REMAING NEEDY

REMAINING NEEDY
Friday, September 29, 2017

John 16:13a Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:

1John 1:4-10 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

  One thing God’s Holy Spirit does is not let me forget my old nature was not extinguished when I trusted Lord Jesus Christ as personal redeemer at age 27. (Rom.7:14) I required yet another reminder this week.

  It began weeks ago with my contracting Tom Myer to refinish the hardwood floors in a house we’re prepping for sale. I felt good about “Me, myself, and I.” not doing the job though we are quite capable of doing so. I painted. Tom sanded. We swapped stories. The work passed the halfway point this week. Tom explained it will be completed by next Friday. Then, though not in our handshake agreement, he said he would install a fitted oak threshold between the uneven hall hardwood and bathroom tile. “No, I’ll do that.” says I. Tom looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.

  That evening while watching FALLING SKYS the Spirit of truth fell on me.

  My first choice for a life verse had been Romans 5:8. Within a few months I realized I needed Scripture that speaks to an ongoing need in my life. After a bit of elder mentoring on self-recognition and prayerful thought I chose Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

  The next morning I was painting inside a closet when Tom arrived as usual about 9:30 after completing his nightshift job. As usual we greeted by shaking hands. I then handed him my cellphone to “With good reason read my life verses.” A special moment occurred between God, Tom, and me as I accepted the gift that Tom intended for me that I had initially pridefully rejected.

  Back in the closet painting with Tom sanding above me on the second floor I felt mighty blessed . . . and thought of Song of Solomon 2:15.

  Thank you Lord for Your workings in every member of Your family, including dealing with me, myself, and I of the mulish branch.

EBB4

NO DIFFERENT

NO DIFFERENT

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Mark 8:34-38  And when he [Jesus] had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

  Though Hugh Hefner lived differently than most, in his end he is no different than any other.

  Rubble from the Second World War had not yet been cleared when in 1947 The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction was founded as a nonprofit research institute at Indiana University. The resultant Kinsey Report resulted in considerable cultural stir. In 1953 Hefner, for profit in wealth and notoriety surfed the sexual revolution wave that thereafter became tidal in USA culture. Then, as is with capitalism, competitors Penthouse and Hustler arose yet further from Biblical morality.

  At age 91 Hugh M. Hefner took his last hop.

  Was it to eternal damnation as some are saying?

  Maybe, maybe not, for God’s saving grace is available for one and all. God’s will is that no one would perish. (2Pet.3:8-9) Man’s God-gifted will with individual option to agree or continue unto death in disagreement; in this you and I are no different: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (ESV Jn.3:16-18)

EBB4 

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Matthew [MKJV] 5:14-16 [Jesus explained] You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

Ephesians 6:10-19 [Paul exhorting and asking for himself] Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

  “What’s that?!” said the child to the woman obviously enjoying her fruit.

  Smiling, she replied “It’s an orange.”

  The child responded “What’s it taste like?”

  How do you explain something to someone that is clueless about something? It tastes like chicken will not inform in every situation.

  If and as God’s Holy Spirit inspires and we comply, “It tastes good.” may seed the truth. It may even open the door to further inquiry and informing conversation. A seminary degree is not required to enable witnessing of God’s goodness, love and grace. We begin by simply telling of what we have tasted and staying away from overreaching.

  Now, what is it about the Lord that you have tasted and enjoy?

  “Taste and see that Jehovah is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him. O fear Jehovah, His holy ones; for there is nothing lacking to those who fear Him.” (Ps.34:8-9)

EBB4

FOR FUN?

FOR FUN?

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Can you find the the mistake?   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

  Most responders find the mistake quickly, some have to study for a bit, a few didn’t find it and need to ask.

  Seeing the obvious clearly is not always so easy . . . because of the way our mental vision is set up by inclination, education, and preconception. This is especially so when it comes to spiritual matters. Nicodemus was a man of serious religious nature, very learned in such matters, and obviously of an inquiring disposition, but still made the mistake of limiting his vision. His encounter with Jesus changed how Nicodemus viewed religion and all else.

            “Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish council. He came to Jesus one night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that God has sent you as a teacher. No one can perform the miracles you perform unless God is with him." Jesus replied to Nicodemus, "I can guarantee this truth: No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus asked him, "How can anyone be born when he's an old man? He can't go back inside his mother a second time to be born, can he?" Jesus answered Nicodemus, "I can guarantee this truth: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Flesh and blood give birth to flesh and blood, but the Spirit gives birth to things that are spiritual. Don't be surprised when I tell you that all of you must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you don't know where the wind comes from or where it's going. That's the way it is with everyone born of the Spirit." Nicodemus replied, "How can that be?" Jesus told Nicodemus, "You're a well-known teacher of Israel. Can't you understand this?” (GW John 3)

  Whether old Nicodemus acquired born-again vision at that moment, in ensuing conversation with Jesus, as he traveled home, or later we don’t know. We do know however that he is later noted in John 7:50-52; 19:39-42.

  Those that had trouble quickly finding mistake in puzzle above are typically math minded, the mistake being in the words not the numbers. (Evidence that you’re math biased is in if you read the numbers repeatedly first before reviewing the entire puzzle.)

  Now, before we become smug solutionists, please reflect on truth that you initially did not see in God’s Word but am blessed in doing so later. 

EBB4

IS THE USA A CHRISTIAN NATION?

www.GotQuestions.org

"Is the United States a Christian nation?"

  It may seem intuitive, at first, to attempt to answer this question by focusing on government. But the best way to determine whether or not the United States is a Christian nation is to compare the philosophy of its people to the Word of God.
 The Declaration of Independence states that every person has these God-given, inalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This philosophy is what we could call the “American Worldview”, and it drives everything about the nation - from its economic and foreign policy to the private lives of its people. This is the atmosphere in which most of us have grown up. But does this American Worldview be called a Christian Worldview? Can we really call the United States a Christian nation?

Life
First, what does “life” mean to a Christian? Most Americans would say we have a right to be alive, just by virtue of having been born. Most Americans would say we have the right to do with our lives as we choose, because our lives belong to us. Christianity agrees that we have the “right to life” and recognizes that life comes from the Creator, just as the Declaration says. However, the Christian (Biblical) view is that the right to live does not exist by virtue of being born, but by virtue of being created first in the mind of God (Jeremiah 1:5). Acts 17:25 says that God “gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” The Bible is saying here that the life of man is sustained by God, and as such, it belongs to Him. But Americans generally believe that we are free to do with our lives just as we please because we believe our lives belong, primarily, to us. For a Christian, God’s law is the absolute truth, and the final authority. It tells the Christian “Thou shalt not murder” and “Thou shalt not bear false witness”. But the United States shows, both by the lives of her citizens and the laws passed in her courts that she does not recognize the authority of God, nor respect His laws.

Liberty
What does “liberty” mean to a Christian? Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and the freedom to bear arms are some of the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights. All of these freedoms are good things valued greatly by Americans. Today, however, our nation has, for the most part, rejected the Bible as the standard of right and wrong. So, now liberty has an additional meaning to our citizens: it means that we are ultimately free to do whatever we want. It means that we control our own destiny—or that we should—and that nobody can tell another person what is right or what they should value. This mindset has had disastrous results. In America now, everything is subjective. In the face of the monstrous tragedy of abortion, Americans echo the words of Pontius Pilate: “What is Truth?” Our personal choice has become the only thing we truly value. We are tolerant above all, but only because to put down another person’s freedom is to endanger our own liberty. Practically speaking, since such a wide variety of religions are now represented among our citizens, how can we say “America is a Christian nation” without obliterating the Christian faith? A Christian individual will not kill or hurt someone of another religion who refuses to convert. However, the Bible is clear: we are not to tell people that all roads lead to Heaven. There is one Way, and His name is Jesus Christ. The Bible informs Christians that freedom and liberty are good and right. But, it also gives us the context of that freedom: we have freedom as Christ’s followers, because we trust in His righteousness, instead of our own. We were slaves to this world, and to sin. Now we are slaves to Christ – and that is a Christian’s definition of freedom. That doesn’t sound much like the definition of Liberty that is held by the government or the citizens of America.

The Pursuit of Happiness
Now, the Pursuit of Happiness: what is it, to a Christian? In the Bible, happiness is an emotion that is welcomed, but not to be sought after. We seek God, and Joy is a result of closeness to Him. But joy is different from happiness. Joy is a spiritual contentment and pleasure that comes from the Holy Spirit. A person must be in fellowship with the Spirit to experience it, and it transcends circumstance. The Apostle Paul said that he had “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11), and Paul’s circumstances were hardly the sort to produce happiness: beatings, stoning, shipwreck, hunger, thirst and danger. But his joy and peace were from God, not from his circumstances. In contrast, Americans tend to believe we are to pursue, at all cost, happiness in our lives here in this world. Pursue happiness, the American is told, at the cost of all else. If it makes you happy to leave your wife and children, do it. If it makes you happy to devote your life to stardom at the expense of friends and family members, you should follow your dream. If you are a man but you think being a woman will make you happy, have a sex change. Play video games 10 hours a day? Drink yourself to death? Get married to your dog? Sure, if it makes you happy! Perhaps when the Constitution was framed, the Judeo-Christian ethic of “love thy neighbor” was understood as a foundational principle upon which to base our right to pursue happiness. But it has changed over the years to mean a right to pursue individual pleasure, no matter how strange the means, without being judged by your fellow man and without regard to how that pursuit affects the other person’s rights or freedoms, or affects the fabric of society itself.
  But consider the following verse from Mark 8:36: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” For the Christian, this thought is central: nothing is gained from pursuing comfort and happiness here on earth. Nothing is really gained, for a Christian, by “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The Christian person pursues other things: “…pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22) “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19). “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Christians are concerned with the spiritual – because they belong to another country; they are citizens of a spiritual country, the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, is the United States a Christian nation? No. Not in its philosophy, or in what it loves, or in what it does. Despite its Judeo-Christian roots and heritage, and the beliefs of some of its founders, the United States today is a nation that follows other gods, and lives a lifestyle that is not compatible with Christianity.

© Copyright 2002-2012 Got Questions Ministries.

WHAT IS INEVITABLE?

WHAT IS INEVITABLE?

Sunday, September 24, 2017

   Hebrews [ESV] 3:1-19 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years.

Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have

not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?

And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter [into His rest] because of unbelief.

  “North Korean diplomat says strike against U.S. is ‘inevitable’” published in the Washington Post and repeated in this morning Omaha World-Herald. Hmmm, we may be walking in “the valley of death”, maybe not. Whether an actual or imagined future event fearfulness is real to those experiencing unsettling angst.

  For me to fear is a lack of reliance, the lack being an act of rebellion.

  For those living “in Christ”, trusting His provision of “still waters”, there is overarching guidance, rest, strength and maturation in His promise; a promise that must be appropriated for beneficial effect. God’s stated promise effectually requiring the knowledge that His Word does not necessarily promise removal from “the valley of death”, only that within that valley there is a place of His calm rest.

  As with much of what Jesus taught He reiterated and reinforced truths from what we refer to as Old; indeed old in time but eternal in freshness of Christ-honoring application. Hear and heed Jesus’ teaching recorded by John: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. … I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (14:27; 16:33)

  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Amen?

EBB4

GOD DELIVERED NOAH

GOD DELIVERED NOAH       Friday, September 22, 2017

Genesis chapters 5-10; Num.26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Jos.17:3; 1Chron.1:4; Isa.54:9; Eze.14:14, 20; Heb.11:7; 1Pet.3:20; 2Pet.2:5

   Matthew [ESV] 6:9-15 [Jesus taught] Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

   James 4:1-10 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

   1Peter 5:6-8 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties [distracting solicitudes] on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

  God can deliver us. The problem for many Christians is the expectation of an unusual skyfall miracle apart from their disagreeable noncompliant resistance. Indeed He does such miracles, but in the record of His Word they are on the very short list. We must never assume that our will and purpose trumps His will in purpose. God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, is our ultimate example of this. (Jn.5:30; 6:38; Act 13:22; Lk.22:39-46)

  Noah is a prime human example to study, learn from, and to definitely imitate.

·         God’s cataclysmic destroying flood was never seen before or since.

·         God gave Noah practical instructions for his and family deliverance.

·         God’s deliverance instructions required 120 years of patient compliant expensive labor. Noah, though he understood little or nothing of it, agreed with God’s overarching plan of saving and restarting civilization.

·         The same waters that drown the many lifted God’s select few.

  Moving forward in time to the New Testament record, let us not think Jesus was only teaching a prayer, how to pray. He was very much teaching how to live, including on the question of deliverance: If we are not compliant in humbling ourselves to forgive others, the Father will not forgive us. James and Peter later make comment that pertains to deliverance.

  God’s deliverance may be at the end of a staff, but it is seldom so. God’s deliverance typically involves Matthew 16:24 compliance with humility, risk (leaving comfort zones for one), labor and investment on our part as individual, family, community, or nation. The local congregation that we claim membership in is not above this requirement.  Tragically they are too often below it.

EBB4

CONFORMITY AND THE PLAN

CONFORMITY AND THE PLAN

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Romans [ESV] 12:1-3 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

  In understanding the question of deliverance we must accept first of all that ours is to serve Him all our days, not the other way around. We are created for His reasons, not ours. This is not to say that God does not care about each and every one of us, for He does most assuredly. (2Pet.3:8-9)

  Can He deliver us eternally? Yes.

·         John 3:16

·         Mark 13:27

  Can He deliver us in all other situations? Yes, but not necessarily. A few representative examples:

·         Non-compliance on our part. James 4:1-10; 1Peter 5:1-11

·         Matthew 5:45 (Abundance of fresh water, bountiful crops, and Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico.)

·         A lesson in His grace and our place of service. 2Corinthians 12:1-10

·         Compliance to Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as in heaven.” God’s only begotten Son, Jesus, exemplified this in life and Gethsemane as His earthly ministry was closing (Mt.26:39).

  And then we see examples of deliverance and non-deliverance according to God’s will.

·         Hebrews 11:1-40

·         In the cruel sweep of the Holocaust a Corrie ten Boom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrie_ten_Boom

  Life is not all about “Me, myself, and I”. (Thanks to Grandmother Ida Mae McGee for planting this oft repeated phrased lesson that finally came to fruition “in Christ”.) As followers of Lord Jesus Christ ours is to think and act accordingly; seeking, discovering, and applying His will above all else. (Mt.16:24; Mk.8:34; Lk.9:23; 14:26-27)

EBB4

DELIVER FROM WHAT?

DELIVER FROM WHAT?

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Psalm 40:16-17 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You, and the ones loving your salvation always say, Let Jehovah be magnified. But I am poor and needy; Jehovah will care for me; You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not wait.

Romans 11:26 … "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer …

  Messiah means “deliverer”.

  Appropriately, it is one of Jesus’ names, for He is the ultimate deliver.

  Though Deliverer is very much His character and work, the actual title of Messiah is mentioned only 2 times in God’s Word: in Daniel’s prophecy in 9:25-26.

  Exactly what does Jesus deliver us individually from? Not at all what some, including Peter, numerous Jews and gentiles (non-Jews) thought and many yet now believe.

  Did He live, suffer, die, and rise again to physically deliver us from life’s troubles and problems?

  No.

·         Trusting Him we are delivered from prior existent condition of eternal condemnation. “… whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil.” (Jn.3:15-19)

·         Trusting Jesus we are delivered peace from destructive fearful anxiety. “[Jesus explained] Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” … “I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (Jn.14:27; 16:33. Also note 1Pet.5:7; 2Pet.2:20; 1Jn.4:4) Ah, but do we accept the deliverance?

  Will He deliver us from individual physical event or circumstance? He can. He may. But it is serious mistake to think of Jesus primarily as such a deliverer; a mindset that defeats maturation of and in inner peace that He provides in place of our natural anxious expectations; centering on unrealistic expectations instead of focusing on serving Him and others within undesirable circumstances is frustrating and distracting.

  Things will waste away. Dreams will die. Loved ones will leave us by movement, consternation, or death. Ordeal is commonly part and parcel of life this side of heaven.

  Realism is distinctly different for those living “in Christ”. (Jn.3:3; 2Cor.5:17; Rom.12:1-3)

  Our reality is to live unrestricted by false expectation. We are to live and walk as resurrected people in newness of life. (Jn.8:31-36; Rom.6:4) This includes understanding and applying His deliverance for what it is and what it is not.

EBB4

PS. I encourage an edifying inspirational concordance study of “in Christ”, 78 verses in KJV New Testament.

#2 of Ten Reasons I Believe the Bible is the Word of God

# 2 of Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God by R. A. Torrey

SECOND, on the ground of its fulfilled prophecies.

There are two classes of prophecies in the Bible-first, the explicit, verbal prophecies, second, those of the types.

In the first we have the definite prophecies concerning the Jews, the heathen nations and the Messiah. Taking the prophecies, regarding the Messiah as an illustration, look at Isaiah 53, Mic. 5:2, Dan. 9:25-27. Many others might be mentioned, but these will serve as illustrations. In these prophecies, written hundreds of years before the Messiah came, we have the most explicit statements as to the manner and place of His birth, the manner of His reception by men, how His life would end, His resurrection and His victory succeeding His death. When made, these prophecies were exceedingly improbable, and seemingly impossible of fulfillment; but they were fulfilled to the very minutest detail of manner and place and time. How are we to account for it? Man could not have foreseen these improbable events-they lay hundreds of years ahead-but God could, and it is God who speaks through these men.

But the prophecies of the types are more remarkable still. Everything in the Old Testament-history, institutions, ceremonies-is prophetical. The high priesthood, the ordinary priesthood, the Levites, the prophets, priests and kings, are all prophecies. The tabernacle, the brazen altar, the laver, the golden candlestick, the table of shewbread, the veil, the altar of incense, the ark of the covenant, the very coverings of the tabernacle, are prophecies. In all these things, as we study them minutely and soberly in the light of the history of Jesus Christ and the church, we see, wrapped up in the ancient institutions ordained of God to meet an immediate purpose, prophecies of the death, atonement, and resurrection of Christ, the day of Pentecost, and the entire history of the church. We see the profoundest Christian doctrines of the New Testament clearly foreshadowed in these institutions of the Old Testament. The only way in which you can appreciate this is to get into the Book itself and study all about the sacrifices and feasts, etc., till you see the truths of the New Testament shining out in the Old. If, in studying some elementary form of life, I find a rudimentary organ, useless now, but by the process of development to become of use in that animal's descendant, I say, back of this rudimentary organ is God, who, in the earlier animal, is preparing for the life and necessities of the animal that is to come. So, going back to these preparations in the Bible for the truth that is to be clearly taught at a later day, there is only one scientific way to account for them, namely, He who knows and prepares for the end from the beginning is the author of that Book.

A REVEALING QUESTION

A REVEALING QUESTION

Monday, September 18, 2017

Proverbs 18:24a A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:

2Corinthians [CEV] 13:5a Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith.

  I like meeting people. More than that I like edifying people. One method being respectful questions showing genuine  interest in getting to know them. A variant of my Dad’s practice is asking “What is important about you that you’d like me to know?”

  Yesterday a young woman and boy occupied the pew forward of where I sat. After the service I greeted them and we chatted. Among other information I discovered Collin is in the 6^th grade. After a few minutes of conversation I asked him the question.

  Without hesitation he replied “I have good friends.” . . . his 4 word answer telling a great deal about himself, especially pertaining to his level of maturity. I responded telling him he had revealed a great deal of good about himself.

  At this point in reading today’s DT you’re asking yourself how you’d answer the question and what it would reveal about yourself, aren’t you?

EBB4

A SOLITARY THOUGHT OF WORSHIP

A SOLITARY THOUGHT OF WORSHIP

Sunday, September 17, 2017

  Today there will be many words spoken and sung about God. I will participate in another class, listen to another sermon, as will many others everywhere. Sometimes though, worship comes down to a solitary thought impressing upon one’s soul: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Ps.90:2)

  Reflecting on this powerful truth, consider that everything in the universe has a beginning and will eventually end, everything except God. Rules of limitations don’t apply to Him, because He as Sovereign made them.

  Before there was time, God was there; when time is no more, He is.

  Presently, in this moment, He is here. 

EBB4

#! REASON I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

# 1 of Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God by R. A. Torrey

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FIRST, on the ground of the testimony of Jesus Christ.

  Many people accept the authority of Christ who do not accept that of the Bible as a whole. We all must accept His authority. He is accredited to us by five Divine testimonies: by the testimony of the Divine life He lived; by the testimony of the Divine words He spoke; by the testimony of the Divine works He wrought; by the Divine attestation of the resurrection from the dead; and by the testimony of His Divine influence upon the history of mankind. But if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept the authority of the Bible as a whole. He testifies definitely and specifically to the Divine authorship of the whole Bible.

  We find His testimony as to the Old Testament in Mark 7:13. Here He calls the law of Moses the "Word of God." That, of course, covers only the first five books of the Old Testament, but in Luke 24:27 we read, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself," and in the forty-fourth verse He said, "All things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and the Psalms." The Jews, divided the Old Testament into three parts-the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms-and Christ takes up each of these parts and sets the stamp of His authority upon it. In John 10:35 Christ says, "The Scripture cannot be broken," thereby teaching the absolute accuracy and inviolability of the Old Testament. More specifically still, it possible, in Matthew 5:18, Jesus says, "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet-less than half the size of any other letter, and a tittle is the merest point of a consonant-less than the cross we put on a "t,"-and Christ here declares that the Scripture is absolutely true, down to the smallest letter or point of a letter. So if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept the Divine authority of the entire Old Testament.

  Now, as to the New Testament. We find Christ's endorsement of it in John 14:26, "The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Here we see that not only was the teaching of the Apostles to be fully inspired, but also their recollection of what Christ Himself taught. We are sometimes asked how we know that the Apostles correctly reported what Jesus said-"may they not have forgotten?" True, they might forget, but Christ Himself tells us that in the Gospels we have, not the Apostles' recollection of what He said, but the Holy Ghost's recollection, and the Spirit of God never forgets. In John 16:13, 14, Christ said that the Holy Ghost should guide the Apostles into "all the truth," therefore in the New Testament teaching we have the whole sphere of God's truth. The teaching of the Apostles is more complete than that of Jesus Himself, for He says in John 16:12, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He shall guide you into all the truth." While His own teaching had been partial, because of their weakness, the teaching of the Apostles, under the promised Spirit, was to take in the whole sphere of God's truth.

  So if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept that of the whole Bible, but we must, as already seen, accept Christ's authority.

FATBERGS

FATBERGS

Thursday, September 14, 2017

  I originally wrote of fatberg issues one morning in 2015. Reading Omaha World-Herald during this morning pasta and pills regimen I discovered that a present London sewer blocking fatberg is 250 yards long weighing 130 tons. “like concrete”, a crew of 8 hopes to clear it in 3 weeks.

  1/20/15 Icebergs are commonly known of and viewed. But whoever other than Mike Rowe, his fans, sanitation engineers and the people that work at the never-ending dirty job removing them, has ever seen a fatberg?

  A fatberg is something many people contribute to the building of. It’s made up of grease, diapers, wet wipes, et al, combined with garbage pulverized down your kitchen drain. A fatberg may be as small as the one about to seal off the pipe under your basement concrete floor or in big city sewers weigh many tons and be the size of a 747 fuselage.

  The small are removed rather easily by rota-rooter reamer operated by a neatly clad operator and flushed on to join their big brothers.

  Big city fatbergs are laboriously excised by underground people dressed like Ebola technicians wearing sparkproof boots and suits. Then there’s the glob chemically generating heat, methane, and eating up the oxygen in the air. London town, Great Britain, deals with about 55,000 of various magnitude every year. (The result of generations dining on greasy fish & chips?) Using hi-pressure water jets, shovels, chainsaw-like machines, a fulltime team of 38 people remove the fatbergs.

  Either size fatberg can result in foul back flooding. One of the worst being a guy’s man cave found as a septic tank just before all his buddies show up for the big game.

  Why am I telling you this today, for stinky education? Yes.

  When I read Popular Science article about the problem with fatbergs, I thought more people should know about and take measures to not contribute to this problem. And then my thoughts turned to the important blockage preventing lesson in 1Corinthians 12:5-27. 

EBB4

PS. If friend Artie offers to treat me to a fatberg tour I’m not going.

  

FROM DELIVERANCE TO DEDICATION?

FROM DELIVERANCE TO DEDICATION?

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

John [MKJV] 3:15-17 … whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.

Romans 5:6-11 For we yet being without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will with difficulty die for a righteous one, yet perhaps one would even dare to die for a good one. But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Hebrews 7:24-25 … He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.

2Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up.

  God is absolutely able, willing and wanting to save us as individuals or nation, and His Word records this and that He has done so, and promises continuance. At times deliverance is obvious, an out of Egypt et al event testified of from one or a multitude of witnesses. Other times deliverance is provided and we don’t even know it happened.

  God loves everyone. The ultimate proof of His love for is Jesus.

  Indeed so, but what is the proof of our professed and sung love for Him?

  Let there be no doubt as to the answer to this life question. Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments. . . . If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. . . . If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” (KJV Jn.14:15, 23; 15:10)

  The Apostle John reiterated this truth in his first letter. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (KJV 1Jn.5:2-3)

  God’s love for us is absolute, because it depends on Him.

  Our love for Him is not consistent, because it depends on us, and we are fickle easily distracted John 1:12 family members.

  God does not however leave us blowing in the wind. He and His provision are always at hand. This is not our problem. Our problem is between His deliverance and our dedication.

EBB4  

CONFESSION UNTO MATURATION

CONFESSION UNTO MATURATION

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Matthew 21:28-31a But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?

Dear all,

  Sunday, September 10, 2017, in DT WORSHIP INCLUDES LOVING ENEMIES, I declared “I confess the difficulty of praying for my enemies, those beings that harm those and that which I love. Lord, convict and help me worship You as I should! (Rom.12:1-3)“

  Yesterday one of DT fellows responded “Dear Ed, Confused about your statement about having a hard time loving your enemies.“

  In no way do I justify my “difficulty”, for I cannot, I will not, I don’t want to . . . because doing so will hinder or obstruct maturation that I desire in order to increase in pleasing God. (Rom.12:1-3)

  To illustrate: Suppose I avow to have and enjoy God’s provision for personal peace in the midst of this troubled world but fret, worry, stress out? Do I have His peace that passes all understanding? No. Will my deceiving myself hinder my maturation? Definitely yes.

  This truth was first offered through family. I didn’t hear.

  I did begin to hear it from dear Ann.

  Then I was exposed to it from the friends in A.A. Though not an alcoholic they told me I thought like one. So continued the trek:

·         If I hope to grow up I must be honest about my personality. (Rom.7:18)

·         I do not naturally have the answers, God does. (Phil.2:13)

·         I must decide to trust His Way. (Jn.14:6; Rom.12:1-3)

·         Must take inventory. (Lam.3:40)

·         Must confess to God (Jn.1:1-10).

·         Must confess to others. (Jam.5:16)

·         Must ask for God and others direction and support. (Jam.4:6-10; 1Pet.5:5-7)

·         Must make amends where possible. (Lk.6:31)

·         Must continue personal checkups. (1Cor.10:12)

·         Must continue seeking and working at applying God’s will. (1Tim.4:7-)

·         Actively be God’s ambassador of reconciliation. (2Cor.5:14-18)

  Then in the mid eighties through connecting with Overcomers In Christ, a Christ-centered Bible-based ministry, I read: “We Face the Truth Knowing that Truth Forms Our Lifeline to Recovery. … (John 8:32)”

  Today I continue the journey to serve Him all my days.

Sincerely,

Edwin B. Bullock 4th

 

A DAY

A DAY

Monday, September 11, 2017

  A day, 9/11/01, that is referenced in many ways. One being “There was before, and then there is after.”

  A day, known and yet unknown. Once experienced, it will be “before and after” of magnitude beyond anything prior. (1Thes.5:2; 2Pet.3:10)

  Where was God? Where will He be?

  The same place He always is, waiting for us to come unto Him. (Mt.11:28; Jn.7:37)

  Day past, day future; today is now; today is passing; today will soon be gone.

  God says, "At the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you." Listen, for now is God's acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation! (GW 2Cor.6:2) 

EBB4 (9/11/11)

Omaha, Nebraska. Drive to work time this morning. One man, wearing USAF Tshirt and proudly holding USA flag, honorably stands tall at attention on southeast corner of 132^nd and West Center Streets.

WORSHIP INCLUDES LOVING ENEMIES

WORSHIP INCLUDES LOVING ENEMIES

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Matthew [ESV today] 5:43-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [also Lk.6:28]

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1Corinthians 13:1-13  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

  Is it an act of worship to bless others as God and they have blessed us? Yes.

  Is it an act of worship to bless our enemies, even those who hate us or despitefully use us? Again, yes.

  Our worship is limited and unreasonably immature if we only love those who love us.

  Truly worshipping God involves a yieldedness to Jesus’ direction and example.

  Without Christ-likeness, our emulating He that lived, died, rose again, and now sits on the right hand of God – for our friend and foe alike, and then we love not as He loves.

  I confess the difficulty of praying for my enemies, those beings that harm those and that which I love.

  Lord, convict and help me worship You as I should! (Rom.12:1-3) 

2Corinthians 5:14-20 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

EBB4

PEACE AS A GAOL

PEACE AS A GAOL

Friday, September 08, 2017

Philippians [ESV] 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

1Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

  Peace is an excellent thing to recognize, desire, and apprehend. God wants us to have personal peace and provides how we may have it. (Jn.14:27; 16:33)

  But let us beware of making peace a paramount goal centered in self. For in focusing on personal serenity we make peace a *gaol barring us from that which is of far greater value than peace for itself; centering on peace and serenity being more for and about myself rather than serving God and my fellows.

  Indeed it is a good thing to cast all our worries and anxieties upon The Omnipotent One that cares for us above all others, gaining His peace, God’s perfect love able to cast out our fears that bind us in unreasonableness. (1John, chapter 4) But we must beware of seeing peace as the place of service. Personal peace is undistracted place to serve from. (Jn.7:38; Phil.4:4-8) Personal peace of itself is a godly testimony before the maddening crowd.

  Let us seek true peace in and through God, but not for personal gain and maintenance of “my tranquility”, but instead exceptionally with the understanding and desire for a wonderfully resultant guarded heart and mind; something that cannot be realized living with and in fearful anxiety or immaturely centering on personal peace. (Rom.12:1-3)  EBB4   

*British for “jail”.

PEACE IS A RELATIVE MATTER

PEACE IS A RELATIVE MATTER

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Isaah [all verses MKJV] 9:6  For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on  

       His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting 

       Father, The Prince of Peace.

Romans 12:2 …do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your        

        mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to

       you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

  Mankind’s concept of peace is typically relative to the world standard of peace; therein wrongheaded thinking. The Middle East is not at peace, the USA is at peace - Chicago is not at peace. Et al.

  Pre-Genesis 3:6 peace is not truly with nation, neighborhood, family, standing in my large wildflower garden, regardless of pleasant ambience. Jesus explained not only is ambient worldly peace actually illusion; true peace is accessed only through being His empowered John 1:12 relative and trusting thoughts and deeds in relationship with Him: “My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (MKJV Jn.14:27)

  The Apostle Paul retold the truth of His peace through trusting: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:6-7)

  When we have His peace, it is not however a treasure to be hidden. Paul explained, first using himself to illustrate: “Do those things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me. And the God of peace shall be with you.” (Phil.4:9); and addressing our authorization, responsibility, and blessedness as agents of God’s peace: “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!’” “… if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; whereas God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us. Then we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as God exhorting through us, we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (Rom.10:15; 2Cor.5:17-20)

  Peace is definitely a relative matter!  EBB4

GOD'S PEACE IN ERAS OF DISTRUST

GOD’S PEACE IN ERAS OF DISTRUST

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

John [MKJV] 14:24-27 [Jesus explained] He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. I have spoken these things to you, being present with you. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2Peter [GW] 1:19-21 So we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt. You're doing well by paying attention to their words. Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts. First, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation. No prophecy ever originated from humans. Instead, it was given by the Holy Spirit as humans spoke under God's direction.

“The only real thing we learn from history is we [mankind] don’t learn from history!” Mr. Hanley, world history teacher, class of 54’, North Harford High School

  I consider a general knowledge of history important. From historical eras we see what worked and what didn’t work, and who (individuals and nations) accomplished or failed, and how they did so.

  Not being in high political or management positions, for most of us such ongoing education and its application typically doesn’t involve world, nation, or corporation changing authority. However, every man, woman, and youth has areas of responsibility and influence where applying lessons matters; the primary one being their own life, family, friends, acquaintances.

  Though penned by Isaiah over 2700 years ago, God’s Word exemplifies the truth of trusting Him: “In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; He sets up salvation as our walls and banks. Open the gates, and the righteous nation shall enter in, keeping faithfulness. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You. Trust in Jehovah forever; for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. For He brings down those who dwell on high; He lays low the lofty city; He lays it low, even to the ground; He brings it to the dust. (MKJV Isa.26:1-5)

  Having read the verses in numerous translations and versions, plus using Strong’s to define meaning of a few key words I discover it means exactly what it says in contemporary English. Isaiah begins with larger world scale of nations and cities, shifts to choice of individual posture in history, then returns to the big picture.

  Whether nation rises, falls, or recovers will come to pass and be recorded in heaven and here in survivor’s lore of one sort or another. (Think Noah and the great flood.)

  In my opinion mankind is again in the midst of major national and world change, change involving a bigger than usual distrust of leadership. In this era of great distrust of human leadership we individually choose whether to allow that distrust to taint our relationship in LORD JEHOVAH.

  Look at the passage from Isaiah again and note the personal indicator “perfect peace”. Using it as measure, can we, you, I, claim genuinely trusting Him in this era of distrust? 

EBB4