credit – Mouser Williams CC 2.0., Flickr
GNN is not beyond taking a moment to admire the majesty of nature, regardless of form, or in this case, size.

If you went to one of the beaches of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan—take Okinawa for example, and picked up a grain of sand and held it under a magnifying glass, you might notice something amazing—it would have a star shape.

Japan has one of the world’s highest concentrations of star sand beaches on Earth. Sand is made up of ground stone and coral that’s been reduced to grains over many years, but star sand was once actually a living organism.

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Hvizsgyak said:

• Reply to a comment1h
  
  I don't encourage physical punishment but a figurative "slap in the face" is definitely what a lot of disruptive students in the classroom need. Send them to the office to have a talk with the principal, in school suspension or out of school suspension. If it needs to be done every day, do it. Let the administration handle the problem. If the administration says the teacher needs to handle the situation (and the teacher has), get the union involved. Here is the big problem (and a lot of parents are really in the dark about it) students think they are on equal standing with their teacher - they aren't. Students need to respect the authority of the teacher and this needs to be taught in schools starting in kindergarten. Unfortunately, a lot of students don't listen to their parents so they bring that same attitude to the classroom. It needs to be crushed when they are young because the students take it for a ride as they get older.
  
  
  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/students-need-tech-free-classrooms-opinion/ar-AA1oQk49?ocid=UCPNC2&pc=U531&cvid=b726edf33b314cdf9424befdfbb4a955&ei=15#comments&commentId=1252df72-45a1-452e-8c80-9c68ca4495c7

I just had my response comment censored by MSN so I wanted to bring the whole argument here to do some more discussing of the subject. I responded to a person who said "students in the classroom need to be slapped up a little more often". Now I know students should never be touch by a teacher not alone "slapped up a little" but I responded to the person's comment by saying "I don't encourage physical punishment but a figurative "slap in the face" is needed...". Now the reason I said that is because my wife is a teacher and she along with growing number of teachers are get overwhelmed by disruptive students in classrooms. There is NO respect for teachers in the classroom and alot of students are just sitting in the classrooms socializing with others (and being disruptive) or they are on their cell phones. It has gotten very bad everywhere. These are some of my other comments on the subject:

• • I agree with you that some students learn better by watching something than by listening. But the teacher should be the one who runs the slide presentation, video, and electronic easels. Students should NEVER be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom and their computers should only be allowed to be connected to what the teacher wants them to be connected to. My wife is a high school teacher (for about 18 years) and one of her biggest problems in the classroom are students on social media and not paying attention to her presentation. When you try to correct these students they get defensive with the teacher. Back in the day when there was more respect for the teacher and his/her authority in the classroom, it would have been fine to bring notebooks, laptops or cell phones into the classroom. Now, students think they are the center of the universe and they can do what they want in the classroom. So, the hammer now has to come down on them because they aren't even trying to learn anything. They just want to socialize. Now, we can talk about how we should give kids a decent social time during the school day but during class time, it's pay attention time.
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    Because they are not using the social media to learn. They are using it to socialize with their friends and not paying attention to what is being taught to them. If the teacher had control of what the student is watching on his/her notebook, laptop, cell phone then it would work well. What happens then is the student does lousy in the class, parent/student blame the teacher when it was the student's fault in the first place by not paying attention. My wife is a teacher and every teacher she has worked with over the years, identifies this as the biggest problem. In the one school, the administration got smart and they gave teachers a software package that allowed them to see what each student was doing on their notebook, laptop or cell phone. This allowed the teacher to shut down any social media programs that students weren't suppose to be using during class time.

Any other thoughts in the classroom? What should students be allowed to bring to class? What can be done about student's visiting social media sites during class time?

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I think theres a number of issues happening at the same time. I think over the years authority of teachers and parents has been eroded. I remember maybe 10 or 15 years ago there was a movement by a new progressive social order about students rights. There were many social workers and youth counsellors coming in talking about young peoples rights and protecting them.

That was ok except they went too far and it became student rights over all else including teachers and parents. I think this was part of a bigger movement associated with Rights based and identity politics.

The progressives have this idea that punishment is cruel and mean and we needed to understand young people and make them feel good all the time. That these students and especially those who played up the most were misunderstood and victims of a oppressive system that caused all these problems. It wasn't their fault but the mean old system.

From there it seems to have gone a downhill where students rather than feeling good, included and well adjusted developed behavioural problems and it made things worse. Rather than the age old and tested principle that bad behaviour brings bad consequences the need to take responsibility. It was sending a message that students could get away with misbehaviour because there was no real consequences.

We see this same problem in the judicial system where juvenile crime and misbehaviour has increased. Where young people don't respect the law and will brazenly commit crimes knowing there will be little repercussion. A slap on the wrist or fine or they are put through some community program where they are more or less rewarded for doing wrong.

We see this same ideology with 'Defund the police' or the idea that terror groups like Hamas are not terrorist but misunderstood victims who are standing up for this rights. Or how rioters and looters are victims and only reacting to the oppressive system. Or how Uni students have a right to be antisemetic, cancell speakers and demand the jobs of good professors because of percieved harm.

This is part of an ideology where the value of hard work, sacrifice, merit and facing responsibility for ones actions has been undermined. Where the feelings and rights of subjective identities is upheld over the harsh realities of life. The cotton wooling of young people in the name of not harming or making them feel bad as misplaced compassion.

When in reality it is these hard lessons in life, the feeling bad for wrong and the respect for the wisdom and experience of long held truth principles that have worked and brough law and order.

Relating this back to social media. It seems now social status is more important. So of course students who have been disenfranchised from the system and see it as oppressive are going to see social media as the only world they relate to.

It feeds well into the ideology as its about promoting the self, being an influencer and getting the Likes. This is now the measure of worth and not the behind the scenes hard work and sacrifice and taking responsibility. Its too conforming and the more people can show they are defying the bad old oppressive system the better they percieve their worth.

Its pretty superficial, simple and obvious but that is the new reality being created that social media has brought. Theres a detachment between the world created by social media and the real lived experience. Just like theres a detachment between making students feel good and cotton wooling them from the realities of life.

Ahhh... How awesome!

Getty Images
Water buffalo are at home wallowing in wetlands (Credit: Getty Images)

When water buffalo make a home for themselves in abandoned spaces, they can bring with them a rich array of frogs, bats and plant life.

Each autumn, as tadpoles outgrow their tails, the Kizilirmak Delta on Turkey's Black Sea erupts into chaotic commotion with the emergence of marsh frogs. While the fist-sized frogs are at home in the delta's wetlands, dozens can be seen hopping out of the muddy waters to exploit one particularly strange and unusually lively hunting ground.
Climbing up a hillside of thick fur, the frogs encounter terrain that's warm underfoot and an atmosphere that buzzes with flies. But there are risks to foraging here. The surface beneath their webbed feet twitches and shakes, and the entire floor is prone to lurching unpredictably through the air and collapsing into the mud.

This moving mountain of brawn and bugs is the muscular back of a massive water buffalo. On each of these giants roaming the delta, as many as 20 frogs or more can be found hitching a ride to their next meal.

Continued below.

User’s Guide to Sunday, Sept. 1
Old engraving depicts St. Charles Borromeo in the book ‘History of the Church,’ circa 1880. (photo: Shutterstock)

Sunday, Sept. 1, is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Mass readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.

Today’s readings all regard the Law. Let’s look at four teachings that come from them.
The first reading text says, “Moses said to the people: ‘Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord … is giving you.’” So, the Law comes with a promise. It is the basis of life and the doorway to the further blessings of the land. Many today see God’s Law as a limitation on our freedom to “do as we please.” The Law of God does not imprison; it is a defense. Every ancient city had walls, not to imprison its citizens but to protect them from the enemy.

Within the walls there was security and the promise of protection. Outside the walls lurked danger; there was no promise of safety there. It is like this with God’s Laws.

Regarding the Law of God, Moses says, “In your observance of the commandments of the Lord … you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.” We might liken the Law to a set of directions to get to a designated destination. Compliance must be complete to bring us to the right place when driving. Similarly, we are directed to follow the Law of God wholly. Here, we must see God as a healer who is exacting and precise, not for his sake but for ours. God, who is our healer, points to full health.

Continued below.

When the baby is born, there will be hormones released, which will help you to bond to the baby. Of course, holding the baby in your arms, will also cause a bond to be formed.

We are told that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Almighty. You can’t work up that faith and then get closer to the Lord.

We are told that faith is a gift. You can pray for that gift. And it’s useful to do that all your life, as the devil will try to steal away whatever you have.

Don’t stress to have faith and get closer to the Lord. Let his words do the work for you. We have a great advantage in this age with all the technology where we can listen to scriptures and even scripture songs even while we are doing other things in the background. That can be a good start.

You might want to check out scripture only songs from places like Integrity Music. Sing along with those videos and the Word will start to build up in your heart and change you overtime. Overtime. But if you keep it up, and you look back in a year, you will notice some real improvements.

It’s a process. Also think of whatever kind of Bible promises are most meaningful to you. You can read those online on Google, or, again, you can find them on places like YOUTUBE and favorite them, and play them and speak along with them.

Praying for you…

God's glory is his presence or manifestation of His divine nature, majesty, and holiness. In the Bible, It is frequently associated with light, described as a radiant, brilliant, or dazzling presence.

Ex 24:

15 Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

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Ezekiel described God's radiant glory in 1:

26 Above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

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God wears "light as with a garment" (Psalm 104:2).

At the Transfiguration, Jesus' face shone like the sun (Matthew 17:2).

The New Jerusalem will not need sun or moon because "the glory of God gives it light" (Re 21:23).

John explained the glorious light in 1:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

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John equated light with life. From the beginning, this light was the life of men.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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The light of Jesus expels evil darkness.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

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Jesus was the true light; no one else was.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

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Believe in Jesus and receive the true light to live a life of righteousness.

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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Jesus was the shekinah glory of the Father. He was the visible glory of God dwelling on earth.

John 8:

12 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

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Light symbolizes truth, righteousness, and the absence of sin.

1 John 1:

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all."

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John emphasized God's absolute purity and moral perfection. God is the source of all that is good and true, and there is no deceit or evil in Him. As believers, we are called to walk in the light (v. 7).

Ep 5:

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.

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In the OT, God's glory was often associated with light. John, in the NT, pointed this glorious light to Jesus. Now, believers bear this light in us to shine forth the goodness of Jesus.

John started the description of the Last Supper with John 13:

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, … .

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Meyer's NT Commentary:

How long before the feast, our passage does not state; but it is clear from John 13:29; John 18:28; John 19:14; John 19:31, that it was not first on the 14th Nisan, as the harmonists have frequently maintained.

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According to Meyer, Jesus did not eat the paschal meal. The lexical meaning of the Feast/Festival of the Passover seems to support that argument, but see this and this.

I think Jesus did eat the paschal lamb.

I assume John knew about the synoptic gospels when he wrote his gospel. Luke 22:

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

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John made a conscious effort to avoid duplication of materials, so he didn't bother describing the details of setting up the Passover meal.

I prefer the NET Bible's rendition:

Just before the Passover feast,

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i.e., just before they ate the paschal lamb

Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus.

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Benson agreed with this interpretation:

John 13:1. Now before the feast of the passover — That is, before they began the passover-supper.

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Scholars are divided on this issue, but I go with that Jesus and the Jewish leaders ate the paschal lamb before he died.

Panthers said:

There is no such thing as evolution in terms of gains.
There is only Devol-ution, in terms of breaking down.
Hence, is why there are no beneficial mutation centers.
The apes were lost tribes from the flood, but devolved rapidly.
(likely because of diet and incest)
View attachment 354058

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What do you mean the apes were lost tribes from the flood.

let romantic be happy and pure.

As a knock-about Australian I must be sleepwalking through the tik-tok daisies. I hadn't even heard of "trad wife", and could not afford a $30,000 wood burning stove if my life depended on it which in our climate it doesn't.

It's just gone the last week of winter here and due to a warm spell we've had days up to 34 degrees centigrade (93.2% F) so we haven't got the yuletide fire going. We won't have one going at Christmas either, being slap bang in the middle of summer in our hemisphere.

Meanwhile the workers I've seen around and about haven't been wearing "black leather jackets, tight lace t-shirts, and cargo trousers" and being retired myself I get around in jeans and flannelette shirt (when it's cool enough) and jeans or shorts and T-shirt when it gets a bit warmer.

In Sydney maybe, but not here.

I'll go back to my septuagenarian hibernation. Wake me when its over.

Cosmic Charlie said:

Again, Fide has his think completely sorted.

This is exactly the way Transubstantiation works.

In modern parlance I think it's close to say that the Bread and Wine are avatars after Transubstantiation. They look, act and interact with their environment like bread and wine but are, in fact, the body and blood of Christ.

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It may be helpful in the short term to consider an analogy with "avatar", but if you're seeking parallels in Hinduism, I recommend that the analogy will be less helpful than it may seem. Revealed Christian truth is unique, and complete only in itself. To truly understand it in its many mysteries, one must set aside analogies and partial similarities with other religions and faiths, and listen to divine Christian revelation in itself. Short-cuts to authentic Truth using maps devised by man will not work; God can speak for Himself much better!

John G. said:

Unfortunately, so many movies today have blasphemy and ungodly scenes pop up where we don't even expect them.

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I know, when I hear such blasphemy it makes me cringe.

I sincerely hope all the EO will come back in communion with Rome but they refuse to acknowledge the holy Father. I pray for unity throughout all of Christendom.

I can't say I'm surprised. More and more things will only point out to God being faithful and true.

He's wonderful!

Gnarwhal said:

Sometimes I wonder whether these companies are just directly threatened with huge financial losses if they don't comply with this DEI tyranny.

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Is money really worth your soul? That's WHAT they should be asking themselves.

Yup! They don't actually care about people. Mark my words!

Based off Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22

I want to draw you a picture,
Not for your mantel or fixture.
It’s drawn with letters and numbers,
Focused on those who do slumber.

I know your works and endurance,
How you’ve found in Me assurance.
You’ve abandoned love had at first,
So, for other things you do thirst. (1)

I know now of your tribulation,
Of those who do now worship Satan.
Don’t fear what you truly will suffer,
But be one who surely will conquer. (2)

I know where you dwell, Satan’s throne,
You have made My name now your home.
But among you are those who teach lies,
So the people to sin do not die. (3)

I know of your love, faith, and works,
Your latter works exceed the first.
But you tolerate much seducing,
The practice of sin not reducing. (4)

I know of your good reputation,
But that is not your situation.
So wake up and strengthen what’s dying,
And cease with your constant denying. (5)

For you I have opened a door,
For My word you do not ignore.
Your enemies one day will see
I’ve loved you, and that you love Me. (6)

And lastly are those who’re lukewarm,
To God’s word they do not conform.
So, I’m standing at your front door,
So hear Me, and not Me ignore. (7)

An Original Work / January 11, 2024

When we read a passage of Scripture like this it is always good if we can read it in context, asking ourselves to whom this applies. For it does not apply to everyone who makes a verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ. It does apply to everyone who is in Christ Jesus, yes, but by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10), who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For if our minds are set on the flesh, the end result is death, not life everlasting.

So, for us to claim these promises of God, we must be those who are walking (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, who are walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy living and no longer in sin, in practice, although not necessarily in absolute perfection. And we must be those who, by the Spirit, are daily putting the deeds of the flesh to death and who are now being led by the Spirit of God in how to live (see Romans 8:1-14).

For God is for us who are for him, and we show that we are for him by our submission to him to his will and purpose for our lives, and by our walks of faith in obedience to his commands and in holy living, and no longer in sin. And this isn’t teaching that no one will be against us, for that would be contrary to what Jesus and his NT apostles taught us all throughout the New Testament. For they taught us that we will be hated and rejected and persecuted for the sake of the name of Jesus and for his righteousness.

But the inference, I believe, is that those who are against us cannot take away from us what God has provided for us. They have no real power over us in light of our salvation and eternal life with God. Although they will oppose us and persecute us, the Lord is our strength, and he will sustain us if we are willing and obedient. So even if they bring charges against us, and even if they condemn us, if we are following the Lord in obedience to his commands, he will not bring charges against us, and he will not condemn.

Also, if Christ is Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives, and if we are walking according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, nothing and no one can separate us from the love of Christ. We can, if we choose to, separate ourselves from his love if we choose to walk in sin and not in righteousness and holiness, and if we turn our backs on him and we go our own way and not his way. For the Scriptures teach that if we claim to know God and to be in fellowship with him while we walk in sin and don’t obey him, we are liars.

[1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Matthew 7:21-23]

But if we are walking in his ways and in his truth, and not in sin, then we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. We can have victory over sin, Satan, worldly influences, opposition, persecutions, and temptations, trials, and tribulations – all in His power, strength, and wisdom, and because of his grace to us. We do not have to cave to (give into) our circumstances or to how others treat us or view us. We can rise above it all and live for Jesus, and do his will for our lives, despite all else that comes into our lives.

Courageous!

An Original Work / December 24, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures

The Word of God throughout taught.
Some people heard but did doubt.
Still others had faith in Christ.
By grace He purified them.

They turned from sin
And they obeyed Christ.
He opened up their blinded eyesight;
Turned them from darkness
To the true Light;
Forgave their sin by His might.

He strengthened them in their faith.
He said, “Remain my faithful.”
He called them to obedience.
By faith, they were so grateful.

By faith, they were to follow Jesus;
To daily sit and listen to Him;
To have such faith
That mountains could move;
To love those whom He gave them.

Be on your guard; courageous.
Stand firm in faith. Be thankful.
Take up the shield of your faith;
Protect against all evil.

Do not move from
The hope that you have.
Your faith in Jesus let it endure.
Hold to the truth;
Your conscience be clear.
Endure with perseverance.

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Jesus Christ loves us so much that he willingly died on a cross, taking upon himself the sins of the entire world, just so you and I could go free from slavery and the control of sin over our lives. When we come to him in faith, turning from our sins, and turning to follow him with our lives, he fills us with his Holy Spirit, who teaches us about him, and who leads, counsels, comforts, inspires and encourages us in the way of truth and righteousness.

Jesus Christ not only came to deliver us from Satan and from slavery to sin, but he has delivered us from the grave and has given us the hope of eternal life with God in glory. He is always with us, and he will never leave us nor forsake us. Because of his great love for us it should inspire us to want to know him more – to spend time with him, and to walk in his ways.

Your Love Inspires Me

An Original Work / April 28, 2011

Your love inspires me
to want to know you more.
I worship and adore
my gracious, loving Lord.
Washing all my sin,
purify within,
Your grace and
Your loving kindness
save from sin.

Because of what You’ve done
for me, I praise You, Lord.
You freed me from my sin,
and made me whole within.
As I come to You
with a contrite heart,
I pray that
Your love and mercy,
You impart.

Jesus died for you, then
He rose up from the grave.
He conquered death and sin,
so by our faith we’re saved.
He became a man.
This was in God’s plan,
So that we might be forgiven,
cleansed within;
saved from sin.

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Who are those who love God? They are those who obey his commandments. If we truly love God, we are those who have, thus, been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Therefore we are not to let sin reign in our bodies to make us obey its desires, for if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But obedience to God ends in eternal life (John 14:15,21,23; John 15:10; Romans 6:1-23).

And if we love God with this agape love, which prefers what God prefers, which is all that is holy, righteous, godly, upright, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to him, then we will deny self, die daily to sin, and walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, by the grace and in the power of God dwelling within us. We will prefer to live through Christ, choosing his choices, and obeying them in his power. And we will choose not to deliberately and habitually sin against our Lord and against other people.

Now for us who love God in this way, God works all things together for good, for those of us who are called according to his purpose. And these would be those of us who have answered that call to deny self, leave our lives of sin behind us, and to follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads us in doing whatever he calls us to do. But “good” may not necessarily always align with human thinking. For good is whatever is good for us, which includes suffering for the sake of righteousness, but which produces in us perseverance.

So this “good” is defined by God and not by us, and it is whatever God deems is best for us in order for him to conform us to the likeness of Jesus Christ in character and in behavior. So it may not always feel good to us when we are experiencing it, but it will all work out for what is for our best, for what will lead us to be holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord. And it will produce through us what is best for those whose lives we influence by our walks of faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, according to the Scriptures, God in his sovereignty foreknew us and predestined us to be conformed to the likeness of character of Jesus Christ, even before he laid the foundations of the earth. He formed us in the wombs of our mothers, and in his book were written all the days that were formed for us even before one of them came into being. And he called us to a holy calling. For he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. So, as obedient children, we are not to be conformed to the passions of our flesh as we once were.

[Jer 1:1-19; Psalms 139:13-16; Acts 26:18; Rom 1:6-7,18-23; Rom 6:15-21; Rom 8:28-29; 1 Co 1:9; 1 Co 12:1-31; Gal 5:13; Eph 1:3-4; 1 Thess 4:1-8; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 10:26-31; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Pet 2:9; 2 Pet 1:3]

So, because of what Jesus Christ did for us in putting our sins to death with him on that cross, so that we will die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, then we are to die daily to sin and follow him in obedience to his commands, by the Spirit. And he made the way for us to do that, by his grace, and in his death and resurrection. So he is our model, and he is the one we are to be being conformed to his likeness. For that is why he died, that we might no longer live for self but for him who died for us.

Now all of this is the working God in our hearts and lives and does not come from anything from within our own self or our own flesh. Not one of us can be saved from our sins and have eternal life with God unless God first persuades us as to his holiness and righteousness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to repent of our sins and to walk humbly in walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands. But it involves us cooperating with God in his work of grace in our lives by us submitting to him and to his will.

So, even though it is Jesus Christ who justifies us and who glorifies us and who makes us right before God, this does not happen unless we bow the knee to God and we surrender our lives to him to do what he has called us to do and to be. For when Jesus justifies us he conforms us, with our cooperation and participation, to his standard, to be upright, and to be made righteous, but not in status only, but in practice. He changes our hearts, but only as we yield to him and to his work of transformation in our hearts.

For we are not marionettes with him holding all the strings and with us having no control whatsoever on the choices that we make and on the actions that we take. And we must still participate with him in his work of grace in our lives or it won’t happen. All throughout the New Testament we are instructed that we must deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience. We must put off sin and put on righteousness. Yes, we can only do this in the power of God, but we still must obey our Lord’s commands.

For if we don’t, and if we think that we can just profess faith in Jesus Christ and now we are “good to go” to heaven when we die regardless of how we live from that moment forward, then we need to know what the Scriptures teach. For they teach that if sin is our practice, and not walks of obedience to the Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life with God. And if we say we are in fellowship with God and that we know God, but we make sin our practice, and obedience is not our practice, then we are liars.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

In Truth

An Original Work / January 10, 2012

Fellowshipping with my Lord, Savior, King.
He is Lord of all; Lord of ev’rything.
He is with me through ev’ry hour of day,
List’ning to me speak, as I humbly pray.
He cares for my needs,
and He intercedes for me,
‘cause He loves me in ev’ry way.

Obey His commands, and do all He says.
Sitting at His feet, daily in His word,
Let His word speak to me in ev’ry way,
Giving comfort and healing through each day.
Oh, how Jesus loves,
And He cares for you,
Which is why He died for our sins, in truth.

Love our Lord God, Savior, and King of kings.
Worship Him in truth, for He reigns supreme.
He created us with a plan in mind
For us to be His servants, and Him mind.
Follow Him in truth;
Go where’er He leads.
Share His love with others, and their needs meet.
Others: their needs meet.

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In Acts 17: 28 we see that God through the Apostle Paul used the entertainment industry of his day to make a spiritual point....something that generation could relate to help them more readily receive the gospel. This following came to me I believe by revelation in a similar way that is something about our present culture in which God wants to make a spiritual point....in so doing that they might more readily receive the Gospel. I'll say what it is first and then I'll share why in my opinion this can have a great impact for the Kingdom of God.

It's the Christmas Carol. the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his joyful life filled nephew who sought to bring his Uncle into a state of merriment! Now just know first of all how significant this piece of literature The Christmas Carol has being over the last 100 years. Written by Charles Dickens in the 1800's there's been over 20 movies made about the theme.....then there's highly talented professional theater productions that have been done on stage.....not to mention just type in on youtube "Scrooge Highs School plays! I dare say you can't find a city in North America that usually doesn't have a Christmas Carol production going on in every city. So ..... everybody LOVES this story! Because they DO I believe God wants to use it to make a point.

I encourage you to stay with me and I think you'll find this interesting! Scrooges nephew was a type of Jesus Christ. He Scrooge's nephew came to a man who was in darkness and misery that is Scrooge and wanted to bring him in to a state of life and merriment. You recall (if you've seen a Scrooge movie) he came to his Uncle's business and announced to him in a lively spirit of joy and happiness, "MERRY Christmas UNCLE!!" Just to note in the actual text Charles Dickens wrote, he has Scrooge's nephew actually say to him, "Merry Christmas Uncle and God save you!" Interesting that all the movie producers actually left that out.

And how did Scrooge answer his nephew.....I think you all know....He said to him, 'HUMBUG! HUMBUG!" He basically told him "Take Your MERRY somewhere else!" There was something though his nephew wanted him to do.....a place where he wanted him to come, AND where was that? He wanted him to come to his place for Christmas dinner where there would be LIVELY JOY, MERRIMENT, DANCING AND FUN and Jesus 2000 years before Charles Dickens ever wrote this made out a call to for all to come his LIFE banquet! In Lk 14:16 we read,

But Jesus replied, “A certain man prepared a great banquet and invited many guests. 17When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’18But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’19Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, so I cannot come.’

They like Scrooges were basically saying the same thing as he to the invitation to the LIFE party....HUMBUG....HUMBUG!!!

Scrooges nephew came to him with a message of LIFE and JOY and Jesus Christ outside of the realm of fiction actually did the same with what's called the Good News Gospel The Way, The Truth and the Life. Christ was wanting and still does want to restore within the hearts of every man the true state of merriment and that is imparting Eternal Life into ones spirit to transform their life. The Apostle Peter said to Jesus that he was the one who had the words of eternal life and Jesus said, "The words I speak unto you they are spirit and life!" Jn 6:63 We're going to take you on a journey in this series ahead at looking more closely at this Christmas Carol, Scrooge, and THE HUMBUG analogy and as I've suggested it can have a big impact on saints and sinners alike and here's why......the culture has engrained within them not to want to be of a Scrooge spirit! They've heard the Christmas Carol story all of their lives and the last thing they want to be is be like him. When one understands they don't want to say HUMBUG to The Creator of all Spirits to saints and sinners alike they find awaken in them a new positive vision to say YES to God in all things. Nobody or most people don't want to be a Spiritual Scrooge!

(See You Next Time)

Acts 2:38- Matt 28:19 comparison
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I would like to see what you all think about it