LEST WE FORGET REALITY

 

LEST WE FORGET REALITY                        

Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. [Mk.13:7; Lk.21:9]

WWI known statistics: Germany: 2 million men dead, France:1 million 300,000 men dead, England:1 million men dead, U.S.: 1 hundred 15 thousand dead. A total of 10 million. Wounded and maimed numbers are far from accurately known. Another 20 million died from the flu epidemic. Civilian casualties? Property destruction?

“The war to end all wars.” Changed everything, effecting life even now. It redrew the lines in the Middle East contributing to increased problems there. It hastened the Russian revolution. The USA, reluctant isolationist, was moved to center stage worldwide. “It was the last act of the Industrial Revolution.” As with the earlier charge of the Light Brigade, it was wrapped in glorious romantic valorous language. And it definitely led to WWII.

And the trench warfare robbed my beloved Uncle James Robert MCGee of his fellow hometown (Lonaconing MD) childhood friends . . . leaving him shell-shocked (PTSD today) until the day he died at age 81. This I remember above all else.

EBB4

LEST WE FORGET

 

LEST WE FORGET

 

The Meaning of Memorial Day

  Every Memorial Day, families and communities across the nation take time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Americans observe this special holiday in many different ways.
  Originally called Decoration Day, from the early tradition of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths and flags, Memorial Day is a day for remembrance of those who have died in service to our country. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868 to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former Union sailors and soldiers.

  Since the earliest ceremonies in small American towns following the Civil War, we have gathered on Memorial Day to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. As in those early days of laying wreaths and placing flags, our national day of remembrance is often felt most deeply among the families and communities who have personally lost friends and loved ones.

  This national holiday may also be the unofficial start of the summer season, but all Americans must take a moment to remember the sacrifice of our valiant military service members, first responders and their families. Memorial Day is a day of both celebration and grief, accounting for the honor of our heroes and reflecting on their tragic loss.

  Civil War soldiers had been mustered from towns and villages across the land. Like today, the loss of each soldier was a profound tragedy for both family and community.

  Today, we honor service members from all of America’s past wars. But there is immediacy in our sorrow; the wounds of war are new again. As we struggle for ways to heal, Abraham Lincoln’s message of almost 150 years ago can still inspire us.

  This, then, is the mission of Memorial Day: to reach out in support of all the soldiers and their families who have sacrificed so much for us.

 

John 15:13  No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

FREE AM I

 

PS. Today I, alone, will visit nearby Forest Lawn Cemetery. A thoughtful exercise in remembrance. EBB4

 

LIFTING MY HANDS

 LIFTING MY HANDS

1Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 

  I pray a lot! Sometimes it’s thankfulness over something as simple as Him reminding me to turn the coffee pot off.

  I even thank Him for the pain in my foot. If I could not feel it, I’d be numbly paralyzed! {Leslie was a nurse.]

  But my sweetest prayer times are when I lift my hands to Him and feel the Holy Spirit fill every part of me with the sweet sensation of His presence.

  At those times there is nothing but Him!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

JOB'S QUESTION

 

JOB’S QUESTION

Job CEV 14:1-2, 14a Life is short and sorrowful for every living soul. We are flowers that fade and shadows that vanish. … Will we humans live again?

John chapter 3.

Job pointed out that life is brief at best, comparatively no more than a fleeting silhouette full of distress for every person, he posing the question “Will we live again?” (He also made it clear that he had no inclination toward his enlistment being shortened, but desired to patiently involve for his duration. (14:14b)

Having from God’s Word answered the eternal life question many times already, I’m not so much pondering answer to Job’s question recorded in 14:14a. Today I’m considering that all individuals do contemplate this question.

I remember thinking about this gigantic question as a young child, recollecting that it was when Grandmother Bullock died September 23, 1939, my being 3.85 years of age. It wasn’t until early teen years that I again wondered about the enormous question.

Can anyone dare claim they have never reflected on what will happen to them beginning with death?

And what has been done with the question? Has ego-centric pleasurable living and/or life’s troubles preempted present consideration? (Mt.13:18-23) Has it been shelved, filed, or stuffed as too difficult and troubling to consider? (Acts 26:27-28)

Mankind individually and together can do what he will to silence the question, but even with utmost effort it remains: Will I live again?

Hear what God says: "When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you. Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!” (GNB 2Cor.6:2) 

EBB4

 

Awana

Matthew 19:13-14  Then little children were brought to Him, that He should put His hands on them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.

Mark 10:14  But when Jesus saw, He was much displeased and said to them, Allow the little children to come to Me and do not hinder them. For of such is the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:16  But Jesus called them and said, Allow the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not. For of such is the kingdom of God.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Awana is an international evangelical Christian nonprofit organization in child and youth discipleship. The headquarters is in Streamwood, Illinois, United States.

History

In 1941, the children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago laid the foundation for the principles of Awana.^[1] Lance Latham, North Side's senior pastor, collaborated with the church's youth director, Art Rorheim, to develop weekly clubs that they believed would appeal to all children. Rorheim served as the CoFounder/President Emeritus until he died on January 5th, 2018. ^[2]

Other churches became interested in the program and inquired about its availability. In 1950, Latham and Rorheim founded Awana as a parachurch organization.^[3] The name is derived from the first letters of "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15.^[3] In 2022, Awana claims to work with over 66,000 churches in 133 countries.^[4]

Programs

Awana offers resources and Bible-based training programs for children ages 2 to 18 in churches. ^[

FAITH IN GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

 

FAITH IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

  The Book of Job shows us that God is the Ultimate Sovereign.

  Job very plainly recognized and respected this when he stated “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (13:15)

EBB4 

GENESIS

 

GENESIS

Genesis is the book of beginnings Though old It speaks of new.

Genesis is a book about the revelation of God culminating in Christ. The 3 primary names of His deity; Elohim, Jehovah, Adonai are introduced in the book.  In Genesis we learn of God’s workings of love and grace, Adam’s original sin bringing suffering to all.

Genesis enters into the very structure of the New Testament. Jesus quoted or referred to it many times. Genesis is quoted about 60 times in 17 books.

Genesis is foundational history, covering 2,315 years, and doctrine. The book includes 4 fundamental covenants. Mosaic, Palestinian, Davidic, and New Covenants.

Genesis should not be discounted as some professing Christians do.    

EBB4

EDIFIED BY THE BOOK OF JOB

 

EDIFIED BY THE BOOK OF JOB

 

  As I stated yesterday, it is a mistake to read Job with preconceived stance that is oft repeated “All about the patience of Job.” There are far more important truths therein.

·         God is the only Sovereign Omnipotent One. Though Satan has power, he is limited.

·         God is the only Sovereign Omnipresent One. Though Satan roams, he is not omnipresent.

·         God is the only Sovereign Omniscient One. Though Satan is obviously knowledgeable, he is not omniscient. Satan’s challenges were without knowing the heart of Job as Jehovah God Almighty did.

  The three above truths revealed in the Book of Job are eternal. We live in this time.

EBB4

MY RIGHT HAND

 MY RIGHT HAND

  Psalm 16:7-8 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 

  Psalm 73:23-24 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 

  I am one of the majority! I am right-handed. In fact, I am so completely right-handed that when I try to do something using my left hand, I can feel my right hand trying to do the same thing.

  Because I’m right-handed I like these verses. They telling me that with God holding my right hand, He is with my heart, my life!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928 – 3/1/2020)

WELL AGED ANGER

 

WELL AGED ANGER

 

  Psalm [NLT] 90:11-12 [Lord,] Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

  Hebrews 12:11-15 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

 

Dear fellow travelers,

  When I speak of my maturation, please understand I’m not bragging, I just want you to learn from my knowledge w/application and experience gained as I aged in God’s grace. This 2Timothy 2:1-2 vocation was drilled into us years ago in Maryland Bible Institute. One exercise was memorizing and personalizing: “… my dear son Ed, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (NLT)

  Some have the idea I don’t get angry. I do. I experienced anger this week.

  However, two things are distinctively different between now and my old life BC; The Word living and written: Anger was almost always connected to ego, my pride. I was subjective to the emotion of anger; it distracting me from Biblical objectivity. My life passive-aggressively was contrary to Ephesians 4:26. I festered.

  Let there be no doubt, trusting Him, God’s John 1:12 children we are but sojourners with purposeful mission defined in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 and Romans 12:1-3. We shouldn’t deny our emotion, but we are not to be sidetracked by prizing and embracing emotion as does so often this world. Let us not lose John 3:3 sight of our present place of serving Him during our days this side of heaven. 

EBB4

OFFENDED AT ANY TIME

 

OFFENDED AT ANY TIME

 

  My sort are underrepresented in the film industry. I ponder the reason for this and wonder if it due to lack of photographic frenetic uncontrolled feverish gymnastics. Whatever the reason, I am not offended that there is not enough godfather spraying tomatoes scenes in today’s talkies. Though it must be so for some, hence the news article, there is no self-regarding anger on my part.

  There was however a time when I would be peeved by such silly facts by personally extrapolating to “Once again I don’t matter.”

  This time I opt to review and rejoice in one of the aspects of how by knowledge and application of the Word passive-aggressive anger diminished in my life. I decided to have a look at “offend” and “offense”. One verse in particular spoke to my heart, Psalm (KJV) 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

  As taught by my mentors I rustled the pages of Strong’s and discovered that though the folks of King James’ era understood “offend”, I did not. As with many I thought it strictly had to do with hurt feelings. It does not.

 

H4383

מכשׁל    מכשׁול; mikshôl  mikshôl; mik-shole', mik-shole'  Masculine from H3782; a stumblingblock, literally or figuratively (obstacle, enticement (specifically an idol), scruple): - caused to fall, offence, X [no-] thing offered, ruin, stumbling-block.

 

  With the discovery I decided it is foolishly counterproductive to live life repeatedly stumbling over my me-ism hurt feelings fabricating passive-aggressive anger. And now I come to hoping none of you KJV’rs take offense, stumble over, my pointing out that many later language translations clarify the matter for us. Interestingly, 2 are not at all new.

 

Psalm 119:165

(ASV)  Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling.

(CEV)  You give peace of mind to all who love your Law. Nothing can make them fall.

(ESV)  Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

(GW)  There is lasting peace for those who love your teachings. Nothing can make those people stumble.

(ISV)  Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction, and nothing makes them stumble.

(LITV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumblingblock to them.

(MKJV)  Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumbling block for them.

(Webster 1833)  Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall cause them to stumble.

(YLT 1898)  Abundant peace have those loving Thy law, And they have no stumbling-block.

 

  After sending the above thoughts I’m going on with this day. I pray that, though challenged, while there I don’t stumble over feelings.

EBB4

BIBLICAL INSTANCES OF ANGER

BIBLICAL INSTANCES OF ANGER

From Nave’s Topical Bible:

Cain slaying Abel Gen_4:5-8

Simeon and Levi, on account of the humbling of their sister, Dinah Gen_49:5-7

Pharaoh, toward Moses Exo_10:11; Exo_10:28

Moses, toward Pharaoh Exo_11:8; Num_20:10-11

Balaam, toward his ass Num_22:27; Num_22:29

Balak, toward Balaam Num_24:10-11

Ephraimites, toward Gideon, for not soliciting their aid against the Midianites Jdg_8:1

Jonathan, on account of Saul's persecution of David 1Sa_20:34; 2Ch_25:10

Saul, toward Jonathan, on account of his sympathy with David 1Sa_20:30-34

Ahab, because Naboth would not sell his vineyard 1Ki_21:4

Naaman, because Elisha directed him to wash in the Jordan 2Ki_5:12

Asa, because the prophet reproved him 2Ch_16:10

Uzziah, toward Azariah, the priest, because of his reproof of 2Ch_26:19

Ahasuerus, toward Vashti, for refusing to amuse his courtiers Est_1:12; Est_7:7

Haman, because Mordecai did not salute him Est_3:5

Elihu, because Job had beaten his friends in argument Job_32:3

Moab Isa_16:6

Nebuchadnezzar, on account of the insubordination of the three Hebrews, who refused to worship his idol Dan_3:13; Dan_3:19

Jonah, because the gourd withered Jon_4:1-2; Jon_4:4; Jon_4:9

Herod, toward the wise men who deceived him Mat_2:16

People of Nazareth, toward Jesus Luk_4:28

Paul, toward Ananias Act_23:3

Jews, against Stephen Act_7:54-58

 

GOD'S UNHURRIED WRATH

 

GOD’S UNHURRIED WRATH

 

  In response to CHRISTLIKE ANGER, Penny K. responded emphasizing an important point.

 

“Reading that story carefully, you will note that Christ sat down and wove himself a whip/scourge before he went down to the temple.  This indicates, to me, that his anger was a deliberate effort and not a loss of temper.   You can't weave a good scourge if you are out-of-control angry.  And we know the scourge he wove was perfect, because he was perfect.  There was no hasty weaving going on, you can bank on that!”

 

John [GW] 2:13-17 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.”  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” [Ps.69:9-17]

 

  Exercising Christlike anger sometimes requires unhurried thoughtful preparation!

EBB4

ANGER OF GOD

 

ANGER OF GOD (From Nave’s Topical Bible)            

 

Exo_22:24; Exo_33:5; Num_11:1; Num_11:10; Num_11:33; Num_12:9; Num_14:11; Num_16:20-21; Num_16:45; Num_25:3-4; Num_25:11; Num_32:10-11; Num_32:13; Deu_6:14-15; Deu_9:13-14; Exo_32:10; Deu_9:18-20; Deu_32:21-22; Jos_7:1; Jos_7:26; Jos_23:16; Jdg_2:12; Jdg_3:8; Jdg_10:7; 1Sa_28:18; 2Sa_6:7; 2Sa_22:8-9; 1Ki_11:9; 1Ki_16:2-13; 2Ki_13:3; 2Ki_17:18; 2Ki_22:13; 2Ki_23:26; Psa_7:11; Psa_69:24; Psa_74:1; Psa_76:7; Psa_78:21; Psa_78:38; Psa_78:49-50; Psa_85:3; Psa_90:11; Psa_103:8-9; Psa_106:23; Psa_106:29; Psa_106:32; Psa_110:5; Isa_5:25; Isa_9:17; Isa_9:19; Isa_9:21; Isa_12:1; Isa_13:9; Isa_13:13; Isa_30:27; Isa_42:25; Isa_48:9; Isa_57:16-17; Isa_63:3-6; Isa_66:15; Jer_3:12; Jer_4:4; Jer_4:8; Jer_4:26; Jer_7:20; Jer_10:10; Jer_17:4; Jer_21:5-6; Jer_23:20; Jer_30:24; Jer_25:15-17; Jer_25:37-38; Jer_32:37; Jer_33:5; Jer_36:7; Jer_42:18; Jer_44:6; Jer_51:45; Lam_2:1; Lam_2:3; Lam_2:6; Lam_4:11; Eze_5:13; Eze_5:15; Eze_25:14-17; Dan_9:16; Hos_11:9; Hos_13:11; Hos_14:4; Nah_1:2-3; Nah_1:6; Mat_22:7; Mat_22:13; Rom_1:18; Rom_2:5; Eph_5:6; Col_3:6; Heb_3:11; Heb_4:3; Rev_6:16-17; Rev_14:10-11; Rev_15:1; Rev_15:7; Rev_16:19; Rev_19:15