Another Chick-fil-A Controversy? Maintaining My Own Spiritual and Emotional Health? "Live Long and Prosper". Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Another Chick-fil-A Controversy?

“The last Chick-fil-A store is closing in the United Kingdom. What’s behind this controversy?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/m-Ireix0WRk

[Darris McNeely] “Who would ever think that a chicken sandwich could be controversial? Well, it has been. In the United Kingdom, they’re shutting down the last and the only Chick-fil-A franchise. Let me read to you a headline that came out of the New York Times, it says that, “Just days after Chick-fil-A’s first restaurant in the United Kingdom opened amid protests by activists from the company’s opposition to same-sex marriage, the chain, the Chick-fil-A chain, said it will close the site in six months.”

So if you go to the United Kingdom, you’re not gonna be able to get a Chick-fil-A sandwich. It’s a sad situation because it’s a sad commentary on the culture wars that we are involved with and what has happened here by shutting down the last one in the United Kingdom is not unlike what has happened in the United States.  Even though we haven’t shut down the Chick-fil-A franchise in the United States, they have been prevented from opening up additional outlets in places, certain cities like New York City, as well as certain airports, all because this particular franchise has supported, openly, faith-based organizations and traditional values, and frankly, their view of the Bible.  This runs counter to the culture of many who are promoting same-sex marriage, LGBTQ issues and gender issues and identity matters in our culture today. And Chick-fil-A has become the kind of the poster boy to attack on this situation.

It is a difficult matter to deal with. We’ve seen this happen in the United States, and it makes you wonder where it will go from this point.

I look at a scripture, it reminded me when I read about this in the United Kingdom, because of a lot of other issues that that nation and America deals with as well. It reminded me of a scripture in the book of Hosea 7 beginning in verse 8 where it talks about the attitude of the people of God and the particular tribe of Ephraim and their inability to really discern their state, their moral condition. And God says about Ephraim in Hosea 7, “He has mixed himself among the people.” Ephraim, it says, “Is a cake not turned.” And what he’s showing is that they’re in decline, they have some very serious problems.

Talking about the ancient nation of Ephraim. It says, “Strangers have devoured his strength and he knows it not. Yes, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not.” In other words, their time has passed. They are in a state of transition and change from which it’s going to be hard to come back. And it concludes by saying, “And the pride of Israel testifies to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all of this.”

Interesting words to the ancient nation of Israel, and particularly the tribe of Ephraim within the nation of Israel. Those words could apply to Great Britain today. A cake not turned, gray hairs there, their strength devoured. The situation with such cultural clashes that is closing down a franchise like Chick-fil-A because of these cultural differences and issues is a sign of the times to understand and to realize, if it’s chicken sandwiches today, what will it be tomorrow? That’s something for us all to think about.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/another-chick-fil-a-controversy

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Just a reminder about their beliefs  : https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Man-Shall-Not-Lay-With-Man/

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How Do I Balance Serving Those at Church With Maintaining My Own Spiritual and Emotional Health?

“When you take care of your relationship with God first, you are in good shape to help others.

Gift Habeshaw/Unsplash

The first and most important responsibility of a Christian is to keep a close relationship with God. That is done through prayer, Bible study, meditation and fasting and by applying God’s commandments to all aspects of your life.

You’ve probably heard the standard pre-flight safety session when the airline flight attendant gets to the part about oxygen masks. The instruction is to give oxygen to a child or another person after you put on your own mask. Why is this important? Because if you are without oxygen at a very high altitude, you will quickly become unable to help another person. So, you first take care of your own oxygen mask before helping another person with theirs.

This serves as a metaphor when it comes to balancing service to others at church with your own spiritual and emotional health. In order to be a good servant to others, you must first take care of your personal relationship with God.

A perfect affirmation of this is the answer Jesus Christ gave when He was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Matthew 22:36). He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then He said, “the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39).

Thus, the first and most important responsibility of a Christian is to keep a close relationship with God. That is done through prayer, Bible study, meditation and fasting and by applying God’s commandments to all aspects of your life. Like the oxygen mask metaphor, after you first make sure you are in good shape spiritually, then you can begin to take care of others.

Your physical and emotional needs are important, and you must take care of them if you are to be a help to others. Notice the apostle Paul’s instruction: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). He does not in any way diminish our personal needs, but makes them as important as the needs of others. This follows the second great commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

The greatest responsibility of a Christian is to love God first. Jesus Christ set the example by keeping His relationship with His Father His chief priority. He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34). Likewise, it is a Christian’s first responsibility to love God above all else. After this, we can line up the rest of our personal needs and our priorities for love and service to others.”   From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/how-do-i-balance-serving-those-at-church-with-maintaining-my-own-spiritual-and-emotional-health

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"Live Long and Prosper"

The Bible shows us one of the main ways we can lead peaceful and productive lives.    

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/sQ-sjQypZtQ

[Darris McNeely] If you’re a “Star Trek” fan you know the phrase “live long and prosper.” But you know where that came from? Here’s where I think that it came from. Ephesians 6, where God is talking about honoring our parents. And He says, “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise. And He’s talking about the fifth commandment there, to honor your father and mother. What is the promise? In verse 3 it says, “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” Honor your parents that it might be well with you and you will live long on the earth.

Now, that is a part of God’s Word, and that is a promise that we can claim.

I recently had a friend of mine whose father died. His father was almost 98 years old. He was a World War II vet, he was a Marine. He went through the…stormed through the South Pacific in World War II, and the man lived a long life. And he lived a good life. And in his last years his son, my good friend took really good care of him. And his death was a peaceful death with his family around and his son there, and it was as everyone might wish.

And reflecting about that, I was thinking, you know, this verse here is extremely important for all of us. If you still have your parents with you, no matter how old you might be, appreciate them. Look at this commandment, “Honor your father and mother that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Respect your parents, honor your parents, take care of your parents to their last breath. Do what you can. If there’s a problem, get it resolved. If there’s an issue that needs to be taken care of, make sure you get that taken care of. And then do what you can to talk with, to honor, to take care of your parents, so that in your life there’ll be no regrets. And you can claim that promise that God says, that it may be well with you and you will live long upon the earth.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/live-long-and-prosper

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Update.

We had the Bible study at the Community Room here at the apartments, as usual, at 4.00 pm on Sunday.  The Pastor has some videos, with questions after, that he plays on the big screen TV in there.  The same old folks come each time, and we have a good time and fellowship.

Wednesday morning, Health Quest brought us Chick-Fil-A for breakfast, and Thursday an HMO group brought us Thanksgiving lunch.  The very large gal (really obese) arrived with a lot of containers that had to be heated/cooked in the microwave, and it took her an hour and a half to do that.  It took so long that it burned up the microwave.  Next time our management is going to have Thanksgiving meals cooked on the stove or in the oven.  If all she knows is how to prepare processed food, usually full of chemicals, in a microwave, no wonder she is so large.

On Friday a nurse came from my new health insurance company to take my blood pressure, which was 116/60, check the circulation on all my extremities, which was normal.  She put packs which became warm on my big toes to do that.  After asking a lot of questions, surprised that I take no meds, she seemed happy with my state of health, so that is good.  As soon as she left I went to my usual Friday morning Bible study at my church friend’s apartment here.  We get ready for the Bible study that we have at church the next day, which is till on the doings of Nehemiah.

I had been given a really big block of cheese that I really didn’t know what to do with, so I made Nacho Cheese Dip with salsa, seasonings and coconut milk because I didn’t have the evaporated milk which was in the recipe.   It was very popular at the church potluck so I will make it again. 

The theme this week was “God is My Refuge and Strength” and the Sermon was very interesting about “Christ’s Object Lesson” and there were a lot of slides about how the temple and ark were built.

Another place where there is camaraderie and fellowship every Sabbath day.