Golden slippers

Normally, ladies shoes are very, very low on my list of priorities.  But, when I looked at these, a verse from some forgotten hymn came back to me: "Oh, dem golden slippers, Oh, dem golden slippers, golden slippers to walk those streets of gold".  You guessed it; I thought of heaven.  And, here is the chapter I thought of...

World English Bible: Revelation of John Chapter 21

[1] I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. [2] I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. [3] I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”
[5] He who sits on the throne said, "“Behold, I am making all things new.”" He said, "“Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”" [6] He said to me, "“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. [7] He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. [8] But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”"
[9] One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.” [10] He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, [11] having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal; [12] having a great and high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. [13] On the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. [14] The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. [15] He who spoke with me had for a measure, a golden reed, to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. [16] The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, Twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. [17] Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. [18] The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass. [19] The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; [20] the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst. [21] The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. [22] I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. [23] The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. [24] The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. [25] Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there), [26] and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter. [27] There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

It must be a sight to see; more beautiful than mere words could describe.  Imagine, waiting your entire life and then seeing HEAVEN!!!  Beauty, harmony, peace and fellowship with God after a manner that is almost beyond comprehension.  The book of Revelation is a wonderful way to end the Bible because, after all, doesn't everyone like a happy ending?  Personally, I don't care what kind of shoes I wear, as long as I am dressed in a robe of white purity.  Shoes are optional!!!

A shack without windows

If you have been watching the news lately and a lot has been happening.  And its NOT good!!!  The economy has tanked, the job market is WAY DOWN and now our leadership is talking about yet another bailout for the housing industry.  I wonder where it will end???  Is it REALLY POSSIBLE that America is doomed???  But wait, did you have breakfast today, did you have a place to sleep last night, did you have clean clothes to wear or a TV or radio to entertain you?  The vast majority of us have things like these and more.  I remember growing up with very, very little... but it seemed normal.  Oh, there were things I wanted, but the things I really needed; all of them were there.  The question naturally arises..."then, what do I really need?"  This familiar passage from the book of Philippians comes to mind.

Philippians 4:8-20 (WEB)
8) Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.
9) The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
10) But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.
11) Not that I speak in respect to lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.
12) I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
13) I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
14) However you did well that you shared in my affliction.
15) You yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the Good News, when I departed from Macedonia, no assembly shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only.
16) For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.
17) Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.
18) But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
19) My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
20) Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

We need the necessities of life to be sure, but what about other people?  We really need people to care about us, to love us.  Most of all, we need GOD!!!  America is facing difficult times; this is an undeniable FACT.  But what is lacking the most is that people are NOT SEEKING GOD.  With God you will always have someone who cares, who always seeks your good, you guides and protects you.  In short, who gives you what you really need.  Even if it is only a shack without windows, if the inhabitants love God; they will be loved and blessed abundantly.  And the realization of this starts just the way the Philippian passage does... with your thinking.  So, consider what is really necessary in your life and be happy!!!  Think about it and I am sure your day will be a great one, no matter how many possessions you are blessed with.

"X" marks the spot

Is it just me, or does this seem stupid?  If you can't see this huge windmill, then why put up a small sign?  Just doesn't seem to make sense to me at all!!!  But, in another way it does, because people see exactly what they want to see and nothing more.  Consider Paul's letter to Titus for a moment...

WEB: Titus Chapter 1
[15] To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

One more time... we see what we want and nothing more.  Somehow, the species called Homo Sapiens finds a way to justify its thinking.  Don't think so, then, I wonder why someone coined the phrase "the end justifies the means"?  We can look at life anyway we want; we have a choice.  Remember; is the glass half full or is it half empty?  We can choose to pursue purity or impurity and once we do, somehow we will see goodness or evil in the world around us.  Seeking God (the author of purity) makes us see those things wrong with us and want to become better.  If we make the choice to do whatever WE WANT, then we become the focal point and we can do NO WRONG, whatever we decide to do.  Humm, somehow the end justifies the means comes to mind (again).  That's it, precisely. Home plate, X marks the spot.  Anything more is just encouragement to make the right choice, but then again...I too have my mind made up.  Can you guess where my "X" is?

Light and dark

If you have known anyone who fits into this category, you can immediately put a name with with this picture.  I have known several.  No point in mentioning names; they know who they are.  But, how do we know them?  By a contrast with those who really are, of course. Its easy to spot both categories, just compare them against their portrayal in the Scriptures.

Proverbs 12:15-23 (WEB)
15) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.
16) A fool shows his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.
17) He who is truthful testifies honestly, but a false witness lies.
18) There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.
19) Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.
20) Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but joy comes to the promoters of peace.
21) No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22) Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, but those who do the truth are his delight.
23) A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

Psalms 14:1 (WEB)
1) For the Chief Musician. By David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good.

Proverbs 1:7 (WEB)
7) The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Luke 12:16-21 (WEB)
16) He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.
17) He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’
18) He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19) I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.”’
20) “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’
21) So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

You can tell a lot about people by the way they talk, because when they speak you have an idea what is in their heart.  A heart dedicated to God will be obvious and the reverse is also true.  With God comes goodness and the wisdom of heaven, without the almighty, evil reigns.  Want to be full of light, seek God.  Otherwise, your life will be dark.  Don't wait, lay up treasure towards God right now (while you still have time).  Its the bright thing to do!!!

When a square is a circle, life gets confusing

Frankly, I couldn't have said it better myself!!!  If you look at the circles long enough, it is unpleasant to say the least.  I guess its the fact that the circles are made up of alternating light and dark squares that is the culprit, but I am sure that an a optometrist could give a better explanation.  Actually, this does bring to mind a passage of scripture that sounds confusing.  Here it is; decide for yourself.

Romans 7:1-25 (WEB)
1) Or don’t you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?
2) For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband.
3) So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
4) Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.
5) For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death.
6) But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
7) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting, unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
8) But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
9) I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10) The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death;
11) for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
12) Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13) Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
14) For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
15) For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
16) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.
17) So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
18) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.
19) For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.
20) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
21) I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
22) For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,
23) but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
24) What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
25) I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law.

Is Paul's conflict before or after his conversion?  Good question; I have heard arguments both ways and have changed my mind a couple of times.  Finally, I think Paul is remembering his struggle with sin under the law and is rejoicing that Christ has delivered him from his dilemma.  Read the passage again and make up your own mind.  It wasn't easy for me and I felt a little like the picture the first time or two I read it.  A couple of things are very certain though, first, that Paul's mental processes can be very deep at times and second, that through Christ we have hope. 

Which way will YOU go?

A bridge is: enter on one side of the river and exit on another.  Perhaps not?  This unusual bridge gives you a choice of directions.  As I look a little closer, it seems that there is only one way traffic and that could be a problem, but this looks like a rural area, so maybe not.  A bridge with a choice; now there is something interesting!!!  Our lives are like that at times too!!!  We make big decisions, like, who do I marry or what sort of work do I do in this life or what college should I attend.  Israel was brought out of Egypt by God and they had a choice to make too...

Deuteronomy 7:7-26 (WEB)
7) Yahweh didn’t set his love on you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples:
8) but because Yahweh loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9) Know therefore that Yahweh your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations,
10) and repays those who hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him who hates him, he will repay him to his face.
11) You shall therefore keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day, to do them.
12) It shall happen, because you listen to these ordinances, and keep and do them, that Yahweh your God will keep with you the covenant and the loving kindness which he swore to your fathers:
13) and he will love you, and bless you, and multiply you; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your livestock and the young of your flock, in the land which he swore to your fathers to give you.
14) You shall be blessed above all peoples: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your livestock.
15) Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, he will put on you, but will lay them on all those who hate you.
16) You shall consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God shall deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them: neither shall you serve their gods; for that will be a snare to you.
17) If you shall say in your heart, “These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?”
18) you shall not be afraid of them: you shall well remember what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh, and to all Egypt;
19) the great trials which your eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which Yahweh your God brought you out: so shall Yahweh your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.
20) Moreover Yahweh your God will send the hornet among them, until those who are left, and hide themselves, perish from before you.
21) You shall not be scared of them; for Yahweh your God is in the midst of you, a great and awesome God.
22) Yahweh your God will cast out those nations before you by little and little: you may not consume them at once, lest the animals of the field increase on you.
23) But Yahweh your God will deliver them up before you, and will confuse them with a great confusion, until they be destroyed.
24) He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name to perish from under the sky: no man shall be able to stand before you, until you have destroyed them.
25) You shall burn the engraved images of their gods with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourself, lest you be snared in it; for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God.
26) You shall not bring an abomination into your house, and become a devoted thing like it. You shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing.

Should I follow God or not?  What's in it for me?  These are the sort of questions they must have been asking themselves.  We have choices to make today too, like... will I follow God if everyone around me does not, or am I willing to suffer for what I believe in?  Answer carefully!  I can only tell you that God has helped me again and again.  That is fact, with absolutely no spin on it at all.  Years ago I worked for a chemical company in New Jersey; one of the analytical lab people said to me:  Gary, it seems like all that have opposed you over the past 15 years are no longer a problem.  How do you do it?  The answer is:  I didn't do a thing, God did.  God keeps his promises and when you come to choice on your own personal bridge, choose God...you won't be sorry!!!

Beauty beyond beauty

I have put many rainbows on the blog, but this is one of the most unusual.  Its almost hidden, but not really.  Strange, but in its own way its quite beautiful.  How much of life is like that; we know so much, yet there is even more out there to know.  Beyond that, there is more that we will never know and still more we can't know.  Which leads me to this passage...

Revelation 10:1-4 (WEB)

1) I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

2) He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.

3) He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.

4) When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”

Some things are learned only with great difficulty and others are beyond us.  I follow the Christian faith based on the historical FACTS!!!  But, beyond the facts, there are things I must accept through faith.  It is humbling, but truthful, that I can't know everything.  Maybe that's a good thing, maybe not... I really don't know.  Who is the mighty angel of this passage in Revelation?  If we accept "angel" as messenger... perhaps it could be Jesus (take another look at chapter one of this book)??? Good question, and if anyone wants to comment about it... go for it!!! This does teach that some things are hidden from us and the beauty of it is in its mystery.  Now, take another look at the picture of the rainbow and tell me you don't see hidden beauty there... you just have to look closely with both your head AND YOUR HEART!!!