Please stand by...

Modern TV is a wonderful thing!!!  Our cable gives us a HUGE amount of channels and if you miss the first part of a show, you can "reverse" it so you can see it all.  Marvelous!!!  But TV wasn't always this way.  I grew up with black and white, three channels, but most of the time two.  And if something went wrong (and it did every so often) you would see this on the screen.  Wait, it meant W-A-I-T and wait some more!!! I hated that waiting.  Especially in the middle of the Lone Ranger or Lassie.  But patience has never been my strong suite (a little better at it now)!  This "wait" sign reminded me of a passage I read in Revelation a couple of days ago...

Revelation 6:9-11 (WEB)
9) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.
10) They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11) A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

God's word, God's way, God's time.  How about God's judgment as well?  Even in heaven, we want to have everything "right now".  I guess God will let me into heaven even if I am impatient; this is VERY GOOD NEWS!!!  I just wonder, if they have TV in heaven... will I ever have to see the above picture again... HOPE NOT!!!

HOLD FAST!!!

Yellowstone national park is a big place.  So, it struck me as a little strange to think of this as "Yellowstone".  But, here it is; and when I took a little closer look I couldn't help but notice the tree.  It seems healthy enough but look at that root out in front.  Obviously, the root at the back wasn't enough so the tree sent out one in front for some extra nourishment.  I admire this trees' tenacity!!!  One tough tree, indeed!!!  Christians are to be like this tree; tough and resilient enough to hold on no matter how hard the environment.  Of course, this led me to the book of Hebrews.  Here are a few passages of interest...

Hebrews 3:6 (WEB)
6) but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.

Hebrews 3:14 (WEB)
14) For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end:

Hebrews 10:23 (WEB)
23) let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

From these, I see the example of Christ.  He did what was necessary and was faithful.  His example of sonship is to be ours.  I remember an example I read about years ago; the sailors who tended the rigging of sailing ships would often tattoo "h-o-l-d f-a-s-t" on their fingers to remind them of the necessity of maintaining a firm grip.  To do otherwise would lead to certain death.  The way things are going in this country, we need to be reminded to "hold fast".  So, remember Christ and this tree.  Do everything you can to remain faithful, no matter what society says is "politically correct" or what our government says is legal or not.  In other words..."HOLD FAST"!!!!!! 

Hidden?

I am told that there are cities like this throughout Israel; I really don't know if it is true, but this one sure does stand out!  People, like cities, can be commonplace or noteworthy.  Some you notice and some, well, they just sort of blend into the background.  Which leads me to this familiar passage from the Bible.

Matthew 5:1-16 (WEB)
1) Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
2) He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4) Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5) Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7) Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
10) Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. ​
11) “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12) Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13) “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
14) You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
15) Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
16) Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Going through high school and most of the jobs I have had were similar in that I was part of a system.  Just one cog in the mighty wheel that formed the organization.  Most people do just not "stand out".  They are run-of-the-mill human beings, that all do the same things and think the same way.  Boring!!!  Jesus teaches that there is a better way; one that has a wonderful state of being that lives each moment with the one who created it.  This life shines!!!  This life is different!!!  This life is worth living!!!  This life glorifies God!!!  We all have twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to live, so why not live it to its fullest, the way God wants us to.  When we do this, we will shine, people will notice us and wonder why we are the way we are.  Some things can't (and shouldn't) be hidden.  Are you one of them?

Woof, Woof!!!

Cute, very CUTE!  I must admit I chuckled when I saw this. Woof, Woof!!!  Talk about a different sense of humor.  BUT, family is family.  You do, in reality, carry them (sometimes even literally) with you everywhere you go.  You love them, care for them and stand by them no matter what. Which leads me to these passages from the book of Ruth.

Ruth 1:1-13 (WEB)
1) It happened in the days when the judges judged, that there was a famine in the land. A certain man of Bethlehem Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.
2) The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. They came into the country of Moab, and continued there.
3) Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons.
4) They took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they lived there about ten years.
5) Mahlon and Chilion both died, and the woman was bereaved of her two children and of her husband.
6) Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that Yahweh had visited his people in giving them bread.
7) She went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.
8) Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house: Yahweh deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead, and with me.
9) Yahweh grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
10) They said to her, “No, but we will return with you to your people.”
11) Naomi said, “Go back, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12) Go back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, ‘I have hope,’ if I should even have a husband tonight, and should also bear sons;
13) would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from having husbands? No, my daughters, for it grieves me much for your sakes, for the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me.”

Ruth 4:13-17 (WEB)
13) So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and Yahweh gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14) The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be Yahweh, who has not left you this day without a near kinsman; and let his name be famous in Israel.
15) He shall be to you a restorer of life, and sustain you in your old age, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.”
16) Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
17) The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi;” and they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

What is family?  Is it just those you share your gene pool?  Or is it something more?  Ruth could have left Naomi and returned to her physical family, but did not.  She loved her mother-in-law and eventually God blessed us all through her son Obed.  Family is a matter of the heart, and whether your life with them is easy or hard, if love is there, hard times or difficult situations really do not matter.  This applies to our spiritual family as well.  God loves us and cares for us...no matter what.  Its up to us to remember that always and return that love.  Humm, I never thought of myself as a sub-woofer before.... 

To upgrade or not to upgrade?

I laughed when I saw this one.  Nice play on words.  It does bring up an important topic, though.  Is the way to heaven a progressive revelation?  In other words, will we need to know more and more as time goes on to enter heaven?  We are so accustomed to constantly upgrading everything from our computers, our cell phones, our cars and numerous other devices... what about our religion?  Here are a couple of passages that address the issue and they were written about two thousand years ago....

Jude 1:1-4 (WEB)
1) Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
2) Mercy to you and peace and love be multiplied.
3) Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4) For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:6-9 (WEB)
6) I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”;
7) and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ.
8) But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.
9) As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.

I didn't take long for some to try to change the truth, but they did.  And there was a reaction; a strong one from the apostles.  Its interesting to me that both apostles use language that in most circles today would seem politically incorrect.  Who came up with "politically correct and incorrect" anyway?  Perhaps those who are related to those first century people who didn't like the truth and wanted to re-make it into something they could live with.  I only know that if God is eternal (rhetorical question) that the message HE would finish with would be one just like HIM, unchanging.  One last thing, perhaps just a foolish question... but, will there be computers in heaven?  If so, I just know they would operate on Linux... because ITS FREE!!!

Fix the mistake, now!!!

This is a tough one.  OK, all the numbers are there; they are in the right order and I don't see anything obviously wrong with them.  Since the word "mistake" is in BOLD, that is a clue, but what clue?  Perhaps its that the "9" seems a little larger and that may in fact be intent of whoever made the picture, but I have a different idea.  In our numbering system we have a zero, which serves as a placeholder.  Notice, its NOT on the list.  This missing identifier reminds me of the following passages...

Ephesians 1:3-14 (WEB)

3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;

4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love;

5) having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

6) to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved,

7) in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

8) which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

10) to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him;

11) in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;

12) to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:

13) in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14) who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Acts 2:38 (WEB)
38) Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Last night we started a new study at church: What happens after you die.  There are a number of theories about this topic and I am sure its going to be an interesting study.  Even without participating in this study, almost everyone in Christianity knows that there will be a separation of good and evil people and a judgment.  So, the question naturally arises, How does God know who are HIS?  Simple, go to verses 13 and 14.  Those who obey Jesus and have their sins washed away by HIS blood are then SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE as a pledge (see also the passage from the book of Acts, above).  Now, you can see another human being study, you can see them confess Christ, you can see them be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins, but you CAN'T see THE HOLY SPIRIT SEAL THEM.  But, GOD does and that is all that really counts.  So, to me its not what you can see that is important, but rather what you can't... our  placeholder for heaven (THE HOLY SPIRIT). We are all going to die and guess what is going to be important when you realize that its your turn... NEXT???  Trust me, you are NOT going to be thinking about numbers then!!!  For now, why not plan ahead and correct whatever mistakes (sins) you have made and get your heavenly placeholder NOW, BEFORE ITS TOO LATE???  Any questions???

The Turtle "defense"

This young lady has a problem.  The turtle is going "defense mode" and hiding in its shell, so she can't see it no matter how hard she tries.  A lot of things in life are like that; no matter what you do, you fail, period.  Some things can (and should) be corrected, however.  Here is one such example from the old testament book of Haggai...

Haggai 1:1-13 (WEB)

1) In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

2) “This is what Yahweh of Armies says: These people say, ‘The time hasn’t yet come, the time for Yahweh’s house to be built.’”

3) Then the Word of Yahweh came by Haggai, the prophet, saying,

4) “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies waste?

5) Now therefore this is what Yahweh of Armies says: Consider your ways.

6) You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.”

7) This is what Yahweh of Armies says: “Consider your ways.

8) Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says Yahweh.

9) “You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh of Armies, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house.

10) Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

11) I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground brings forth, on men, on livestock, and on all the labor of the hands.”

12) Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of Yahweh, their God, and the words of Haggai, the prophet, as Yahweh, their God, had sent him; and the people feared Yahweh.

13) Then Haggai, Yahweh’s messenger, spoke Yahweh’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says Yahweh.

They initially failed because they neglected God.  They failed to do HIS WILL and put themselves FIRST.  Sound familiar?  What is happening in this country?  God is being put on the sidelines; in public and in private.  And many wonder why we have the problems we do.  Every one of us who claims a relationship with the Almighty should act like our status with God would have us to do.  It is not enough to stumble blindly through life, ignoring the degradation of our country, we need to do something about it!!!   What, depends on who and where you are and what God has given you to work with.  We are not islands unto ourselves, we can't stick our heads in the sand or retract them into our  turtle "shell" of retreat.  We need to stick our neck out for God and do something, anything.  Pray about it; God will send you a message one way or another, although it won't be the prophet Haggai in person.  Who knows, perhaps this passage from the book that bears his name just might be enough to change things.  After all, that's why its there!!!