CONSUMERISM

(I don't really want to talk about this, but it IS something that needs to be addressed.) My Dad had a fun, funny saying that he learned somewhere in his past: The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings! I think that ditty is a humorous way to take note of the reality that things actually DO NOT bring happiness. (Also, I think that people in general realize that kings aren't necessarily happy.) For years, the American culture has been telling us folks that things will make us happy; more specifically, the things that the culture is promoting will make us happier. The culture may not say this in words, but the message comes across in unspoken ways. and please don't think that messages can't be sent and received without words. consider tv and related media with sound or without. A perspective is being expressed and expectations of what a normal life should be is being pushed at us. We may not agree.

ROMANS 13 and OUR US HISTORY

This is, maybe, my fourth of July post for this year. ( This IS 250 anniversary of the declaration of Independence, so maybe more later.) I attended a lecture at Houston Christian University sponsored by the Bible Museum on campus last month. the speaker was president of Westminster Seminary in Pennsylvania, Dr Peter Lillback. The topic was similar to "evidence of George Washington's spiritual life in his correspondence and other written materials". (The Bible and George Washington. The Dunham Bible Museum has some material from Dr. Lillback's lecture available on their portion of the Houston Christian University website. Also, Dr. Lillback has written a book on Washington.) I attended this lecture out of obligation to the theme of this blog: How do the goals aspired to by the American forefathers and valued and promoted by our country's culture- how do these values compare to the teachings of Jesus Christ. (if you read some older blog posts, you will see some ideas about this.) So I listened to the lecture. yes, there was evidence that George valued the Bible. I waited to hear mention of ROMANS 13. Speaker made no mention. During the Q&A I finally got up my nerve to ask him the question (coming from my perspective, which I hope I have explained in blog posts.) "Did Washington address the material in ROMANS 13?" I figured that since he was president of a Bible- believing seminary (school of higher education for Christian leaders), plus, he wrote a book about Washington's spirituality he would know exactly what I was asking. He did know. and he responded by telling that Washington's pastor of the years before the revolution did not believe that the revolution was correct. The pastor said, "(something like) if anyone speaks publicly promoting rebellion against england in this church, i have a pistol here on the pulpit." that pastor eventually went to England to live because of the strife of these differing opinions. (I'll try to write more later.) SHALOM

many little gods

many little gods this refers to authors of fiction works who create whole world and especially create people and situations out of their own imagination. I've come to this attitude about fictional works and the authors in recent years. i say to myself, "someone made up this story. they did not have to make it that way. they did not have to give those two people that reason (excuse) for "being drawn into" an extramarital affair/adultery. this was the work of a writer! the writer CHOSE how this story would go. this (theoretical) writer ran the show. He (or she) was the little god of his own imaginary world. is this what we should be doing?

THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD

HOLD ON TO THE BEST FOR ALL.
HOLD ON!!
GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROADWAY, REMEMBER N ME TO HAROLD SQUARE.

OK. I just had to get that out of my system.

This post is about pondering the specific requirements God has for women in light of the wording of the Bible and that much is addressed specifically to men, and that truth that God has ordained that women act in submission to the authority over them (?)
Well, on that last- " . . .act . . . over them"- : that's a bitter pill for us women to swallow. And we often don't. However, God asks ALL to act in submission to the authority over us, recognizing that God is the ultimate authority; and Jesus modeled this extreme submission to Father God in His intense obedience of enduring crucifixion, as celebrated in the hymn of PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11.
Jesus' humility is the subject of that hymn of praise.
So, the greatest story never told is the "small" continuous acts of obedience of women throughout history.  These things are never actually mentioned in the Bible, but are foundational.

PREMIUM LEVEL

a Bible teacher whose teaching i value consistently advises and exhorts everyone who will listen to Daily spend time in God's Word, the Bible, praying to God in faith that God (by the Holy Spirit) will open up the Word to our understanding. this man testified that he learned this important lesson as a young man and as new Christian (born anew). the friend who gave the Gospel message to him also told him this key to becoming all that the Lord would have him to be throughout his life. I was already convinced that this life habit and commitment was important. but i had not and still have not ACTED as though I believe this. it reminds me of a sad misunderstanding that has come about in my life and perhaps many others' lives too. We need to desire to give excellence to the Lord. That means doing the best with what we have. However, during my school days (long ago), I got the impression that a "B" grade or even a "C" grade was good enough, that i didn't have to push myself to get an "A". "B" was ok. That mindset continued past school years. NOW I see that i want to give God my best, in order that i may be best connected to Him ( in the best possible way.) that's what i mean when referring to PREMIUM LEVEL WELL that was what I wanted to say. but let me continue a little: Last night some of us were in the phone for zoom Bible study. commenting on PSALM 116, one said it was definitely "transactional". After that the word was repeated 2 or 3 now times. I couldn't bear the thought of hearing Psalm 116 describing a relationship being called "transactional" for several minutes, so i said "I object to this being identified as transactional." oops. no one called me on my statement. BUT the Psalm does describe transactional dynamic. I think what i objected too was the bad connotation that that word has. it sounds cold and calculating. then i powered- is a baby's love for caregiver transactional? also, principal I have discovered in life is that an emotion or relationship with another human is only a "human", imperfect approximation (by us fallen people) of the perfect relationship or emotion that our Creator God is willing to move to for us. mm

WHAT DO THE POOR HAVE?

What Do The Poor Have? The poor have a place in their lives and their hearts to receive from our Creator God. The poor have needs that they know cannot be truly met by the natural efforts of themselves or others. The poor have had to become open to looking to our Creator to help them.

BLESSED ARE THE POOR

I'm going to posit here that when Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor..." , He was not just saying that our God must bless the poor directly- either now or at some future day- because the poor are so downtrodden and undervalued by the world's more "successful" peoples. (a promise.) I believe that Jesus was also saying that the poor WERE receiving blessings from our God that richer people could not receive. So, what might that blessing be? Jesus does say specific things there.--- I hope to continue this soon.