Sower

We had a guy about 35-49 rob a store near by and fled on foot through the woods out here in the country. The local sheriff drove up while I was working in my shop and informed me of whats happening with description of perp. Later I could see several sheriffs and DPS units driving around looking. I called my grand kids to get inside and lock the doors, and my son to call everybody that a desperate criminal is on the loose running through our property. I then went out to my shop and as I walked into the rear, he walked in. Tall, 6'2, slender, long black hair, looked Indian. Fit description given. I talked a little spanish like what's up, and offered some cold bottled water. My right hand stayed in my pocket on my 380. I ask if the sheriffs were looking for him. he said yes. He said he was in big trouble. I told him he needed Jesus. He agreed. I kept my hand in my pocket, totally calm. (thank you Jesus) I talked him into getting in my truck to supposedly take him away to a phone to call his wife. While getting into the truck I dialed my son and put the phone in my breast pocket, hoping he picked up and heard our conversation. When in the truck I said loudly; So here we are in my Chevy blue truck at my house and you want me to take you to a phone", still hoping my son heard. He did and called the sheriff and in turn all the sheriffs. We talked some of what or how he needed to change. Thinking about Jesus. He was scared. I was totally calm, hand in pocket. We drove to the hi way and there was a sheriff across the street. I stalled around flashing my lights till the sheriff finally drove up beside my truck with the perpetrator. The fool ask if that was the perp and I shouted back that yes, that's him now you let running away while you call for back up. Then about 8 more units drove up and went flying around our property. My son found him hiding in his boat and he was arrested. Have no idea why I tried to witness to a known felon during an escape from a robbery. It just came out. The weirdest sowing seed in all the years of spreading the good news. Never at any time was I considering pulling my piece, as God kept my cool. His name was Travis. He is in prison now. Again. Wonder should I try to contact him, far away, at least by letter. He must have figured out I set him up. Well, its in God's hands, so maybe he will return some day:). And maybe we can continue our discussion. God is merciful. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise” “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever” Thanks Blade...

Get back on your meds! Don't you know the difference between a vision and a simple nightmare?....

continued; (I'm no mathematician) What Mathematical Paradoxes Teach Us about Paradoxes in Christianity Paul Bialek In Christian academic circles, we talk about the integration of our faith and learning. That is, we seek to discover and develop connections between our Christian faith and our particular discipline. This is notoriously difficult when the discipline is mathematics. I have found that asking myself these three questions has helped me to integrate my Christian faith with mathematics, although they could be applied to any discipline: • How does the fact that I am a Christian affect the way I view mathematics? • How does the fact that I am a mathematician affect the way I view Christianity? • What do Christianity and mathematics have in common? In my opinion, one reason it seems so difficult to integrate the Christian faith and mathematics, especially to non-mathematicians, is because the focus is on the first question. Is mathematics any different for Christians? Are the rules of calculus different? Is there such a thing as a Christian chain rule? There are ways in which Christian thought has influenced mathematics. For example, at the 1991 ACMS conference, Gene Chase spoke about how Christian theology has furthered mathematics. I have found, however, that in terms of integrating my faith and mathematics, the second question is more fruitful. How does my mathematical background affect the way I view Christianity? How does it enable me to make a contribution to the kingdom of God? An excellent example is the work of one of our main speakers, William Dembski. In his 1998 book [1], he uses a sophisticated mathematical analysis to show how incredibly unlikely it is that we are merely products of random evolutionary chance. Today I am going to present another example of how our mathematical background affects the way we view Christianity, namely what mathematical paradoxes teach us about paradoxes in Christianity. What do we mean by a paradox? A paradox is an apparent contradiction in a field of study. It may be a genuine contradiction or it may involve two truths which merely appear to contradict each other. One thing that mathematical paradoxes teach us about paradoxes in Christianity is that the existence of paradoxes does not automatically invalidate a body of knowledge. 67 Again, some mathematical paradoxes have been genuine contradictions. A well-known example is Russell's paradox from set theory. This paradox forced set theorists to revise the definition of a set, which was too broad and all-inclusive. But not all paradoxes are genuine contradictions. Some involve truths which only appear to contradict. For example, Georg Cantor showed that the cardinality (the size) of R (the set of real numbers) is greater than the cardinality of Q (the set of rational numbers). From this we can conclude that the cardinality of the set of irrationals is greater than the cardinality of Q. So in some sense, there are more irrationals than rationals. Yet between any two irrational numbers there are infinitely many rationals. How can there be more irrationals than rationals if there are infinitely many rationals between any two irrationals? This is paradoxical, yet mathematicians today accept the idea that the cardinality of the set of irrationals is greater than the cardinality of the set of rationals. This paradox is only an apparent contradiction, not a genuine contradiction. Thus the existence of paradoxes does not necessarily mean that a system of thought has errors or flaws. Even sound bodies of knowledge may have paradoxes. Christianity has many paradoxes: • There is one God, yet he is three persons. How can three persons be one God? • God is sovereign, yet humans have free will. • Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. • God is all-powerful and perfect in his love, yet there is great suffering and injustice in the world. • God acts in the world (he is immanent) yet he does not reside in the world (he is transcendent). Some skeptics questions the validity of Christianity or even the existence of God because of these paradoxes, yet the existence of paradoxes is no guarantee that a system of thought is false. Even bodies of knowledge which are true may have paradoxes. This insight from mathematics should be a great comfort to us Christians, because it shows that paradoxes in Christianity do not necessarily invalidate the Christian faith. To be sure, the existence of paradoxes in Christianity does not guarantee that Christianity is true. It is also possible for false bodies of knowledge to have paradoxes. But rather than conclude that a system of thought or a model is false because it has paradoxes, we should be asking ourselves these two questions: 68 • Is this model superior to the alternatives? The alternative models may have their paradoxes, too. For example, atheism has its paradoxes, the existence of higher life forms being one of them. We have to weigh the evidence for and against each of the models. David Neuhauser discusses this in greater detail in [3]. If we encounter a paradox, another question we should ask is: • Are we exacerbating the paradox by making unwarranted assumptions? For example, we said earlier that one of the great paradoxes of Christianity is the existence of pain, evil, and suffering. If God is all-powerlul and perlect in his love, then why does he permit these to such a great extent? In asking this question, we need to examine our assumptions. Are we assuming that because God is perfect in his love that one of his greatest goals is for us to lead pain-free lives, free of what we judge to be excessive suffering? Our priorities in life may not be the same as his priorities. This paradox is a vexing one, and I do not intend to minimize its difficulty. But carefully ferreting out our hidden assumptions may help us to resolve or at least accept these paradoxes. We have seen that the existence of paradoxes does not necessarily invalidate a body of knowledge. Another principle that mathematical paradoxes teach us about paradoxes in Christianity is that rules and intuitive principles which work in the finite realm do not necessarily work in the realm of the infinite. Suppose we are in the finite realm. We have a bag with ten candy bars. If we take one out, there are now fewer candy bars in the bag. If we divvy up our candy bars into two bags, each bag has half as many as the original bag. Let's switch into the realm ofthe infinite. We have a bag with infinitely many candy bars in it, say a countably infinite number. If we take out a candy bar, the bag still has just as many candy bars as it had before. The sets have the same cardinality. If we divvy up our candy bars into two bags, amazingly, each bag has just as many candy bars as the original bag. Again, the cardinality of the set of candy bars in each bag is the same as the cardinality of the set of candy bars in the original bag. This goes against our intuition. We are not accustomed to a realm where you can take things out and still have just as much as when you started. But the rules are different in the realm of the infinite. Let us apply this to Christianity. What are some attributes of God which are infinite? What are ways in which God is infinite? 69 • Knowledge (he is omniscient) • Power (he is omnipotent) • Holiness • Justice • Goodness • Truth • Being (he is omnipresent) • Duration (he is eternal) Let us consider God's infinite duration, his eternity. How does this principle apply? Millard Erickson writes, "God is ... infinite with relation to time. Time does not apply to him. He was before time began. The question, How old is God? is simply inappropriate. He is no older now than a year ago, for infinity plus one is no more than infinity" [2, p. 274]. What is true of God will someday be true of us. As the hymn "Amazing Grace" reminds us: When we've been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun. Let us consider God's omnipotence. How can God listen to and respond to one million people praying simultaneously? Since he is all-powerful, he can handle an infinite number of tasks simultaneously. Tackling a million tasks simultaneously is no big deal for him. Finally, let us consider God's omniscience. Those who call themselves process theologians contend that to be real is to be in process, to be changing. How can God be real and not be in process, not be changing? Process theologians resolve this paradox by concluding that God is changing, growing, developing, learning. But this resolution is very unscriptural. The Scriptures are very clear that although God is personal and does interact with human beings and the rest of his creation, he does not change or grow or learn. A better resolution of the paradox is to note that what is true in the finite realm is not necessarily true in the infinite realm. A finite intelligent being who is not changing or growing in knowledge must be dead or comatose or sleeping. God, however, is an infinite intelligent being, infinite in his knowledge, goodness, righteousness and love. He is not changing or growing or learning. Yet he is not dead or sleeping. He already knows everything (1 John 3:20), so there is nothing for him to learn. He is already perfectly good, righteous, and loving; he does not grow in those areas. It is difficult to conceive of an intelligent being who does not grow or change or learn, because we are accustomed to dealing with the finite. But the rules are different with the infinite. 70 So as we have seen, one way to integrate our Christian faith with mathematics is to consider how our mathematical background affects the way we view Christianity. The example we have considered is how mathematical paradoxes help us to better understand Christian paradoxes. We have seen that the existence of paradoxes does not automatically invalidate a body of knowledge and that rules and intuitive principles which work in the finite realm do not necessarily work in the realm of the infinite. Christians in mathematics who do not integrate their discipline with their faith are not in as much danger as, say, Christian philosophers or psychologists who do not pay attention to integration issues. This is mainly because mathematics is less susceptible to distortion by non- Christian ideologies. But those who do so lose a wonderful opportunity to deepen their understanding of their faith. (you started all this, Neighbor:)

Batter my heart, three person'd God (Holy Sonnet 14) John Donne 1572 –1631 Batter my heart, three-personed God, for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new. I, like an usurped town, to another due, Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end. Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captived, and proves weak or untrue. Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain, But am betrothed unto your enemy: Divorce me, untie or break that knot again, Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. (an understanding help to the unlearned as myself) JOHN DONNE AND THE PARADOX: AN ANALYSIS OF “BATTER MY HEART, THREE-PERSON’D GOD” By Lily Daniels A paradox is a statement that appears contradictory but ultimately makes sense. “Sonnet XIV: Batter my heart, three person’d God” (1632) by John Donne reflects the many paradoxes within the Bible and Christian faith. Read within the context of his religious beliefs and the rest of the Holy Sonnets, “Batter my heart, three-person’d God” is a poem that exhibits Donne’s theology of God and the process of salvation. The speaker affirms that the power of the triune God is required to break the bonds of sin. He finds freedom from sin in submitting to God’s will, and he finds innocence in God’s act of saving love (lines 13-14). In the Bible, there exists a tension between the holy nature of God who judges and the merciful nature of God who also saves. Similarly, in this poem, there exists a tension between conflicting poetic devices. Donne uses diction, sound devices and form, figurative language, and explicit paradoxes to illustrate these conflicting statements about the Christian life. The poem demonstrates that the speaker eventually understands these complex, theological concepts. Donne was an Anglican clergyman who had a deep understanding of God and the Bible, and he wrote many religious and secular works in the seventeenth century (Poetry Foundation). The Holy Sonnets are a collection of nineteen religious poems published after Donne’s death. Written around 1610, amid a time of religious conflict in England and a time of personal trials, they are a product of Donne’s “devout fitts [that] come and go away” (Sonnet XIX, line 12). The subject matter of the Holy Sonnets revolves around God, sin, judgment, mercy, and salvation.. There's more.................(paradoxes)

"Sayonara......tanoshimu"

Yeah. Made some buddies. And they did introduce me to Kimchi. I lived on kimchi and rice and fish heads for one tour. It was that or C rats...... My kids still get me some once in a while. The good stuff, fermented, and hot. Semper Fi...FJK

In 66 my Marine platoon was attached to the Republic of Korea Marines (ROKS). When they entered a vill and received incoming fire they leveled it. If any friendlies were there they would have warned or a quick didi. Many cultures have little value for life. Death is a way of life. It's not the USA. Children, protected by some. or a protection for others. A proud family/culture grooming their children.

"everyone unanimously decided" Thanks Boomers, we are harvesting the fruits of your labor. God hold's you, Scott, responsible four actions, sins, not me or anybody else. You really should not group everyone unanimously deciding anything, as I doubt you wouldn't know even one percent of them. I was from that generation, from teenager to adult. And we had parents that made it through the Great depression and a World War, and we were raised to be tough and how to work or go without. There was simply no money to spoil us, and we were poor by today's 'wealthy' standards, but everybody was poor, and we didn't know it. I was married a couple of years after the sixties and we raised a family from then on, and today have a dozen grand kids, believers all. Our kids all knew how to work as we taught them they would have to work if they needed wanted anything beyond room and board. They worked and bought their own cars/insurance, paid their own college tuition. It's called the work ethic, not well known today. It is natural for a parent to want to give to their children what they didn't have growing up. Every generation does. Since the draft dodgers from the 60-70's Viet Nam war fled to Canada and years later came back, they filled the colleges and university with their socialistic agenda that has increased to the government run public schools teaching Values Clarification (changing morals-ethics) known as situational ethics by psychologists. Many Public school graduates can not even read. I know because I have employed them. So let us know how well your generation does when the time comes. Or has it already happened. Which generation are your children in?...... Thanks Scott.

Adversaries? What About These? Well, we need to be; strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Putting on our full armor of God as good soldiers in the army of God, so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes. And putting on, "the belt of truth, (God's light/truth) the breastplate of righteousness, (doing the right thing) feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (sharing the good news) the shield of faith, to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (faith to stop the fiery darts/doubts/lies/deceptions) the helmet of salvation, (covered with the blood) the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (-truth/life) praying at all times in the Spirit prayer and supplication. keeping alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints" Ephesians 6 Taking our stand...as faithful soldiers.....and love to our brothers/sisters in arms, encouraging one another daily.... Thanks, Michael

So, great gain = great riches. A very rich man............... Depending upon how you define 'riches'....:) Thanks again, Pat

In my post, the gentleman I mentioned as my sorta mentor one day ask me a question. One evening he felt impressed to go visit an old friend he had been witnessing to for many years. He drove across town, knocked on the door. No one answered after many tries, so he drove home. He ask me if I believed it was the Lord that moved upon him to go. I think I remember saying I didn't really know. He told me that it was more important to get up and go. act, than try to understand God's methods. Be faithful to the holy spirit's promptings. Don't quench. Don't grieve.

"Our happiness and contentment in the Lord has nothing to do with creature comforts".... I wonder. Am I that wise? "how easy is it for a man to be glad when he has plenty"... (To whom much is given much is required)....stewardship Define plenty, and what of. There are many with plenty and miserable. Thanks Marathoner...

Neat post, Pat. Went outside this morning to my shop to get a few things done on the 'to do' list and discovered a dead battery in my pick up truck . Hooked up to the battery charger and the rain came. Well, we have been praying for rain. Timing. Came in for lunch and read this post. Sitting at my PC in the warm home with a roof over it, eating my meal, I realize just how great the Lord has blessed our family beyond measure. And as your post describes above, I earnestly want to be a good steward of all our blessings, and never take them for granted. Any. The little things. Have never been convinced just what joy ment, like as compared to happiness. So I looked it up. Happiness; It is important to begin with a right understanding of what happiness is. The word happy in John 13:17 means “supremely blessed.” This word does not imply an absence of earthly sorrows; if that were part of the definition, then no one could be happy, because sorrows are impossible to escape in this world. Joy. A fruit of the Spirit. Comforting, content and full of peace. An enduring attitude of the heart and spirit, and a natural part of the Christian faith. It's often connected with, but not limited to, following Jesus and pursuing a Christian life. So. I realize I am happy (“supremely blessed) to be so full of joy (Comforted content and full of peace:) I'm the richest man I know. I have "entered into the joy of thy lord. Thanks Pat...

would you use the gen z bible as a witness tool No I would not. Baby talk and E-bonics. Mocks the holiness of creator God. Nor this one; Ebonics bible 1. I’m God. Don’t play me. (I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any other gods before me.) 2. Don’t be making any hood ornaments and charms outta me, or like me. (Thou shalt not! have any graven images) 3. Don’t be callin’ me for no reason (Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain) 4. Y’all betta be in church on Sunday, and not just the Sundays when it’s Mother’s Day, Easter, and Christmas (Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy) 5. Don’t diss or cuss out yo' momma….and if you know who ya daddy is, don't diss him either. (Honor thy father and mother).

Mr. M, you have brought to mind a sore incident from several years back. I have a younger brother who is queer, has led a life style of sin, devastated our family, and also lied about me and my family to my siblings, always causing trouble. Payback. He knows as a Christian what I think of his lifestyle. Trying to create some peace always ended up in war. He knows I accept him but just not his lifestyle. And this he can not accept and hates me and mine. Cool. I would run into a burning building to get him out. But I can not agree with his anti Christian lifestyle. He knows this. We finally stopped all communication with entire family for a couple of years of peace. One day driving to town I heard J, Vernon McGee preaching on the truck radio and heard him say, "if you have ought against you brother, drop that sacrifice and go to him and get it right" I pulled over and called my wife. We talked and she agreed that I go and she would pray for us. I went cross town, knocked on his door and he opened it. He should have been at work. God had a plan! But nothing like I would have ever imagined... I then ask if we could talk, he said OK. He sat away from me in the dark corner. I started talking about our child hood, all the fun we had, brothers and sister traveling around the world with our military family. Bringing up all the good stuff I could think of. Hoping to set a moment of peace and set things right. This lasted maybe ten minutes. Then he jumped up and began shouting and cursing at the top of his lungs, non stop, and literately froth and spittal foamed from his mouth. I freaked out. I told him I need to go out side to the patio and have a smoke. He followed me screaming and shouting that I was sick and I needed help. :) I sat down and fired up, tears and slobber and snot flowing. Then my cell phone rang. Another brother called and cussed me out for giving this brother a hard time. I hung up on him, walked to my truck and headed to my home about 40 miles away. I was in total daze driving home. Lord lord lord. What did I do wrong. I did what I believed you wanted me to do? I and my wife prayed to you Lord for direction, and all this hell broke loose. Why Lord, why? I woke up from my daze when I looked up and saw my shop door in front of me. No idea how I got home. Wife came running out. What happened?? I said I do not know. And at the time I didn't. Talking this over with an older Christian, like a mentor, I shared my experience. What he taught me was God was not interested in the result of talking to my lost brother. He already knew what would happen. The trip was for me. God was interested in my faithfulness to his call to go. I went. Trust and obey.. No, he has never changed.

Very strange, Neighbor. Those of us here in Texas have always payed transient ranch hands that would work a few weeks each year on various ranches moving around as work was available, outside of any city in the country. They avoided any policia if they didn't have a green card. We didn't ask if they had a card, as they wanted to work to send their money home to their families, and they were hard workers. "Individuals who illegally hire, recruit, or refer illegal aliens to work in the United States are in violation of Title 8 U.S.C § 1324. Criminal Penalty – Being found guilty of a criminal violation is punishable by a fine of up to $3,000 for each unauthorized alien and/or up to six months imprisonment. *********Jul 28, 2023********* "Unlawful Employment Of Aliens -- Criminal Penalties. Title 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(a)(1)(A) makes it unlawful for any person or other entity to hire, recruit, or refer for a fee, for employment in the United States an alien knowing the alien is an unauthorized alien, as defined in subsection 1324a(h)(3)" If you are an undocumented migrant worker, you have employment right, no matter your citizenship status. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), it is illegal to discriminate against any worker, regardless of immigration or citizenship status. WARNING: "This article tells you your employment rights as an undocumented worker, but due to the current administration's recent enforcement actions, you should consult with a legal aid organization or a private attorney BEFORE contacting any governmental body or taking other action in your case"..................... However, "WORKING WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION IS NOT A FEDERAL OR STATE CRIME The State of California has not criminalized undocumented workers. The federal government has the exclusive authority to regulate immigration, and working without authorization is not a crime under any federal statute" So, in Texas where people still have a brain function, get a green card...

stir up STRONG'S G329: ἀναζωπυρέω, -ῶ; (τό ζώπυρον i. e. a. the remains of a fire, embers;............stir up (Stir up [or, fan into flame) b. that by which the fire is kindled anew or lighted up, a pair of bellows); to kindle anew, rekindle, resuscitate, [yet on the force of ἀνα- cf. Ellicott on 2 Tim. as below]; generally tropical, to kindle up, inflame, one's mind, strength, zeal Yet also, I believe we often quench our spirit, knowingly and ignorantly. We also grieve our spirit. How often has my spirit softly moved upon me to do/not do something. then to only be ignored. I like the idea of rekindling the coals to be flames. But I would rather be more aware of not quenching and grieving my spirit, snuffing out (quenching) what "flames"/indwelling I already have. And let the holy spirit have his way with me, burning more brightly as I abide in Christ. I can do nothing unless I abide. The true vine produces all fruit. As I abide, not quenching/grieving his spirit, I bear his fruit. As a branch not abiding we can do nothing, including stiring up a quenched spirit . And the fruit we bear is for others. Quote; In Acts 6:6, when the church has chosen seven men to serve as official assistants to the apostles, “These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.” Here again, as in Numbers, we find a kind of commissioning ceremony. The visible sign of the laying on of hands publicly marks the beginning of a new formal ministry for these seven, recognizing them before the people and asking for God’s blessing on their labors. In 1 Timothy 4:14, Paul charges Timothy, his official delegate in Ephesus, "Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you" The last key text, and perhaps most instructive, is also in 1 Timothy. Again Paul writes, "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22) "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." 2 Timothy 1:6 The laying on of hands appears to be linked, tied in with, stirring up the gift. I personally do not believe this gift is for myself to keep, but for edification/blessing of others. My holy spirit is always within me, forever, ready to fill me like an inferno, should I simply obey God's instructions. Obedience/abiding. As I have testified here in the past, I was addicted to nicotine over 50 yrs. I could not ever quit. And didn't! But haven't smoked since over 10 yrs ago. A brother in Christ laid hands on me and prayed for my deliverance. God heard his prayer and granted it. I was delivered. To God be all the glory! Thanks, VA...

Son.....

I personally do not receive the 'feeling' of worship at most any church praise and worship time. Assuming it's just me. I have comforting moments of the presence of God, a union, sitting/working in my shop. Alone with pandora music playing old gospel instrumental tunes. (or some Fernando Ortega :) Thinking/meditating on the Father about what this is all about. My work or walk is I believe my worship, with more spiritual awareness of my creator than in any assembly of others, and so many distractions. I can become so grateful and thankful for Gods grace and mercy, remembering his blessings, when so many have so little. Praising Him. Overwhelmed sometimes to tears. I cannot do that in public or church. It's quite. It's personal. God and I. Adrian Rogers: "Are you seeking for Christ with all your heart? James 1:8 "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." The word for double‑minded literally means "two souls." Here's a person trying to face both ways at the same time. Trying to live with one foot in the church and one in the world. They’ve got just enough of the world in them that they can't be happy in church and just enough Christ in them they can't be happy in the world. We are to love the Lord with all our heart." “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9 "Worship is determined by God Himself, not by our sincerity, pious feelings, or musical skill" Adrian Rogers "Worship is when we give our deepest affections and highest praise to something. True worship of God is when we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It's when we prize God above everything else and put Him first in our hearts" “The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Eating, drinking, working, resting, walking, and sleeping are all to be done to the glory of God. In other words, every activity should be done in such a manner that God is honored. Worship of God is to infuse every area of our lives. Not just Sunday praise service. "If you love me, keep my commandments"

"the lyrics versus the melody being an oxymoron"... Popular tune at the time with a cry for help embedded within the all the melody... I only Deleted some words, to reveal what's left, and nothing added. "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk I've been kicked around Since I was born And now it's alright, it's okay And you may look the other way We can try to understand The New York Times' effect on man Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother You're stayin' alive Feel the city breakin' Well now, I get low I really try I'll live to see another day We can try to understand The New York Times' effect on man Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, yeah Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah I'm stayin' alive I've been kicked around since I was born it's okay And you may look the other way Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, yeah Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me I'm stayin' alive Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, yeah (oh) Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah I'm stayin' alive.......... Robin Gibb (now dead from cancer) recalls, "The subject matter of 'Stayin' Alive' is actually quite a serious one; It's about survival in the streets of New York, and the lyrics actually say that" BARRY Gibb (eldest and only living brother) :"Ricky Skaggs was helping me through that darkest period. He is by nature a devout Christian and he took me there and made me understand" (He lost his two twin brothers from health issues, and youngest brother later) I was never a Bee Gees fan. Couldn't stomach disco... But they could really sing, harmonize.

The Testimony: To Always Please The Father “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples" John 15 Thanks, Mr.M... "and behold a voice out of the heavens, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased"

I also have those times of introspection, like, what's this life here all about. If I don't stay busy, usually working hard/playing hard, I can get those funky feelings. I'll wallow in it briefly till memory reminds me this too will pass so I get up and do something. I am a simple carpenter. I believe work is the best narcotic...God created us that way. And most of my life I worked best under pressure, busy. I also was fearful of being a husband, raising children, supporting a family. Found out that everybody else was too and it sure wasn't boring, but, though it was hard, there was so much to enjoy, exciting, also to make very worth while. Risk. I have to continually think on this life is just temporary. Store up for the eternal future while there is still time, lest I stand at the throne empty handed. To whom much is given much is required. I have received much, beyond what I deserve. And much is required with what I have learned and know. Responsibilities. And Not boring.. His ways and timing are so mysterious but so perfect. When I am at work on any project, I feel purpose. Relevant. This is good. "If your going through hell, keep going" Winston Churchill Agreed......... I was a military soldier myself so as a soldier in the army of God I did not expect easy. But even soldiers can have peace knowing what/who they are fighting for and the final goal at the end of the race we are running. It will be worth it all, some day. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds"..... ( Still working on this one, FJK :)

Woah a minute now. Of all the people on the earth it seems to me, Christians should be the most joyful of the lot, considering. We know the truth that has set us free. We know our eternal future. We run the race. We are in the race, (right?) lest we forget. Trouble is, all those "feel good" hormones that were triggered in those good old worldly living days are not being deployed into our brain so much. Like when I quit smoking, no more nicotine trigger, and depression onslaught. For only a moment. But eventually other triggers developed, through the trans formed mind, cleansed by the word. Now I get excited about the other "true-honest-just-lovely-pure-praise worthy-noble stuff that opens up the feel good valves in my mind. "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" More light, less darkness. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might! Our purpose on earth is to love our God and pass that love to others so they can come to know him if they don't already. Pass it on. My wife is a Godly woman. She really enjoys cooking, for me and the family and others. I am a carpenter and with this talent I can bless others simply, creating something useful, or just fun, and I enjoy it. God blesses us, and we pass the blessing to other. Then God replaces this with more. Being a good steward of his blessings is a full time job. He is faithful. And when I say blessings, I'm not talking about 'worldly' stuff but true blessings, eternal blessings. Ask God to keep you excited about your role (part) in his plan. We and our family/grand kids get together and go to the coast every year for a week or so to fish/fellowship, church/friends together, hobby's and work together. Involved. Blessed. It's said, only boring people get bored. So we get involved with life, and others. At 76 yrs I just retired from my business. My wife, 74 yrs, is still working at her own business six days a week, has weekly bible study at home, teaches children's class every week at church, takes each grand kid (12) to eat lunch twice a year, breakfast with friends regularly, works out at gym twice a week, feeds hundreds of birds twice every day with bird a bazillion feeders, keeps house and baby sits, and so so much more. She/we has no time to be bored. Bless others with your blessings no matter how tiny. God will fill the purse, and it might even be money that also can be passed on. Joyfully. Sow some seed. It really is fun. Unless you listen to those lies whispered in your mind that you can't. Ask God your part. There is so much that we can be involved in once we realize how greatly we are blessed as the children of God, and see how great the need to share when we see the lost and dying world living in their worldly actions. That we also were once before God showed us the truth. I learned to be extremely grateful to my creator. Think on the flip side of: It is better to give, than receive.

"We accept Christ - then get a bunch of rules to follow" I do not believe when the Holy Spirit convicts me he is setting a rule. I do not believe a man's judgement to me (rules) beyond scripture to be my guide. Notice different translations below: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.....KJV In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.....ESV One implies God is directing me, he shall direct thy paths....KJV The other says, he will make straight your paths. There have been habits/sins in my life I was convicted by my spirit to quit. I used many many methods to quit (my own understanding) that were fruitless. Eventually He delivered me. I couldn't. He could. (not my efforts/understanding) I have learned God will make straight my path His way, His timing. Not my fruitless law abiding, but his Holy Spirit conviction. So. I download scriptures to my hard drive mind, this light removes darkness. This light is my "rules," as the light reveals it to me. Not my wife or brother/sister or friend nor pastor. Their good' counsel goes through the filter of the word (light) I have down loaded. I believe that is one of the purposes of God living within us, guidance. I can better appreciate why the spirit can be grieved or quenched, (flesh). The word is my deciding factor, confirmed by the spirit of God. Anything, anything, I do without faith I know it to be sin. It is God's spirit that gives that faith in decisions. Or Not! My flesh does not like this and cries out. (another signal to recognize sin:) PS Edit; Lest we forget, we are in spiritual boot camp in the army of God. Later we will be evaluated to our position at the Bema seat. All this stuff we debate should make us stronger faithful tougher soldiers for Christ. Not wannabes. My boot camp drill instructor is God's spirit within me. He know all things. He is pushing me, drilling me, beyond what I thought my body could handle. I'm not going to ring the bell and go awol. I'll keep running the race. Knowing that, graduation is just around the corner. Can I get an Amen..