Negatives

Both are correct: “Supreme Court decides against …” and “Supreme Court decision sides with …” I heard both in morning reports on the same United States Supreme Court decision regarding Ohio voter registration irregularities.

In one instance the newsroom reporting recently made the statement that it intends to speak for left, just as another newsroom appears to speak more for the political and social right. Both provided editorials to promote their viewpoints.

I find one of the above to have a negative connotation, “against.” The other uses a word that is more of an affirmation, “sides with.”

For decades we’ve been inundated with admonitions to use positive reinforcement, particularly in dealing with our children. We should say to them “Walk!” instead of “Don’t run!” One positively affirms our desire while the other’s negative message leaves them with ‘run’ as the last word.

Both examples in the first paragraph are correct but have differing connotations – leaving different impressions.

It is absolutely imperative that we not solidly imprint our first impressions without careful consideration. The American public is constantly being sold items – from cleaning fluids to presidents. Both are well packaged and sound miraculous. Neither will live up to the advertising salesmanship given. The office allows only one occupant, but it takes a great number of supporting cast members to achieve even minimum goals.

Please be certain to vote this year, after spending time with the issues. At the very least, dedicate a single day to review all the issues, then focus on the ones that are deal-breakers for you. Is there an issue supported by the candidates and/or their parties that you cannot support? Then make it known from the local level to the national level and become involved in that issue.

Many will let polls determine which way to vote in this election. Some may allow the outcome of this election determine their future political involvement. A better solution is to work within the results of this election to achieve the goals held dear for community, state and nation. Unless you emigrate, it will be of importance to you for the rest of your life.

Why should Christians work within the results of a divisive, contested election? We’ve been told to:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1 KJV)

Our Bibles

Every once in a while an e-mail making the rounds (having been forwarded multiple times!) really has a neat message. One I received recently about cell phones and Bibles did.

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go... .hmm...where IS my Bible?

I have to admit – I cheat. My cell phone is a pocket PC, and it contains e-Sword, so I have multiple versions of the Bible with me at all times. I also have a small pocket-sized printed Bible that fits in my purse – but I don’t always have it in my purse. I also have the Bible I carry to church each Sunday. It is a Ryrie Study Bible and I enjoy using for the purpose it was written – study.

But my favorite is here on my laptop – again it’s e-Sword, with multiple versions, multiple dictionaries, multiple commentaries, along with Josephus’ writings. I’m never without reading material!!!

That is not a complete list of Bibles in our home. Doesn’t include Beloved Husband’s, nor the New Testament I received when baptized, nor my first full Bible, nor my Dad’s nor BH’s Mom’s – which I can see from where I’m sitting now. Second Daughter has my Mom’s. They move around in the family. A grandson has the one we gave his Dad – and we know it’s in the right place.

We’ve given away as many as we have in the house, and will do so again in the future.

I prefer the King James version – the Authorized, for there are several versions of that version. Several versions change the meaning of scripture that has been used for hundreds of years. It is my preference to believe God would not have left His people without His word available to them. It is also my preference not to argue about its use – God will provide His word to those who seek Him.

I will not do without a Bible to read. I learn something from it every time I open it. I find it exciting to see different messages within familiar verses, and I find comfort in familiar verses. I would give you my favorite, but as soon as I write one down, I think of another that I love just as well.

When it comes to sharing, I would share this explanation first: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31 KJV)

And then I would share: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:9-10 KJV)

Then, we would discuss this one: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)

Missions

Tuesday our team completed songbooks for our Missions Conference. Bro. Russell brought the booklet from his previous church, but it was printed on colored paper and our copier could not make readable copies. So Mrs. Darla retyped the sheets. The songs had no music of their own – but the tunes were familiar hymns.

It took a short bit of formatting on my part, then we had a twenty-page, 5.25 x 4.25 booklet ready to print. Oh yes, there are a few more steps. First of those is a donated copier that has a few quirks. About every 20 to 30 copies, a special menu must be run. Sort of a ‘stand on your right foot, then stand on your left, hold your right ear with your left hand…’ Well, I’m sure you have such a piece of equipment!

Pastor, who knows how to treat the copier, made the copies, while I started on the first batch – stapling twice, folding then boning to have them lay flat. Voila! Come Sunday morning everyone will have a missions-oriented songbook.

Monday, other people were decorating the sanctuary. From the rafters swing flags from each nation where we have missionaries. Unlike churches who donated to a cooperative program or association center, our funding is sent to a specific missionary. We know their names. We have pictures of their families. We have their letters on our walls. We correspond with them. We pray specifically for them.

This is not an abstract “We support missions.” This is a specific “Here are our missionaries to …” and now we can point them out on a map. Bro. Bill and Bro. David provided a clear wall map. Bro. Adam placed missionary names on the wall and threads from them to the correct spots on the map.

There are some blanks. We’ll work on filling those in. In fact, some visiting missionaries are bound for a few of those blank spots. Perhaps we will be able to add them to those we support.

What we are doing is tangible through this display, but it is all based on faith. You know, that substance of things hoped for; evidence of things unseen that we’ve spoke of before. Well, part of it is seen. You see it in the men, women and children who gather to sing His praises. You see it in the families who accept His call and head to the fields that are white already to harvest.

If you cannot come join us for our Missions Conference October 19-22, please join with us in prayer for the conference and our missionaries.

Single Point of Contact

My RSS feeds fluctuate. While I’m surfing, I’ll follow a link, find an interesting blog and click that cute little Feed icon and confirm the setup. Each evening I’ll click the Feeds icon and see which ones have an update. Some have a daily update – some take a month between postings. The RSS icon served as a single place to check. That reminded me of a SPOC – a single point of contact.

SPOCs are people serving as a single point of contact within a company. Instead of being passed along from one person and/or department, starting with a SPOC allows a caller to explain once, then be placed in the right place for their needs.

Mankind has been provided a SPOC named Jesus:

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:29 KJV)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 KJV)

Once we have accepted God’s gift, we have this SPOC, this intercessor:

It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34 KJV)

That is followed by wonderfully beautiful confirmation that we will remain His, for …

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)

Oh, I can cause a separation for a while. I can deliberately cease reading of Him. I can stop attending worship services. I can remove myself from the presence of those who love him. But I cannot get Him out of my life, out of my mind, out of my heart. Why should I?

If I choose Him once in my life, why would I erase Him? Because I do not like what He said? Because His rules interfere with my desires? Because others deride belief in Him? All of those are true. What He taught goes against the desires of myself. However, the return on the investment is overwhelmingly in my favor.

What have I lost in reading God’s word? A few moments in time. What have I lost in coming to Him in prayer. Another few moments. What might those moments be within my lifetime?

Eternal.

Attitude

I need an attitude adjustment. And, so do a couple of people I know and love. Spending some time with Christ will help each of us renew our faith – and that’s the best attitude adjustment I know.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

I’ve discussed this with people who say they have no faith – at least no faith in God. One very kind person went so far as to say he’s lost his faith. I cannot imagine a sadder situation than to have had faith in God, then lose it.

Yet, I do understand that applies to a lot of things. If it’s not used, it’s lost. The strongest iron can be that way – not used, not cared for, it will rust away. Left alone, unused, our own muscles will waste away.

It’s the same with faith in God. There are many reasons our faith will wither by the wayside if it is not nourished and exercised. But what if it does not exist?

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

God also provided instruction for obtaining faith:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

That’s at the end of a wonderful missionary message:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:13-15 KJV)

But God’s word contains an awful truth in the 16^th verse:

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? (Romans 10:16 KJV)

By the grace of God, I heard. By the grace of God may you hear, believe and call upon Him, too.

Worship

Each Sunday I head to a Christian church to worship. Usually it is my own church, where our membership is held, but when we’re away we’ll seek out another. In La Veta, Colorado, this year we visited their First Baptist Church. When we’re in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we visit the Sheridan Avenue United Methodist Church where family attend. When we visit Pahrump, Nevada, it will be the Choice Hills Baptist Church. With my son’s family it’s the Alliance Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

The music changes a bit from one to another. We lack an organist, have for several years. Yet there is a not only a joyful noise, but it’s harmonious with a baby grand piano, guitar and mandolin or bass fiddle. Another has an upright piano. Still another has organ, piano with a small band, including drums. Each of them will sing some of the same songs, each glorifying His name.

The name of the church is not important. The location is not important. Specific songs are not important, either. The importance lies in the gospel message of Jesus Christ as God’s son, who died that we might have life – abundantly!!

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)

The churches I attend must provide this message, or I will not return.

I must, within their walls, be able to speak with our God. That I might lay before Him those I hold up in prayer, just as those He taught held each of us before Him since time began. Other than the example our Lord gave us, what better prayer is there than this:

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 KJV)

Here we are prayed for, God is worshipped, His son is acknowledged, His love is defined, His ability unbounded and His glory is forever. Truly, for this cause, I, too, bow my knees unto our Father for you, too.

His Name

We speak of God in generalities. Public prayers to God are acceptable, except to those who do not believe in an authority greater than themselves. Whether the ‘g’ is lower or uppercase, its use alone seldom generates the response that the name Jesus does.

Using Jesus’ name requires a reason for doing so – in worship, or without. A decision about Him is required.

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matthew 12:21 KJV)

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 KJV)

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20 KJV

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. (Mark 9:41 KJV)

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13 KJV)

Many see in the above verse a promise that anything asked in Jesus’ name will be granted. Think not – read it again and recognize the variable – that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If what we ask does not glorify the Father through His Son, invoking His name is less than effective.

His name has power – the power to glorify and the power to offend. Right now there are attempts to have His name removed from public prayers. Removed from Christian military chaplains. His birthday celebration is being erased, replaced by a jolly fat man whose religious heritage is obscured. His death is no longer a holiday for companies. Instead, employees may choose it, or any other calendar day to celebrate anything they wish. Some may think that’s an enhancement, but it is a loss.

The choice to be made is whether or not He is the Son of God. If He is not, think of Him as you will. If He is, fight Him or even ignore Him at your own peril. Come to know Him and hear what He has to offer for eternity.

You know that He prayed for you, don’t you? Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; (John 17:20 KJV)