Monday, February 24, 2025
Jamerica
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Rules
Let's face it, humans seem to be 'rule averse' along with the 'natural order' where survival of the fittest is the theme of existence.
"we have obedience classes for dogs
which we seem to regard as a good thing . . .
If it cooperates and is obedient to the master, the dog will have all its needs met and enjoy a safe and loving relationship. This relationship will be smoother and less frustrating for the master as well."
We also like the idea of obedience when raising our children. "Don't touch that." "Say please." "Brush your teeth." These are commands parents issue on a daily basis and are happy when they are obeyed. Then one day the toddler makes perhaps the most important discovery of his or her life—the power of the dreaded word, "No!" With its rapidly developing brain, the child figures out: "You don't control me," "You can't make me," and "I don't have to."
We're forced to concede, the toddler is right.This little human has figured out that obedience is a choice. Essentially, "I will obey you if I want to and if I choose to" thinks the child. "If there's something in it for me, then I might choose to obey you." - QUOTED FROM Art Frenz
So,
Imagine the shock on the new Christian's face when he finds out at the new members 'discipleship class', that the word OBEY occurs at least 66 times in the Bible and that there are going to be people who "have the rule over you".
Some church 'managers' quickly realizing the possible negative impact of this 'dilemma', immediately adopt a 'policy' shift to minimize the usage of Bible words such as commands, laws obedience etc and always emphasize grace (alone).
In fact, some may even adopt a 'special' (bad) word, LEGALISM, to describe ideas that include RULES, RULERS or those RULED.
Other more 'sophisticated saints' explain away the OBEDIENCE problem with statements like:
"us current humans are just trying to find a way to interpret what we experience, in terms
that we understand, in our current frame of reference .... eg language used in today's (current) time period" . . . Meanwhile, The Master Himself (Jesus of Nazareth) says this:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him - John 14:21
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. / If anyone says, "I know Him," but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. / But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love.
We love because He first loved us. / If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. / And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us.
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. / By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."
Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
Jesus declared, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' / This is the first and greatest commandment. / And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ...
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. / For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, / and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ...
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart
NOTES
https://www.gotquestions.org/if-you-love-me-keep-my-commandments.html
https://www.artfrenzphd.com/obedience-is-not-a-dirty-word-but-a-choice/
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Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Modest?
It is not often that believers publicly consider what the Bible teaches about feminine modesty.
When I speak of modesty, I am not simply talking about dress because your dress is bottom line evidence of your heart attitude.
Modesty, even by its definition, implies a heart attitude of humility. We know that God hates pride and the opposite of pride, of course, is humility and humility is possible only when the Holy Spirit does a transforming work in us.
My goal here is not only to consider God's standards for dress, but we want to consider the condition of our heart when this subject is raised.
Many churches are rightly concerned about avoiding the legalism of laying down man-made rules as opposed to biblical injunctions.
I once heard a pastor say "I wouldn't touch the subject of modesty with a ten-foot pole." But the response of my heart was, "If the word of God addresses it, if the word of God teaches it, we have a responsibility before God to understand it and to teach it."
In the New Testament women are taught their behavior should be chaste and that impacts dress. 1 Peter 3:1-7.
We do not want to make a list of rules. To make decisions about dress for yourself, you need to understand certain principles from the Bible.
Thursday, January 25, 2024
TheArmy
A SALVATIONIST VIEW
"The Great International Salvation Army with its network of services spanning the globe" . . . so said my friend Colonel Orval Taylor as his commanding voice filled the hall at the Citadel in downtown Kingston Jamaica.
That evening my growing fascination would continue into a life long association with this charitable organization of worldwide renown.
THE ORIGINAL ARMY
https://youtu.be/xHHP8d_9gRo
A 'MODERN' ARMY?
AN ENDURING LEGACY
"While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight, I'll fight to the very end!"
BANNERS & BONNETS
IRONY - an enemy has done this?
A VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE
"when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also."
Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
TheEnding
1.Biblical Certainties
the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
HISTORIC CONTEXT
IMHO . . . We have full details in Genesis from chapter 6 to chapter 15 of the Bible.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=6W4r8h-WE78
Jonathan Cahn
2.Secular Confusion
Is modern day colonial power
Why the Islamic peoples call Israel and the US big and little satan?
THE WAY THE
WORLD WORKS?
Colonization: is the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area.
Colonialism: is the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Does NATO seem to be another colonizing effort of the "American Empire"?
Monday, September 25, 2023
Go
✂️ Sent
PURPOSE PROMISE PROVISION
#FamilyChurchNation
"They shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee" - JEREMIAH
"The church is meant to be a place where authentic relationships can be lived out in community. God's intension is for us to live the part, not just look the part. "
Tony Evans
✂️ Sent
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Shining
THE HUGHES FAMILY
Homeschooling family at EBCNEWINGTON
Introduced to me by principal Riopel . . .
A loving Father . . . and beloved husband
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
ELIOT IS A TRAIL-LIFE DAD
SERVING TROOP 1636
AS TROOP MASTER IN
WETHERSFIELD CT
Lack of engagement with the natural world is taking a particular toll on boys. The statistics are sobering. Over 75% of juvenile court cases involve boys. Seventy-four percent of teens in drug and alcohol treatment programs are boys. Men account for four out of five suicides in America, and the most rapidly growing suicide rate demographic is boys between the ages of 10-14.
Trail Life (TrailLifeUSA.com) CEO Mark Hancock stated, "That is why Trail Life USA has launched The Campaign to Rescue America's Boys, our efforts must go beyond preparing them only to survive these challenges. We must take on the greater challenge: to engage a generation, calling them forth as a remnant that will be equipped not only to survive the overwhelming rising tide, but to reverse the tide itself."
Trail Life is the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused scout-type organization in the country. In a world that diminishes the power of boyhood, Trail Life celebrates what makes boys unique and provides boys with a safe space to explore the concept of masculinity while building relationships, learning leadership skills, and exploring the great outdoors.