A Little History and Some Genealogy

 

by way of FamilySearch.org

It was October 2009 I read the article on CNN that Yahoo! was shutting down GeoCities. I wrote about it 27 October 2009:

In 1997, GeoCities hosted my first website – a copy of the genealogy workbook I was creating. I found several excellent sources, filled in pedigree and family sheets in a well-designed program then posted photos from more than a century before to share with family members.

I moved then to a site called Multiply, which also shut down and I had to move to Yahoo!360, which - as you may guess – shut down. By then, I had started this Bible Study blog, so I added a tab at the top with some information and requests for more about my family’s history.

Mine isn’t newsworthy.However, this week I received an e-mail from a genealogy site with the information that I have several tenth cousins – some once removed, some more than that, others  were closer, others further away.

None are really important, because by the time we get ten generations back, tens of thousands of people can track the same relationship, and hundreds of thousands couldn’t care less. I find history interesting, but I admire my listed cousin Elizabeth II much more interesting for her lifetime history than for any distant relationship.

However, in some instances, such as Matthew 1:1-16, Joseph’s genealogy is very important. Jesus is shown to descend in a manner very important to Judaism – as the Pulpit Commentary explains:

As St. Matthew was writing only for Jews, and they, by reason of their Old Testament prophecies, looked for the Messiah to be born of a certain family, he begins his Gospel with a pedigree of Jesus. In this he mentions, by way of introduction, the two points to which his countrymen would have special regard—the descent of Jesus from David, the founder of the royal line, him in whose descendants the Ruler of Israel must necessarily (2 Samuel 7:13-16) be looked for; and also from Abraham, who was the head of the covenant nation, and to whom the promise had been given that in his seed all the nations of the earth should bless themselves (Genesis 22:18; Genesis 12:3).

But the genealogy given in Luke 3:23-38 gives the genealogy from a different perspective. Mary’s genealogy is different, yet similar to Joseph’s, and again the Pulpit Commentary gives an explanation of Luke’s written genealogy:

His work was evidently most carefully and skillfully arranged upon the lines of formal history. Up to this point the story was mainly concerned with other personages—with the parents of the great forerunner John, with Mary the Virgin and Joseph, with the angels, with the shepherds, with Simeon and with Anna, and especially with the work of John the Baptist. But from henceforth all the minor persons of the Divine story pass into the background. There is now one central figure upon whom the whole interest of the Divine drama centers—Jesus. This, the moment of his real introduction on the world's stage, was, as St. Luke rightly judged it, the time to give the formal table of his earthly ancestry.

Both gospel authors saw the importance of Jesus being created by God as all men have been, descended from Abraham as a Hebrew, descended from David  - perceptively through both parents, and lived among mankind as a slightly different kind of man.

The other two gospels are not interested at all in genealogy. Their fellow followers of Christ covered it well through God’s inspiration. With the question being of the lineage of David – important to prophesy – all four move on to what Jesus came to show, and tell, mankind about Himself, God’s relationship, and God’s love for His created.

There is no value for me in any relationship to any ruler of England. There is, however, an eternal relationship for me and you as the adopted children of God:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:14-17 KJV)

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:4-7 KJV)

How would you describe the spirit of adoption?

What Is Fake About The News?

Newspapers and Periodicals - 1915 Issue

This blog started as a result of a Lexis/Nexis article, “A Little Truth About Fake News—and the Law”.  My first thought was about how applicable validation was to my genealogy research, which sent me to a good article by Family Search Organization’s  “Rookie Mistakes”. I know – a lot of reading, isn’t it? A little more generalized education that you expected? Well – as a Christian, truth is very important. Especially now with such wide divisions in our county and it’s impact when semantics make a difference.  Not all we take into our minds is worth being there. So, let’s take time to learn to discern:

Barbara Gray, associate professor and chief librarian at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, recently spoke on a LexisNexis webinar titled 10 Tips for Fighting Fake News: How to Fact Check Like a Pro. Gray offered these tools for smart and efficient research to help validate “news”:

1. Be skeptical
2. Create your own habit of fact checking
3. Ask yourself "who says" and "are they biased"?
4. Use your gut
5. Look for citations of sources of information
6. Be aware of your own confirmation bias
7. Take notice if you are feeling emotional after reading the information—it could have been manufactured to exploit your bias
8. Write fast, but fact check slowly
9. Check primary sources such as government reports, court documents, and scholarly articles found in databases such as those provided by LexisNexis
10. Always give attribution, and be transparent about where you get your information

There are "red flags" to look for in web pages - most in blogger pages, but some "news" sources display these, too. This list was compiled by Thomas O’Toole, founder of Second Chair Media LLC.

1. Suspicious domain names
2. No "About Us" Page
3. Missing byline and contact information
4. Questionable currency or lack of post dates
5. Lack of sources and hyperlinking
6. Lack of uniform style
7. Poor design aesthetics
8. Headline and social media misdirection

O'Toole voiced hope for the future: " [T]he way to combat false or misleading speech is with more speech, offering rational, factual information."

Reminds me of genealogy research. It is easy to use another's research to increase our family trees - but that opens us up to errors. Which is one reason I pulled my tree from all but one online location. I know mine is a "work in progress" and contains errors that I continue to work to prove or disprove. Which brings us to a "Rookie Mistakes" quote:

"Experienced researchers should realize that solid evidence from multiple sources is needed in order to draw valid conclusions about individuals and family relationships. Since all the needed information may not be available, this means that a tentative conclusion is put into their research logs indicating that more sources are needed. They look for multiple records for individuals, including birth, marriage, death, and census records. They use these records to create a complete picture of individuals and families so that the conclusions they draw are strongly supported by the evidence. The more sources you can cite, the less likely your conclusions will be over-turned later by yourself or someone else." [Italics are my added stress to article.]

The same is true if you are researching today’s news, any era in history, a family’s genealogy, or biblical doctrines.

Yes – you knew this would come back around Bible reading, didn’t you? We need to understand the source of anything we are going to accept as “true”, “valid”, “real”, and that we will make part of ourselves to support. What you do about politics is not in my interest – and mine should not affect you. But – what we believe about the Bible, God, Jesus, salvation, and punishment has an impact on how we see eternity.

What do we want to do with it? Deny, embrace, or ignore? When we decide, shouldn’t we validate what sources we use to make that decision?

Acts chapter 17 opens with Paul and Silas arriving in Thessalonica, and the city was not happy about their being there. They rejected what he was telling them – both politically and violently. For their safety:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts 17:10-12 KJV)

Which brings me to a steady theme I’ve written for decades now – search the scriptures daily simply to determine if what Christians believe are true. Learn how they were written. Why they are held as valid. Be skeptical about them, but do the research. Find out what Paul was teaching, why he chose to, and the results. Be a Berean.

Census and Genealogy

I’m part of United States' 2010 Census. All citizens are. All of us are to complete the questionnaires, just as we have done since 1790.

I have found some ancestors in each of the American Census records. I think there was one, even, in the remnants of the burned 1890 census. I really miss that one. It would have connected my grandmother with her family. She was born in 1881 – missing the 1880 census – and married in 1899, so she shows up with my grandfather.

I was working on the 1930 census (laughter from my daughter – “You are that old?”) when I found entries that were very legible (we appreciate that!), very thorough – every field completed and readable – and an excellent example of penmanship (well, we just don’t do that much any more.)

I checked the enumerator – and found my grandmother’s name. She died the year I was born and I had never seen her handwriting. I did keep a copy, not just for the names on it.

Last Sunday’s lesson touched on genealogies, as did Timothy a couple of weeks ago.

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (1 Timothy 1:4 KJV)

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. (Titus 3:9 KJV)

Genealogies were important in Judaism. Moses used pedigrees when numbering the children of Israel:

And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:18-19 KJV)

Genealogy was important to show Christ’s lineage through David to Abraham:

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17 KJV)

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph … which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
(Luke 3:23 … 38 KJV)

There really isn’t a devotional thought today, just random thoughts about how past census taking has helped in my own genealogy studies and how both census taking and genealogies run in the Bible. Perhaps, after these few days of work, my mind is capable of nor more than that!

One last thought for my American readers – be kind to the census workers you meet. State representation and budget apportionment hinge on the count submitted. Accurate counts mean those items will provide fairness to both.

Now – back to the car and out to the field – literally, my assignment areas are rural, the “blocks” are miles in circumference. No walking door to door without miles of driving. Prayers and/or kind thoughts much appreciated.

(1850 Census from my research files)

PBS and the Bible

PBS used some of my tax dollars to present “The Bible's Buried Secrets” this fall -- and in doing so attacks my deeply held religious beliefs. I have no recourse other than writing PBS and my congressional representatives – whose track records show that such correspondence changes nothing.

From the Orlando Sentinel: “The program puts the writing time at the Sixth Century B.C.“ “The number of authors ranges from the hundreds to the thousands, said Carol Meyers.”

The story includes quotes from Carol Meyers, a religion professor at Duke University: “But the film challenges long-held beliefs. Abraham, Sarah and their offspring probably didn't exist, Meyers said.” At least she isn’t identified as a professor of Christianity.

And, please note that “probably”.

Meyers also said “There's no archaeological evidence of the Exodus, either … It doesn't mean that there's no kernel of truth to it."

Archaeologist William Dever is quoted: "It's a waste of time to argue with fundamentalists," he said. "This film doesn't do it. It's designed for intelligent people who are willing to change their mind.”

There isn’t enough information there to tell whether Dever thinks fundamentalists are intelligent and just won’t change their mind, or if he believes the intelligence to do so is lacking. Keep in mind how some people view experts - An "ex" is a "has-been" and a "spurt" is "a drip under pressure".

My paternal grandmother told me about her parents, yet I can find no records indicating she had parents, especially the people she specifically described in her talks with me. Genealogy requires primary sources – handwritten names in family Bibles (I have that for my paternal grandfather); government census records listing family members (I have that for my maternal grandparents); birth, death, tax, land, school records – none of those are extant to connect my paternal grandmother to the parents she described.

By Dever and Meyers’ line of reasoning, must I reject my grandmother’s memories simply because she would only have been with her birth family in the 1890 census? Her older siblings are in the 1880 census, she married in 1899 so she’s with her husband, in the same county as her parents, in the 1900 census.

Genealogy allows for a preponderance of evidence. I personally believe that intelligent people will keep an open mind when studying God’s word, and that the Bible’s authors wrote what God has for us.

I also believe God is – and was – aware of this when Paul wrote: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1-2 KJV)

The Sentinel closes the article by asking if the readers would watch the PBS program. I prefer the question:

Will you read the Bible in a prayerful attitude, asking God to open your mind and heart to understanding?

Dilemma – Day 5 – On His Father’s Side

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:5-7 KJV)

We hear them – “What Child Is This”, “Mary, Did You Know,” “Away In A Manger”, etc. – and we picture the child in the nativity set. We know His story, but there are at least two sides to every story. Pastor reminded us of this during last Sunday’s sermon when he spoke of a song: “On My Father’s Side”.

I heard that for the first time this October. We were on our way to church with my sister-in-law, listening to her husband’s favorite radio station. We both enjoy genealogy as a hobby and are used to the phrase. This is a good time of year to consider Jesus’ genealogy – it played a role in His death.

Jewish leaders charged him with blasphemy – for making statements that equated Him with God. Certainly, His disciples did, and I do, too. His crucifixion, however, was under Roman law. Had it been under Jewish law, the punishment would have been stoning, not in keeping with several prophecies (no, I’m not going to list them here.)

I see Him as God. I worship Him as God. Even as described by Paul, in the form of a servant, looking as any other man, I agree with John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV)
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 KJV)

In flesh, He called God “Father”, even as He died:

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34 KJV)

He prayed to His Father for us:

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:20-21 KJV)

On His mother’s side He was made flesh and dwelt among us. On His Father’s side He is King and Lord:

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14 KJV)

He is that Lamb, as recognized by John:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29 KJV)

Can you see that in each manger scene? The mother at His side, pondering in her heart all that occurred the night He was born? The Father, one with Him? Can you see Him with the woman at the well:

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)

Can you see that, in this child?

My Words Gone, Not His

Yahoo! is shutting down GeoCities. I dislike that. In 1997, GeoCities hosted my first website – a copy of the genealogy workbook I was creating. I found several excellent sources, filled in pedigree and family sheets in a well-designed program then posted photos from more than a century before to share with family members.

I had to move away this year as Yahoo! support failed, as it has on several of their platforms. Fortunately, I had discovered Blogger a while back and my genealogy is being migrated over, a little at a time with a change in format and additional information. But, I shall miss those days of coding and designing a website to share our family secrets.

This loss is an example of how quickly a person’s thoughts waft away into nothingness. Isn’t it awesome, then, that God has preserved His word for our use today? Moses, writing the history of his people, David writing his songs to God, Solomon leaving us Proverbs, the prophets – all those beautiful prophecies that have been fulfilled, and the ones yet to come. The gospels, the works of His son, the letters to the churches, the revelation of John at Patmos – what a great wealth has been preserved generation upon generation, for thousands of years.

The Dead Sea Scrolls gave us comparisons across two thousand years to show an example of that preservation. Those of faith enjoy the confirmation, but it isn’t necessary. He told us the way it would be:

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35 KJV)

That’s important, so it was repeated:

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31 KJV)

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Luke 21:33 KJV)

So very important that the last book, last chapter, contains:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19 KJV)

Why preserve His word? The answer includes the answer given by Christ to Satan:

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4 KJV)

Indeed, that was written, and preserved:

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Deuteronomy 8:3 KJV)

Just as He is truth, this is truth: For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalms 100:5 KJV)

So, many of my words are gone. But not His.

Adoption

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. (Nehemiah 7:64 KJV)

I know how they felt. According to the Dawes Commission, my great-grandfather’s generation was not eligible to be included in the Cherokee Rolls. There is no doubt he, and his cousins, descend from Ahneswakie and her husband, John Thompson. There was no doubt that Ahneswakie was Cherokee. Yet membership was denied because parents and grandparents were not on earlier rolls – just as the children of Barzillai, above.

Through Christ, we’ve been offered the opportunity to change our genealogy. We’re allowed to adopt our parent:

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12 KJV)

Woowhoo!! That’s hard for some to accept, but it’s repeated over and over again:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:14-16 KJV)

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. …That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:13, 15 KJV)

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 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 3:1-2 KJV)

That is so awesome to me. That He who created all loves us to the point of forgiveness and reconciliation. Rather than punishment, He offers reconciliation. Truly, He spoke:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV)

Can we, as Job, acknowledge the roll of Creator that God holds?

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:9-10 KJV)

There is yet scripture to be fulfilled, just as other portions have been fulfilled earlier: And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:21 KJV)

Before all is fulfilled, we may know the results of our adoption: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)

Notes on Note Taking

My father was a note taker. The habit started when he was a teen and survived a traumatic brain injury that affected his short term memory. He would study each morning, take notes and eventually was valedictorian of his graduating class. Twenty years later, when he went to work for American Airlines, he kept a notebook with daily tasks to be certain he accomplished them all. One of the last things he used in 2000 was a small old notebook where he wrote down the jobs he had, from picking cotton to American Airlines Security, followed by retirement. I picked up some of his habit.

I take notes. From these notes come almost all I write here, though some catch my attention on the ‘net. I keep sermon notes – usually three times a week, sometimes more, sometimes less, but always there are reminders of scriptures and references of things I think are important. My current notebook begins December 3, 2015 when we were studying Proverbs chapter 18. I noted several verses, but marked:

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (Proverbs 18:13 KJV)

When reading a commentary on this verse I found a reference:

Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands. Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke. Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk. Ecclesiasticus 11:8

Along with an explanatory note about the Apocrypha in the original 1611 King James Bible, removed in 1885. And, there was a note in the commentary – originally in Latin, but I found a translation:

The one who decides in any case, without hearing the other side of the question, though he might determine justly, is not therefore just (Seneca)

Research takes multiple paths and keeping notes on those paths (the reason for taking them, the results of taking them, and the changes caused/not caused) are important. I know that from my genealogy research but particularly for my Bible study and research.

Another example is in older GPS instructions for finding the First Baptist Church of Cottondale. The earliest online mapping apparently thought the street address being in Paradise also placed this church in Paradise. As John Wayne used to say, “Not hardly.” Taking someone else’s word, no matter how technologically/scientifically advanced, sometimes sends us in the wrong direction.

Jesus gave us some specific travel advice:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)

“Strait” does not mean “straight.” It means “… limited spatial capacity; narrow or cramped.” Sort of the same as narrow “… limited in extent, amount, or scope; restricted.”That could be why followers of Christ are often called narrow-minded. We do decline to accept the widened view of “anything goes,” or as the Bible puts it:

Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. (Deuteronomy 12:8 KJV)

Yet, they did:

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6 KJV)

Until even Solomon notes:

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15 KJV)

Do be cautious about that counsel. We can find people that agree with us – just ask the question on FB or Twitter and thousands will agree that the moon is made of green cheese. Seek wise counsel for wise counseling. Especially as it refers to God:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (Matthew 7:15-17 KJV)

How’s your fruit?

The Pope and I

The Pope and I agree, based on this Scotsman article. The article states that he is worried about indifference to religion in Europe. He is quoted: “Today, nations once rich in faith and vocations are losing their own identity under the harmful and destructive influence of a certain modern culture. There are those who, after deciding that 'God is dead', declare themselves to be 'god' and the artisan of their own destiny, the absolute master of the world."

Part of his response to this apostasy is to have the Bible read, publicly. More than 1,200 people will participate in a seven-day, non-stop Bible reading.

Some may scoff, but there are a couple of promises related to this:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)

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

In my genealogy research I have seen and read of the rich diversity of people who built the culture of this country. It has fluctuated over the centuries, but it has always been based on belief in a supreme being. The Native Americans’ trust in such crossed tribal boundaries. English, French, Dutch, Spanish – Europeans brought their diverse, but consistent, belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, David and Christ.

Today, churches in England have closed. Europe has become indifferent. Will that be the case in America tomorrow?

Today, churches in America are splitting over using the Bible as it was written. Will it be available for reading tomorrow?

Today, many countries have freedom to NOT be religious – though in many that freedom does not exist. Where will it stand tomorrow?

Where will you?

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15 KJV)

In The Lord’s Sight

I was cleaning up some genealogy papers and ran across the memorial sheet of my husband’s aunt. This photo was undated, but appears to have been take in the early1920’s.  Mayme was born in 1905, and went home to her Lord in 2009.  Included in her obituary was:  “Mayme was a long-time, active member of First United Methodist Church in Lebanon.”  That’s a town, too, not the country!

Do you think you could be considered a long-time, active member of your church?  If not, why not?  It really doesn’t take much to be considered an active member.  The majority of those simply show up for services on Sunday morning and bring an offering of some kind.  They consider this sufficient, for Paul wrote:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV]

So, in order for no one to consider them boasting, they simply attend.  Perhaps they didn’t read what James wrote:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. [James 1:27 KJV]

Or, from another of his chapters:

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. [James 2:18 KJV]

The people who know you best will probably write your obituary.  What will they say about your faith?  Is it displayed in any work you do to bring glory to your Father in heaven?  Not works accomplished in obedience to laws without faith, dependent upon them for salvation, but obedience to the word of Jesus:

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. [Matthew 25:40 KJV]

Also note in James 1:27 it says “fatherless”, not orphaned nor motherless.  I can assure you there are fatherless children in your church.  And, there are widows, too.  How much pure religion are you practicing today? 

It really is a simple thing to become active in your church.  The first step is building your faith:

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

Then by praying:

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. [1 Timothy 2:8 KJV]

By then you’ll know where to serve Him. There’s a place waiting for you, both here and in heaven.

A Hundred Years

“What difference will it make a hundred years from now?”

Well, let me tell you – it will make a big difference to those of us who are searching through census records a hundred – and more – years ago.

Columbiana county, Ohio in 1850 the census taker took some liberties with his handwriting. I’d much rather have had the lady who wrote the Jackson county, Oklahoma census in 1920. Now, there’s handwriting I appreciate for a number of reasons – clarity at the top of the list.

Back to Ohio, page 19, we have Mr. George, 48, (that’s right, the census taker didn’t get a first name) and his wife, Sue, 46. For anyone researching a George family, this is less than helpful; it is a stumbling block. On another page, there’s Gustavus Huff with son Gustuvus, or is that an ‘a’ too? And his wife Margt – would that be Margaret? Or the next son, Ges / Ger? And two more Huff girls in the same family named Margt? One thirteen, the other five months?

Oh, for clarity! Wouldn’t that be wonderful? There are similar difficulties in researching the Bible. There are controversies, interpretations, opinions, prophecies that divide rather than gather people together. Of course, there are others who find joy in these divisions.

The writings in question cover thousands of years, the last written not much less than two thousand years ago. Not all believed in the time they were written. Not all believe them today. I do, and I find peace and comfort in each of them. Strange, for some scriptures appear to hold no comfort at all. Job, for example. What comfort is there in the story of a man who lost everything? Well, when we believe he lost everything, we also believe it was returned to him twofold.

Except for his children, you say. I say differently. There were the ten with their Lord, and the ten born to him after his trials. As an aside, in genealogy research I’ve discovered in the early 1800’s a number of families with a Jemima and/or Keziah. I’ve often wondered if their father felt he was living the trials of Job.

The handwriting is no longer of concern to the writer. What will be of importance to me a hundred years from now is the decision to accept God’s unspeakable gift. I do look forward to leaving behind the dark glass and seeing face to face. I wonder now of the faces I may not see. I am grateful that uncertainty exists and I can imagine seeing them there, meeting beside the tree of Life and the flowing river of Life.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)

Truly, that’ll be the day!

G'day

Nope – I’m not Aussie. Just a multi-generation American. A bit of genealogy shows one of my earliest immigrant ancestors arrived in 1619 at the Jamestown colony. Met, of course, by distant early cousins of my Cherokee multiple-great grandmother.

But I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of people from around this marvelous earth. Just a few countries come to mind at first: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dubai, El Salvador, England, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, Venezuela, Viet Nam – and that doesn’t count missionaries who serve over seas.

Some I really enjoyed, some I didn’t, so much. That was based on attitudes, personalities, situations, not on their country of origin. It has been obvious that … there is no respect of persons with God. (Romans 2:11 KJV) is true whether it was written by Paul, or by Luke quoting Peter: Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (Acts 10:34 KJV)

This morning I used G’day to greet someone, not to indicate a Southern Cross origin, but because I like its brevity and friendliness. The international community I’ve liked and enjoyed were friendly and shared the feeling of brotherhood no matter what geographic lines were drawn in separation.

The world is brought closer by time, not distance. I leave DFW in the morning and, baring mechanical difficulties, I’m in Taipei before dark. I leave DFW in the afternoon and arrive in Athens in sunshine the next day. That Jamestown ancestor took weeks to traverse the Atlantic, solely on the faith that this one ship would make it, though others had not.

Now we traverse the world in seconds via this marvelous world wide web. Simply amazing, isn’t it?

I have to admit, I’m somewhat limited in my surfing – I read and comprehend only English (usually the American version.) I can make out a bit of Spanish, pick out a word or two in German and French, but have no clue when it comes to the Asian alphabets. That’s where pictures truly are worth thousands of words.

So let's enjoy this wide wonderful world our Lord created, and its interested, interesting and varied people. Some day we’ll share a more wonderful place, learning more and more as He has promised:

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. … For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:10, 12 KJV)

Things I Don't Remember, and Things I Do

I ran across this post of mine from September, 2012. I had completely forgotten the subject matter, and can't remember what prompted this topic. In fact, as I read from years past, I can remember more about what we had done, than what I wrote.

October 2010 my husband and I made our last trip to his home town, to visit his brother and family. It was a good visit, got a lot of genealogy information and visited a number of places we hadn't been. By the time we saw them again in May, 2011, at our home, Beloved Husband was show symptoms hard to explain - and we were seeing specialist after specialist. That September he was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis - click on the link and you will learn more than I'll tell you about that autoimmune disease. It took from January to September to get the right test, and the right diagnosis.

By September, 2012, Beloved Husband had been in ICU for two MG crises and one instance of sepsis. However, by then treatment had brought him through all that and symptoms were close to under control.

Looking back now, I can praise God for His excellent greatness in providing us hope as we rollercoastered between 2011 and 2012. I  can confine it to that year, either. God has the capability to see us through everything that comes our way. I could make a list of specific times/items/heartbreaks in our lives, but those aren't important to you. How God works in your life is very important, especially to you.

So, look back over ten years. I can name specifics that affected the world as a whole, but what do you remember about finding God working in your life? Be serious about it, and share in Comments if you wish us if you found things you didn't remember among the things you do.

Are you able to rejoice? I was, and I still am. God be with you when you need Him most. Every day.

From September 11, 2012:

Have you ever looked around to see that everyone – yes, every other person in the whole world – seems to have more?  Not that they all have everything, but each one has something that we either need, want or could put to good use. We see a lacking in our lives.

The media is filled with people losing jobs, losing homes, unable to provide. A family flees fire or flood, leaving their home to possible destruction. They saved valuable memories as well as their lives. Crops are failing in one spot because of drought, in another because of too much rain. Stories abound about those who have lost, but overcome.

We look toward our lack – and rejoice:

Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail,
and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Why?

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV)

That alone is a wonderful thought – in spite of all we lack, we rejoice in the Lord.

But, I fell in love with the last line when I pictured God as the chief singer on my own, personal stringed instrument.  I know, I know – that’s not what Habakkuk was thinking when he wrote it.

I hear the touch of wind against leaves, creating music to match that of the birds on branches. The slap of raindrops on a variety of surfaces, echoing with thunder. The sound of waves against the shore, never ceasing, ever changing. The music God creates in nature soothes us, causing us to listen for that still, small voice.

I see God’s hands working in our lives, bringing forth beautiful music on the strings of our heart. Bringing from the stillness within us music we never thought of ourselves.  Yes, He is the chief singer, the creator of all that causes us to rejoice. 

Doesn’t matter what we lack, He provides what we need and enriches our lives with what He has created. 

We rejoice, in the Lord.

Mourning

Parting from one's beloved. The Entombment of Atala 1808
Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson

Most of my readers are aware of my interest in genealogy. One of my 6th great grandmothers was Mourning Lewis, born about 1694 in Henry county, Virginia, married Robert Adams 4 February 1711/12 (the date looks odd because of calendar differences), and passed away in 1764 in Albermarle, Virginia. Why would her parents, William Lewis and Elizabeth Woodson, name a child ‘mourning’? Were they in mourning themselves?

My fourth great grandfather, Joseph Timberlake (1752-1841) and his wife Anne Douglas (1761-1815) named their seventh child Mourning Timberlake.  Were they, too, mourning?

Smelling Coffee posted a blog about Matthew 5:4 that speaks of those who do mourn:

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 KJV)

We all do mourn.  I mourn the loss of my parents, though Mom has been with our Lord since 1995, Dad since 2000 and time should have lessened mourning – but it hasn’t.  I have, however, been comforted.

I mourn the more recent loss of a dearly loved sister-in-law, also a sister in Christ, at home with the Lord just this fall. I miss them all. I am comforted, not only by the above verse, but by the very presence of our Lord in my life.

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:15-18 KJV)

Did you notice that He never told us NOT to mourn?  He knows we will. There are so many things to be mourned.  In the midst of all, though, we are comforted.

Where do you find the best comfort? 

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 KJV)

When we received comfort from our Lord, we are to pass it along, too, comforting those we find in need:

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV)

There are many more verses – look for them and find comfort:

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 KJV)

Then, look for those you are able to comfort, seeing that as good word and work.

Why 501(c)(3) of Title 26?

Two career changes ago I got to give money away through a 501( c )3 foundation – and there were multiple rules for how that should be done. Our particular foundation had to be doubly careful where the contributions went – or they could lose their own IRS ruling that allowed people/corporation’s donations to them to be tax-deductible.

That has absolutely nothing to do with reading your Bible – except as an example as to why it is essential to have chapters and verses in Bible study.

Suppose I said to you that I’d like for you to read the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus in the book of John? I know (as most Christians know) that you could turn directly to chapter 3, and those sample people could tell you from their memory verse 16.

While speaking with someone wanting a donation from the foundation, I would explain they needed to comply with 501(c)(3). Rather than read the entire IRS code, or even Title 26, and figure out what was required, they could go directly to the section/paragraph/sub-paragraph of Title 26.

That’s why chapter and verse numbers are convenient – even though they are not included in the original documents. It is interesting to read the Bible without the inserted verse numbers – or arbitrary paragraphs. Yes, even paragraphs were not part of the original documents. Nor commas, semi-colons or periods. Today’s rules of grammar did not apply.

However, don’t you find them easier to keep track? At least of where you are? Even those pesky page numbers that are not original.

My thoughts on this were generated by someone who expressed a concern that doctrine is based on single verses. And I looked at that concept in a number of blogs. My favorite also mentions John’s third chapter, and this paragraph:

Read the chapter – not just that one awesome and beloved verse. Find out to whom Jesus was speaking, why the man came to see Him, the answers Jesus gave. Put the verse in context. It increases our knowledge when we do, but it doesn't change the message of the verse as it stands alone. As someone mentioned in another thought today, “It is what it is.”

No matter what verse(s) are posted in any blog or article, read them in context. In the above blog, I mentioned verses in Genesis, John and Revelation. To understand them, you need to read them in context. My personal preference is to read the Bible through at least once a year, which puts it all in context, even all the lists of names and genealogy in the Old Testament!

Since I won’t blog without scripture, here are two important ones – from that third chapter, and another about what to do with it:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Then do as well as the Bereans:

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:10-11)


Do not remove the verses from their context. Who is God? What is the world? How do we not perish? What is everlasting life? Go ahead – see if these things are so.

Memories

 

Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash

I was looking for a "Memory Lane" sign, but ran across this Katie Moum photograph and thought it would be a great lead to a discussion of memories. They do become foggy when we look back upon them. If you take four people who spent several years together, sit them down to write their memories, you will end up with four different viewpoints even though the request was expected to return similar experiences.

Beloved Husband and I have been married for sixty-two years this coming May - but we don't have the same memories. My interests include genealogy. I can assure you, what I find isn't trusted by another researcher without a good citation of source and clarification how what I found fits into the story. He isn't interested at all, so our memories of our parents, grandparents and extended family is not the same.

My memory bank (what there is left of it) is better at older memories than what I was doing before I sat down at this computer. Thus the view up this road matches more my view of my day. There will be fog banks along the way. Other people would be able to see this road much more clearly - and our memories would not match.

So what scriptures would run across my mind after thinking: My memories are my own. When I'm gone, no one will have access to what I know, when I knew it, and what I did with the knowledge I acquired?

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)

John, Peter's brother, wrote that. almost a shortened version of his introduction at the first of this letter:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:1-4 KJV)

Luke opened Acts with:

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. (Acts 1:1-4 KJV)

John wrote in first person, Luke usually didn't. Every once in a while in Acts he uses "we" but most of the book is written as heard from someone else. He wrote about what he heard and believed. The rest of the New Testament was written by people who walked with Jesus, heard His words, had memories of interacting with Him, and wrote those memories down when inspisred by God. Not dictated by God, but inspired by Him. The words used are important today, too. They had meaning when used, had meaning when translated, have been compared for centuries, and mean the same today as they did then.

I believe that, and 1 John 5:13 is the same reason I write this blog. No, I do not believe God inspires the actual words here, but I do believe he inspired me through the Apostle's writings to share scripture and what it means to me. 

There are two immediate results of your reading this - a lack of interest and it doesn't cross your mind again; or a bit of interest and you think about what is written. After that, the possibilites divide exponentialy. Some paths lead to learing more, others run off into dead ends - but all are in memory. One memory that we do share that may lead to:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11 KJV)

Sunday Thoughts

No, today’s not Sunday – but I made some notes yesterday and want to go over them this morning.

First – we were in church on a Sunday, the first day of the week – not Saturday, the seventh, Sabbath. Yes, I believe the Bible and the Bible says:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)

However, things changed that first day of a week. Before that Sunday, a new covenant was given:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:26-29 KJV)

Wait – I wrote new covenant and English translators used testament – which is correct? Take a look at:

Strong's G1242, the Greek διαθήκη (diathēkē) dee-ath-ay'-kay
properly a disposition, that is, (specifically) a contract (especially a devisory will): - covenant, testament.

We read that it was the first day of the week the disciples discovered the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1). They did not come to see an empty tomb, but to do a belated burial preparation. Each one who came to the tomb expected to find His body there. He was not to be found – although they had been told what to expect. And, God’s third day of creation brought forth life. 

It was that first day of the week that the resurrected Jesus was seen by His disciples:

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19 KJV)

The disciples continued to attend synagogue on the Sabbath, but they also met each first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2), the Lord’s day.  Justin Martyr is said to have written:

"On the day which is called Sunday, all (Christians) who dwell either in town or country come together to one place. The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read for a certain time, and then the president of the meeting, when the reader has stopped, makes a discourse, in which he instructs and exhorts the people to the imitation of the good deeds of which they have just heard."

It is this desire to remember the new testament, our Lord’s resurrection and to gather with His followers that has me in our congregation each Sunday morning worshipping the Lord of the Sabbath:

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.(Mark 2:27-28 KJV)

(Yes – these thoughts were prompted by questions from a loved one as well as genealogy research prompted by an ancestral member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church.)

E-mail is out. Snail-mail is open to me, but I’m out of that habit. Calling contacts is possible, but getting photographs in for deadlines – well, only FedEx would work, at a much higher cost.

Research from home is out. Reaching into Texas Library Databases, which hold a wealth of genealogical information, is out. It was possible to work on my genealogy database – correcting entries, rewording notes for clarity, generally cleaning up for the upcoming reunion where it will be shared with family members. It would be possible to do the research at a nearby library, but only if it has connectivity. The best research library is a hundred-mile round trip.

Without internet service for a couple of days - once again missing out on a number of habits and routines. Friday afternoon and Saturday mornings usually include a bit of time checking fotofriday’s Picture Perfect postings. With a single theme, dozens of people from almost as many countries take time to share their thoughts and the photos they’ve taken. Can’t do that without the internet.

The communication offered by the internet is cost saving, at the very least. I miss it when it is not available. I miss all of the above.

Most of all, I miss the continuity of posting a daily devotional. I appreciate so much those of you who do visit regularly. Thank you for your time.

I miss my family’s comments and PMs. I miss seeing and hearing the girls from Society, who brighten my day with their pictures and videos from their church. I miss the allotment updates in a British accent, and the family pleasures shared. I miss the southern charm of two sisters, and their daily walk with God through shadows. I miss a Bros. Bible blogging, seeing scriptures from another perspective. I miss hearing from those on my own prayer list. I miss the Mom of hungry children, the cook who shares great recipes.

These habits have been broken before, and may be again. But God’s word remains with me because I built a habit – of memorizing verses.

Should, for any reason, a Bible not be available for me, verses closest to my heart will remain. The earliest is the good news in a single verse:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

Then there are examples of how to do it, and why:

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalms 119:11 KJV)

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

Keep a few of these with you, too. It’s a very good habit.

Tears In A Bottle

I've used this graphic before - although I have no idea what source. In that blog two years ago, "I Still Miss Her," I wrote of my sister-in-law, Janice Grove. She was one to share the good news of Jesus' resurrection and the promise that faith would keep us eternally. 

I really like the way my sister-in-law worded Pascal’s Wager (the emphasis is her own) on her own blog in 2011:

“I WOULD RATHER LIVE THINKING THERE IS A GOD AND DIE TO FIND OUT THERE ISN'T THAN TO LIVE THINKING THERE ISN'T A GOD AND DIE TO FIND OUT THERE IS.”

She found the answer October 18, 2011. I missed after that - and found that I still miss her, painfully, often afterward. I could speak to her about many subjects - and we shared a love for family history, to the point we referred to it as genealogy. We filled in many blanks.

She is on the very top of my mind, has been since last Friday, when her beloved husband, Kenneth Grove, made the same discovery she did.

There is so much to be told about our husbands, separated when they were pre-schoolers. In and out of a children's home in Maumee, Ohio during the first part of World War II, then separated by a divorce where their father took the two older sons to Oklahoma, leaving her husband, the youngest, with their mother. There wasn't a reunion for thirty-five years, after all three brothers had grown children.

Can you see how many tears our Lord has put in His botttle, how much is written in His book? And there are two less people who share our interest in sharing the work of the Lord. She would have loved discussing Pascal's wager in another blog:

An atheist commented as to how surprised Christians are going to be when they die and find there is no God.  To me, that shows he hasn’t thought through his own argument.  If death is the end, no eternity beyond, Christians will not be surprised, nor will anyone else.  However, if Christians are correct, eternity does exist as explained by them, I would not want to be an atheist.  Of course, that’s Pascal’s Wager.

My concept of the “play it safe rather than risk being sorry” is to study what is offered about God.  Others have done so and chosen different religious views.  I will but simply state my own beliefs and their source.

I still run across other articles, opinions, studies, refutations, and debates on Pascal's Wager, such as this one just two days ago. Check out Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy's "Pascal's Wager about God." It opens with:

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) offers a pragmatic reason for believing in God: even under the assumption that God’s existence is unlikely, the potential benefits of believing are so vast as to make betting on theism rational. The super-dominance form of the argument conveys the basic Pascalian idea, the expectations argument refines it, and the dominating expectations argument gives a more sophisticated version still.

 I will admit I've given you a lot of background and a lot of reading. I hope it makes you thinkk about what you would say if, as Paul was, you are brought before an authority, as Agrippa was, and you have the opportunity to explain what you believe, and why, as Paul did before Agrippa - and I give you more to read in Acts 26. Will you start an outline now? What do you believe about what the Bible says about Jesus - and why?

Dilemma – Day 4 – Who Is He?

Chronologically, I’ve reached a fourth thought from Sunday morning – pastor’s sermon, “Who Is That Baby, Really?”

We all know that baby in the manger. Christian or not, we know His name is Jesus. We also know He changed the world. For we Christians, His title is Christ, His father is God and He is, too. There are several verses that explain much about Him.

Matthew begins with paternal genealogy, establishing male links to David’s throne and describing the heavenly message provided the magi as well as Herod’s destructiveness.

Mark skips all that and jumps straight to the prophetic message that the Messiah would come – and was right there, right then.

Luke, from my point of view, interviewed Mary, who had been pondering things in her heart since the birth – and surely after the death – of her firstborn. Luke tells us personal things, as viewed by a loving mother.

John begins with the divinity of our Lord:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 KJV)

Isn’t it wonderful that all of these descriptions, by four men who walked with Him, are provided in order for us to see Jesus as they saw Him. How about those who came later?

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:12-17 KJV)

Paul pretty much includes it all. God is. He has given us an inheritance in His kingdom. All things were created by Him – for Him. The answer to why we are here – because God created us for Him.
Which is why we pray for others:

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:9-10 KJV)

No. This does not close my dilemma. No. The sermon wasn’t longer than any other Sunday – there simply were so many lifting thoughts that there are more days to fill. You’ll see more, tomorrow.