ARITHMETICKING A NEW YEAR

ARITHMETICKING A NEW YEAR = Friday, January 01, 2016

From the book of 2Timothy: … God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. … Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. … Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. … And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. … Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. … I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. … The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. (This is the Apostle Paul’s second epistle unto Timothy, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians. It was written from Rome at the time Paul was brought before Nero the second time. I’ve used excerpts from the letter, but do encourage the reading of 2Timothy in its entirety.)

Arithmeticking: the deliberate or unavoidable tick-tock of adding to or subtracting from one’s life. A made-up word by Edwin B. Bullock 4th.

  OK, so what am I going to do in 2016 besides making up a new word and pre-writing 2016 on 12 blank checks hoping it will be habit after 30 or so days?

  As since year 1963 I shall strive to make God’s Word increasingly central to life’s equation by endeavoring to add God’s Truth; wisdom that will be as a prod, words given from The One Shepherd. And by them to be admonished, knowing that in the making many books of man’s ideas there is no end and much study of them is weariness to the body. Desiring with singleness of worldview (Lk.11:33-36) to apply the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil. (Eccl.12)

   While I was sound asleep at 2:01am January 01, 2010, a Christian brother was not, sending me a note that quantifies it well: “We need to look forward to the new things the Father has for us this new year. It is time to let go of the past and embrace the new year with a stronger relationship with the Lord and our fellow men / women. We need to get out of our comfort zone and reach out to the Father and ask for the Holiness that leads to personal encounter with the Father. For this is what makes us stronger in our faith. Ted” 

   As a part of arithmeticking life I shall continue reading, studying, pondering, personally working at applying needed addition and subtraction, and writing about the sum in Daily Thoughts.

  What are you going to be doing in the way of arithmeticking in 2016? Will you join in adding sums of your spiritual education as edifying inspiration for others?

EBB4