representing a person or group of people who are wrong according to scripture.  She calls to the “young man”, (who could represent any of us).  We see the young man is simple, he does not know much.  It is night = the absence of God's word.   She has the attire of the harlot = she is very appealing to his desires.  She is subtle, loud stubborn, not abiding in her own house = she is very crafty and evasive with issues, picking on minor points in an attempt to defeat a larger truth.  She opposes the traditional ways.  She goes outside of her house seeking to win and lure in others.  By talking about “peace offerings” she claims to be all right with God.

In Proverbs 8 Wisdom is also personified as a woman: 
(Proverbs 8:-4)  “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.“

For this reason we are to “lay up”, “keep”, “bind”, “write” God's principles in our hearts; and to say about wisdom:  “Thou art my Kinswoman”, “thou art my sister”.  Why do this?   To keep us away from the strange, adulterous woman.

WHEN IT'S GONE IT'S GONE

(Proverbs 5:3)  “Her mouth drops as a honeycomb and her moth is smoother than oil.”  This is how the wisdom of the world sounds.  It is sweet and smooth.  It is difficult to in over come because it sounds as if it is good (honey) and it sounds so logical and solid (smoother than oil).  But it is death (v5).

The wisdom of the world is movable (v6).  It has no standard upon which it is based, so it is free to drift in any convenient direction.  Also, when you shine the light of scripture and logic upon it to show that is is incorrect, it moves aside avoiding discovery.

The wisdom of the world will cause  you to:
- - Give your honor to others.  Your sense of worth and dedication will be among the humanists and evolutionists.  It will not be with God's people or family.
- - Give your years to the cruel.  Your time will have vanished among the humanists and evolutionists.  It will not be with God's people and family.
- - Strangers will be filled with your strength.    The materialists will have the effect of your strength and not God's people or family.
- - Your labors will be in the house of a stranger.  Your  labor will be in the house of people you don't know or own and not with God's people or family.
- - Your flesh and body will be consumed.  Your body will have been spent for your evolutionist education and in the service of the humanists and materialists.  Your possessions will have decayed and your career will not have furthered God's kingdom.

When you seek your occupation in place of your family, when you seek your automobile and other toys in place of God's will and at the expense of your character, when you select your fulfillment in place of your proper relationship to others - - then at the end you will find your honor gone to others, years to the cruel, strangers filled with your strength, labors in the house of others, flesh and body consumed.  At that point you will no longer be able to correct what you have done.

SEARCHING FOR TREASURE?

(Prov 2 . . .) “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures . . .”

It seems that it takes a lot of continual effort to get knowledge, understanding and wisdom. These things don't come easy and they don't come quick. It takes work - - it takes work every day. Receive, Hide, Incline, Apply, Cry, Lift your voice, Seek, Search.

When you seek for silver and search for hid treasure it's not done in five minutes of idle time before watching a video. To seek you must decide where, go there and inspect every rock formation. To search you must do diligent research and then methodically comb the area, balancing your resources while doing it. It takes time and it takes resources. You have to spend something.

So it is we have to spend something for God's word. The application of seeking understanding, knowledge and wisdom is to know the right paths, the right way. Both men and women, who are wicked, walk in wrong paths. The knowledge of the truth would deliver them. A great place to find it is in the Bible

WHAT'S THE CAUSE?

By looking at Genesis one I wonder if we can make an observation:  All things that appear to have a cause and effect may not have, or may not always have had, a cause/effect relationship.  God first made the light, then he divided it from the darkness, then he named the darkness “night” and the light “day”.  Then the evening and the morning were the first day.  It was after that (three days later, on the forth day) that God created the lights and attached them to the day/night cycle (“rule over the day and over the night”).

– There was light without a  “source” for it (i.e the sun, stars)
– There way have been “day and night” without the rotation of the earth (i.e. since there was yet no Sun and stars there was no need for the earth to rotate on it's axis, nor was there a need for the earth to revolve about the sun).
– Things may become associated into cause and effect after they both are brought into existence (there was light, then there were sources for the light, then the sources were made to rule over the light).

– Might there be other things that seem to be in a cause and effect relationship which really may not be that way?
– Were other energies made before the sources for them came into being?
– Is it natural for us, in a human sense, to create “energies” before we create the “sources?
     – Spirit  --->  Soul?
     – Idea  --->  Thought?
     – Feeling  --->  Thought?

ABOUT PLANNING

The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
- - You should understand your way.  You should know what you are going to do and how and when you are going to do it.

There is a way which seemeth good to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
- - In your plans make sure you are going where God wants, and not some other way.  Many ways seem good, not all are.

The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
- - Look well to the way you go and be wary of your counselors.  Every word of counsel should be examined and re-examined.  All should match the building of God's kingdom.

The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
- - The simple inherit folly because they have not made any plans.  They get whatever Satan, or some other non-godly element, brings their way.  The prudent see their plans accomplished.

In all labor there is profit, but the talk of the lips tendeth only to poverty.
- - Plans are good, but if you only talk of them (or just write them), and never work them, then they are useless.  You have to take action on our plans.  You also have to evaluate, re-evaluate and adjust them.

THE EFFECT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Righteousness doesn't just happen, it is built step by step on a daily basis.  It is not an “unchangeable” part of out character – something, like our body type or sex, that has been given us from the start.  When we need righteousness, if we haven't been working to build it, it will not be there

The act of righteousness is staying on a prescribed path.  Righteousness is like a pathway across a field, we know what is “path” and what is “field”.  To walk off the path is to walk into what is not known as righteousness.  At the best it is undefined, at the wort it is wickedness.  Someone has established what is right and what is wrong.  God has told us both: what is right and what is wrong.  Other sources can tell us this too.  However, other sources may only tell us what, according to them, is right; still others may tell us only what is wrong.  If the others are not God what they define for us as right may be, in fact, wrong.

Righteousness and wickedness start from within.  For the righteous what is within will preserve him when trouble comes, when the outward, uncontrollable, hurtful situation occurs.  However, what was internal to the wicked will have no worth for his deliverance.

The righteous would have been doing good acts and gaining a reputation for it.  Perhaps that is what helps save them.  Perhaps right internal responses results in the right outward responses in the time of trouble.

TO DO

These are some of the things to do to understand the fear of the Lord and to find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2 vs 3-4):

Do:  Receive God's words.
Result:  Believe what you read as for what it says and expect it to take authority.

Do:  Hide his commandments with you.
Result:  Memorize, keep them tucked away in private places.

Do:  Incline your ear to wisdom.
Result:  When you hear wise things focus your attention on them, tilt the head, hear more clearly.

Do:  Apply your heart to understanding.
Result:  Work for understanding, spend time at it, “stick to it”.

Do:  Cry after knowledge.
Result:  Call out for knowledge, arrest knowledge's attention by calling after her in public.  Visibly point out the facts, be a witness.

Do:  Lift up your voice for understanding.
Result:  In public make a plea for the true relationship among ideas, things, situations.  Cause true things to be presented in the courtroom.

Do:  Seek wisdom as silver.
Result:  Search for wisdom, it is of utmost value.

Do:  Search for her as hid treasures.
Result:  Search by overturning seemingly unrelated things, perhaps she may be behind them.

Remember:  The right way is obvious, the obvious is the right way.

THE DEAD TREE

Years ago when we lived on Blackwood Avenue in Gotha, Florida, there has a tall dead tree in your front yard.  I was very worried about it and feared what would happen if it fell over.  I did not have the money to pay someone to take it down and it was too tall for me to do myself.  But God sent along a wind storm which snapped the tree midway up the trunk and laid the top part neatly in the open part of my yard.  Only a few twigs were taken off the Sweet Gum tree, and a few minor branches off the Laurel oaks toward Timothy's yard.  Everything I was afraid might be damaged was spared:  the trees, the power lines, the well, Fannin's fence, the road, our cars.  Everything was fine.  All I had to do was buy a chainsaw ($260.00), saw up the the remains, and cart it off to the burn pile in the back yard (this was before laws against open burning).

How many things of great convenience does God do for us that we do not even recognize?  How many that we know of do we fail to thank him for?

GOD SAYS, WORLD SAYS

God says: “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”
World says: Put yourself forward and listen to your own standards to get riches and honor; for riches and honor are life.

God says: Think of others
World says: Think of yourself

God says: Do what is right
World says: Do for yourself

God says: Give others the way when it seems to be their time
World says: Take your chance, don't let others get in the way or you will miss out

God says: Obey God's rules
World says: Stick by whatever set of standards works for you as long as they suit your goals

God says: Respect authority
World says: Use the authorities to suit you, or get around them, or bribe them.

And you would add . . . ?

God says:
World says:

God says:
World says:

THE STRANGE WOMAN

Proverbs 5 speaks of the “Strange woman”. Here is what happens to the man that goes after her:

• He gives his honor to others
• He gives his years to the cruel
• Strangers are filled with his wealth
• His labors are in the house of a stranger
• His body is consumed (and he knows it did not have to be consumed).
• He knows he did not listen to instruction, his folly is on his own hands.

Think of the “strange woman” as the way of thinking that is not after God's way. It is without regard to God's instruction. In this way a woman (female) can also go after the “strange woman” (ungodly thinking).

BACK-AND-FORTH ON IMAGINATION

I have an active imagination. In my Journal of 1995 I was thinking the following:

I have been trying to do away with my imaginations. I wonder if they do not short circuit good that I might do. I live vicariously through the imagination. I imagine it, therefore I have “done” it, therefore I do not really have to do it.

Yet God says “without vision the people perish”. Some sort of thinking about what will happen is good. How can an event take place without there first being an idea? But I wonder if my imagining takes away from positive action. Certainly the negative imagining is not good for it sets an evil cast upon events which have not actually happened.

Maybe my mind being so full of imaginations keeps me from hearing from the Spirit of God. For example, I imagine “others do not want me around” and I launch my imagination off in that direction. What I should rather say is, “I resist that [negative] thinking; God said, 'resist the Devil and he will flee from you, draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh unto you'. In the name of Jesus I resist that thought.”

I need to walk “by faith and not by sight”. But surely “by faith” has a good deal to do with inward thought and therefore imagination. Perhaps God's inward voice to us originates partly through the imagination. Is it not possible he can use this tool?

It's important to know what God says and believe it is true (the faith part) and thereby order my behavior. If I listen to only what I say, I have a motor but no rudder. If I also listen to what other men say, I have a motor and rudder but no map or compass. If I listen to what I think, what other men say, and primarily to what God says, I have a motor, rudder, a reliable map and compass. I must use all sensibly.

NEITHER SEEING NOR HEARING

(Of idols:)
Psa_115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
Psa_135:16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

(Of people:)
Jer_5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
Eze_12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Mat_13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

TREE TRUNK

When you look at me think of looking at the trunk of a tree. I am the stem, the trunk. Above me are the branches: my children and grandchildren. These will grow out to ever more branches as long as there be human existence on earth. Below me are the roots: all my ancestors. These would be my Parents, Grandparents, Great Grandparents, etc. These go out ever wider into numerous sub-roots.

We, as a human society, divide ourselves into various categories: country of origins, ethnic groups and races. Let’s think about country or origin as a root system. Because my Father’s parents came from Sweden, I could say “I am Swedish”. But what about the heritage I received from my Mother? I could not exist without her, so, if I am like a trunk of a tree, I am not just “Swedish” but I am a blend of “English” and “Swedish”. I am more like a candy cane: a spiral of two things (mother and father) that flow up into all subsequent branches.

However, If I say only “I am Swedish” I deny being English. If I say “I am English” I deny being Swedish. To name one and ignore the other is an insult to the one I fail to mention. It is not a complete description of who I am. If someone wants to know more about my national heritage than just that I am an American I would say I am a mix of Swedish and English.

Think about race. The same issue (mentioning one and ignoring the other) arises when talking about our racial heritage. In fact I am a blend of whatever racial background my parents provide. In this country this seems to be an issue for people of mixed African and European racial origins. Some seem to prefer to refer to themselves only as “Black”. True, a few others choose to refer to themselves only as “White”; but when they do that we say they are "passing".

What of their true heritage? Why is there shame in having a white heritage? Why is there shame in having a black heritage? In fact every one of us has a complex mix of cultural, ethnic and racial diversity that serve to make us the unique person we are. This has become an issue with charged emotional content in this country resulting from our national history infected with slavery and racial discrimination. It really doesn’t much matter to most of us in the USA when we divide ourselves by country of origin. But when we divide ourselves by the notion of race it becomes a big deal to some.

The trouble with the tree analogy I used at the first is that my branches don’t stay branches. They become trunks themselves as they unite with someone else’s branch. My children get married. They (the two of them, man and wife) become a trunk that produces branches: they have children. I love my children. I love my grand children, and cherish who they have become. They are a mix contributing to the makeup and future of the Clan. We are a tree: roots, trunk and branches. My grandchildren, as much as my sons, are my blood. And through the blood of my grandchildren my sons' wives have become my daughters.

If at some future point someone were to inquire for a more perfect definition of my grand children's heritage than simply "American" I would feel slighted if the grandchildren or great grandchildren identified themselves solely as "White" or “Black” or “English” or “Swedish” and ignored their other roots.

There is too much to accomplish in a family that is positive, that builds and feeds and shares all that has made this “tree” healthy and beautiful.

WHEN “REGULAR” IS NOT ENOUGH

I once attended a church where where it appeared that I made two of the clergy angry.  One was older.  He never smiled at me or ever gave any indication of welcome, let alone kindness.  Once or twice he reached around behind me to smile and welcome another.  If I had committed some great offense I was never shown what it was.

The other was younger and phoned me up to ask why I had not provided an “Exit Interview”.  He seemed quite put out about it.  I neither executed any “Membership Document” nor verbally expressed an interest in becoming a “Member”.  I thought being a member of the Body of Christ was enough.  If there was a contract written, stated or implied I was ignorant of it.  Perhaps I was wrong by being a regular participant in the worship and providing them with a portion of my tithe.

WHAT DO WE DESERVE?

Jude 11 says: “Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of CAIN and ran greedily after the way of BALAAM for reward, and perished after the gainsaying of CORE. (emphasis mine)

CAIN – The sacrifice of works rather than the sacrifice of blood.

BALAAM – Seeking to become rich in the doing of God's work.

CORE – putting up themselves to take the place of God's appointed leaders.

What does this say about us? Do we place our toil before God and expect him to honor it? Do we expect riches and honor to flow from our doing of God's assignments? Do we believe we can do something better than the one that God seems to have already placed there?

DRESSING THE WOMAN

Where is the sin when women don't dress right? It is in the mind of the one who describes it as sin. There are one of three that make this determination: God, the man, and the woman.

The most important of the three is God. How does he define appropriate dress? He started clothing people at the garden of Eden. He said we should wear some type of clothing. My guess is he wanted to inhibit promiscuity. He did not want us going about exciting sin in the heart of another person or group. Notice he also established the marriage relationship which drastically reduces sex opportunities.

Dressing well for the woman can mean many things. She wants to look good, to be attractive, to be in style and to be comfortable (not too hot or too cold). She wants to attract a man's attention for companionship, to impress him, and to be respected.  However, some women merely want to appear sexy.

The man looks at the woman's clothing to appraise her for many reasons. What are her intentions? Does she want companionship? Does she want attention? Is she doing it for lust?  He thinks: what can I get from her, companionship, a cooperative workmate, sexual favors? How should I treat her? Should I treat her with respect, with disdain? Should I avoid her; should I befriend her?

Sin in dressing does not originate with the woman alone.  More frequently it starts in the man's heart. I really resent men who require women to be clothed in draperies because she may incite men to lust. A man should control his own mind and where he looks. He should not lay the blame for his sin on a woman. That being said, I doubt we would get along well as a society with no dress codes at all.

HAS HE BEEN THERE?

Much of what we know about God comes from how he has worked with other men. We know when  God works in men because they write about it. Of the writings we have available to us men decide some are true, some are not. What we should look for in these writings are:

They are eye witnesses
They have known eye witnesses
They have lived within 200 years after Christ lived,

THE ILLUSION OF PREDESTINATION

God is the God of all time. He exists in the past, present and future. For him time is just another created entity that is controlled by him. I can somewhat comprehend the foreknowledge of God in this manner: I am 71 years old. I know at 71 that I have been in the Navy, have married, have three children who are married, and am retired. If I was like God, and time was something I created, I (being god) would exist also at the time I was born as well as I do at this time, and for eternity. Time is like a dot moving along a line.

- - >Birth===========>.(Now)==========>Death - - - - - - - - ->>

Creatures subject to time must stay on the dot, but God stands back a distance from the line and can see the dot, the beginning and end of the line. So if I were like God, I could stand back from the line, while the dot was at 71 years and see clearly at the spot on the line of me at zero years. I would know that in the “future” I would join the Navy, get married, have children, work and retire.

If I were like God, I could proclaim all this to the zero year spot on the line and it would sound to the zero year old creation me like predestination. However, the 71 year old me had been making choices all along the way to the present, and will make choices into the future. But I can not stand back from the line, like God, to see the extent of it. God may know what my choices will be but I do not. I must make them when I arrive at them with the best of my knowledge, experience, intelligence and ability. And It is possible for me to make bad choices, even sinful ones. God does not strong-arm me to decide certain ways. The finest proof of that is: God gave me the choice of whether to accept Christ as Savior and Lord or not. I did not have a place in heaven until I chose it.

FROM THE WELL OF HUMANISM

Here is a quote I recently saw: "Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax." Will someone explain this to me? What is “your power”? It seems to me it could be many things. Your “power” would be directed toward something or things or purpose. What are they? This sentence, “Your ability . . . “, would require many paragraphs to explain it, perhaps a book. The sentence does not convey usable guidance as would a verse (any verse) from Proverbs. The sentence comes from the well of humanism.

SERVING IS NOT AN OPTION

Jesus speaks to his disciples when they did not want him to wash their feet, “. . . if I wash thee not, thou hast no part in me.” He was saying that it is not an option about accepting the service of God. We must accept his personally serving us. Even though we know him to be God - - greater than any other person, object or force - - we must allow him to serve us. Even if he is very much higher in station and privilege than us we accept his service as if he were one very much lower.

So our serving others is not an activity we should avoid. We do it because we are to be like him, as commanded. We should do as he does. Right after talking about serving, Jesus tells us “. . . the servant is not greater than his lord . . .” Why does he say this? Is it because he knows as we get to serving one another we will begin to think how noble and giving we are? Perhaps more noble and giving than anyone else in the whole world ever was? Perhaps more a servant than God ever knew how to be?

We can never serve as God has served us: by taking the punishment for a misbehaving creation to demonstrate the extent of his care for us. Yet he wants us to be like him in serving. In doing so we must remember we are made to serve, not to be served. And, may I add, when being served we show sincere appreciation for it.

24 CARROT GOLD MIRACLE

Jesus wanted to allow Lazarus to die so he waited four days before he went to him. If Jesus had been there when he was alive, a sick man would have been healed. This still would have been a miracle, but a lesser one. Some would have said, “Lazarus was sick and just got well; he would have recovered even it Jesus were not there.”

By letting him die and raising Lazarus from the dead he performed a much greater miracle, a 24 carrot gold miracle, a miracle almost as good as it gets. Who could argue with it?

The Pharisees could, and did. Their solution to the problem was to seek to put Lazarus to death (John 12:10). If you can't argue with the truth, avoid it.