You Want Another Night?

If you’ve ever attended a Baptist revival meeting, you’ve seen an invitation where the preacher calls for “Just one more verse,” in prayer that someone on the edge of coming forward will do so while singing that one verse.  Some do.

Others put it off for another night.  They are following an example from the Bible, but it’s the wrong example.

We’re all familiar with Moses’ request to pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to go and worship their God – and his continued refusal to do so. Remember the frog part of the plagues?  Aaron stretched forth his rod and frogs came out of the river and covered the land:

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.

Sounds straight forward, doesn’t it?  Sounds as though pharaoh was willing to comply and wanted the frogs gone, until we read the next part:

And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?

Even knowing that God was speaking through Moses, as explained in Exodus 4:12, I still wonder why Moses asked that, and wonder even more why pharaoh replied:

And he said, To morrow.

Yet God explained that in Exodus 4:5, and in Moses’ next words to pharaoh:

And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. (Exodus 8:8-10 KJV)

“To morrow" looks a bit odd as two separate words. Pharaoh had just admitted that he thought Moses’ God could get rid of the frogs, otherwise he would not have agreed.  Could have done it right then, clearing them off the land, but he said “to morrow.”

That same answer is echoed in Scarlett O’Hara Butler’s movie line: "I won't think about that now, I'll think about that tomorrow."

The real problem for anything thinking that way is – the problem will still be there tomorrow, though the choices before us may change. Since pharaoh did not comply with his end of the bargain, the next plague was lice. Ignoring God’s plan for our lives may bring another set of problems, too.

How difficult is it, really, to read God’s word in a prayerful attitude, so that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God?

See Not

Yep, that’s the same picture as yesterday’s “See What?” because this is a ‘continuation’ of thoughts from our Ladies Meeting.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psalms 101:3 KJV)

David learned a very hard lesson, and shared with us how to keep from learning it ourselves.

And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. (2 Samuel 11:2 KJV)

She was beautiful.  What was the harm in looking? Death, after lies to a good man and intrigue against a loyal soldier. Harm that began simply by looking.  By setting a wicked thing before mine eyes.

Well, there are plenty of wicked things out there right now.  We invite them into our home through the internet, through television, through our workplaces. Parents allow it for their children, unable or unwilling to say “No,” and mean it.

I’m three generations away from raising my own children.  Their children are raising children of their own. I do worry about those as they face peer pressure to partake of off-color jokes (yes, I’ve heard one from an innocent, who really didn’t understand the punch line.) I feel for the new babes in Christ, seeking to learn their Bible, hearing “Honor thy father and thy mother,” while seeing them not honor their God.  I know they are torn as wicked things are set before them.

What do I mean by ‘wicked things’? Anything that keeps us from that pure heart that allows us to see God.  Remember yesterday’s verse:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 KJV)

How do we get that pureness back after having wicked things before our eyes?

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10 KJV)

Then we can see God as He is.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2 KJV)

The following verse contains the result of our hope – purity:

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3 KJV)

Matthew 5:8, above, tells us that the pure in heart shall see God. This verse tells us who will not:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3 KJV)

Thus the Bible-based phrase, “a born again Christian.” Unless we throw out the whole book of John, we must face his third chapter. We can ask, as Nicodemus did:

How can these things be? (John 3:9 KJV)

But be ready to act on the answer when it is heard.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 KJV)

Ready for that purification process in order to see God?

See What?

Our Pastor’s wife presents the lessons at our Ladies Meetings quite often.  And, she does such a good job of teaching from the Bible.  This week’s lesson had to do what what we see.

She started with:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 KJV)

That’s our goal – to see God.  To do so, we must work to be pure in heart.  There are several Bible verses that talk about that:  Psalm 19:8, Psalm 24:4, 1 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Peter 1:22. We also have to believe in order to see:

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (Psalms 27:13 KJV)

When we believe, we can see God’s goodness here on earth. Think of the ones you see. Which ones are your favorites? Do you see Him in individuals?  How about seeing ‘this woman’:

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? (Luke 7:44a KJV)

Look up the full story.  Christ uses her as an example for what she is doing for Him that His host is not.  Christ calls her a sinner and He forgives her sins.  Those watching don’t see the lesson, they don’t see their own sins.  Instead, they ask:

And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? (Luke 7:49 KJV)

Do you ask that question?  “Who is this man that thinks he can forgive sins?  Just who does he think he is?”  You see, they firmly believed the scriptures, the Tanakh:

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? (Mark 2:7 KJV)

Well, He’s given us the answer, hasn’t He?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. (John 4:25-26 KJV)

What do we do for the one who has openly forgiven sins – knowing that we commit them ourselves?  The best answer for us is to simply ask for His forgiveness while it is available to us.

Properly Grounded

No, that’s not mine, but I do drive a PT.  Mine doesn’t have blue pin striping or window covers – and it does have a license plate on the front.  For a while, it didn’t work correctly.

Sometimes I would have a clock, other times, nope, it didn’t show. The temperature and compass wandered on and off, as did the interior lights.  For a while whenever I opened a door at night I thought I was on a stakeout – no map lights.  Other times, they showed brightly.

It still ran just fine.  Created in 2004, purchased in 2005, it runs just fine.  Has for over 109,000 miles, giving a good 27 miles per gallons.  It has room for four in very good comfort, carrying four suitcases and four carry-ons in the roomy cargo space.  All in all, it has served me well and I will drive it a bit longer – if I can get it inspected.

Item #1 on the Texas inspection website is:  Horn.  That’s one of the intermittent items.  Some times it worked, sometimes not.  Not, during the actual inspection means failure.  Thus fixing it became a necessity, since I’m the only one out of three that can drive right now.  Beloved Husband can’t see to drive, Second Daughter still has her neck brace on and can’t hold her hands up long enough to drive (according to her doctor.) I could drive her much newer Dodge Caliber, but I like my PT.  Yesterday we took it to our favorite fix-it mechanic.  He was shutting his business down – no more customers. So, we were off to a new fix-it mechanic.  Took them less than three hours from drop off to pickup and every thing works, because the wiring is now properly grounded.

All of the on/off/back/gone was due to an improper ground.

Our lives require a proper grounding, too.  Too often we continue, as I continued to drive, without that proper grounding, inconsistent and intermittent.  People don’t know what we believe because we don’t know what we believe.  Well, some of us do – and we don’t mind telling people about it, do we.

Mine are based on the Bible being the word of God.  It is open to interpretation, and mine differ from some others.  The absolute common basis for Christians is that Jesus is the Christ and we are His followers.  We should know what we believe and we should be ready to talk about those beliefs:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

Are we properly grounded in our hearts?  Are we ready, always, to answer every man that asks us about the hope we hold? Is this part of the hope you hold?

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:13 KJV)

What An Abortion Decision Did For Us

How would your life be if Joanne Schiebel had chosen an abortion? Unwed, not wishing to be married, abortions were dangerous and illegal when she became pregnant.  Her options were  limited.

Joanne’s decision to give her child up for adoption changed a number of lives. First of all hers, then the adoptive parents, before we even get to the child.

I know from personal experience how my husband’s adoption changed his parent’s lives. They took in two boys, gained two daughters-in-law, six grandchildren, along with years of Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays and vacations with those they loved.

Joanne’s child gained that in adoption, too. He gained two parents, though I understand he retained a connection to his mother.

Agree with Catholics or not, read Greg Kandra’s blog from October 2nd, Respect Life Sunday, and the beginning of Respect Life month, about Joanne and her choice – the same choice facing millions of women each year.

Options are not limited today, are they? Abortions are done easily, daily and regulations are in place to see that they are safe. So quickly women head back to their lives without another thought of the baby they did not want. Our culture tells them that’s just fine.

Greg Kandra suggests:

This nightmare will end when we acknowledge that life is inconvenient, and difficult, and unplanned. But nothing, and no one, is ever unplanned or unwanted when the one doing the planning and the wanting is God.
This nightmare will end when we realize, at last, that love is greater than fear.

So, what did Joanne’s abortion decision do for us?  For all of us? It gave us the Macintosh, the iPod, iPhone, iPad, for Joanne’s unaborted child was Steve Jobs.

Greg Kandra also challenges those who hear, and read, his words:

“Respect life” is more than just a catchphrase.  It needs to be a way of living. Respect life. Not just in the womb, but everywhere, at every time, in all circumstances — within our families, our communities, the places we work and do business.  It means treating every life with dignity, and honoring every life as a gift.
Doing that, moment by moment, we will begin to change the culture.

I do not agree with many of Steve Jobs’ choices in life, but I really do agree with that one his mother made, to choose life.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV)

As We’re Able

That’s a picture of our church that I love because of the rainbow, though it doesn’t show much of our building.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.  (Psalms 122:1 KJV)

And, we really are glad to be there – both Beloved Husband and I enjoy the services. Our attendance has been somewhat sporadic, though, during and since his diagnosis with Myasthenia Gravis. Sunday morning we made it through a combined Sunday School – instead of our regular classes, we met together in the sanctuary to hear missionaries, as part of our focus on missions this week.

This disease affects nerves, disallowing muscles to work properly, and it becomes (very literally!) hard for BH to hold his head up. His eyelids droop until they cannot be opened, but must be held open. When the pain becomes a distraction, not only to him, but to those around him, we either do not attend, or leave between services. Sunday, we left after Sunday School.

I regret that, but not with guilt.  God knows.  He knows where our hearts are, and He knows how much we love Him. He knows we are grateful, because we tell Him. We do not approach Him in anger, either. While there are physical frustrations, we know that these are temporary, He is eternal and has promised the same to us.

That, in return from so little from us. I like the way it is described of King Josiah:

And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. (2 Kings 23:3 KJV)

We do that today, stand before the congregation and give our covenant before the Lord regarding His book. The book is quite a bit longer than in Josiah’s day for we follow the teachings of Jesus, of whom John said:

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29 KJV)

The day will come when neither one of us can sit in God’s house and hear the preacher’s words. Doesn’t matter, for the day will come when we live in God’s presence and hear His words. When that day comes for you, too, stop by and spend a millennia or more sharing our love for our Lord.

Down

I was reading the “Searchlight”, published by the Independent Baptist Fellowship International.  We had a Missions Sunday with IBFI missionaries, and our Pastor is speaking this coming week at an IBFI conference in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.  Among several articles in the “Searchlight” was “A Word From The President.”

The IBFI’s president wrote of his son’s preparation for his first day at high school.  There were Post-It notes on the clothes he laid out. There were notes on his toothbrush, the bath tub.  He planned his first day of high school, then went to bed at 8:00.  His father also wrote of what his son said to his mother:  “Thank you for having me.”

Testing for Down syndrome is getting more and more exact.  Two years ago it was an amniocentesis that hinted to a friend of mine that her fourth pregnancy, at forty-plus, might give them a Down child. But she wasn’t concerned.  Their third pregnancy indicated a similar diagnosis.  For them it didn’t really matter, abortion was not to be considered, though it is for many others.

An interesting 2007 New York Times article is an interview with Sarah Itoh, then eleven, who said she likes to read, math was getting easier, she was a Girl Scout, and aunt.  She also said:

“I am so lucky I get to do so many things,” she concluded. “I just want you to know, even though I have Down syndrome, it is O.K.”

The article also stated:

About 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion.

Those termination percentages come from the National Institute of Health and remain valid.

This reminds me of the man who found a butterfly chrysalis as it began cracking open.  He watched, then decided to help. His doing so meant the butterfly did not get the necessary exercise to be able to fly.

Perhaps the women who opt for abortion know themselves well enough that they firmly believe they do not have sufficient strength nor love to enjoy their child.  Or, they may be a butterfly getting help and will not know that depth of unconditional love.

You see, I don’t believe this verse applies only to Jeremiah:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5 KJV)

There are other verses that tell us God knows all about us, from conception.

Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee;  (Isaiah 44:2a KJV)

From Isaiah to Paul, the message is the same:

For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. (Isaiah 64:4 KJV)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV)