Jesus was sitting at a well in Samaria and asked for a drink from woman who came there. She was surprised that a Jewish man would even speak to her. She questioned back in an attitude that appeared to be cynical. Why would not she be cynical? Apparently, no man treated her well, and here was a man, and an enemy of Samaritans at that, that was asking a favor of her.
I wonder if we ourselves question Jesus in cynicism?
He said to the woman, "If you knew who it was that asked you for water, you would ask of him living water".
Sometimes we wonder, as the Samaritan might have wondered, “what on earth is he talking about?”
She said, "The well is deep - how is it possible for you to get water out, I do not see a bucket? Beside this, I do not understand the principles of this ‘living water’ ".
Do we fully understand the immense life Jesus has given to us? How can we get something with what appears to be no effort?
She says, "Our father Jacob dug this well; we have our own established means of religion."
Jesus says, "He that drinks this well water will thirst again, the water I give is living water will be a well springing up in him and he shall never thirst again, Your religion will leave you thirsty, the living water I give will be in you at all times, it does not depend on religion."
If we were there like the woman we would probably say, "yeah, right, prove it, give me the quote living water unquote."
Jesus says "bring your husband"
At this point her whole attitude changes when she admits she has no husband (in fact she has churned through five husbands). She is no longer cynical; she wants to get answers from Jesus. She earnestly asks, "Our tradition says worship this way, you say another; What about that?"
He says, "The time is coming when there will be no politically correct place to worship. We will worship in spirit and in truth. The true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth; Those are the kind of worshippers the father seeks. The way to worship God is in spirit and in truth.
She said, "We know the end times are coming when all things will be put right, Christ will have returned and he will answer all our questions."
Jesus said, "I am here now, and I am speaking to you now."
Isn’t that what we want too? Just skip to the end of it all, let’s do this heaven thing now. Do we really realize that Jesus is with us at this very moment? He is with us even when things are falling in the toilet all around us? He is with us, though disappointed, when we are acting badly? How far, really, are we from the Samaritan woman?
Monday, October 14, 2019
Thursday, October 10, 2019
HAVING THE RIGHT CLOTHES
I had a dream that I went onto Navy ship for the purpose of serving on one more cruise. Even though I was a Radioman I went to the Radar Shack to ask them if they had a particular kind of food. They were eating and offered what they had, but I refused. I was aware that my not eating what they offered might offend them. I left the ship to get some things from shore, but the ship was getting underway and I was caught. I realized I didn’t have adequate uniforms. The ones I had were old and too small.
If I were to spiritualize this dream, I might say I did not have the uniforms because I was not like them; they were Radarmen and I was a Radioman; I was a Christian while many others were not. I was of the Lord and they were not. I feared because my uniforms were not adequate to their purposes. Many worldly people reject the “dress” of Christians; it gets in the way of how they conduct their life. And we as Christians are aware our life is not like theirs and we are not liked because of it. Sometimes we wish to blend in – to wear the “proper” uniform, one like theirs. Let’s face it, sometimes we have not kept our uniforms well.
I pray, “Lord please make my clothing to be just what you want it to be. I want the uniform of the Lord’s Navy. I want a garment for the Wedding Supper of The Lamb. You want me to take care of my earthy uniform, please show me how.”
A cruse on a Navy ship is temporary, it lasts for a definite period or time. Time in the Navy lasts from enlistment to discharge. Whatever earthly job you have lasts for a short time. Life in the flesh is also a definite period of time. The flesh-life starts at conception and ends when the body dies. Yet life goes on eternally after the flesh dies.
I want to be clothed with godliness. I want to show up in Heaven with the proper uniform. I don't want earthly food I want the Bread of Life.
If I were to spiritualize this dream, I might say I did not have the uniforms because I was not like them; they were Radarmen and I was a Radioman; I was a Christian while many others were not. I was of the Lord and they were not. I feared because my uniforms were not adequate to their purposes. Many worldly people reject the “dress” of Christians; it gets in the way of how they conduct their life. And we as Christians are aware our life is not like theirs and we are not liked because of it. Sometimes we wish to blend in – to wear the “proper” uniform, one like theirs. Let’s face it, sometimes we have not kept our uniforms well.
I pray, “Lord please make my clothing to be just what you want it to be. I want the uniform of the Lord’s Navy. I want a garment for the Wedding Supper of The Lamb. You want me to take care of my earthy uniform, please show me how.”
A cruse on a Navy ship is temporary, it lasts for a definite period or time. Time in the Navy lasts from enlistment to discharge. Whatever earthly job you have lasts for a short time. Life in the flesh is also a definite period of time. The flesh-life starts at conception and ends when the body dies. Yet life goes on eternally after the flesh dies.
I want to be clothed with godliness. I want to show up in Heaven with the proper uniform. I don't want earthly food I want the Bread of Life.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
GETTING IMMERSED
Jesus says that if a man is not born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. This compares with first John that speaks of the blood, water, and spirit. We are born naturally - the blood. We must also have the water and spirit.
I wonder if the water is the baptism - some sort of public confession of Christ. Some say it must be religious ceremony, an actual baptism rite, as when one is baptized in a church, or at least at a gathering of Christians for the purpose of baptism. Perhaps it might be the immersion into the Christian life after one is saved.
The Holy Spirit lighted on Jesus when he was baptized. Some say the baptism event is when we get the Holy Spirit. Yet Ephesians 1:13 says, "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. . . " In other words "believe" and "receive" happen at the same time. It seems we believe the gospel, get saved and are indwelt with the Holy Spirit simultaneously.
We want grand things, but the truth is we must receive simple things. When most of us are told the gospel and believe it is through a simple voice communication, not through some fantastic, electrically-crackling incident. Only the shepherds got to see the chorus of Angels when they were given the good news. We get to hear it when someone comes up and buttonholes us on the street. Many times the messenger is not attractive. We have to accept what we are given. If we do not believe when men speak to us of earthly things, how shall we believe if they were to speak of heavenly things?
So here we have the blood, water and spirit. We all have the blood part down; do you have the water and spirit part down too?
I wonder if the water is the baptism - some sort of public confession of Christ. Some say it must be religious ceremony, an actual baptism rite, as when one is baptized in a church, or at least at a gathering of Christians for the purpose of baptism. Perhaps it might be the immersion into the Christian life after one is saved.
The Holy Spirit lighted on Jesus when he was baptized. Some say the baptism event is when we get the Holy Spirit. Yet Ephesians 1:13 says, "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. . . " In other words "believe" and "receive" happen at the same time. It seems we believe the gospel, get saved and are indwelt with the Holy Spirit simultaneously.
We want grand things, but the truth is we must receive simple things. When most of us are told the gospel and believe it is through a simple voice communication, not through some fantastic, electrically-crackling incident. Only the shepherds got to see the chorus of Angels when they were given the good news. We get to hear it when someone comes up and buttonholes us on the street. Many times the messenger is not attractive. We have to accept what we are given. If we do not believe when men speak to us of earthly things, how shall we believe if they were to speak of heavenly things?
So here we have the blood, water and spirit. We all have the blood part down; do you have the water and spirit part down too?
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
WISDOM OR SCOFFING
People must make an effort to get knowledge and wisdom, and, they have to make an effort not to. Here are some key works related to the acquisition of wisdom: hearing, perception, reception, attaining, understanding. This seems to be a progression to me. You first hear an idea, you perceive what it means, you receive it (or refuse it), then you accrue the benefits of it; all the steps of which lead to wisdom.
Proverbs tells us Wisdom cries out to both the Simple and the Scorner. If they were to turn, she would pour out her spirit and make known her words. The Simple person is unaware of basic facts, does not know choices, or have comprehension. He may not be capable of more complex mental activities. The Scorner looks upon Wisdom’s ways as inferior and is more than willing to say so. If the Simple and Scorner will turn (steer away from the evil way of doing things), Wisdom will make them capable of understanding. The spirit of Wisdom would enable them to think the way the Wisdom thinks. Wise concepts will be revealed for them . They will be able to see as they never have seen before, as when in a dark room and the light has been turned on. What a wonderful thing this is: for the Simple to become wise and capable and for this Scorner to have a humble, hopeful view of things. But it takes the effort of turning
Some people choose not to have wisdom for they hate inconvenient truth and they do not choose the fear of the Lord. They would have none of Wisdom’s counsel. They despise all the reproofs. The turning away of the Simple will slay them. Those that choose prosperity over wisdom (and obedience and godliness) are choosing destruction. It takes effort to be wise and godly and it takes effort not to be wise and godly. If we are going spend our energy, let us make the effort that profits to godliness and results in wisdom. All such things are decisions easy to make that can have profound, if not eternal, consequences. The only difficulty comes in choosing a discipline over a want, the uncomfortable truth over a comfortable lie.
Proverbs tells us Wisdom cries out to both the Simple and the Scorner. If they were to turn, she would pour out her spirit and make known her words. The Simple person is unaware of basic facts, does not know choices, or have comprehension. He may not be capable of more complex mental activities. The Scorner looks upon Wisdom’s ways as inferior and is more than willing to say so. If the Simple and Scorner will turn (steer away from the evil way of doing things), Wisdom will make them capable of understanding. The spirit of Wisdom would enable them to think the way the Wisdom thinks. Wise concepts will be revealed for them . They will be able to see as they never have seen before, as when in a dark room and the light has been turned on. What a wonderful thing this is: for the Simple to become wise and capable and for this Scorner to have a humble, hopeful view of things. But it takes the effort of turning
Some people choose not to have wisdom for they hate inconvenient truth and they do not choose the fear of the Lord. They would have none of Wisdom’s counsel. They despise all the reproofs. The turning away of the Simple will slay them. Those that choose prosperity over wisdom (and obedience and godliness) are choosing destruction. It takes effort to be wise and godly and it takes effort not to be wise and godly. If we are going spend our energy, let us make the effort that profits to godliness and results in wisdom. All such things are decisions easy to make that can have profound, if not eternal, consequences. The only difficulty comes in choosing a discipline over a want, the uncomfortable truth over a comfortable lie.
Monday, September 9, 2019
WAYS TO AVOID
From Proverbs 31:
This is the advice of a mother -- "give not your strength to women or your ways to that which destroys Kings" . Interesting that a mother’s advice to a man she cares for, one she wants to give the inside track to, is to avoid other women. I think that "unknown women" are different from "mother", "wife", "sister": he should not spend his money, time and influence for women that are not his family or ones that cannot be trusted.
The thrust of a man's life should not be women. I think it would not be even his wife. He should not view his life’s task as living for his wife. His purpose is to serve his God. In the service of his God he cares for his wife and raises an educates his children. In the exercise of serving God, a man serves others: like wife and children. God requires it.
These should be the ways of Kings:
- - Be not we drunk
- - Open the mouth for the dumb that are appointed to destruction
- - Open the mouth in order to judge righteously
- - Plead the cause of the poor and needy
The function of government is not to distribute services and wealth but to:
- - Step in as an arbitrator and an advocate for those with little wealth, low mental capability, in desperate situations.
- - Rightly apply an administer God’s and human law.
- - To decide between one and the other .
- - Have a heart for, and be an advocate for, those that cannot speak in that are scheduled to be pushed aside.
This is the advice of a mother -- "give not your strength to women or your ways to that which destroys Kings" . Interesting that a mother’s advice to a man she cares for, one she wants to give the inside track to, is to avoid other women. I think that "unknown women" are different from "mother", "wife", "sister": he should not spend his money, time and influence for women that are not his family or ones that cannot be trusted.
The thrust of a man's life should not be women. I think it would not be even his wife. He should not view his life’s task as living for his wife. His purpose is to serve his God. In the service of his God he cares for his wife and raises an educates his children. In the exercise of serving God, a man serves others: like wife and children. God requires it.
These should be the ways of Kings:
- - Be not we drunk
- - Open the mouth for the dumb that are appointed to destruction
- - Open the mouth in order to judge righteously
- - Plead the cause of the poor and needy
The function of government is not to distribute services and wealth but to:
- - Step in as an arbitrator and an advocate for those with little wealth, low mental capability, in desperate situations.
- - Rightly apply an administer God’s and human law.
- - To decide between one and the other .
- - Have a heart for, and be an advocate for, those that cannot speak in that are scheduled to be pushed aside.
Monday, September 2, 2019
WHO WRITES THE AGENDA?
Many of the People I worked with took laptop computers home with them so they could remotely communicate with the Home Office. I didn’t want to do that. To me work was work and home was home. When there were work flurries at work there did not have to be flurries at home. I did not want work to grab hold of me and manipulate my thinking, my actions, my free time and specially my family time.
But it’s different with God. Wherever I am I can always communicate with God. I know God wants me to call back to the Home Office. God is concerned with my thinking and my actions. He always wants influence over me. While worldly work would attempt overload me with things to think about and things to do, God gives me only what is the most needful and important at the time. Even the church and brother Christians would seek to impress their agendas on me.
I believe God is the best agenda writer. He knows what items to put on, what to leave off, what to emphasize, how to order them and what to revisit. Beyond all this, He knows how our "meetings" fit and interplay with everyone else’s meetings. I want the grace to know what God’s agenda is, and how best to prosecute it.
God’s "emails" and "meetings" promote and build his Kingdom, which is where I want to live. I wish to be a "repairer of the breech restorer of paths to walk in" God’s Kingdom is good for everybody.
But it’s different with God. Wherever I am I can always communicate with God. I know God wants me to call back to the Home Office. God is concerned with my thinking and my actions. He always wants influence over me. While worldly work would attempt overload me with things to think about and things to do, God gives me only what is the most needful and important at the time. Even the church and brother Christians would seek to impress their agendas on me.
I believe God is the best agenda writer. He knows what items to put on, what to leave off, what to emphasize, how to order them and what to revisit. Beyond all this, He knows how our "meetings" fit and interplay with everyone else’s meetings. I want the grace to know what God’s agenda is, and how best to prosecute it.
God’s "emails" and "meetings" promote and build his Kingdom, which is where I want to live. I wish to be a "repairer of the breech restorer of paths to walk in" God’s Kingdom is good for everybody.
Monday, August 26, 2019
WRITING IN A CORNER
In a growing family sometimes it's hard to withdraw to a place quiet enough to write anything about God, or to hear from God. Yet within all the noise, interaction, chaos and chores is my greatest blessing. In my life I have had lively talented people: my wife and children. Although sometimes we chafed each other, we were not so empty of character so as to have small personalities.
I thank God for hands that can write with some degree of expression. We must learn to appreciate action when we would rather be quiet and be inactive. I must learn to view the cacophony through some other lens. In need to observe and learn from the process of life and activity rather than being walled away from it.
I thank God for hands that can write with some degree of expression. We must learn to appreciate action when we would rather be quiet and be inactive. I must learn to view the cacophony through some other lens. In need to observe and learn from the process of life and activity rather than being walled away from it.
Friday, August 23, 2019
MAN-MADE ORGANIZATIONS
From my journal back in 1997 I apparently joined a union at work. I don’t remember this and can only say I did now because of the Journal entry. I wrote the following:
I have been noticing a lot lately that God says that he will be found by them that seek for him. But he will refuse those who forsake his ways. This has been occurring many places in Second Chronicles. There are some, like Asa, who do well at first by seeking the Lord, yet do poorly later by seeking men's help. Lord if I did wrong by joining the union I am sorry. You delivered king Asa from the Midianites, over a million men. You could have delivered Asa without the help of the Syrians. (Asa might have even complicated your plans for the use of Israel against the Syrians). But Asa sought the help of man. Lord I know you can deliver me from work, the union, or any organization of men.
I also know you can use any man or organization in my life to deliver or prosper me. I ask that you establish two things (for you are the one who establishes - no matter what any man does): I ask for the grace to always seek your will, first an above all. And I ask that the efforts and fruits of my life be to the establishing of your Kingdom in the world and the one to come.
I also ask that my answers to any man be those which can only be used for the building of your Kingdom and the destruction of all that is against it.
I have been noticing a lot lately that God says that he will be found by them that seek for him. But he will refuse those who forsake his ways. This has been occurring many places in Second Chronicles. There are some, like Asa, who do well at first by seeking the Lord, yet do poorly later by seeking men's help. Lord if I did wrong by joining the union I am sorry. You delivered king Asa from the Midianites, over a million men. You could have delivered Asa without the help of the Syrians. (Asa might have even complicated your plans for the use of Israel against the Syrians). But Asa sought the help of man. Lord I know you can deliver me from work, the union, or any organization of men.
I also know you can use any man or organization in my life to deliver or prosper me. I ask that you establish two things (for you are the one who establishes - no matter what any man does): I ask for the grace to always seek your will, first an above all. And I ask that the efforts and fruits of my life be to the establishing of your Kingdom in the world and the one to come.
I also ask that my answers to any man be those which can only be used for the building of your Kingdom and the destruction of all that is against it.
Monday, August 19, 2019
MAKING WORK PLEASANT
When I was working, I had these thoughts:
My job is a pleasant place because it gives me challenges, new things to do, and allows me freedom to invent or discover the solutions to those challenges. But I often feel distressed when something new comes up. I even delay action on these things for worrying over them. Maybe that's why I spend so much time in the software.
Perhaps it would be better to view these challenges as part of the pleasant place, as a game I have entered, something to play seriously, but not get upset about. If I succeed (win) fine, if I lose, so what, I still have my eternal Salvation. But how does this really play in? What about the scripture, "Whatsoever thou find to do, do it with all thy might"? Should I not consider it a game, should I care about it more deeply?
God looks on how we play the game in the same way we listened to our young children at a piano recital. We go and sit in the front row, smile at the performance and invariably clinch our teeth. What is important is that the child played, did the best he could. We lasted through sour notes and hoped for the pure ones later. In the same way God waits while we perform the recital of life.
The outcome of national or business affairs will have little or no effect on the Kingdom of God. If I lose at work it is no big deal, but if I win it is no big deal either. It is how I live in the Kingdom today that matters - how I play the game. God will control the outcome of the game as he always has. We just control which side it is we play on: God’s side, or the world's side.
One driven by the wind is motivated from the outside . One driven by God is driven from the inside.
My job is a pleasant place because it gives me challenges, new things to do, and allows me freedom to invent or discover the solutions to those challenges. But I often feel distressed when something new comes up. I even delay action on these things for worrying over them. Maybe that's why I spend so much time in the software.
Perhaps it would be better to view these challenges as part of the pleasant place, as a game I have entered, something to play seriously, but not get upset about. If I succeed (win) fine, if I lose, so what, I still have my eternal Salvation. But how does this really play in? What about the scripture, "Whatsoever thou find to do, do it with all thy might"? Should I not consider it a game, should I care about it more deeply?
God looks on how we play the game in the same way we listened to our young children at a piano recital. We go and sit in the front row, smile at the performance and invariably clinch our teeth. What is important is that the child played, did the best he could. We lasted through sour notes and hoped for the pure ones later. In the same way God waits while we perform the recital of life.
The outcome of national or business affairs will have little or no effect on the Kingdom of God. If I lose at work it is no big deal, but if I win it is no big deal either. It is how I live in the Kingdom today that matters - how I play the game. God will control the outcome of the game as he always has. We just control which side it is we play on: God’s side, or the world's side.
One driven by the wind is motivated from the outside . One driven by God is driven from the inside.
Friday, August 16, 2019
AVOIDING FOLLY
A mocker resents correction, he will not consult the wise, A mocker is one who ridicules, one who points out by criticism or cynicism what he perceives to be faults. There was a lot of mockery at my old workplace. I set a task for myself to keep from indulging in mockery, to keep myself from sharing in fault finding. “The discerning heart seeks knowledge but the mouth of the fool feeds on folly" In keeping myself from the mockery and complaining mentioned above, I had to look to the essential good of every task I did. I thought I should write down the "essential purpose" of every task and "silver lining" of every apparent bad situation.
“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel". When People were getting angry, I needed to be patient. I needed to be the one to find the solution, the one who can find the solution to both sides, if I could.
“Folly delights the man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.” Sometimes I found myself in this situation when I was working a software problem. For example I might be using Access to make a report. I wanted the software to do a task, like copy in some fields from a spreadsheet rather than typing them in myself. I would spend a whole day in folly (trying to make the software do the work) rather than keeping a straight course simply typing the report I needed while giving up on the rabbit trail of the software solution. In that situation I was delighting myself in folly. Working the software was more fun than the actual task I was using it for. I could have honored God by honoring my work by sticking to the task I started with, saying the course.
In spite of the above, what a wonderful privilege God had given me. At work I received challenging tasks, new ones all the time. I was given a free hand about how to achieve them. I could even go about them in a wrong way, as when I spent too much time on the software. I was given wonderful and interesting tools to work with. I traveled to many interesting places in the country. We did real work, useful work, national defense work, not merely entertainment work.
“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel". When People were getting angry, I needed to be patient. I needed to be the one to find the solution, the one who can find the solution to both sides, if I could.
“Folly delights the man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.” Sometimes I found myself in this situation when I was working a software problem. For example I might be using Access to make a report. I wanted the software to do a task, like copy in some fields from a spreadsheet rather than typing them in myself. I would spend a whole day in folly (trying to make the software do the work) rather than keeping a straight course simply typing the report I needed while giving up on the rabbit trail of the software solution. In that situation I was delighting myself in folly. Working the software was more fun than the actual task I was using it for. I could have honored God by honoring my work by sticking to the task I started with, saying the course.
In spite of the above, what a wonderful privilege God had given me. At work I received challenging tasks, new ones all the time. I was given a free hand about how to achieve them. I could even go about them in a wrong way, as when I spent too much time on the software. I was given wonderful and interesting tools to work with. I traveled to many interesting places in the country. We did real work, useful work, national defense work, not merely entertainment work.
Monday, August 12, 2019
WHAT TO WRITE DOWN
Instead of the exercise of - or maybe In addition to - writing down, "I will conquer my daydreaming", perhaps I should write something like, "I will control my thinking and my activity so that I spend my effort toward things productive, toward the Kingdom of Heaven". A corollary of that is, "I will not waste my time on entertainment which is harmful to the Kingdom of God, and therefore harmful to me".
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body [and my thoughts], and bring it [them] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Joshua 24:15 . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Sometimes I feel I am in a dangerous, dry and thirsty land. I ask the Lord to please deliver me. Please create in me something where now there is nothing. God is the one who creates something from nothing.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body [and my thoughts], and bring it [them] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Joshua 24:15 . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Sometimes I feel I am in a dangerous, dry and thirsty land. I ask the Lord to please deliver me. Please create in me something where now there is nothing. God is the one who creates something from nothing.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
ONE OVER THE OTHER
Playing musical instruments can teach us more than the practice of music. A while ago (quite a while ago) Calvary Assembly called an asked that I come and play the timpani Sunday morning. This was Wednesday. We were attending another church at the time, Saint Paul’s Presbyterian. I had to decide if I would play at Calvary or play at Saint Paul’s. It was a struggle for me to make up my mind because Calvary was a more interesting and challenging venue. Finally, I decided that to choose one would show favor for the one I chose, and disfavor for the one I did not. This put the choice out of the arena of personal musical advancement and into the area of loyalty. As long as they needed my I would play at the church I was attending.
When I played at Saint Paul’s, Ron, the drummer, said he had missed me on the percussion the previous week when I had been in Seattle. When you're loyal you're missed.
When I played at Saint Paul’s, Ron, the drummer, said he had missed me on the percussion the previous week when I had been in Seattle. When you're loyal you're missed.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
DON'T GO TO MOON
I am not in favor of a manned expedition to the moon. There are many reasons the foremost of which is the enormous national cost. What will be the cost-to-benefit ratio for having humans on the moon? Unmanned machines can safely accomplish almost all tasks required for scientific or economic purposes as humans could do.
What advantage will there be? Do we want to identify and mine materials there? The cost to bring such material to earth would equal or exceed the cost to establish equipment on the moon’s surface. The cost to establish humans there would be even greater.
The money could be spent on near-earth orbit projects such as Space Lab, Satellites, medical experiments. Florida’s "Space Coast" will continue to thrive as it presently is without a moon program.
I believe we should fund the exploration of our own oceans. They are readily accessible; they are right on our coastlines. We already have extensive experience working in that environment. We could further develop the vehicles to enter that environment by modifying or re-designing them or inventing new types. We can expand our knowledge of the living organisms that live there, many thousands of which we may not yet know. There are no living organisms on the moon. If there were, they could not be kept alive on earth except at great expense. We can develop new concepts of ocean exploration and material retrieval. Any material that can be retrieved will be cheaper to retrieve from the ocean than from an object 238,900 miles away.
Ocean exploration will more directly and cheaply benefit all citizens in the United States. Explore space but limit manned exploration to near orbit ventures.
What advantage will there be? Do we want to identify and mine materials there? The cost to bring such material to earth would equal or exceed the cost to establish equipment on the moon’s surface. The cost to establish humans there would be even greater.
The money could be spent on near-earth orbit projects such as Space Lab, Satellites, medical experiments. Florida’s "Space Coast" will continue to thrive as it presently is without a moon program.
I believe we should fund the exploration of our own oceans. They are readily accessible; they are right on our coastlines. We already have extensive experience working in that environment. We could further develop the vehicles to enter that environment by modifying or re-designing them or inventing new types. We can expand our knowledge of the living organisms that live there, many thousands of which we may not yet know. There are no living organisms on the moon. If there were, they could not be kept alive on earth except at great expense. We can develop new concepts of ocean exploration and material retrieval. Any material that can be retrieved will be cheaper to retrieve from the ocean than from an object 238,900 miles away.
Ocean exploration will more directly and cheaply benefit all citizens in the United States. Explore space but limit manned exploration to near orbit ventures.
Friday, July 26, 2019
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING
Sometimes we are not even aware of what the long view should be. Most of the time, and most of what we think or do, we do not consider the long view or big picture. The only think about what we need or what right now.
Since the writer in Psalm 63 is writing from a "dry and worn out land" this may suggest a-frame of mind of trying to endure through hard times because better times are coming. An example is exercising when I do not want to because I know I will be better off if I do. And it's not because I can "feel Noble" that I've done the exercise; it is better because it really does have a different, and more gratifying reward. Perhaps every spiritual discipline will be the same way.
Psalm 33:9 speaks of God creating something from nothing. Having this in mind, maybe it is acceptable to ask God to do what seems impossible. We ask him during what seems to us an impossible situation, to create something from nothing, to supply resources where there are none. We ask God to give us that desire. In our asking God to establish our desires for us, we should not lose sight of the long view - what is God's will in this the matter and how will this have meaning in God's Kingdom in the future.
Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”
Since the writer in Psalm 63 is writing from a "dry and worn out land" this may suggest a-frame of mind of trying to endure through hard times because better times are coming. An example is exercising when I do not want to because I know I will be better off if I do. And it's not because I can "feel Noble" that I've done the exercise; it is better because it really does have a different, and more gratifying reward. Perhaps every spiritual discipline will be the same way.
Psalm 33:9 speaks of God creating something from nothing. Having this in mind, maybe it is acceptable to ask God to do what seems impossible. We ask him during what seems to us an impossible situation, to create something from nothing, to supply resources where there are none. We ask God to give us that desire. In our asking God to establish our desires for us, we should not lose sight of the long view - what is God's will in this the matter and how will this have meaning in God's Kingdom in the future.
Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.”
Monday, July 22, 2019
SAY IT, MAKE IT
I've read how a person, call him Leroy, writes down what he wants to accomplish repeatedly many times a day. He says that he has attained things, even things over which he could not have control. My question is, is this a good technique, or is it something “New Age” that I should avoid? Does it really provide power over the uncontrollable? More important, is it a technique God would want me to use, or want me to avoid?
The act of writing, "Leroy will become a dedicated Christian", and believing that the writing of the phrase over and over will make it come to pass seems to border on faith theology. "I write, I believe, therefore it will happen." Where is God in all this? If we can write and make it happen who needs God? What if someone else writes, "Leroy will become a dedicated Satanist", will it cancel out what the Christian writes? What if there are 10 Satanists and 2 Christians writing, but the Christians are writing in fervent belief? What will happen to Leroy? It seems to me that if either thinks that the writing itself will accomplish the task they have made the step of using this technique as faith theology. They have attributed to this technique a power in, and of, itself. The man does not have the power, God does not have the power, Satin does not have the power; the technique has the power.
A positive reason for the technique is it would keep important things before the consciousness. I could use it for my planning for the day. Or is this crowding out some thinking or method of doing something that God would rather me do? I should always direct my life according to God’s view. As I make my plans I should ask, "Is this according to God's will"? If written, these things must be in harmony with the Kingdom of God. I should pray, “Lord, if there is any power in this technique please let it be your power, or at least let it be a power that you will use for your benefit in My life. Please protect me from harming either you, or my family, or myself.”
So how should a Christian use the technique? He should use it to refresh his mind about items of real worth. He could concentrate his mind on the details of the items. The technique could rise the items as matters of prayer: both to bring before the Lord and to hear from the Lord.
If one would pick up a paper upon which I had written, would he be able to say, "These are noble and godly things that are helpful and promote God’s Kingdom"?
The act of writing, "Leroy will become a dedicated Christian", and believing that the writing of the phrase over and over will make it come to pass seems to border on faith theology. "I write, I believe, therefore it will happen." Where is God in all this? If we can write and make it happen who needs God? What if someone else writes, "Leroy will become a dedicated Satanist", will it cancel out what the Christian writes? What if there are 10 Satanists and 2 Christians writing, but the Christians are writing in fervent belief? What will happen to Leroy? It seems to me that if either thinks that the writing itself will accomplish the task they have made the step of using this technique as faith theology. They have attributed to this technique a power in, and of, itself. The man does not have the power, God does not have the power, Satin does not have the power; the technique has the power.
A positive reason for the technique is it would keep important things before the consciousness. I could use it for my planning for the day. Or is this crowding out some thinking or method of doing something that God would rather me do? I should always direct my life according to God’s view. As I make my plans I should ask, "Is this according to God's will"? If written, these things must be in harmony with the Kingdom of God. I should pray, “Lord, if there is any power in this technique please let it be your power, or at least let it be a power that you will use for your benefit in My life. Please protect me from harming either you, or my family, or myself.”
So how should a Christian use the technique? He should use it to refresh his mind about items of real worth. He could concentrate his mind on the details of the items. The technique could rise the items as matters of prayer: both to bring before the Lord and to hear from the Lord.
If one would pick up a paper upon which I had written, would he be able to say, "These are noble and godly things that are helpful and promote God’s Kingdom"?
Thursday, July 18, 2019
IF JESUS IS LORD
Many people use the expression "Jesus is Lord". They understand the use of that phrase as proof their Christianity or of another person’s Christianity if he uses that phrase. It "proves" they are a Christian.
Yet what is more important is that he really treats Jesus as Lord in his life. Does that person actually control his actions and thinking according to what Jesus prescribes? If he does not, all he is showing is he is merely capable of voicing the phrase. The phrase is meaningful if he says the phrase because, in fact, Jesus tells him what to think, where to go, who to see, what to say, what to buy.
The phrase "Jesus is Lord" is not like a magic word such as "abracadabra". The voicing of the phrase does not cause unseen events and conditions to be true and does not show they are true. If one voices the phrase this does not necessarily demonstrate he is saved or that Jesus is really the lord of his life.
Yet what is more important is that he really treats Jesus as Lord in his life. Does that person actually control his actions and thinking according to what Jesus prescribes? If he does not, all he is showing is he is merely capable of voicing the phrase. The phrase is meaningful if he says the phrase because, in fact, Jesus tells him what to think, where to go, who to see, what to say, what to buy.
The phrase "Jesus is Lord" is not like a magic word such as "abracadabra". The voicing of the phrase does not cause unseen events and conditions to be true and does not show they are true. If one voices the phrase this does not necessarily demonstrate he is saved or that Jesus is really the lord of his life.
Monday, July 15, 2019
BEING SEEKERS
Proverbs 2
Man can seek God through experience: speaking in tongues, prophecies, healings. Man can seek God’s thoughts through the scriptures: reading the Bible, Bible classes, seminaries. Proverbs 2:5 says that after you seek wisdom, understanding, knowledge you will get to the fear of God and the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:6 says God gives wisdom; "out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding" . Maybe this is a combination of experiential man and the studying man: the "heart" man and the "head" man. We must seek with the head but be open to the heart. We must be sensitive to the heart but be controlled by the head. We cannot fill the head if we do not attend to the words of the mouth of God. We cannot fill the heart if we refuse to experience what God will give us in our heads.
Men are the thinkers, the rational ones, and woman are the feelers, the emotional ones. Both can miss God. Proverbs 2 shows that there are two types of sinners each characterized by a sex. Verse12 tells us of the evil man, the one who thinks his way away from God. Verse 16 tells us of the strange woman, the one who falls away from God through experience.
God gives wisdom. It's something we experience when we are in the right setting. God proclaims knowledge and understanding. We do not acquire understanding or knowledge unless we work for them. We cannot know if we do not read or hear. We cannot understand unless we think and meditate about what we know.
Man can seek God through experience: speaking in tongues, prophecies, healings. Man can seek God’s thoughts through the scriptures: reading the Bible, Bible classes, seminaries. Proverbs 2:5 says that after you seek wisdom, understanding, knowledge you will get to the fear of God and the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:6 says God gives wisdom; "out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding" . Maybe this is a combination of experiential man and the studying man: the "heart" man and the "head" man. We must seek with the head but be open to the heart. We must be sensitive to the heart but be controlled by the head. We cannot fill the head if we do not attend to the words of the mouth of God. We cannot fill the heart if we refuse to experience what God will give us in our heads.
Men are the thinkers, the rational ones, and woman are the feelers, the emotional ones. Both can miss God. Proverbs 2 shows that there are two types of sinners each characterized by a sex. Verse12 tells us of the evil man, the one who thinks his way away from God. Verse 16 tells us of the strange woman, the one who falls away from God through experience.
God gives wisdom. It's something we experience when we are in the right setting. God proclaims knowledge and understanding. We do not acquire understanding or knowledge unless we work for them. We cannot know if we do not read or hear. We cannot understand unless we think and meditate about what we know.
Thursday, July 11, 2019
WHO ARE OUR ENEMIES
Psalm 23 says God restores our souls (sets back to the original condition). He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.
Psalm 53 says God despises our enemies
Psalm 83 says the enemies take counsel together against God’s people. The psalmist asks for their shame and destruction.
The Church is the house of faith, it is the set of believers. Some conspire to rid themselves of the Church. For those of us in the Church, the conspirators are the enemies. Yet God will preserve us an provide for us in the face of our enemies. He will restore things we may have lost, some through our own fault as well as those that are the fault of others.
Who are my enemies? Some, like Edom and Moab, are related. Perhaps these are they who are in the church but not of the church. Others would be those who do not want God's principles to govern. These days they could be those on the extreme liberal or those on the extreme conservative margins. These are the ones who want to do away with God's order. It is not enough to throw off restraint, they must also eradicate the old system and the people (God's people) who uphold it. These are the ones who God despises. In front of these God prepares us a table. These are the ones for whom we may request destruction.
TV or Facebook or the Internet can be an official voice of the enemy if we are not careful about how we listen. They do not teach, they impress. They can leave isolated thoughts and feelings. They leave the unprepared viewer with the emotion of the enemy worldview, but not the rational back up. Viewers may have vague opinions about the proposed worldview, and they may have strong emotion about it, but they may not have been provided the reasoning behind it.
The unmovable proponents of a destructive worldview are the ones who say, “there is no God” AND would thrust believers aside to powerlessness or destruction.
We who believe, have read the Bible, and who have reasoned out our view, could reason with them but we cannot know if they would listen to our views, or even want to.
Psalm 53 says God despises our enemies
Psalm 83 says the enemies take counsel together against God’s people. The psalmist asks for their shame and destruction.
The Church is the house of faith, it is the set of believers. Some conspire to rid themselves of the Church. For those of us in the Church, the conspirators are the enemies. Yet God will preserve us an provide for us in the face of our enemies. He will restore things we may have lost, some through our own fault as well as those that are the fault of others.
Who are my enemies? Some, like Edom and Moab, are related. Perhaps these are they who are in the church but not of the church. Others would be those who do not want God's principles to govern. These days they could be those on the extreme liberal or those on the extreme conservative margins. These are the ones who want to do away with God's order. It is not enough to throw off restraint, they must also eradicate the old system and the people (God's people) who uphold it. These are the ones who God despises. In front of these God prepares us a table. These are the ones for whom we may request destruction.
TV or Facebook or the Internet can be an official voice of the enemy if we are not careful about how we listen. They do not teach, they impress. They can leave isolated thoughts and feelings. They leave the unprepared viewer with the emotion of the enemy worldview, but not the rational back up. Viewers may have vague opinions about the proposed worldview, and they may have strong emotion about it, but they may not have been provided the reasoning behind it.
The unmovable proponents of a destructive worldview are the ones who say, “there is no God” AND would thrust believers aside to powerlessness or destruction.
We who believe, have read the Bible, and who have reasoned out our view, could reason with them but we cannot know if they would listen to our views, or even want to.
Monday, July 8, 2019
THE SEEKING OF SIGNS
The Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus says no sign will be given but that of Jonah.
The Pharisees’ generation was wicked because they asked for a sign. They wanted Jesus to prove himself to them. They would get no sign to prove who Jesus was other then his resurrection, which they would not believe anyway. Are there things about Jesus that we would not believe even though he demonstrates them to us? Are there things we are asking Jesus to prove to us by showing a sign? We might think: “you say you are this or that, Jesus; prove it by doing [fill in the blank]”. How about that thing where we have decided that he will not do it, or he is incapable, or his nature his of another sort? Are there ways we want Jesus to be and we will not accept any other way? Are we like the Pharisees, and we already have made up our minds?
Jesus gives examples showing people who did respond. The city Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. The queen of the Sheba traveled to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Neither one of these had a sign, but responded to what God was doing, and the way God was doing it. The Ninevites did not have a sign and responded to Jonah’s preaching; the Queen did not have a sign yet she traveled to seek the wisdom.
The pharisees seemed to want a sign before they did something. Do what? Jesus spoke of an evil spirit who goes out of a man and comes back bringing other, more evil spirits. The spirit leaves and while he is gone the house is cleaned up. When he comes back, he finds it clean and goes out to gather other spirits to the house. The state of the house is worse than it was the first time. How might this story of the spirit relate to the Pharisees? Leaving the house to seek rest equals "give us a sign to make us comfortable with you" . Finding no rest equals "nothing you do satisfies us" . Gathering others equals "let's commiserate with others who also do not except Jesus" . The house equals physical bodies in which they live, the organization which they run.
The wickedness of “this generation” must be in the attitude that is seeking Jesus to perform a sign. They might say “Jesus you really need to conform to the way we conceive of you, and you need to prove that you do conform. Until you do, we have no use for you.“ The wickedness is in the attitude of “we are right, Jesus has to prove himself to us.”
The Pharisees’ generation was wicked because they asked for a sign. They wanted Jesus to prove himself to them. They would get no sign to prove who Jesus was other then his resurrection, which they would not believe anyway. Are there things about Jesus that we would not believe even though he demonstrates them to us? Are there things we are asking Jesus to prove to us by showing a sign? We might think: “you say you are this or that, Jesus; prove it by doing [fill in the blank]”. How about that thing where we have decided that he will not do it, or he is incapable, or his nature his of another sort? Are there ways we want Jesus to be and we will not accept any other way? Are we like the Pharisees, and we already have made up our minds?
Jesus gives examples showing people who did respond. The city Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. The queen of the Sheba traveled to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Neither one of these had a sign, but responded to what God was doing, and the way God was doing it. The Ninevites did not have a sign and responded to Jonah’s preaching; the Queen did not have a sign yet she traveled to seek the wisdom.
The pharisees seemed to want a sign before they did something. Do what? Jesus spoke of an evil spirit who goes out of a man and comes back bringing other, more evil spirits. The spirit leaves and while he is gone the house is cleaned up. When he comes back, he finds it clean and goes out to gather other spirits to the house. The state of the house is worse than it was the first time. How might this story of the spirit relate to the Pharisees? Leaving the house to seek rest equals "give us a sign to make us comfortable with you" . Finding no rest equals "nothing you do satisfies us" . Gathering others equals "let's commiserate with others who also do not except Jesus" . The house equals physical bodies in which they live, the organization which they run.
The wickedness of “this generation” must be in the attitude that is seeking Jesus to perform a sign. They might say “Jesus you really need to conform to the way we conceive of you, and you need to prove that you do conform. Until you do, we have no use for you.“ The wickedness is in the attitude of “we are right, Jesus has to prove himself to us.”
Monday, July 1, 2019
INSIDE HIS MIND
Psalm 110
This is a psalm about the messiah, about Jesus. Verse 1: “sit at my right hand”; verse 5: “the lord is at your right hand”. From verse one we see the Father talking to the Son. From verse five we see the Son talking to the Father. This psalm is about ruling, power and judgment. It talks of ruling in the present: "in the midst of your enemies"; and later, at the judgment and destruction of the enemies (vs 5-7). It shows that the Father chooses to rule through the Son and the Son rules to bring about the Father's purposes: “I and my Father are one” because he speaks of himself as ”the lord at thy right hand”
This psalm clearly shows the Father-Son aspect of the Trinity. Perhaps it does not show the Holy Spirit part because God doesn't want us direct our praise to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s function (at least one function) is to guide us to all truth, to guide us to the Father and Son.
This psalm shows us the inside personal thinking that God does within himself. What a privilege that he shows it to us.
This is a psalm about the messiah, about Jesus. Verse 1: “sit at my right hand”; verse 5: “the lord is at your right hand”. From verse one we see the Father talking to the Son. From verse five we see the Son talking to the Father. This psalm is about ruling, power and judgment. It talks of ruling in the present: "in the midst of your enemies"; and later, at the judgment and destruction of the enemies (vs 5-7). It shows that the Father chooses to rule through the Son and the Son rules to bring about the Father's purposes: “I and my Father are one” because he speaks of himself as ”the lord at thy right hand”
This psalm clearly shows the Father-Son aspect of the Trinity. Perhaps it does not show the Holy Spirit part because God doesn't want us direct our praise to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s function (at least one function) is to guide us to all truth, to guide us to the Father and Son.
This psalm shows us the inside personal thinking that God does within himself. What a privilege that he shows it to us.
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