JUST CALL ME GULL

Gullible
courtesy photobucket.com 

 

My friends call me gull and that is alright with me cause most of them can’t spell my full name which is Gullible Scruggs.

When I were born my pappy wanted to name me with a hardly used name so as to make me stand out.  I found out later that the reason for people not naming their offspring Gullible was some take it to mean “Not so smart,” but that doesn’t apply in my case.

In fact I’m smarter than most around here and not only that I’m inventive or at least that’s what the car dealer said.  The reason he said that was because I saved my money and went to town to buy me a car and the nice used car man sold me a real pretty one. 

I drove it home, well almost home before it quit running, and me and a neighbor finished by pushing it home.  I called the nice used car man and told him what happened and he said, “You are very inventive, and you’ll figure out what to do with it.”  Well after he had bragged on me like that I figured it were up to me to know what to do.

I decided to park it in front of my house where people could see it for I figured that half the benefit of having a pretty car was for the looking at it and the other half was the riding part.  At least this way it wasn’t much of a loss.  I guess that is what he meant when he said I was inventive.

Something that bothered me was, I was growed up and wasn’t hitched up as of yet.  One day my pappy came and said I was to get married, and he had picked out a gal who was willing.   Since I trusted pappy I said it would be okay (I figured he had more experience than I did with women).

I washed up real good and we all went down to the preacher who said some words I didn’t understand, when they were put together like he did.  Afterward they said I was married.  I felt the same as before so I thought that getting married didn’t have anything to do with feelings. 

My pappy said I should go on a honeymoon, and he explained to me what that was.  I wasn’t ready for that because it took my breath away and also scared me.  After I got over my shock and settled down he said; go to town and get a room and enjoy it, what ever “it” meant.

My wife Lucy was a city gal, and knew more about city stuff than I did, so she took care of everything including my money.  When it was getting dark she told me to get myself something to eat if I was hungry, and that she would be back later, maybe. 

She explained that she had a date with her boyfriend, and couldn’t break it.  Well I figured if she had gave her word then she should keep it.

It must have been a long date because it has been three months, and I haven’t seen her or my money since then.

The one thing I began to wonder about is “What’s so great about being married”?

I’ll get it figured out because my name isn’t Gullible Scruggs for nothing

THE SOUND IN THE MULBERRY TREES

Sound in the Mulberry Trees
courtesy Free clip art

 

It saddens one to hear of ministries that are in trouble for whatever the cause may be. The ill advised use of money, allowing morals to slip to the level of sin, or being dishonest in some, or in all matters concerning the church.

REV. C.H. Spurgeon preached a sermon on 2 Samuel 5:24, on May 31, 1857, using the text "When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shall bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

“My brethren, let us learn from David to take no steps without God. The last time you moved, or went into another business, or changed your situation in life, you asked God's help, and then did it, and you were blessed in the doing of it. You have always sought God, but do not think that the stream of providence necessarily runs in a continuous current; remember, you may march to-morrow without seeking God's advice; venture upon a step which you will regret but once, and that will be until you die.  You have been wise hitherto, it may be because you have trusted in the Lord with all your heart, and have not leaned to your own understanding.”   C.H.Spurgeon 

There have been victories in the past just as David had fighting the philistines but the need arose again for David to return to battle.

Today the church is under the strongest attack that I have known during my life time, and the church of today is having to fight a new battle against a Neo-philistine army. The attacks are coming from many directions, and are empowered by none other than Satan himself.

Much of the media at its heart is anti-Christ and they will use every opportunity to amplify the failings of those who name the name of Christ.

False religions are increasing mightily and their gods are being accepted as the only true God of the universe.  Alien people are using the laws of our land against the people of this land.  All this is discouraging to the Lord’s people for once knowing the truth, and the reality of our one true GOD the deception being spread abroad is detestable.

The message spewing from too many ministries is a message of greed designed to enrich the ministers of GOD.  It is little more than a self enrichment service to mammon.  They care not that they cannot serve GOD and mammon, for they have chosen the mammon and have bowed down to him.

Where is our David?  Where is the new Billy Graham?  Where is the man that is waiting for a word from GOD to go forth?  Where is the sound in the mulberry trees that signal the attack on the haters of our GOD? 

Where is the man who is filled with the spirit and power of GOD that can unite the true church into a mighty force that can be victorious over the Philistines and their gods? 

 Oh Lord how long?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AT7wa0tPVU

Magic Tricks

Card Tricks
courtesy photobucket

I recently watch some card tricks on my computer, and actually was impressed at the dexterity of their hands in handling the decks of cards.

They could have fooled me if I was involved up close in their performance.

As I watched in amusement a new thought came to me; something I had never thought of before.

Of course everyone knows there are four suits; Spades, Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds but what stood out was the significance each suit could stand for.

The Spades; To me represent the labor of mankind, metaphorically the digging in the ground. Genesis 3:19 in the sweat of thy face shall you eat bread, until you return unto the ground; for out of it you were taken: for dust you art, and unto dust shall you return.

This principle of hard labor has never been revoked and will not be until the total redemption of man occurs. The only way to avoid this is to take advantage of other people's labor. This is easily done within this democracy in America.  Them that don't work don't eat doesn't seem to apply here.

The Clubs; represent the violence that is rampart in our world. The "doing it my way" gave birth to this philosophy that has damned mankind.  First manifested by Adam and Eve, and was fully brought to fruition by Cain's slaying of Abel, who was beat to death with a tool of violence.

The Diamonds; stand for the wealth men die for. Whether they come by it dishonestly or work themselves to death for it, it encompasses all of the lust and greed for superiority of one person over another.  Our world is so constituted for everyone to rule over someone else till we come down to the last individual at the bottom with no one below him.

The Hearts; represent pure unfeigned love. Something there is very little of. There are many imitations of love but are merely proclamations of a reality that exists. Words easily spoken without substance produce a product of lust and self gratification.  Love is a quality that makes each heart vulnerable to deception but without love no soul is complete.

Then I recalled a song I heard in my youth, it is revived on occasion and brought back. It is simply called "A deck of cards" and the link below leads to Tex Ritter's version of it. 

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsCiaxPhtVY

 

CASTING

Making a Movie
courtesy photobucket.com

Whatever else I may think of the movie makers the one thing they often do right is casting the right people in the right part.

Gene Kelly in; “Singing in the rain”.

Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca.

Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz to name a few.

When you stop and think about casting it is what a successful life is all about, finding one’s self and playing the part you were born to play.

Too many never find that role in life that would maximize their abilities.

This same thing applies in the spiritual world for in the Kingdom of God each one of us has a part to play.  It isn’t to be our choice for God has done the casting in the church.

1Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

This is what a director does in a movie.  He puts the right people in the right place in order to make the best film.  

If the person he wants to use is lacking in ability for some phase of the movie he gives them help in the form of teaching or training.  

Often it might be learning to speak with an accent, or how to do certain dance steps.  He is an enabler or an empowerer so they can function as needed.

God does a similar thing. He selects and then enables the chosen ones do his work and will.

1 Corinthians 12:5-6 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 explain how the ministry for GOD is suppose to work.

There are the stars who are more in the public’s eyes and there are those who are in the background never seen but have an important part to fulfill.

The most important thing is to know what your role is in the Kingdom of GOD is and to be faithful in it to the fullest degree.

Many mistakes have been made by those who thought they were called to play a part they weren’t called to play.

Those who are self anointed who have went where they were not sent and have done great damage to many souls.

Something that should be of a comfort to those who are called to a particular service; if you are called you will be enabled to do that which you have been sent to do.

Many a movie actor has thought; “I should have had a bigger part in this movie and perhaps some have felt the same way about what their calling is in God’s Kingdom.

While directors may make a mistake in casting a movie; God never does.

So whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it well.

 * * * * * *

This post is shared at: Tell Me a Story

 

 

BLUE BERRY HILL

Image photobucket.com

Girls go through several stages and some sub-stages while growing up. They go from the darling stage, where they walk in forgiveness, to the rebellious stage. 

They start, low level and accelerate until they have reached the perfected rebellion stage.  After a time, rebellion wears thin and it becomes necessary to move on to the next stage and that is, “The blame game.”

Here they find targets galore.  Of course the parents hold the number one position but siblings and friends are not neglected in this pursuit. 

After this stage there are many ways to go but one of the most popular is the, “Get even,” for all the wrong I have been recipient of.  It’s time to do the opposite of what they have been instructed to do or not do. 

Well lordly, lordly here comes the average boy friend that is able and willing to help out, especially in the area of chastity.  He is the expert instructor and the girl is so grateful.  She has reached the, “Give and take stage.” 

What she is about to find out is; she does the giving and he does the taking. Shortly, his conquest loses it shine, and being afflicted with the Blueberry Hill syndrome, he must move on to help some other damsel in distress.

Though our damsel has entered the bitterness stage, it is alleviated by boyfriend number 2 and the process is repeated until she has the blinders removed and she realizes that there is only one stage left, and that is the real world. 

This is where she has to put behind her the stages of growing up and shed that old skin for a new skin of maturity and get ready for real life.

Can she skip some of these forgoing unnecessary steps? Absolutely, but then she would have to be “Smarter” than the average girl.

Well what about the boys?

Boys are experts and their modus operandi is to forget the past, forgive themselves and move on to Blueberry Hill where they find their next thrill.

   Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRgFbSc-nI4

  Don’t Forget BLUEBERRY THRILL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-G5YbRI-A

 

BILLY JOE AND POOCH

Pooch
courtesy Photobucket

 

Like so many stories I remember this one occurred on 23^rd Avenue, Oakland, California.

There were a bunch of us boys who hung out together but during summer vacation the gang thinned out.  The parents either went out of town for a while or got the boys a job or some other reason some of the guys weren’t around.

I was friends with a boy named Billy Joe.  He had a terrier dog named Pooch, who hung out with us most of the time.  Pooch was a gritty little dog and would pick a fight with every dog he saw.  He whipped every dog he got into a fight with and he was pretty sassy.

In those days most people let their dogs run loose and not on a leash.  This one day Billy Joe went off with some other boys and pooch was just running loose on his own.

I had gone down to the Saturday matinee theater and was waiting with a group of people for the box office to open.  While waiting Pooch was hanging out with us when someone came by with a small screw tail bull dog.

It didn’t take long for Pooch to decide to whip the bull dog and he was on him in an instant. 

I was waiting for the bull dog to start running for his life when all of a sudden Pooch was screaming for mercy.  The bull dog’s jaws had clamped down on Pooch and was inflicting pain like Pooch had never experienced.

After what seemed like a long time Pooch broke loose and lit out.  As far as he was concerned the fight was over.  He ran between two cars into the street and was hit by a car and killed.

You might say Pooch had a really bad day or even go farther say it was the worst day of his life.

I didn’t see Billy Joe much after that for he started hanging out with some guys that were into body building. 

As far as I know he never got another dog.

 

“OH WELL,” TIMES





Oh Well
courtesy free clip art

Around our house we have all kinds of times. There are good times, bad times, so-so times and then we have “Oh well” times.  

"Oh well times" will help preserve your sanity.

Good and bad times are relative to your expectations.  What is good times for one family might be just “the run of the mill” for others.  The same applies for the bad times.   It is hard to enjoy the fact that your bad times can’t get any worse when they are as bad as they can get.

At our house things are pretty good, so good that we mostly have to look for something bad.  Although when I do, I’m pretty efficient and can come up with something, when I should just enjoy what I do have.

1 Timothy 6:8-9 As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

That is about the last thing some Christians want to hear, for they want more, but it is pretty good advice anyhow.

Now lest we become indolent we must keep in mind:  Proverbs 6:6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!

 

I have never heard of an ant being on welfare so they must know something.

There are some other times that I call, “Oh well, times.”  These are the times when I enter the state of futility. These are times when I have seemly done my best to solve my problems and have come to my wits end.  Or if I haven’t really tried hard, to my half wits end.

The kids are helpful in bringing you to this state for they are experts in this field.

How is this; I told those kids not to do that and now they have destroyed the garage door, no matter where I hide the keys they find them and start the car, “Oh well.”

I forgot to pay the credit card bill and now they want 22% interest on everything I owe, “Oh well.”

The husband has just spent $35,000 and bought a new truck he didn’t need, and we don’t have enough money to pay for it, “Oh h….”

The list is quite long and a lot of this is of our own making. I find it hard to pray and ask GOD to get me out of these kinds of problems for I’m afraid I’ll just do it again.

What I need is some wisdom, James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 

 

Daniel 12:3 tells me the result of it; Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

That wasn’t an ”Oh well” statement it was an AMEN statement.

 

GOD CAN’T MAKE UP HIS MIND

Pope Francis courtesy photobucket

 

Pope Benedict XVI

“In a strongly worded attack, Benedict XVI insisted that marriage should be founded on the "indissoluble" marriage between a man and a woman.  In an address to half a million Catholic faithful, the Pope condemned same sex marriage as a "dangerous and insidious" challenge to society. 

The Vatican regards being homosexual as a "deviation" and an "irregularity" and the act of homosexual sex as a sin. In a 2010 interview, “Benedict again underscored that view, saying “Homosexuality is incompatible with the priestly vocation.”

Now says our new Pope Francis:

On his return flight to Rome from the World Youth Day in Brazil, Pope Francis surprised accompanying journalists when he said, “Gay people should not be marginalized, but integrated into society.  

"When someone is gay and seeks the Lord, who am I to judge him?" the Pope asked.

Apparently he views himself as being somewhat less than the “Vicar of Christ” that is one who speaks in place of Christ to the church.

The words, “Who am I,” point to the fact that he views the succession of Popes from Peter to be insignificant and an unreality at least in his case. 

The fact that so many homosexuals and pedophiles have infiltrated the Catholic Church and are now even changing the stand the Church has stood for since the time of Christ, forebodes the coming of apostasy of the said Church.

 

Boxing and Fights

A Boxer
courtesy free clip art

Having spent several years on what we referred to as the Ave (23^rd Ave) in Oakland California, I recalled a boxer I knew slightly.

His name was Johnny Gonsalves.  I met him in a restaurant where he hung out with the son of the owner I was acquainted with.

I and my roommate ate at the restaurant often and Johnny was in there much of the time.  Johnny was an excellent boxer but lacked a heavy punch.  He had a few KO’s but won most of his fights by the point system.

The woman who ran the restaurant was asked by Johnny are you going to come down to the auditorium and watch me fight tonight.  

 

She calmly said “Who are you fighting?”  

He told he and she said, “I have already seen that one.”

Johnny was taken aback by that answer but after a while he said, “Well I’m fighting him again.”

Once again she said quizzically, “Why?”

He didn’t have a good answer for that so he started talking to his friend.  He managed to get a television appearance and fought Ralph Dupas in New Orleans.  

Dupas gave him the worst beating he had up to then.  Dupas was a good boxer and could punch your lights out. Johnny Gonsalves was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995.

While I wasn’t a big fan of boxing my brother and I went ever so often to the Oakland Auditorium.  There we would see some of the well know boxers.

I was standing by a railing when Archie Moore the light heavyweight champ walked up next to me and I was amazed at how small he looked.  I stood tall over him.  I had seen him fight several times on TV and he looked much bigger.

One thing about the fights promoted in Oakland was there was more fighting going on in the audience than in the ring.  

 

On one occasion the fight in the stands got going so good the boxers in the ring stopped and watched it until the cops broke it up and then continued with their match.

The cops liked to get some of the extra duty at events they enjoyed. They got in free and got paid at the same time.

Similar things happen when at the Raiders football games. My cousin and I had season tickets for all the Raiders games.  You were lucky to get out of there without being soaked with beer.  

There were always one or more fights breaking out around you at some time during the game. They usually started after half time for it took a while for them to get drunken up enough to lose control.

Why the people near the fight always threw their beer at the participants I could never figure out.  

Coming down to it I guess I enjoyed the fights as well as the events I went to.

One last note: I once saw a guy who had a huge black eye a day after a Raiders game and he was explaining to his friend how he had been in a fight at the game the day before.

He was smiling as he told the story and was wearing the black eye as a badge of honor

This post is shared at: Tell Me a Story

DOING BUSINESS WITH GOD

Doing Business with God

 

In trying to be honest I say things as I see them and I admit my vision is blurred at times.

It could be that the “Mote in the eye” affects more than how I view my brother. Properly viewing of every situation requires unbiased introspection and an unmasking of hidden desires so you may know who you are.

Ask yourself; “Have I settled for a half a loaf”?  It is easy to say half a loaf is better than none and be satisfied but when it comes to doing business with GOD wholeness is required.

The lack of being fully open with GOD will cause one to conclude “Doing business with GOD is an exercise in futility.”

I would hope I’m alone in having seen my prayers left laying on the altar and withering there instead of rising to the throne of grace where mercy is dispensed.

This should be a cause for concern for all who have experienced this.  There isn’t someone who comes on the line and says; “Sorrow you have been disconnected” you have to discern this yourself.

Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished (delight in) iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. The last thing I need is my Heavenly Father turning a deaf ear to me in the time of need.

Psalm 119:9-16

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD ; Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes ; I shall not forget Your word.

Now this sounds real good and it applies to the old as well as the young.  To male as well as female.  This is to be the lifestyle of a Christian a walk it not just a talk it issue.

The first three verses of the song; Nothing between my soul and my savior

“Nothing between my soul and the Savior,

Naught of this world's delusive dreams;

I have renounced all sinful pleasure;

Jesus is mine, there's nothing between”.

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,

So that His blessed face may be seen;

Nothing preventing the least of His favor,

Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;

Habits of life, though harmless they seem,

Must not my heart from Him e'er sever;

He is my all, there's nothing between.

I’m glad you’ve stayed with me this far and the design of this exhortation is to reinforce our belief that;  “The promises of GOD are yea and amen, not no and never mind.

Should we seem to be falling short of the glory of GOD perhaps a checkup is in order. 

 

Hmmn !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTlJXnmz9_E

This post is shared at: Tell Me a Story

 

God's Self Improvement Course

Bible courtesy photobucket.com

 

The Lord knows his people need some improvement therefore he sent his Oracles with his remedy for our soul problem (mind, will, and emotions).

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service,

We were created in the image of GOD but the cause and effect of being kicked out of the garden marred that image and needs to be restored.

The new birth effectively restores man spiritually but that is only phase one.

Phase two  The renewing process:

Romans 12:1-2   I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, 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 renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what the will of God— what is is good and acceptable and perfect

Ephesians 4:22-25  You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

In other words through study, preaching and prayer we become “Knower’s” or we know what the right path is.

To paraphrase Isaiah 30:21 when it comes to doing right the renewed mind (conscience) will guide you if you will allow it to.

The greatest weapon that is used against us by the foe of righteousness is Lust.  Lust at it’s worse will destroy us and at it’s best will render us useless for the kingdom of GOD.

In it’s blatant forms it is easily recognized but there are subtle forms that affects even the most sophisticated Christian.

It has been said, “It is the second look that get’s us.”

Eve undoubtedly had seen every tree in the garden but when she gave the tree of knowledge a prolong look - - lust was conceived in her heart.

Wives accuse husbands of giving other women a second (prolonged) look and chastise them for it.  For it is there where the threshold of lust is being conceived.

It was when David the king gave Bathsheba that second look that led him into sinning.  Being able to repel Lust when it attacks you is the path to success as a Christian.  The senses input fuel for activating Lust.

The five senses are hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, which leads to wanting either right or wrong.

Jesus said take heed to what you hear.  In hearing is the motivation to do right or wrong.

Seeing can cause us to seek the wrong.

Smelling can lead us to eat the wrong.

Tasting can fail to warn us of the wrong.

Touching can encourage us to want the wrong.

We are in perilous state when we fail to balance our knowledge with wisdom for without wisdom knowledge will lead us astray.

The wisest of all said; “Get wisdom, get understanding;

Do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;

Love her, and she will watch over you”.

Our hope is “Introspection with the goal of perfecting ourselves”.

Matthew 5:48

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

 Song by MGMT

(Atypical of me without GOD)

Glowing in the shadows

Twisted in confusion

Grazing in the meadows

Voices in profusion

Colors, thoughts, emotions

Are trapped within the heart

Feeling no emotions

End without a start

[Chorus]

Introspection, what am I really like inside?

Introspection, why have all the prophets lied?

There's a season when I will find out where I am

And there's a reason,

and I will someday find the plan

Striving for perfection

And hiding when it comes

Seeing its reflection

And the fire it becomes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXPtxTAMkP4

 

THE OLD MAN VS. THE NEW

What Were They Thinking??
courtesy photobucket.com

 

When some masterpiece of stupidity occurs our first response is often, “What were you thinking.”

These great events happen all around us with greater or lesser consequences.

If we would dare to personalize this we would say, “What was I thinking.”

As a young boy I was sitting in a truck waiting for my uncles to return from a meeting they were attending and lo I saw the keys were in the ignition.

After many mental gyrations I reach over and turned the key.  A moment later me and the truck were half way under the building in front of where the truck was parked.

Luckily my uncles bailed me out by repairing the damage I had done to the premises.

I have since blanked out their remarks to me but it was along the line of, “What were you thinking” only in much more severe terms.

The newspaper tomorrow will have several articles that fit in this same category.  You will ask yourself, “What were they thinking?”  It was if their common sense had flown the coop.

This reminds me of a story I heard several years ago about a rooster whose head was cut off but continued living for many days.  As the story goes he would stand up as tall as he could and flap his wings and try to crow. (I have placed a link at the bottom if you wish to check it out)

This story reminds me of the way people act sometimes as if their head had stopped functioning and they were acting out of habitual instinct.

Since most of us operate this way to a greater or lesser degree it behooves us to have all our ducks in order so to speak. This especially applies to those who claim to be Christian.

The Apostle Paul addressed this issue over and again especially in the book of Ephesians.

He emphasized eight words that we should plumb the depths of and grasp the full meaning implied by them.

“According to the power that works in us.”

It is easy to forget or ignore that there is a power working within us full time.  This power saved us, and is keeping us, delivering us and securing constant forgiveness through the grace given to us.

When we partner up with this power and let it direct us in paths of righteousness there will be far less, “What was I thinking” moments.

We see and hear of our brethren doing what should be unthinkable and we wonder, “Why?”

Our leaders often escort the way into unrighteousness and as Paul said on another occasion, “Brethren these things ought not to be.”

It is most important to understand the difference between suggestions and commandments when it comes to the Word of GOD.

If any be unsure of what GOD desires you to do and how to live the Christian life then there is good news for you. You can avail yourself of this information in an hour or less by reading the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:22-24

You put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Yes Ephesians says it all. It is a you do it, set of instructions that comes with the promise of help.

You can do it because of the power that is working on and in you or you can do the Christian version of a chicken with its head cut off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATz3AdbjyRI&list=TLoPDkck5cEOUpWu1aHRD94lXa_JttPU7k

 

Ye Must Be Born Again to See Heaven
courtesy photobucket.com
 

ONE IN EVERY FAMILY

A study of Israel of old reveals that the problems that GOD dealt with most was for a lack of a better word the dilution of the pure truth of GOD’S commandments.

This was brought about by either brash disobedience or the bringing in the acceptance of other gods and their demands.

Deuteronomy 29:26 is just one of the scriptures that addresses this.

They went off and worshiped other gods and bowed down to them, gods they did not know, gods he had not given them.

What is as bad as or worse than this carte blanche rejection of GOD is the worship of GOD along with the acceptance of Heathenistic practices.

Christians are put upon today by the demands of love to compromise the truth of the gospel in order to accept those who are in our families that oppose the truth.

Their particular life style brings into play the old saying; “Hate the sin but love the sinner.”

Like Israel this is further exacerbated by the fact it is a life or death spiritual relationship with GOD matter.

No one wants to be told they are on the wrong track especially if they have found comfort in their way of living.

Amos 5:10 There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth.

Whether it is a blood relationship family or an extended family we are a part of, there will in all probability be those who differ from the Christian in the way they live.

Some will believe in Un-marriage or the walk away anytime I want to relationship.

Those who have an augmented drug existence whereby they feel; “Reject my drug use you reject me.”

Some have elected to join the Gay community and the list goes on.

Whatever the choices that are made, if they are in conflict with the plain truth of GOD’S word then the common ground to be sought after for harmonies sake must not be allowed to impugn one’s testimony and allegiance to Christ.

Difficult as it is there are some chasms that cannot be bridged which leaves us in a tenable, but uncomfortable position.

Uncomfortable; because the desire for a loving relationship remains.

Matthew 10:37 "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

This like so many truths found in the bible are hard to grasp until you recognize that the one who is joined unto the Lord has greater capacity for loving than before.  He has the ability to love God at a higher level and still not love family any less.

There is one in every family who falls short of the glory of GOD and yet we have strong feelings for them.  

The essence of what we should express can be found I John’s words; “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

But one’s soul prosperity depends upon their relationship with their creator. It may seem we do not love them because we reject their breach in the relationship with their maker but Paul says it thusly;

Galations. 4:16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?

 

THINGS I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE

Oh No
courtesy photobucket.com

 

It isn't the wrong things I have done as a Christian for things just happen. The things that bother me is the times I used my energies to plan and execute things that were wrong.

I must give a tip of the hat to everyone who has never been guilty of doing this and say congrats for their uprightness. This wrong stuff comes in so many forms from verbally causing pain to the extreme, whereby you physically harm someone.

I have said things I shouldn't have said sixty years ago that I still remember and I wish I could take back but to no avail.  Being remorseful or saying I'm sorry isn't a remedy for harm done by speaking harshly but it's all we have.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all of us appear before Christ's judgment seat in our true characters, in order that each may then receive an award for his actions in this life, in accordance with what he has done, whether it be good or whether it be worthless.

Ephesians 6:8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Colossians 4:5-6 Be wise in the way you act with those who are not believers. Use your time in the best way you can. When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.

Job 27:4 My lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit.

Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.

These and hundreds more scriptures admonish us to walk uprightly before all men, for Christians this is an imperative but is easily forgotten in the heat of battle.

The crux of this is set forth in clear terms in; Luke 12:48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Let’s face it we are debtors to righteous living for we have been given it all.  

These thoughts are for the purpose of "Personal character adjustment” which I need from time to time!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGJs42DojXU&feature=related