For “Scripture Sunday”:
Be Strong and...
“When God says he'll provide strength does he ask for anything else?”
“The other day I was reading through the beginning of the book of Joshua. Something caught my attention when God told Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6). Now that's something we all want to be strong and courageous, especially when it comes to what we believe. And then God says something interesting a verse later in Joshua. Joshua 1:7 He says, "Be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you."
So I began to think: Is there a connection to being strong in the faith, courageous to accomplish God's will, and obedience? Many times people would look to something like this and say: "Oh, well that's Old Testament. That doesn't mean much today, and it's not really applicable." But you know when you look over to the book of Ephesians, the book of Ephesians says something pretty interesting in chapter 6. There's a connection in Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. See All.... See if this sounds familiar. The Apostle Paul says: "Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and the power of His might."
So once again we have this connection to being strong and courageous in the faith. And yet is there still a connection to obeying? Yes, there is. We find this connection over in the book of Hebrews. Most likely the same author, Paul, in chapter 5 verse 9. Notice what he says. He says: "Having been perfected He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9). So there is a connection even in the New Covenant, under the New Covenant.
We are shown very clearly that there is a connection between our faith being strong and courageous and obeying what God tells us to do. So don't ever forget: be strong, be courageous, and be sure that we're doing it in obedience to God.”
From: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/be-strong-and Video at: http://youtu.be/fmrXqBk3-lY
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How to Live Longer
“Can something so simple extend your life?”
“Do you want to live longer? Go to church. Really? Can going to church really extend your life? You may not realize it but there are actually dozens of scientific studies that show that there is a connection between going to church and living longer. So Google it, check me out and you'll find there are many studies that actually bear that out.”
More at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/how-live-longer Video at: http://youtu.be/FICN_f_dawQ
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Small Holes
“Why not ignore the little things. Does it matter?
There's an old Gaelic Proverb that says, "Small holes sink big ships."”
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/small-holes
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Dangerous Promises
“My son, if you become surety for your friend, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. - Proverbs 6:1-3
The Bible teaches very high standards for our words, promises and pledges. Solomon here warns of the dangers of promising something unwisely. If you have committed to pay a loan if your friend can’t pay it, be prepared to pay it. Never assume that your pledge will not be called on. Sometimes others can wheedle us into promising to help by assuring us our help won’t be needed. Beware! If you can’t afford to keep your promise in the worst-case scenario, Solomon urges you to do everything you honestly can do to get out of the trap you have got yourself in.”
Read more about God’s standards of honesty in “The Ninth Commandment: You Shall Not Bear False Witness.”
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Deep Devotion
“French angelfish are completely devoted to their partners and mate for life. They are found in the warm tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean and spend all of their time together—traveling, hunting, sleeping, and protecting their territory. Mature French angelfish are rarely seen alone. If they are, their mate has likely died. They do not “remarry.”
Swans are another species that will keep their mates for life. There have been occasional reports of swans “separating,” but only when there has been a nesting failure or loss of young. Perhaps their strong commitment to each other is why pictures of swans conjure up images of romance. On the other hand, the black vulture might not seem like a romantic bird, but it is one of the most faithful animals in the entire animal kingdom. They are so intolerant of “infidelity” that they have been observed attacking other vultures that were unfaithful to their partners!
The PDSA organization (UK) gives certificates to animals for bravery and devotion. Toby, a black Labrador Retriever, was stabbed four times in the chest and legs by an armed burglar in April 2009 in Lancashire. He successfully chased the burglar off the property. Wicker, a pet German Shepherd, aided his owner’s son by fetching help when the boy had an epileptic seizure. Dotty, a donkey, helped her stable mate (a sheep) when it was attacked by a dog. And Piper, a Labrador Retriever guide dog, defended his blind owner who was attacked and then safely walked his injured owner home. What devotion!
The Bible says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). We can learn much from our animal friends, but our greatest example is found in Jesus Christ, who was made “like His brethren” and declared, “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother” (Hebrews 2:17; Mark 3:35).
Jesus, the divine Son of God, was truly a friend who sticks closer than a brother when He gave His very life on Calvary for you. When you face the enemy today, know that there is a Friend who stands beside you and will never leave you alone.”
KEY BIBLE TEXTS: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24
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Hebrews 11 - Noah's Faith
“How does Noah's example of faith speak to us today?”
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-daily/christian-living/hebrews-11-noahs-faith
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The program on WGN TV this morning:
Is This the End Time?
“Jesus said that the time of His second coming would be like the days of Noah. What did He mean? How could you be affected?”
Transcript at: http://www.ucg.org/beyond-today-program/news-and-prophecy/end-time
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On This Day:
Dempsey loses on long count, Sep 22, 1927:
“Jack Dempsey, the "Manassa Mauler," misses an opportunity to regain the heavyweight boxing title when he fails to return to a neutral corner after knocking down champ Gene Tunney in a title match in Chicago. Dempsey waited five precious seconds before heading to the neutral corner, at which point the referee began the 10-count as the rules dictated. As the referee reached nine seconds, Tunney got back up to his feet.
As the match got underway, Tunney took charge of the fight, racking up points and keeping Dempsey at bay. It was the seventh round that made the match go down as one of the most memorable and controversial in boxing history. As Tunney attempted to keep Dempsey at arm’s length, Dempsey, in a low crouch, hit him in the chin with a left hook, followed by his famous right hook, again to Tunney’s jaw. Another left hook then sent Tunney to the canvas. Dempsey failed to return to a neutral corner as the rules dictate, and the referee turned to remind him of his mistake before beginning the standard nine count. Although Tunney made it to his feet before the ref completed the count, and was thus allowed to continue the fight, taped footage later showed that Tunney had actually stayed down for 14 seconds, which should have given Dempsey the knockout. Instead, the fight continued and Tunney, having won the last three rounds on the judges’ scorecards, was awarded the victory.”
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The famous "four-level" opens in Los Angeles, Sep 22, 1953:
“On September 22, 1953, the first four-level (or "stack") interchange in the world opens in Los Angeles, California, at the intersection of the Harbor, Hollywood, Pasadena, and Santa Ana freeways. It was, as The Saturday Evening Post wrote, "a mad motorist's dream": 32 lanes of traffic weaving in eight directions at once. Today, although the four-level is justly celebrated as a civil engineering landmark, the interchange is complicated, frequently congested, and sometimes downright terrifying. (As its detractors are fond of pointing out, it's probably no coincidence that this highway octopus straddles not only a fetid sulfur spring but also the former site of the town gallows.)
Before the L.A. four-level was built, American highway interchanges typically took the form of a cloverleaf, with four circular ramps designed to let motorists merge from one road to another without braking. But cloverleafs were dangerous, because people merging onto the highway and people merging off of the highway had to jockey for space in the same lane. Four-level interchanges, by contrast, eliminate this looping cross-traffic by stacking long arcs and straightaways on top of one another. As a result, each of their merges only goes in one direction--which means, at least in theory, that they are safer and more efficient.
When the iconic Hollywood-Harbor-Pasadena-Santa Ana four-level was born, it was the most expensive half-mile of highway in the world, costing $5.5 million to build. (Today, highway engineers estimate, $5.5 million would pay for just 250 feet of urban freeway.) Roadbuilders disemboweled an entire neighborhood--4,000 people lost their homes--and excavated most of the hill it stood on, dumping the rubble in the nearby Chavez Ravine, where Dodger Stadium stands today.
Though its design has inspired dozens of freeway interchanges across the United States, many Angelenos dread their encounters with the four-level: It's as crowded (500,000 drivers use it every day), stressful and treacherous as the cloverleafs of yesteryear. Still, it's an indispensable part of the fabric and the mythology of Los Angeles.”
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Yesterday:
After Wendy and I had our usual Saturday morning phone call, I got ready for church. I had plenty of time as I was going to the afternoon service at the other church south of Willis because Nala, my foster cat was being picked up here at noon for Adoption Day. Jay wasn’t going with me because his mother and neighbor were having a birthday party for him.
As I had plenty of time, I procrastinated and watched several religious videos on the computer, but still arrived early for the 12.30pm Bible Study, “The Expansion of The Church”. It was about the texts Luke 7:57-60 and 8:1-8, where the message was spread from Jerusalem and Judea, expanded into Samaria and beyond. This was because the apostles were scattered after the persecution that arose after Stephen’s death.
The sermon was given by the pastor about “ My Citizenship in this World Is a Catch 22.” (Or in “Trek” Kobayashi Maru) It was mostly about how we need a better comprehension of what is a tangible exchange of money, and that is ‘labor hours.’ If you look at a thing before you purchase it, and think of it in the ‘labor hours’ that it will take to posses it, very often isn’t that valuable or desirable. As it says in the Bible, Do not be a slave to a creditor.
Another thing was brought out was that God didn’t have the Israelites wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years for no avail. It was also to give them time to get rid of all the pagan ideas that they had brought with them from Egypt, and to tell them to keep His commandments, not the ideas of the pagans. But as soon as Moses back was turned, they tried to go back to them, anyway.
Even though I prefer to go to the morning church, it was good to see the good folks at that congregation again, but I didn’t stay for the potluck.
The foster mom brought Nala back home, and said that she doesn’t think that the strenuous Adoption Days bring as many results as the people who look on www.Petfinder.com Going there upsets timid Nala, and I don’t know if I will be sending her to another Adoption Day.
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