Yes, I am all for socialism. There is a delightful example of socialism in the Book of Acts in the New Testament in the second chapter. The time frame is the first century and the place is Jerusalem. Peter had preached the good news of the Messiah's death and resurrection and thousands heard his sermon and repented and believed and then devoted themselves to prayer. Then, they got together and began selling their stuff and and pilled it all together and then started sharing with anyone who might have a need. This is true socialism, where the Spirit of God moved upon people and prompted them to share their belongings with the needy.
This movement was NOT a form of government rule where people are FORCED to share what they have. The government has NO right to force people to give away their stuff. Any one who believes in the Socialist form Government does not know God, does not know the principles set forth in God's Word and, I might even go so far to say, is not a Christian. If they are, they are either ignorant or rebellious. God created mankind with a free will to choose what and when and how. It does not honor God, at all, to force humans to become the servant of the government. What honors God is for free men to freely decide to share their possessions with others. Some will and some won't because there are some good people and there are some bad people who are wealthy, just as there are some good people and some bad people who are poor.
This country has been blessed far beyond what one would have imagined when it was first born and one of the reasons is because the founders used Biblical principals to draw up it's founding documents. The free market, the idea of capitalism have done much to create wealth and this wealth has done much to establish hospitals and schools and create factories and businesses that employ millions of it's citizens. Countries that have gone the Socialism route have all failed. Socialism as a form of Government does NOT work because it goes against God's principals. It causes people to look to the government as their provider and not look upon God, their creator. It actually denies God.
"The world is Mine, and all it contains." Psalm 50:12 He is the creator and has all the rights of a creator and has chosen to allow man to be His steward or manager of all He owns. It is by His good favor that we do get paid and can possess stuff and can choose to share or keep.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Friday, January 18, 2019
#LawAndOrder
The United States is known as a nation that abides by the Rule of Law. In the past, for the most part, the Law has been honored and justice has been carried out with some notable exceptions. Women's rights were finally given and slavery was finally forsaken, but babies are still being murdered in their mother's womb, yet, today. Elected law makers are given the responsibility to be impartial in the making of laws that will effect citizens and they, above all, should be the keepers of the law. All citizens should be keepers of the law. All non-citizens should be keepers of the law of the country they live in and that means that first of all, if they intend to stay, they need to become legal citizens.
The laws that govern the universe were made by Creator God. There are thousands, if not millions of laws that interplay in everything. Physics and biology and aero-dynamics, finances and the speed of light or sound, gravity and nutrition are some of the laws that govern us. These laws rule, but the use of other laws might over-rule and create a different outcome - for instance, an airplane flying uses laws that over- rule the law of gravity. Man has discovered and used laws to accomplish and rule, to some degree, this planet.
The Creator God is a faithful keeper of the laws He put in effect. We can count on laws to work because God stands behind them and guarantees them to work. When we have observed certain laws properly and witnessed good results, we can enjoy those results. The law of giving, for instance, says 'give and to you it shall be given' and we can benefit from adhering to that law. The law that states - the soul that sins shall die - is always effective except when the law of grace over-rules it. John 1:17 says "For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." Then in Romans 3:26 we find "that He(God) would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
There are some other things to ponder regarding the Rule of Law that will be spoken to in Law and Order - continued.
The laws that govern the universe were made by Creator God. There are thousands, if not millions of laws that interplay in everything. Physics and biology and aero-dynamics, finances and the speed of light or sound, gravity and nutrition are some of the laws that govern us. These laws rule, but the use of other laws might over-rule and create a different outcome - for instance, an airplane flying uses laws that over- rule the law of gravity. Man has discovered and used laws to accomplish and rule, to some degree, this planet.
The Creator God is a faithful keeper of the laws He put in effect. We can count on laws to work because God stands behind them and guarantees them to work. When we have observed certain laws properly and witnessed good results, we can enjoy those results. The law of giving, for instance, says 'give and to you it shall be given' and we can benefit from adhering to that law. The law that states - the soul that sins shall die - is always effective except when the law of grace over-rules it. John 1:17 says "For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." Then in Romans 3:26 we find "that He(God) would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
There are some other things to ponder regarding the Rule of Law that will be spoken to in Law and Order - continued.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
#Appreciation
Its Thursday and the garbage can is out by the side of the street, waiting. Its Friday and the temperature outside is 20 degrees and the thermostat on the wall is set at 68 degrees. Its Saturday and the grocery list is made and the car is waiting on the driveway. Each one of these things has an expectancy and at the fulfillment, one just might be appreciative. We regularly need our garbage removed and we need to be warm enough to function and we need to eat, regularly. Do we appreciate when the garbage truck with men lifting heavy cans in all sorts of weather is in front of our home on Thursday? Do we appreciate those who have dug dirt to place gas lines all over the landscape to get one to our home and those who have climbed tall poles to place electrical lines all over the countryside to get power to our home? Do we appreciate the men and women who stock shelves all day at the grocery store with the goodies we enjoy?
One of the aspects of appreciation is to understand or comprehend the extent or the complexity of the fulfillment of what is expected. When you do, you are automatically appreciative and there should follow a respect for the ones who 'got it done'. You might not have a chance to share with the linemen or the pipe layers a thank you, but there are many others you come in contact with, such as a policeman, a fireman, a service man or woman or a stocker with whom you can just say, "Thank you."
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1st Thess. 5:15
You want to know God's will for you? Here is one part directed to you and when you do it, you can be well assured that you have done God's will! Of course, we are expected to give thanks to God, for He is the constant giver, but the verse does not regulate our thanksgiving to be just to Him. When we appreciate what others have done or do regularly, I am sure that it is in the will of God to give thanks to them.
Just go about each day comprehending and don't forget to say "Thank you".
One of the aspects of appreciation is to understand or comprehend the extent or the complexity of the fulfillment of what is expected. When you do, you are automatically appreciative and there should follow a respect for the ones who 'got it done'. You might not have a chance to share with the linemen or the pipe layers a thank you, but there are many others you come in contact with, such as a policeman, a fireman, a service man or woman or a stocker with whom you can just say, "Thank you."
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1st Thess. 5:15
You want to know God's will for you? Here is one part directed to you and when you do it, you can be well assured that you have done God's will! Of course, we are expected to give thanks to God, for He is the constant giver, but the verse does not regulate our thanksgiving to be just to Him. When we appreciate what others have done or do regularly, I am sure that it is in the will of God to give thanks to them.
Just go about each day comprehending and don't forget to say "Thank you".
Friday, January 11, 2019
#DelightAsAVerb
His broad shoulders and strong biceps, his firm leg muscles and of course his face delighted me. His manner and personality and character, all delighted me. Just naturally, I found myself delighting in my husband and when I discovered, in the Amplified Bible, Peter's writing in his first book in the third chapter talking to wives, it encouraged me to look for ways I could delight myself in and enjoy my husband more.
He states that a wife is, with her modest and respectful behavior together with her devotion and appreciation, to love her husband, encourage and enjoy him. God wants wives to enjoy their husbands. How does a husband feel when he hears his wife appreciating him? Would he be encouraged? Would her gracious words draw him closer to her?
This can be related to the way God wants each believer to treat Him. He identifies us as the Bride of Christ and what is true in a marriage relationship here on earth should be true in the spiritual relationship. When you spend time considering God's marvelous mind which thought up all the laws that run the universe and his ability to be so creative to think up camels and humming birds and gold-fish and you and me, it can make you awe struck. He came up with the color spectrum and clouds and diamonds, the simple amoeba and the complicated DNA. What a mind! It is easy to find delight in the Creator God and tell Him how you feel and just enjoy His mind.
There are so many other attributes that could be expanded upon. A day could be devoted to just one and you could fill a month of days considering the wonder of just one each day and tell Him how you feel about it. How do you think God would feel about your appreciation? Can you see a smile on His face? Would He be pleased?
And by the way, there is a nice compensation for finding delight in God. There is a verse in Psalm 37:4-5 that states; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it."
He states that a wife is, with her modest and respectful behavior together with her devotion and appreciation, to love her husband, encourage and enjoy him. God wants wives to enjoy their husbands. How does a husband feel when he hears his wife appreciating him? Would he be encouraged? Would her gracious words draw him closer to her?
This can be related to the way God wants each believer to treat Him. He identifies us as the Bride of Christ and what is true in a marriage relationship here on earth should be true in the spiritual relationship. When you spend time considering God's marvelous mind which thought up all the laws that run the universe and his ability to be so creative to think up camels and humming birds and gold-fish and you and me, it can make you awe struck. He came up with the color spectrum and clouds and diamonds, the simple amoeba and the complicated DNA. What a mind! It is easy to find delight in the Creator God and tell Him how you feel and just enjoy His mind.
There are so many other attributes that could be expanded upon. A day could be devoted to just one and you could fill a month of days considering the wonder of just one each day and tell Him how you feel about it. How do you think God would feel about your appreciation? Can you see a smile on His face? Would He be pleased?
And by the way, there is a nice compensation for finding delight in God. There is a verse in Psalm 37:4-5 that states; "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it."
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
#AboutAWedding
When you receive an invitation to a wedding there is some excitement. You feel excited for the couple, especially, if you know both of them and have been aware of their developing relationship. There is a beautiful picture of a wedding in Psalm 45. It is a song celebrating the King's marriage. The first few verses describe the groom's character and his attire and then there is a verse to the bride. Verse ten tells the bride to 'listen'. Some advice is given to her and it is something we all should pay attention to.
She is told to forget her people and her house. There is a good reason for this advice, because if she holds onto her home, it will be almost impossible for her to cleave to her husband. Without the cleaving there well be no becoming 'one'. The two will be living in one place and sleeping in one bed, but they will remain two separate individuals. Both are to cleave to one another and it is probably easier for a man to leave his home than for a woman to do so, thereby she is told to listen. The next few verses tell of her beauty and clothing and tell us that as she leaves her home, her husband will desire her beauty for now she totally belongs to him.
Marriage is given as an illustration in the Old Testament of the relationship God had with the Nation of Israel. He even pronounced judgments on Israel for what He called "her adultery" because she had forsaken Him for idols. In the New Testament, His Son, Jesus, has a bride. She is the church or all believers. God sent an invitation to a very special wedding and that invitation was the groom. Male or female, God invites you to accept His invitation to come to the wedding, not just as a guest, but as the bride of Christ. By accepting Him and leaving your past history of sinfulness and cleaving to Jesus as your beloved, you will be attending the wedding supper of the Lamb in Heaven as His bride!
Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear, for the fine linen represents the good deeds of God's holy people. Revelation 19:7-8
She is told to forget her people and her house. There is a good reason for this advice, because if she holds onto her home, it will be almost impossible for her to cleave to her husband. Without the cleaving there well be no becoming 'one'. The two will be living in one place and sleeping in one bed, but they will remain two separate individuals. Both are to cleave to one another and it is probably easier for a man to leave his home than for a woman to do so, thereby she is told to listen. The next few verses tell of her beauty and clothing and tell us that as she leaves her home, her husband will desire her beauty for now she totally belongs to him.
Marriage is given as an illustration in the Old Testament of the relationship God had with the Nation of Israel. He even pronounced judgments on Israel for what He called "her adultery" because she had forsaken Him for idols. In the New Testament, His Son, Jesus, has a bride. She is the church or all believers. God sent an invitation to a very special wedding and that invitation was the groom. Male or female, God invites you to accept His invitation to come to the wedding, not just as a guest, but as the bride of Christ. By accepting Him and leaving your past history of sinfulness and cleaving to Jesus as your beloved, you will be attending the wedding supper of the Lamb in Heaven as His bride!
Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear, for the fine linen represents the good deeds of God's holy people. Revelation 19:7-8
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
#ABushelAndAPeck
And a hug around the neck. I love you a bushel and a peck, the song goes on to say, and a hug around the neck. A bushel is a dry measurement equal to four pecks and if it is full of apples or tomatoes or green beans, it can get pretty heavy. If it is filled with love, it can get pretty heavy. I had the brilliant idea one summer to be a pioneer woman and to love my family by canning. I had to borrow the caner, so every minute had to be productive in order to get it back so she could use it. There were bushels of vegetables and the heavy caner I was lifting for a week and standing and preparing all day long and I wound up not only with many jars of jam and soup and pickles, but with such a pain in my back that I had to stay in bed for a week!
Those bushels held a lot of love over the winter after the jars they produced were emptied. A bushel is a useful implement for carrying a variety of things and I never ever considered turning one over and putting a lit candle under it. What on earth good would that do? That is the reason Jesus said that one mustn't do that. A light, to be useful is to be put on a table or lamp stand in order that the light may be seen. You certainly do not hide the light.
Each of, us as believers, has the Light of Life living inside of us. Each believer has been the recipient of at least one of gifts listed in the New Testament. There are lists of gifts found in First Corinthians 12 - 14 and Romans 12 - Wisdom, Knowledge, Preaching, Faith, Healings, Miracles, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Serving, Teaching, Encouragement, Giving, Leading, and Showing Mercy. These particular gifts are not natural or out of your own human nature, but they are spiritual and not just what you are inclined to be or do. They are super-natural and are given by God to you in order to build up others. Every time you use a gift you are letting the light shine and Jesus can be seen.
We are told not to with-hold any good we have. We are told to let our light shine that others might know Him. When we are presented with an opportunity to do or say 'good' and we with-hold it, we loose an opportunity to see God use it and not only others but ourselves are losers. It is up to us to identify the gift we have been given and develop it and use it. God chose at least one of those super-natural gifts for YOU and it wasn't indiscriminately given. It was a very special gift only you can use in the situation you are in.
A little advice - Have fun developing and using your gift.
Those bushels held a lot of love over the winter after the jars they produced were emptied. A bushel is a useful implement for carrying a variety of things and I never ever considered turning one over and putting a lit candle under it. What on earth good would that do? That is the reason Jesus said that one mustn't do that. A light, to be useful is to be put on a table or lamp stand in order that the light may be seen. You certainly do not hide the light.
Each of, us as believers, has the Light of Life living inside of us. Each believer has been the recipient of at least one of gifts listed in the New Testament. There are lists of gifts found in First Corinthians 12 - 14 and Romans 12 - Wisdom, Knowledge, Preaching, Faith, Healings, Miracles, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Serving, Teaching, Encouragement, Giving, Leading, and Showing Mercy. These particular gifts are not natural or out of your own human nature, but they are spiritual and not just what you are inclined to be or do. They are super-natural and are given by God to you in order to build up others. Every time you use a gift you are letting the light shine and Jesus can be seen.
We are told not to with-hold any good we have. We are told to let our light shine that others might know Him. When we are presented with an opportunity to do or say 'good' and we with-hold it, we loose an opportunity to see God use it and not only others but ourselves are losers. It is up to us to identify the gift we have been given and develop it and use it. God chose at least one of those super-natural gifts for YOU and it wasn't indiscriminately given. It was a very special gift only you can use in the situation you are in.
A little advice - Have fun developing and using your gift.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
#Tears
There were tears creeping down my cheeks as I prayed this morning. The tears came as I thought about how much God loves me. Tears of appreciation came because God is so holy and righteous and still can love the unlovable. It touches me somewhere deep within and tears just come.
There are so many situations that touch my tear apparatus and I have tried to figure what causes me to be touched that way. Silly things, like parades, will bring tears to my eyes and I have come to the conclusion that it is the shared unity of people working so hard to make something good happen for the director and ultimately for the audience that touches me. Crowds, at football games standing at attention with their hands over their hearts while the National Anthem is sung will tear me up and choirs singing their hearts out at a worship service will bring tears to my eyes. It is their dedication to deliver together and their time spent practicing and their willingness to submit to their director that makes me appreciate their efforts. It is the shared love for their country that is displayed by so many that reaches my heart.
When I saw my grandson after fifteen years of being away, I could not help but cry. When someone is sharing some hurt or pain or sorrow or joy and they tear up, I do, too. Movies or books that have a happy ending for those involved who have experienced conflict and worked it out is a definite tear jerk-er for me.
We use tissues or napkins or handkerchiefs to wipe away tears and they are tossed away or washed and nothing can be seen of those tears, but God has a bottle where He places our tears. I think I have a pretty big bottle on God's shelf of tears. They are tears of remembrance of my life. He has a bottle for each one of us, a bottle of remembrance. Your tears are not wasted, they are kept.
When we pray fervently for something or someone that we consider desperate and we weep as we present our requests to The God Who Heals or The God Who Provides or The God Who Sees or The God Who Saves, those tears are kept in a bottle. They are not wasted. When we find ourselves tearing up as we worship and adore Him, those tears are kept in a bottle. They are not wasted.
Don't be ashamed or embarrassed to cry. It shows that you are human and have emotions and are real.
Shed tears have a meaning to God and one of these days He will wipe away every tear with His own hand, Revelation 21:4, and there will be no more mourning or crying or pain. Hallelujah!!!
There are so many situations that touch my tear apparatus and I have tried to figure what causes me to be touched that way. Silly things, like parades, will bring tears to my eyes and I have come to the conclusion that it is the shared unity of people working so hard to make something good happen for the director and ultimately for the audience that touches me. Crowds, at football games standing at attention with their hands over their hearts while the National Anthem is sung will tear me up and choirs singing their hearts out at a worship service will bring tears to my eyes. It is their dedication to deliver together and their time spent practicing and their willingness to submit to their director that makes me appreciate their efforts. It is the shared love for their country that is displayed by so many that reaches my heart.
When I saw my grandson after fifteen years of being away, I could not help but cry. When someone is sharing some hurt or pain or sorrow or joy and they tear up, I do, too. Movies or books that have a happy ending for those involved who have experienced conflict and worked it out is a definite tear jerk-er for me.
We use tissues or napkins or handkerchiefs to wipe away tears and they are tossed away or washed and nothing can be seen of those tears, but God has a bottle where He places our tears. I think I have a pretty big bottle on God's shelf of tears. They are tears of remembrance of my life. He has a bottle for each one of us, a bottle of remembrance. Your tears are not wasted, they are kept.
When we pray fervently for something or someone that we consider desperate and we weep as we present our requests to The God Who Heals or The God Who Provides or The God Who Sees or The God Who Saves, those tears are kept in a bottle. They are not wasted. When we find ourselves tearing up as we worship and adore Him, those tears are kept in a bottle. They are not wasted.
Don't be ashamed or embarrassed to cry. It shows that you are human and have emotions and are real.
Shed tears have a meaning to God and one of these days He will wipe away every tear with His own hand, Revelation 21:4, and there will be no more mourning or crying or pain. Hallelujah!!!
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