ENCOURAGEMENT !!!: Conscious Dignity

ENCOURAGEMENT !!!: Conscious Dignity: It is the privilege of everyone to so live that God will approve and bless (her). ….It is not the will of your heavenly Father that you sh...

Perfect Peace - Do Not Worry

“Like a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those that fear Him. For He knows our frame, He remembers that we are only dust.”  Psalm 103:13-14

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“God will keep you in perfect peace, when your mind is focused on God, because you trust in God.” Isaiah 26:3

And the Lord your God, will turn a curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you!  Deuteronomy 23:5

Appropriate Now !

Please read Blog January 12, 2015 - Stupendous Crisis Coming. Seems so appropriate right now.

Those who Hate God

The Lord delights in mercy; and for the sake of a few who really serve Him, He restrains calamities and prolongs the tranquility of multitudes. Little do [those who hate God] realize that they are indebted for their own lives to the faithful few whom they delight to ridicule and oppress.

The Great Controversy, 632, E G White

WORKING

"When the redeemed stand before God, precious souls will respond to their names who are there because of our faithful, patient and earnest persuasions to flee to the Stronghold (God).

 "Thus, those who in this world have been laborers together with God will receive their reward."

Testimonies to the Church, Volume 8, 196-197, E G White

Confirmation

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me." John 6:39 [KJV]

In seventh and eighth grade (1967-1969) church catechism class was conducted by Pastor Keith. This class prepared us for the "Rite of Confirmation" when we renewed our baptismal vows spoken for us by our parents and godparents when we were infants.

Catechism was not as expected. A Catechism book was used in our study. We memorized printed answers to printed questions and the Bible seemed to take second place. Being in the last row, where I could not see, did not help my concentration, but "we must sit alphabetically."

Thumbing through the Bible I read a text that was so impressive that I wrote it in large letters in my catechism book, "We ought to obey God rather than man," Acts 5:29.

We were required to memorize the catechism's version of the Ten Commandments.

One day in Catechism we were studying the Sabbath commandment, third in the Catechism, fourth in the Bible, when Kurt asked, "Why are the catechism's Ten Commandments different from the Bible's?"

Pastor Keith asked if anyone had mentioned this to him. Kurt said his grandmother had.

 The pastor said the Bible and Catechism agree on everything, then changed the subject.

Kurt persisted and the class urged him on. As he read the Sabbath commandment from the Bible and then from the Catechism we were amazed they did not agree. Kurt pointed out that the Bible specified the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, not Sunday the first day as the pastor taught.

Pastor Keith angrily snapped, "Do not mention this subject again! You are too young to understand, you do not know anything! You have not even been confirmed! You are to take my word for what the Bible says and accept it!"

He dismissed us early under a veil of fear and confusion.

. Questions were raised such as, “Why does the Bible say one thing and the catechism another? Why does the pastor get upset if we ask Bible questions?”

On Confirmation Sunday the pastor gave each confirmand a personal Bible text. Mine was, "lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world," Matthew 28:20. I had never heard this text before, and it filled me with questions and awe; "the end of the world?"

God's People are Safe

God who slumbers not, who in every crisis has been the strength and dependence of His people, will carry out His eternal purpose.

   He will thwart the designs of wicked men, and will bring to confusion the counsels of those who plot mischief against His people.

He who is the King, the Lord of hosts…amidst the strife and tumult of nations guards His children still.

 When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown, when the arrows of wrath shall strike through the hearts of His enemies, God's people will be safe in His hands.

E G WHITE

VBS - Vacation Bible School

In the 1960's - during two weeks in June - from nine a.m. until noon - mornings were spent at Missouri Synod Lutheran Vacation Bible School.

 All the children would enter the sanctuary by two's singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” while following the Christian and American flags.

In the sanctuary we would sing, pray and listen to a sermonette and a mission story. Then in our classrooms we would work on crafts and listen to Bible stories.

 It was so wonderful to be there! And so wonderful to be a part of it all!

Always Room for One More

God never downsizes His kingdom. There is always room for one more.

No Mimic Battle

We do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Over every [person] good and evil angels strive. This is no make-believe conflict.

It is no mimic battle in which we are engaged. We have to meet most powerful adversaries, and it rests with us to determine which shall win. We are to find our Strength where the early disciples found theirs.

Signs of the Times, Feb. 17, 1914, E G White

See Blog January 12, 2015 - Stupendous Crisis

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

OLD TESTAMENT - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. You will have no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

2. You will not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth, or that is in the water under the earth. You will not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands that love Me and keep My Commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

3. You will not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.
Exodus 20:7

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you may work, and do all your 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, daughter, manservant, maidservant, thy animals, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11

5. Honor your father and mother, that your days be long upon the land which the Lord thy God gives to you. Exodus 20:12

6. You will not murder. Exodus 20:13

7. You will not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14

8. You will not steal. Exodus 20:15

9. You will not lie about a neighbor. Exodus 20:16

10. You will not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, servants, animals, or anything that is your neighbor’s. Exodus 20:17


NEW TESTAMENT - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. You will worship the Lord your God. and Him only will you serve. Matthew 4:10

2. Little children, keep yourselves from idols 1 John 5:21
...abstain from idols... Acts 15:20
Do not be idolaters... 1 Cor. 10:7

3. That the Name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. 1 Timothy 6:1

4. For He spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. There remains a rest [‘keeping of a Sabbath’ margin] to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from His. Hebrews 4:4, 9, 10

5. Honor thy father and thy mother. Matthew 19:19

6. Thou shalt not murder. Matthew 19:18

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Matthew 19:18

8. Thou shalt not steal. Romans 13:9

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Romans 13:9

10. Thou shalt not covet. Romans 7:7

A Russian Blue named Timmy - Timmy the Troublemaker

Being pet-less we finally decided to adopt a Russian Blue kitten named Timothy. Timothy cried all the way home, but it was really fun having a kitten!

The first week Timmy jumped on the coffee table into Andy’s toast with jelly! Later, tiny Tim jumped into the toilet as it was flushing and luckily we were there to save him from going down the drain!

Tim liked to help Andy with carpentry work including hammers; you can imagine how hard it was for Andy to hammer with Timmy constantly pressing his nose against the nail! Uncovering a furnace vent, the next thing we knew Timmy was stuck inside!

We have handles on our doors rather than knobs, which is a mistake because Timmy can open any door he chooses. If guests are in the bathroom Timmy will open the door, bare his teeth and run away! Timmy is not dumb, but he is weird! Another time Tim opened a door to the outside! We searched all over the yard in our night-clothes but it was already dark…..then I felt a furry beast crawling up my leg under my nightgown! I screamed! and the culprit was…...you guessed it, Timothy!

While we were painting the bedroom, Timmy decided to sneak in and walk in the paint tray. Prancing around the room, he left white paw prints all over the blue carpet and then rubbed his face, sides and tail against the freshly painted walls! Timmy was promptly given a bath and refrained from any more painting tricks.

At exactly 10:00 p.m. Timmy likes to be put into his kennel and have a fuss made over him. One evening, due to company, we forgot the routine and Timmy came into the living room every few minutes to remind us. At 10:25 p.m. we still had not put Tim to bed, so being resourceful he got even. Timmy got out a pair of dirty underwear from the hamper and proudly pranced around our guests carrying his prize! Our guests roared with laughter, we turned red, and Timothy was promptly put to bed!

Despite all his trouble making, Timmy is loved.

 How much more does God love us despite all our trouble making!

Beware! of Self-pity

We need to beware of self-pity. Never indulge the feeling that you are not esteemed as you should be, that your efforts are not appreciated, that your work is too difficult.

Let the memory of what Christ has endured for us silence every murmuring thought.

The Lord has no place in His work for those who have a greater desire to win the crown than to bear the cross.

Ministry of Healing 476, E G White

Gold & Fire

In regards to our faith and trials - "Gold is not afraid of fire."

Terrible Intensity

The great controversy between good and evil will increase in intensity to the very close of time. ..

.As the church approaches her final deliverance, Satan is to work with greater power.

For six thousand years that mastermind (Lucifer - Satan), that once was highest among the angels of God, has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin.

And all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during these struggles of the ages, will be brought against God's people in the final conflict. And in this time of peril the followers of Christ are to bear to the world the warning of the Lord's second advent....

In the great final conflict, Satan will employ the same policy, manifest the same spirit, and work for the same end as in all preceding ages.

That which has been, will be, except that the coming struggle will be marked with a terrible intensity such as the world has ever witnessed. Satan's deceptions will be more subtle, his assaults more determined.   If it were possible, he would lead stray the elect.

Selections from The Great Controversy, Introduction, ix, x, xi by E G White

When We Receive our Heavenly Reward

"When the redeemed stand before God, precious souls will respond to their names who are there because of our faithful, patient and earnest persuasions to flee to the Stronghold.

 Thus, those who in this world have been laborers together with God will receive their reward.”

Testimonies to the Church, Volume 8, pp. 196, 197, E G White 

The Story of the Good Samaritan according to me

There once was a young woman who was walking in a rough neighborhood (sin). Suddenly she was mugged by a gang (Satan and his demons). They hurt her physically and emotionally, and left her for dead in the gutter.

After awhile a church member walked by. The young woman called out for help, but the church member cursed her and continued walking.

Then the head elder walked by. The young woman pleaded with him to please help her, but he stuck his nose in the air and pretended not to see her.

Then the pastor walked by and was disgusted to see her lying in the gutter. He too passed her by.

Finally, Jesus Himself walked by and when the young woman weakly called out for help Jesus immediately stopped and helped her. He didn’t call her a “stupid idiot” for walking in such a rough neighborhood, but He did dress her physical and emotional wounds and carried her to the nearest Inn and continued to care for her.

The next day, before He left, Jesus told the innkeeper to feed the young woman and wash her wounds, saying He would repay the innkeeper when He returned.

“Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” - Jesus

Neglect of Truth

IN THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD, God has given to humanity a revelation of Himself; and to all who accept them they are a shield against the deceptions of Satan.

 It is a neglect of these truths that has opened the door to the evils which are now becoming so widespread in the religious world.

 The nature and the importance of the law of God have been, to a great extent, lost sight of.

 A wrong conception...of the divine law...has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in the church.

  The Great Controversy p 465 E G White

Self-indulgence

Professed Christians yearly expend an immense sum for useless and harmful self-indulgences, while souls are perishing for the word of life.

If all who profess to be followers of Christ were truly sanctified, their money, instead of being spent for needless and even hurtful self-indulgences, would be turned into the Lord's treasury.

Based on The Great Controversy, p 475, E G White

Are We That Close?!

God protects those who obey His commands....

Satan has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows.

Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. Satan will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble on others and lead men to believe it is God who is afflicting them.

…[Satan] will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great [fire storms], in fierce tornadoes, and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. …These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous.

And then Satan will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God’s commandments is a perpetual reproof to sinners.

 It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people…. [and then comes Sunday observance laws]....

Now please read Luke 21:8-28.

 Are we really that close to the 2nd coming of Christ?!

Excerpts from The Great Controversy pp 589-590, E G White