Mary, His mother, had a faith that was deep, such that, she said very little. Consider her at the wedding feast were she said to Yeshua, “They have no more wine.” To the servants she said, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2: 3, 5). John, the Baptist, was Yeshua’s relative, and His love is reflected in His affirmation of Messiah, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3: 11).…
Living Life On God's Terms
Taking Thoughts Captive
“Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” II Corinthians 10:4-5. Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,…
Human Construction
We humans are made in the image of God, meaning we have an appearance of Him. The similarity may be in our triune existence of spirit, soul, and body, as God is Father, Son, and Spirit. I believe this is true and it separates us from the other creatures on the planet in so many aspects that anyone but a Scientist can easily understand. But are there other similarities and what of our distinctions. Of course, the distinctions are infinite, but the Bible says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human…
The Sovereignty of God
“It would be foolish for us to expect that this work will meet with general approval. The trend of modern theology – if theology it can be called – is ever toward the Deification of the creature rather than the glorification of the Creator, and the leaven of present-day Rationalism is rapidly permeating the whole of Christendom. The malevolent effects of Darwinianism are more far reaching than most are aware. Many of those among our religious leaders who are still regarded as orthodox would, we fear, be found to be very heterodox if they were weighed in the balance of…
Fatherhood
In the 1950’s there was a TV show entitled, “Father Knows Best”. It was about a family who’s children encountered various trials in their path toward adulthood and how this father was able to guide, advise, nurture, and/or assist his children on their journey. It is a show about family values from the perspective of a middle class American family. I’m surprised that it’s reruns are still shown and have a very respectable 7.5 rating on IMDB. Baby boomers still apparently appreciate this classic view of the family as it deals with relationships that were enshrined in the American middle…
Fatherhood Interview
The following is an interview of the editor on the subject of fatherhood.: Question: This is a topic contrary to political correctness, some might say that it is irrelevant in today’s society which champions all things feminine, single parenthood, gay parenting, and generally ignores the role of fathers. Yet, statistics stands out: – 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census), 5 times the average. – 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes, 32 times the average. – 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from…
Mind Your Own Business
I was an adolescent when I was listening to my Mother and Father commending a practice seen in our friend and pastor. They agreed that he never spoke about a third party and this way avoided gossip, inappropriate disclosure, and presumption. Somehow, hearing that conversation impacted me deeply, so I decided to implement this practice. I know I have had lapses, but I can remember checking myself on many occasions. Even if you complement a third party it serves no good purpose as they are not there to hear it. Of course there are rare exceptions to this rule, but…
Rescuing The Gospel
“Rescuing The Gospel” by Erwin Lutzer is a book about the Reformation. Lutzer was the senior pastor of Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years until retiring in 2016. The book focuses on Martin Luther who 500 years ago nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral in Germany which challenged the false doctrines of the Catholic Church. Luther, through a reading of the Scriptures which were only available in Latin in Germany and thus not available to the average person, came to believe that salvation was only obtained by faith in Christ through grace. This…
Disappointment
This is the most crushing weight of emotion, to be let down, frustrated from things that seem vital. It could be an appointment or a promise or an event associated with much preparation or anticipation. There is quite a lot of it about in life. Regarding property, we take measures to avoid it with warranties and insurance that have their appeal in countering disappointment. Some things are personal and depend on people. These can be highly invested and anticipated with our hopes, dreams, and desires, but there is no warranty for specific service, only remuneration which is rarely an adequate…
Branding
This is a hot topic in the business world where companies spend millions developing or buying a brand. Brand loyalty waxes and wains like the moon, but there still is a significant number of people who trust brands such that their loyalty generates sales. Even the most skeptical people can name a product brand in which they have great respect and confidence. The most thrifty and cheap shoppers may not purchase the branded product, but there are names they wish they could or occasionally do buy. It is this intangible customer loyalty and esteem that gives the brand value. Tylenol…
Press On
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14. This is a very encouraging passage for Christians. So often we are tempted to dwell on past failures and how we have…
The Story you Can’t Put Down
It starts with a hook that catches your attention and plants some interest. It’s a fast story that starts without any but the necessary elements, and the background is added along the way, unfolding like the scenery from a train window. Understanding of the characters is explained by their behavior and interactions more than directly, like a picture that reveals more than words can say. There are good and bad characters and the story is more than a narrative, it bursts, builds, blows down, backs up, and balloons to an unforeseen bewildering ending. All things makes sense, even with surprises,…
The Beauty of the Lord
Songs are sung about the beauty of those we love. It is natural and appropriate, but it is mysterious and not connected with the qualities of one’s appearance, such as the symmetry of their features, the coloring or quality of their skin, hair or eyes. Yes, these things do generally give a person appeal, particularly in photos where we note that he or she is photogenic. Down through history it can be seen that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as certain attributes considered beautiful in ages gone by no longer hold that same level of desire or…
Labor in the Lord
My daughter-in-laws father, who is now retired, was sharing about his work and the confrontations that were regularly a part of it. He recalled a meeting with government officials on behalf of his client where the statutes governing property use, improvement, and modification were at issue. In this instance the flood plane was involved, but loopholes allowed his client to reshape the flood plane without any net reduction. It was a singular victory in an arena that is highly contentious. I shared some of my experience with similar conflict in a different field of regulation and representation. We both worked…
Holding God’s Hand
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” I John 1:5. “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’ ” Isaiah 41:10, 13. Recently, I came down with double pneumonia complicated by the discovery of previously unknown heart trouble. The…
Respect
I ran across a few articles on how women can unintentionally disrespect their husbands. It’s important to everyone, butmen interpret respect as love, which has broader implications. The first article was very clearly based on scripture, the second made no reference to scripture or its underlying principles. Both had lists of actions that demonstrate or communicate disrespect. This was one list: – Implying he is not intelligent/capable/competent – Implying he is not enough for you sexually – Implying he is not providing enough for you financially – Implying that you are superior to him morally/spiritually – Displaying contempt for who…
Federalism
The following is an interview with the Editor on the subject of Federalism: Question – I don’t think it is taught or generally known that our “Federal” government refers to a unity or federation of independent sovereign states. The tenth amendment to the Constitution provides, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people.” This amendment embodies the general principles of Federalism in a republican form of government. Is this still relevant in America today? Answer – It is if you…
Asian Blight
In 1986 Varroa mites were introduced into the American bee population. These mites have destructive results in bee hives. The American population of bees has declined as much as fifty percent and continue to experience stress and decline from these blood sucking parasites. The mites came from Asia, where Asian bees are able to defend against these mites, through a regimen of grooming unknown to the American varieties of honey bees. Prior to 1986, beekeeping was rather easy and nonchalant compared with today’s frenzy of mite defenses. It got me thinking about the long list of invasive species that originate…
Names Have Meaning
In Heaven you get a new name and it is written on you. Apparently some in heaven get a name tag to wear on their person. Yeshua/Holy Spirit tells the Angel of the church in Philadelphia to write, “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my…
Victory vs Winning
I was in the grocery store, a small place in the inner city. I noticed an old white man, well dressed and creeping along with the help of a walker. I was in one of two very long lines that seemed to barely move. I chatted briefly with the lady in front of me who had just a few items. I had only two items and the elderly gentleman had one. Another lady who was still shopping trying to move through the wrapping lines saw this old man and began to speak loudly across the lines to the checkout attendant,…
Racism Eliminated
It seems there is more talk today regarding ethnic division than ever, principally between Blacks and other ethnicities. Considering that slavery was abolished in 1865, Affirmative Action was started by an executive order in 1961, the civil rights act was enacted in 1964 eliminating segregation, what remains and how long will it take? Why is the rhetoric continuing to increase as though slavery still exists? Is there a profit to be made through the malcontent of continuing protest? Just recently in South Africa, properties owned by Whites were taken over by the Black controlled government. In Congress reparations to decendents…
Prophecy of What is Coming
Secular thinkers laugh at and mock Biblical prophecy. Yet, they make predictions and prognostications more than any. They only trust their scientists and see their knowledge and abilities as unlimited. For more than forty years they have predicted global warming, over-population, pandemics and every conceivable disaster that could be caused by man. They are false prophets, hypocrites, and liars. Prophecy is the foretelling or prediction of what is to come, something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation, a divinely inspired utterance or revelation. God invented prophecy when He communicated to various men…
History of Distortion
We may be seeing a renewal of warped ideas promoting insanity. I don’t see any historical gender confusion as we have today. Yes, Sodom was filled with perversion, but the forceful violence associated with it then is different than today’s masquerade of normalcy. The Roman empire was given over to debauchery at its end, but without confusion. The medical malpractice of gender reassignment is no doubt fueling much confusion, but it is all based in a selfish pursuit of pleasure or greed or insanity that resides in the heart of all mankind (Matt. 15: 19). The history of the organized…
The Wisdom Drawn from Above
“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ ” I Kings 3:5. Shortly after Solomon was made King God appeared to him and asked him what he desired. Solomon, acknowledging his inexperience, asked for wisdom, “an understanding heart”, to judge the people, that he could distinguish between good and evil. This was a request that pleased God. God not only made Solomon the wisest man in the world (I Kings 4:30) but also gave him riches and honor, making him the greatest and most powerful King in…
Holy Spirit Leading
There is a Spiritual renewal in our day. Beginning around the turn of this last century and most recently in the 1970’s there has been an awakening to the Holy Spirit’s leadership, presence, and power. In Israel and America Messianic Jews have been gathering to exalt and proclaim Yeshua Messiah and Lord. Traditional evangelical churches are turning to spiritual expressions of prayer, worship and guidance. I saw a quote from from an Episcopal rector regarding how far the church has yet to go in surrender to the Spirit. On a radio broadcast he said, “If the Holy Spirit were totally…
