Grudges Hurt You. He Who Regards a Rebuke. Choose Friends Carefully. Update.

Grudges Hurt You

Life is unfair and full of trouble, as we all know.    

Jez Timms/Unsplash

We cannot always resolve the cause of anger or a grudge, but we can “put it on the shelf” by leaving it with God.

Sooner or later someone will do or say something that upsets you to the point that you cannot forget the incident. That is how a grudge develops. Nursing a grudge does not make it better, and the longer we carry it, the more of a problem it becomes. Grudges simply do not belong in one who strives to have a good attitude toward life and eternity. Paul wrote that a bishop is not to be an angry person, but a person of self-control (Titus 1:7-8). Paul also wrote that anger will come, but when it does, we are to be careful not to allow it to bring sin (Ephesians 4:26).

Paul went on to say to “put off” things like anger and therefore a grudge (Colossians 3:8). We cannot always resolve the cause of anger or a grudge, but we can “put it on the shelf” by leaving it with God. We can meditate on the grudge and learn how much we hurt ourselves by feeding it. We can take steps to resolve that which we perceive as a hurt done to us and we can simply avoid the person that brings these strong feelings up in us. Most important is the need to face and handle the grudge—don’t let it grow. Take action.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/grudges-hurt-you

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He Who Regards a Rebuke.

“Proverbs 13:18

Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, but he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

No one likes to be corrected. It hurts to find we’ve been wrong, and it stings worse if we feel we’ve been judged unfairly, harshly or hypocritically. None of the people who correct us are perfect, of course; but God tells us it is dangerous to ignore or even disdain all correction that comes to us. If we never accept correction, we will not recognize the steps we could take to avoid troubles, such as poverty and shame.

Wise King Solomon contrasts this attitude with the person who is humble enough to listen to rebuke and to note where it is valid. It takes humility to accept correction and change. But the end result of this humble choice is receiving honor. The positive changes will pay off, even if the correction was not given in the nicest way. Learn more in our article “Handling Criticism.”

The most important correction we can receive is from God. Learn more about how to discover and use God’s correction in the article “How to Study the Bible.””    From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/he-who-regards-a-rebuke/?

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Choose Friends Carefully

“Proverbs 12:26

The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.

People who accept God’s standards of right and wrong are in the minority in today’s world. Satan and the prevailing trends of his society try to pull Christians away from God’s standards. And one of the strongest influences in our lives is our close friends.

Good friends who support God’s way of life can be a tremendous positive influence in our lives. But friends whose actions and attitudes openly or subtly oppose God’s truth can tear us down and lead us astray.

The apostle Paul also wrote about our choice of friends in 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”

See more about friendship in our section “Friendship: Keys for Finding and Keeping Good Friend.”

See more on communication and dealing with peer pressure in our article “Saying No.”” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/proverb-of-the-week-choose-friends-carefully/?

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Update.

The spayed, declawed, senior cat Evie, that has been staying with me turned out to be a little gem. So I am adopting her.  I know she went through a lot of pain getting the first joint of her front paws removed, yes, that is how they declaw a cat.  But it is so great to know that neither my thin skin, nor the furniture, will be scratched.  She strokes my face and arms as if she knows she can’t hurt me, and she is telling me that she loves me.  Still no news on where she had her vaccinations, so I might have to get them all over again.  I just ordered a pretty faux pearl necklace/collar for her new tag. The collar she is wearing is stiff and uncomfortable but is does have a tag with the last person’s phone number, so it stays on her until her appointment on the 2nd. Sept, when I will also get her micro-chipped.

It was supposed to be a surprise for my 85th birthday last Monday.  My SPCA friends were going to bring back my boy cat, Casper who has been with them for months.  They finally found out what was wrong with him, a rare intestinal parasite Tritrichomonas so he was treated for that.

Of course, I had to make a big decision because I am allowed only one cat here.  I really love and missed Casper, but I always wanted a senior, declawed, female cat, and here, now I have one.  My SPCA friends will find young Casper a young family and ‘furrever’ home easily, because he is so gentle and sweet.  He had so many meds poked down him while he was there and never lost his sweet disposition, everyone there loved him.

The Animal Shelter here said that they had room for two more of the apartment’s stray cats, so I took the really skinny white one.  I couldn’t set the trap because I was going to the doctor the next day, but he was tame so I just put him in a carrier. I had tried my best with him, put Revolution on him for fleas and mites, de-wormed him and tried to fatten him up, but it was obvious that he had one of the deadly cat diseases.   The next day I took another cat but they refused to take anymore cats from here for now.  The white one had tested positive for FIV.  All their cats were ready for an adoption event so they couldn’t have any of our contaminated cats there until after that.  But with 7 stray cats outta here, already it seems so much more peaceful.  I also found out that we cannot have a permanent “mouser”, the city does not allow “an animal at large”.

The doctor’s visit was a dry run, they had not told me about going ‘fasting’, so I have to go again this week.  The Brazos Transit little bus took me and brought me home, I am so glad that I don’t have to make that long drive.  Seems like nearly everything you have to do, you can’t do it in Navasota, you have to go at least 20 miles to another town.

My youngest son turned 51 this week, and it doesn’t seem that long ago that I had him in that hospital in Dallas.  My daughter is recovering slowly from her accident in rehab, but because of the covid thing I can’t go see her.

Covid or not, Sherry and I still have our Bible study together every Friday morning ready for the Sabbath School the next day, just as we have done for the year since I moved here.  This Sabbath we went to the church and enjoyed the study in person.  It was on Zoom for those at home, and there were only 7 of us at the church yesterday.

A Forgotten Memorial Day: The Feast of Pentecost. Counting Pentecost. Update.

Today is the 42nd. day of the counting of 50 days to Pentecost.

A Forgotten Memorial Day: The Feast of Pentecost

“Monday is Memorial Day in the U.S. But there is another memorial day in a few days that commemorates one of the most momentous days in all of history.

On Monday, May 25, most schools, federal offices and some businesses in the United States will be closed to observe Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday remembering the Americans who died in all the wars fought throughout American history.

But there is another Memorial Day approaching next week. On Sunday, May 31, is a day even more important than Memorial Day—it is the biblical Feast of Pentecost (or Feast of Weeks).

The unique feast of counting

In Leviticus 23 God gave Israel a list of special observances that He declared “the feasts of the LORD” (verse 2). These festivals were to be observed by God’s people as “holy convocations” (verse 2). Israel was to assemble together on these days to worship and learn.

The third festival in this list was unique. Instead of having a fixed date, the date of its observance was based on counting: “You shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath [during the Days of Unleavened Bread], from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath” (verses 15-16). In fact, the name Pentecost is simply the Greek term for “fiftieth.”

Every year when Christians gather to celebrate this day, they remember the events of the Pentecost that began the New Testament Church. A New Testament observance

Many, unfortunately, make the mistake of thinking that this day was just an Old Testament Jewish observance.

But the Bible paints a very different picture!

This special day is featured prominently in the New Testament. In fact, one of the most important events in the history of Christianity took place on this day. And that is no coincidence. Acts 2 tells the story of the beginning of the New Testament Church. You may have heard about some of the events of that day—tongues of fire, speaking in different languages, Peter’s powerful sermon, baptisms, etc. But have you paid close attention to why all these people were together in the first place?

Notice Acts 2:1: “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

Yes, the first Christians were assembled to observe Pentecost! What happened on this day would change history forever. On that day, God began the Church of God—a group of people called out of the world and together to be “His own special people” (1 Peter 2:9). No longer would God work only with the nation of Israel. Through the Church, He would now begin calling people of all ethnicities, races and nationalities into a relationship with Him (Romans 9:24; 11:11; Galatians 3:14).

The Bible shows that the Church continued to observe the Feast of Pentecost after this day (Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8).

The “memorial day” of Pentecost

In a way, it is interesting that Pentecost and Memorial Day fall around the same time. The word memorial means “serving to preserve remembrance.”

The Feast of Pentecost is also a memorial day.

Every year when Christians gather to celebrate this day, they remember the events of the Pentecost that began the New Testament Church (recorded in Acts 2). But it is a different kind of remembering. Instead of just remembering the past, the events of that Pentecost continue to live as a reality today. This Pentecost, Christians will memorialize:

• The giving of the Holy Spirit. One of the most significant “firsts” of that Pentecost was when those assembled “were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Before this, the Holy Spirit was “with” Christ’s disciples; but now they were filled with it—it was now in them (John 14:17).

It is not a coincidence that the Holy Spirit was given on the same day the Church began. In one sense, it couldn’t have been any other way. The giving of the Holy Spirit—the very power of God—to a human being is what makes the person a member of the Church (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

To learn more about the Holy Spirit, read “What Is the Holy Spirit?”

• Peter’s powerful sermon. In one way, Peter’s powerful preaching recorded in Acts 2 could be considered the inaugural address for the Church of God. It not only identified the incredible prophetic significance of that day, but it declared who Jesus Christ was, where He now was, what He was doing—and how those truths tied together to affect the life of every individual hearing the message.

Peter proclaimed the ultimate call to action: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (verse 38).

This isn’t just a memorial message, though, because the message and work that Peter’s sermon described is still being proclaimed today.

To learn more about the vital essence of this sermon, read “The Sermon That Launched the Church.”

• The growth of the true Church. Acts 2 records that 3,000 people were baptized and added to the Church on that miraculous day. The early Church was described as continuing “steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (verse 42).

The rest of the New Testament records the progression of that Church—how it went forward and grew beyond the confines of Jerusalem through the work of men like Peter, Stephen, James, John, Paul, Timothy and many others. But when we come to the later books of the New Testament, we find a Church regressing—being attacked on many fronts, with many losing the doctrinal purity and spirit of the Pentecost of Acts 2 (Galatians 1:6; 2 Peter 2:1; Jude 1:3-4).

The Feast of Pentecost is a memorial that Jesus Christ did build a Church—which can only be identified if we understand the identifying factor of “the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). That Church exists today; and it will gather, just as it did exactly 1,985 years ago, to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.

To learn more about how to find the true Church today, read articles on “The Church.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/a-forgotten-memorial-day-the-feast-of-pentecost/?

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Counting Pentecost 

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"Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are seven weeks past and we are almost finished in the counting toward Pentecost. God’s Holy Days are rich in meaning and anticipation as we rehearse them once again – each of them unique in what they picture and adding to what has gone before.  The upcoming Feast of Pentecost is no different in these regards.  

One unique aspect of Pentecost is that it is not a fixed date on the Calendar unlike the other Holy Days – so while it is always on the same day of the week, it can “move” in terms of which week in May or June it ends up being on.

God charged the Jews with preserving the Old Testament, but the interpretation has not always been handed down accurately.  During the first century A.D., the Pharisees gained complete control of the Jewish religious observances.  They figured Pentecost beginning with the day after the first annual Sabbath - the first Day of Unleavened Bread.  Is this what God instructed?  Preserved in a book called the Mishna is recorded how Pentecost had been counted from generation to generation before the Pharisees took control. 

How the Jews count Pentecost now is not always how it had been done, or should be done.  The Jews count from the first High Sabbath of the Days of Unleavened Bread - rather than from the Sabbath in the Days of Unleavened Bread.  If Pentecost was to be counted from the High Sabbath of the Days of Unleavened Bread, what would be the point in saying to count the days?  Why not simply say keep Pentecost on Sivan 6?  Instead, the weekly Sabbath can fall on 7 different days within the Days of Unleavened Bread - hence the need to count to know when to keep Pentecost.  We must pay attention to know the right time, or day, to keep.

God instructed Israel to count 50 days from the Days of Unleavened Bread to determine when to keep Pentecost.  We are to count “from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the…wave offering” (Leviticus 23:15, NKJV).  The Hebrew word there for Sabbath is the word used for the weekly Sabbath - the same word used in verse 3 when God reminds Israel to keep the weekly Sabbath.  God instructs us to count 50 days from the weekly Sabbath which also means that Pentecost will always fall on a Sunday (first day of the week).  Pentecost this year is on May 31st.  Have you ever thought why God did that with this Holy Day?  Every other Holy Day is set on a given day in a given month in His calendar – but not Pentecost.

Part of the reason for counting is to be reminded of the distance that we should be gaining in coming out of sin during the Days of Unleavened Bread, and part of the reason is to count with anticipation of the giving of God’s Holy Spirit.  In Acts 1:4 Christ told those assembled in Jerusalem not to leave that city (before the Day of Pentecost), but “…to wait for the Promise of the Father…” that is, the giving of the Holy Spirit.  Although we have been called and given access to God through His Holy Spirit, do we also count toward the day when all of mankind (1 Timothy 2:4) will have access to the knowledge of the truth?

As we finish the count toward Pentecost, let’s remember why we count Pentecost and what God wants to us to see and anticipate in that counting.  It indeed will be a wonderful time when “…the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Eternal as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/counting-pentecost

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Update.

Stores are opening up and life is starting become normal, but with muzzles. Most people are still wearing masks, and it is required to wear one even walking around these apartments or to the laundry or mailbox.  

I took a neighbor and her dog to a vet almost into the town of Anderson to be groomed and vaccinated.  It was only 8 miles away, so we came back to the apartments until it was time to get him again. He was happy to be home. She wanted to repay me by taking me out to eat at the Mexican restaurant owned by one of our church members, so we took my church neighbor too.  With good distancing etiquette we were placed in a corner of the restaurant, and we all had a very good meal.

I pride myself on my good health for my age of nearly 85, but I had to break down and see the physician’s assistant. She examined me and made an appointment for me to see an internist in College Station.  He examined me and it is set up for me to go to the hospital on the 11th. June.  I hate going to College Station.  I have lived half my life in the Houston/Conroe area, and the layout of College Station just baffles my poor old brain.  My church friend went with me, and we went to HEB afterwards as there are so many items that we can’t get in our local small town grocery store.  We ate at The Cotton Patch, it was good food and service, but again we were distanced in an obscure corner.

Because I will probably have to go to the hospital, I was worried about who would take care of the cat, Casper, that I had rescued.  He has fattened up and has become a really loving and gentle pet.  My SPCA boss said that she would take care of him, have him checked for FIV and FeLV, neutered and vaccinated, so my wonderful friend Chris came from Willis and transported him.  Casper might even be up for adoption if his health checks out. I always feel that once I have them healthy and happy that I am too old to take up an animal’s time when he could have a younger person and permanent “furever” home. At my age this home might not be too permanent.  If he has FIV or FeLV the normal procedure is to have them PTS because he would be unadoptable, but he and I bonded so closely that I don’t think I could let that happen.  People who adopt animals don’t realize how much love and care the foster gives that pet, and the foster parents do want to hear how they are once in a while. 

My young, (in her early 70’s), church neighbor was worn out from going to College Station yesterday, and so she didn’t go to church with me this morning.  We did the Bible study on Zoom again.  There were only about 8 people at the church and the rest were shown on Zoom on the TV that I took over there as the laptop they were using is so small. The pastor streamed the sermon on Facebook.  The subject was the first 4 verses of  Tim. 2.  “Character of a Soldier of Christ”.  He said that the church is going to open up and be normal in two weeks on the Sabbath, 6th. June, won’t that be a great day!

Coronavirus Prayer. CDC. Where Is Lent in the Bible? What Are Ash Wednesday and Lent? Update.

Coronavirus Prayer

“A controversial photo provides us an important reminder.

VP Pence ridiculed for praying with coronavirus task force

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/eiphnCKLhbk

[Darris McNeely] We’re all still watching news about the coronavirus as it continues to spread among the nations. More than 80,000 people have been infected by it, more than 3,000 people have died as of the last news report that I had on this subject. And we are still very much fearful of where it will go and what will happen even as nations such as the United States take the necessary precautions to shield its citizens and to work toward a vaccine to ward this off. We’re not out of the woods yet, but there is hope and there is reason to expect that we will see better days on this.

An interesting picture came up on the internet recently. In the United States, President Trump has appointed Vice President Pence to head up the team, the task force that is dealing with the coronavirus. In a meeting in the offices of the vice president, before they began, they did something that you see on that picture there. They all bound their heads and they asked a prayer. Pretty good thing, to ask prayer for something like the coronavirus or any other type of a pandemic or serious national crisis and emergency. It’s unbelievable, the criticism that came as a result of this picture when it got posted on the internet and what people thought. Critics, people of different ideas about God, Bible, religion, criticizing leaders praying for wisdom and for God’s hand and his intervention in this world crisis that is developing this pandemic of coronavirus. It brought to mind a scripture.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, it says from God to the people of Israel what to do at a time of crisis. It says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Those were God’s words to His people. Those were God’s words to any people, and they are words that we should listen to today.

I have no problem with the vice president leading a group prayer as they try to tackle this problem, and seek a solution, and come to a point for it. We should applaud that, and we all should go to God and ask God to give us wisdom and to heal our land. There may be a bigger crisis that will hit this land that will teach us this very same lesson, to call out to God, and to ask for his mercy, and ask for his help.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/coronavirus-prayer

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Don’t be alarmed by the media’s reports on Coronavirus, just check with the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Where Is Lent in the Bible?

“The Bible shows the truth behind popular customs like Lent.

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZsLnzmTEegY

[Steve Myers] Christianity has now entered the Lenten season. Mardi Gras is passed, Fat Tuesday into Ash Wednesday, and now the Lenten season is recognized by much of the Christian world. But when you check out what your Bible has to say about Lent, you’re not gonna find anything. It’s a man-made tradition, and when you recognize what God thinks about counterfeiting his way, it’s a very serious thing.

There is a powerful passage in the book of Colossians, Colossians 3:23. This is what God inspired Paul to write. “These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”  You see the problem with false Christianity, made up Christianity, false traditions, they do a disservice to God and dishonor him. And when you really check out the basis for these practices, you’ll find them rooted in false beliefs, paganism.

I hope you’ll take some time to check it out. If you’ll search on our website, just type in the words “Lent,” and you’ll find a number of articles where you can get into the details of how Lent is an imposter, how it is fake, how is it a counterfeit to what the true God wants us to observe. So check it out, I think you’ll be surprised by what you find.” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/where-is-lent-in-the-bible

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What Are Ash Wednesday and Lent? Does the Bible Tell Us to Celebrate

These Days?

“After Mardi Gras comes Ash Wednesday and 40 days of Lent. Did the early New Testament Church observe these days?

Enterline Design Services LLC/iStock/Thinkstock

The Bible does teach the importance of fasting and self-examination, but it does not teach a 40-day period called Lent or an Ash Wednesday of putting ashes on the forehead.

The Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or Lent, and the early New Testament Church did not observe these days. Here is how the BBC Religion page describes Ash Wednesday and Lent:

“Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It’s a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast.

“Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some other churches hold special services at which worshippers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin…

“The Christian churches that observe Lent in the 21st century (and not all do significantly) use it as a time for prayer and penance. Only a small number of people today fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It is more common these days for believers to surrender a particular vice such as favourite foods or smoking” (BBC).

Lent is counted differently by those of the Western Catholic tradition and those of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. “The western church excludes Sundays (which is celebrated as the day of Christ’s resurrection) whereas the eastern church includes them. The churches also start Lent on different days. Western churches start Lent on the 7th Wednesday before Easter Day (called Ash Wednesday). Eastern churches start Lent on the Monday of the 7th week before Easter and end it on the Friday 9 days before Easter. Eastern churches call this period the ‘Great Lent’” (BBC).

Various biblical events and customs are referred to by those who celebrate these days. The Bible mentions people mourning in sackcloth and ashes. The Bible also talks about repentance and fasting, and the number 40 is prominent in various biblical events.

“The justification for the Lenten 40-day preparation for Easter is traditionally based on Jesus’ 40-day wilderness fast before His temptation by Satan (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, ‘Lent’; Matthew 4:1-2; Mark 1:13). The problem with this explanation is that this incident is not connected in any way with Jesus’ supposed observance of Easter. The 40-day pre-Easter practice of fasting and penance did not originate in the Bible” (The Good Friday—Easter Sunday Question).

Some have suggested that Lent may be connected to earlier, pagan holidays. In Ezekiel 8:14, the prophet in vision saw women weeping for the pagan god Tammuz. “It has been suggested by some scholars that the practice of ‘weeping for Tammuz’ was the actual origin of Lent, the Roman Catholic 40-day period of abstinence prior to Easter (starting after Mardi Gras, ‘Fat Tuesday,’ on Ash Wednesday). Consider that the name Easter itself is derived from Ishtar, the ancient Babylonian fertility goddess and Tammuz’s mother”. (See the Bible commentary on Ezekiel 8 for details.)

The Bible does teach the importance of fasting and self-examination, but it does not teach a 40-day period called Lent or an Ash Wednesday of putting ashes on the forehead. These customs appear to have pagan origins.  We seek to follow the customs and practices of the early New Testament Church as described in the Bible. For more on the biblical religious festivals, such as the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the spring, see God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/what-are-ash-wednesday-and-lent-does-the-bible-tell-us-to-celebrate-these-days

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Update.

Apart from the bible studies here and going grocery shopping in College Station, there hasn’t been much to report.  My medical situation changed so I had to confer with the agent to get a different policy with United Care.  She was very thorough and helpful so now I will have a DO instead of an MD for my doctor.  Most MDs, all they know is how to write prescriptions.  DOs have a different kind of training, I hope this one is like that!

The most notable thing this last week was that my little abused, rescued dog, Foxie, finally got the message that it was OK to pee, and no one was going to punish her for peeing again.  She used to be so afraid when she wet her blankie and would tremble and try to hide it she was so afraid of being punished.  With lots of praise every time she peed outside, she got the message that it was OK and then she would smile, like an American Eskimo can.  Now she will wait until she is taken outside and doesn’t pee on her blankie any more.  But she is still terrified of strangers and will tremble when she sees them.  Now she has gone to an SPCA friend of mine who has a fenced yard, who will train her some more, and get her spayed.  I miss Foxie, but she needed a place to run, play with other dogs, and not be on a leash all the time. 

For the church potluck I made a pot full of organic veggies.  They don’t serve meat there at that church. The sermon was “Why Keep The Sabbath” and why it is a Sabbath made for man to rest on the seventh day.

Permissiveness. How to Avoid Temptation. Do You Know The Difference Between Flattery And A Compliment? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Permissiveness

We were taught to ask for permission to go places and do things when we were children.

Timothy Eberly/Unsplash

“God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always.

Responsible adults knew that there was a proper balance in giving permission and permissiveness. Permissiveness opens the door to doing what we please—we set the rules, guidelines and standards. Good parents make sure that we understand what consequences may come from our decisions. They shun permissiveness and know that their control will be a safeguard all of our lives.

God is the best parent. If He wanted to be permissive—allowing humans to determine right and wrong, holy and profane—He would have given us Ten Suggestions rather than Ten Commandments. Commandments do not include any permissiveness. Jesus came to magnify those Ten (Isaiah 42:21). God is merciful and kind as parents ought to be, but His goal is for our good always. His laws allow us to build character and define boundaries that are good for us.

We do not ask Him for permission to sin—He does not allow that. So don’t ask!”  From:  https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/permissiveness

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How to Avoid Temptation

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/xvBOPGrGfhc

[Steve Myers] “We all face it. Temptation seems to be everywhere in our world, and sometimes it just seems absolutely overwhelming. But you know there’s a key that we’re given in Hebrews 2:18 that I think is so powerful, because it points to our Savior, Jesus Christ. And here’s what it says. It says, “For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

A couple of things that are very interesting about this passage. Christ personally has suffered through and experienced temptation, the way that we do and He’s uniquely qualified to help us. I love this word for aid that’s used in this particular passage, “He’s able to aid those who are tempted.”

That’s the very same word that’s used all the way back in Acts 27:17. If you’re not familiar with Acts 27, that’s where the Apostle Paul is about to be shipwrecked and he’s going through an amazing hurricane, it seems, and this ship is falling apart. And you know what they do? They take cables, and they run these supporting cables under the ship to help hold it together. And that word in that section of Acts 27 of those supporting cables, is the same word that’s used here as Christ aids us.

So imagine that, when we turn to Christ and we look to him, we pray to God the Father and ask for His help and His guidance, He wraps us around with His aid like those supporting cables that were holding that ship together in the most difficult storm. That’s what we can count on. We can count on our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can count on God the Father to wrap us up in His supporting arms and come to our aid even before sin. Even as we’re being tempted, God is always there to help us.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/how-to-avoid-temptation

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Watch Out!

Do you know the difference between flattery and a compliment?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/XP8NdZUtXPE

[Gary Petty] “All of us like compliments. We appreciate it when someone comes up and tells us, “Boy, that was a good job” or “You look nice today.” But there’s a real difference between a compliment and flattery. They may seem to be the same but actually, they’re not. You know, it’s interesting that in the book of Proverbs, Solomon writes this, “Ointment and perfume delight the heart and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.”

You know, it’s very rewarding. It can be very encouraging when someone we know who’s very sincere comes up and tells us what a good job we did or like I said, how good we look that day or just give us a compliment. Flattery is something else. Flattery is given by a person who is not sincere. Their compliments have a purpose. They’re actually trying to get something out of us. They’re trying to manipulate us.

Here’s what Solomon wrote about flattery. He says, “A man who flatters his neighbor, spreads a net for his feet.” You see, when someone is flattering you, what they’re trying to do is use the compliments to endear you to them so that eventually, they can manipulate you, get something out of you. But it’s not for your benefit. A good compliment is out of appreciation for your benefit. Flattery is something different. It’s very hard to tell the difference. And this is something that children need to learn. The difference between a compliment and flattery.

One of the greatest stories that teaches, especially children, about flattery is one of Aesop’s Fables. In this fable, there is a crow sitting up on a limb that has a huge piece of food in her beak. A fox comes along and says, “Wow, you are the most beautiful crow. The most beautiful bird. You’re beautiful. You have a great complexion. You have a wonderful shape. In fact, you would be the queen of all the birds if you could just sing.” Well, the crow is so taken aback by all the flattery, that she says she’s going to prove that she should be the queen of the birds by singing. Opens her mouth, the food drops out and the fox grabs it and runs away. And basically says, “I complimented her over her beauty, not her brains.” Important lesson.

So remember, when people keep giving you compliments, be sure and think about is that a genuine compliment? If it is, accept it in the spirit that it’s given. But if someone keeps flattering you in an insincere way, be aware, because they may be trying to take advantage of you.”    From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/watch-out

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Update.

Another week with two trips to the chiropractor in Conroe, but these will be last for now.  I am better than I was, thank goodness, because it looks like a move is in the near future.  That means moving everything out of my house, the mini-house, (furnished ex-guest house), both attics, all the tools out of the garage and shed, 2 motor homes, one station wagon, my van, plus all my resale stuff from my business.

We took my foster cat inside the air-conditioned title company in Conroe while I signed some papers after Chris and I had taken her to the vet for her check-up to go into the SPCA Cat Habitat at Petco, Conroe.  She checked out free from FIV and FeLuk, two deadly diseases that cats often acquire if they go outside.  That is why it s so important to keep them indoors. The techs said that “Silver” was really good when she had the blood drawn, her rabies vax and was micro chipped. 

These papers that I had to sign were just odd stuff that has to be done before the closing papers are drawn up, so I guess this Buyer means business.  I have had offers to help me pack, but I tell them that is jumping the gun.  It’s not over until the fat lady sings…… all the way to the bank !

To be somewhat prepared, Zack and I got down the many boxes of drapes and RV parts out of my attic.  All those years of working on RV’s, we had to have all colors of fabric for me to be able to make drapes for the different RV’s.  Most of them were sorted and boxed up to go to different thrift shops.  On one of my trips to the chiropractor I donated 6 big bags of drapes to the Assistance League.

Some of the dishes, cookware, sheets and towels that were stored up in my attic that came out of my 1968 vintage motor home, we call “Pugsy”,  will be used in my Holiday Rambler travel trailer that is now stored in Chris’ horse pasture about a mile way.  Pugsy is now on eBay, with no reserve, and there is already one bid.  (P.S. Which was later canceled). That will be one big thing that I don’t use, out of the yard. 

The electrician replaced some of the mobile home type outlets in the HR trailer, so now the outlets will be able to handle larger things better.

“Silver” got her other booster shots two days after her rabies shot.  We just don’t like to do them all on the same day.  Then the next day, Saturday, before I went to church, Chris picked her up and she went into the Habitat for all the world to see. She is a pretty, outgoing little baby and she should be adopted soon. I can’t have an animal in the senior apartment where I am going in Navasota, TX, if/when the house deal goes through. 

As I had bought some taco shells that were non-GMO, ( I won’t eat any corn unless it is non-GMO) I made some taco meat with ground turkey for the church potluck, and also took a lot of roasted yellow squash, but not enough, it went fast. We also had the usual lasagna, salads, other meats and veggies.

The Bible readings were Psa. 2, 100, Exo. 23:6-24:18 (that is about keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts Days), Isa. 60:17,18, Matt 26:27,28 and all of Matt. 22.  The Teaching was about how “We Are The Branches” in Rom. 11:17, plus many other verses, and how the Gentiles are grafted in.  Then after the potluck we stayed and had a Bible Study, so it was a well rounded day.

What Really Happened on Good Friday? Christ’s Body. Christ’s Blood.

For  “Scripture Sunday”,

What Really Happened on Good Friday?

“Every year millions commemorate Good Friday on the Friday before Easter. It’s believed that Jesus was crucified and entombed on that Friday afternoon. But does the Bible teach that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday?

Good Friday is the traditional holiday supposedly honoring the day of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. However, a concordance search will reveal that the term Good Friday is not found in the New Testament. In fact, its exact origin is uncertain. Some sources say it comes from “God’s Friday,” while others say it comes from the German Gute Freitag. It is referred to as “Holy Friday” in Romance languages and was called “Long Friday” by the Anglo-Saxons and is still referred to that way in modern Danish.

But do the four Gospel accounts designate Friday as the day Jesus died and was entombed? If not, then what did happen on that Friday?

When we understand that there were two Sabbaths observed in Jerusalem that week—an annual Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath—understanding Jesus’ statement about “three days and three nights” becomes easier.”  Continue Reading.

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/what-really-happened-on-good-friday/?

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Christ’s Body

Matthew 26:26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

The breaking of the unleavened bread at the New Testament Passover service is symbolic of Christ’s suffering in our place for our sins. It reminds us of our deserved punishment that fell on Jesus as His body was beaten and broken.

Eating the bread is also symbolic of our allowing Jesus Christ to live His life in us, and our need to live by every word of God (John 6:35; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 4:4). Just as physical food is essential to maintain physical life, living by the spiritual “bread” is essential for a healthy spiritual life.

Study more about Passover in our Fundamental Beliefs “12. The Passover.” See also “Passover: What Did Jesus Do for You?”

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“This Is My Blood … for the Remission of Sins”

Matthew 26:27-28

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

It was Jesus’ intent that each year as Christians drink this small glass of red wine that it would serve as a vivid reminder that His blood—His life—was poured out for us. This helps to impress on us the reality of the enormous price that was necessary to pay to forgive our sins—the death of the Son of God!

Christians remember the New Covenant that we made with God at baptism every year as we take the Passover. The New Covenant allows God to write His laws on our hearts, and it provides forgiveness of our sins and a promise of eternal life (Hebrews 8:8-12; 9:15).

Study more about sin and Christ’s shed blood for our forgiveness in our Fundamental Beliefs “6. Sin and God’s Law” and “7. The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” See also our article “Seven Last Sayings of Jesus.”

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Update.

After two visits to a chiropractor, at my own expense, at last I have some relief from my back pain.  My tailbone will always be a sore spot because it is bent. Still waiting for out of network permission from my medical insurance to pay for treatment.  A friend who does Myofascial Release helped quite a bit.  She originally learned how to do this on horses, but it works on other four legged and two legged beings also.  (It is a type of physical therapy often used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. These tissues surround and support the muscles throughout your body.)

As I am supposed to have a contract on both my house and the mini-house, so when the opportunity came to buy an old Holiday Rambler Presidential travel trailer, I grabbed it.  Yes, it needs work, but at least I will have a home if the house deal goes through.

Getting the trailer moved was quite a process. It was under a rickety roof-over, which had been repaired with cross beams that were too low to allow the AC to pass under them, so they had to be removed. Then there had been a water leak under it and a great big wet area was hampering getting the leveling blocks out.  A water faucet on a post was not far in front of it, so that meant that the truck couldn’t be lined up very well. 

My girlfrend with a 3/4 ton diesel truck and I couldn’t do it alone, so I called “Mr. Impossible”, my son Kevin.  Fortunately, he has just moved back to TX from FL.  He can do impossible things, and he really did it then.  But because the grass was so slippery we had to pull his big van with my friends diesel chained in front of it, to get the trailer out. One tire was flat so we had to mount the spare. My compressor came in handy to air up the tires too. The trailer has an electric jack which didn’t work, so fortunately my floor jack and some cement blocks did the job.  I still didn’t have my subdivision’s permission to bring it in here, so we took it to my friend’s horse pasture.  But before we could even get it through the gate, Kevin had to cut a bunch of low hanging branches down with his chainsaw. But at least we got it out into a safe place with no real mishaps, and no people, animals or property were hurt in the process.

I made Baked Jimaca Fries and a Bison Impossible Pie for the church’s Sabbath potluck.  Then anything with leavening was taken out of the church’s kitchen for me to store in the empty mini-house fridge, as Passover starts on Friday evening.  A lot of us can’t drive at night, so we are going to have our Passover Service at 11.am on Saturday.

The Bible readings  were Exo. 9:1-35, Isa. 34:11-35:4, Heb. 12:14-17 and Matt. 13:51 to the end of chapter 14.

My little skinny foster cat, Oreo, is really on her last legs, and I have been packing up all her meds and food to give back to my SPCA boss.  Oreo makes her last ride to the vet this afternoon, so I going to go lie down with her for the last time before she goes over Rainbow Bridge.

As you can see I have been really busy, so this post is for last Sunday.

Prophecy: What Lies Ahead for You and Your World? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Prophecy: What Lies Ahead for You and Your World?

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  Kingdom of God

  What is the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven? When will it come? Where is it? Why is the message of the Kingdom of God called good news?

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  Revelation

  Can the mysterious book of Revelation—the last book of the Bible—be understood today? What does it mean for your future?

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  Understanding the Book of Daniel

  Does the book of Daniel have any significance for us today? Or is it simply a good book for children’s stories like “Daniel in the Lion’s Den”?

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  End Times

  Where are we in Bible prophecy? Is this age the time of the end? Can people calculate the date of Jesus Christ’s return to this earth?

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  Prophets

  Was Nostradamus a true prophet? How can you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? What does God have to say about true and false prophets?

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  America in Prophecy?

  Many small nations are mentioned in Bible prophecy. Wouldn’t God also address a major world power like the United States of America in prophecy?

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  12 Tribes of Israel

  What promises did God make to the 12 tribes of Israel? What were His plans and expectations for them? What is the significance of these things today?

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  Middle East

  Bible prophecy is heavily focused on the Middle East. It is destined to be the focal point of end-time conflict—and of the Kingdom of God beyond!

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Update.

The post for last Sunday was all ready, but it is in my laptop, then a lot of things happened and I couldn’t post it.  So now this quick one, hopefully with a lot of Bible info.  One thing which has really hampered me this week is that I hurt my tail-bone and it hurts to sit down and even worse getting up.  So I didn’t go to the YMCA for the Yoga and Senior exercises. I did a lot of standing this week and cooked a lot of veggies that I had been given, including two great big Bok Choy.

I bought a used fridge for the mini-house, it is 5’ tall but only 24” deep, so it doesn’t overpower the space like the deeper, taller one did.

My new 14 year old foster cat arrived, a full grown skinny bag of bones weighing only 4 lb called “Oreo”.  She has to have thyroid and heart medicine rubbed inside her ears twice a day, and she wouldn’t eat. Her previous foster-mom had been force-feeding her with a syringe (without a needle, of course), and poor little Oreo didn’t like that, and nor did I. 

I wanted to get her eating by herself, so I bought her some KRM (Kitten Replacement Milk, that is for orphan kittens) which she would lap up a bit from time to time.  Gradually, she ate some Greenies, a nutritious cat treat, and then a couple of days later I took her to the vet for her twice monthly thyroid blood test, and they also gave her a B12 shot.  They said that she looked a lot better now as she was allergic to something at her previous place where her nose and sinuses were so messed up that she had to have a humidifier there.  She hasn’t shown any signs of that here. 

Poor little black and white Oreo, had been in a cattery, in a cage, with no home life for 12 years, and my SPCA boss wanted her to know what it was like to be in a loving home, being individually loved, and sleeping on someone’s bed.  That is why I was given the privilege of caring for her.  She is really loving it here, and last night she crawled up on my bed and slept there, purring. Finally, she is eating a little canned food, (Wellness, the best), diluted with water, so I hope when she goes back for her next thyroid check in two weeks, that she will have gained some weight.

As usual, we have been battling the winter scattering of pine needles and pine cones.  I heard that the pine cones will really do a number on a mower blade, so we have been raking and picking them all up before it was mowed.

Then more battling with this desktop which kept suddenly restarting like there had been a power failure, and I was frantic to save my pictures which I thought had gone into Google Drive but they hadn’t.  I need My Pictures to earn money by selling stuff, and if this computer dies, then I need my pictures in my laptop.  Finally, we got them on a thumb drive, so now Maybe I can get them in the laptop. Well, not me, I will have to get my neighbor to help me, as I don’t know how to do that. 

I am just an old great-grandma who all she knew when she was given a computer was how to type so I have had to teach myself how to work it to sell things to help pay the bills.  In the beginning, I knew how to sell stuff on eBay, but didn’t know how to write an email !  So, after a few weeks, I went to the library for them to show me how to do that. 

As I had some stew meat, I made a Beef and Barley Stew with organic veggies for the church potluck. Then there were the usual salads, lasagne, other beef dishes, pies, cookies and fruit.

The Bible readings were Prov. 8:1-17, Exo. 2:23-4:11, Isa. 40:11-19, Acts 10:9-28 and all of Matt 10.  The Teaching wa about The Readiness in The Believer.  About the desire to do something and then the preparation.

It was another ‘no-heat-nor-air-needed’ day.

US Paying More for Illegal Immigrant Births Than Trump’s Wall. Time Spent Wisely. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

The Illegal Immigration Crisis—No End in Sight

“As debate between those who want secure borders preventing illegal immigration and those who want open borders rages on, the crisis continues to grow.

Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters/Newscom

The immigration issue has stoked the growing fires of division.

Nothing paints the divide of the culture war more starkly than the debate over illegal immigration. People in the United States and many other nations debate this issue continually, ideologically split into one of two camps—those who feel that unrestricted immigration is good for their nation and those concerned that it’s being inundated by waves of people skirting the rules in coming into the country illegally, saddling the nation with enormous and unsustainable costs.

As polarization over the issue increases, so does the rhetoric. U.S. President Donald Trump, whose 2016 election resulted in part from his strong stand on immigration, shocked many with his recent announcement that he is considering an executive order that would end automatic unrestricted “birthright citizenship” for babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil (a practice allowed in fewer than one in five countries around the world).

On the other side, the radical left in America has reacted to strong enforcement actions by the U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security with calls to abolish it.

The changing face of immigration

There’s no denying that the United States was built on immigration. The ancestors of the vast majority of people in America came to its shores from many other nations, seeking economic and religious freedom and a better life. Regardless of whether they stepped off 17th- or 18th-century sailing ships onto the Virginia or Massachusetts shore, or passed through Ellis Island in the 19th or early 20th century, they arrived legally. In time, many came through a process that required they learn English, understand America’s form of government and pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag.

For legal immigrants, that process continues. But the past 40 or so years have witnessed millions coming to the United States illegally, bypassing a legal immigration process developed over a long time.

Drawn to a land of peace instead of turmoil, one governed by the rule of law rather than the whims of despotic dictators, with a rich economy offering opportunities not available in their native countries, illegals unwilling to “go to the end of the line” cross into the United States relatively easily through thousands of miles of virtually unprotected borders. After arriving, they soon avail themselves of many social services on offer and find menial jobs in America’s vast underground economy.

Making matters worse is the prospect that some could be terrorists or potential terrorists driven by a fanatical hatred of the nation extending to them the hand of security and opportunity. (Keep in mind that Islamic terrorists have killed more than 3,000 Americans in nearly 20 attacks on U.S. soil.)

The immigration issue has stoked the growing fires of division. Many feel compassion for the pitiful plight of millions oppressed in nations around the world and want to open the gates wide to any and all comers. Others see this as a tidal wave threatening to undermine and sweep away the very freedoms and opportunities that have always drawn in immigrants from abroad.

Of course it’s right to want to help, but the concerning threat here is very real—not only to America but to other countries around the world, such as Britain, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, India, Brazil—and the list goes on.

Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan warned more than 30 years ago, “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.” Governors of several southwestern U.S. states recognize the threat, with former Arizona governor Jan Brewer echoing Reagan: “A nation without borders is like a house without walls—it collapses. And that is going to happen to our wonderful America.”

A costly problem

No one really knows how many illegal immigrants are in the United States. Estimates run between 11 and 13 million, making the illegal segment about 4 percent of the population. However, a Yale University study released in September 2018 puts the number much higher—between 16 and 30 million. Either way, Census Bureau and Department of Homeland Security figures show the number has increased rapidly from about 8 million in 2007, peaking around 2016. Stepped-up border enforcement and deportation efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have tamped down increases since then.

Many illegally entering the United States view the country as “the Promised Land,” so to speak, where they can get government-provided food stamps, free health care and free or subsidized housing. These services, of course, are not free. The most recent figures from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) put total federal and state costs of providing for illegal immigrants at more than $134 billion per year.

The estimated $19 billion per year illegals pay in federal and state income taxes does little to offset this cost. Put in simpler terms, each illegal immigrant costs U.S. taxpayers almost $8,000 per year, year after year.

….. Of course, border enforcement—or lack thereof—is also inextricably linked to drug trafficking. The same Mexican crime lords who smuggle drugs across the southern border also smuggle human beings. Most illegal drugs sold in the United States come from Mexico, and heroin is making a huge comeback. In 2017, the last year for which figures are available, more than 72,000 Americans died of drug overdoses—that’s nearly 200 a day and more than all U.S. deaths from the Vietnam and Iraq wars combined.”      Continued at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/the-illegal-immigration-crisis-no-end-in-sight

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Time Spent Wisely

“Our lives fly along at a fast pace.

Gus Moretta/Unsplash

It’s far better to use our time wisely and be productive so that we will not be looking back with regret.

Five, 10 and then 20 years are gone in a flash. Knowing that helps us appreciate the value of each day. Time is not to be wasted in idle inaction or just drifting along with whatever comes to us. We must all make the most of our own time—it has to be a conscious decision. Lost years are never regained.

Let’s review two important passages of advice from the Bible. One tells us that poverty and need is a result of not using time wisely (Proverbs 6:10). The second passage tells us we need to remember our Creator when we are young and full of energy before the difficult days come and the years in which you have no pleasure (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Many people say “if only” or “I should have” or “I wish I could do that over again.” Life does not let us turn back the clock. It’s far better to use our time wisely and be productive so that we will not be looking back with regret.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/time-spent-wisely

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Update.

Well, selling the sofa that was in the house and the matching loveseat that was in the mini-house, made big spaces in each place.  Zack and I moved a daybed that I have had stored for years, into my living room so at least we have something to sit upon. 

Then, as there was room in the mini-house, we put the dining nook set together, and I listed it for sale.  There is no way I could have used it as pictured, I need just a small table and a couple of chairs. We haven’t quite finished working on the table, but we will have to hurry as there have already been inquiries about it.

My foster cat, Gracie, went back to her ‘Mom’ and their home which has been repaired since the fire.  It took about 10 months to repair it, maybe I was better off when mine burned to the ground in 1989, because it didn’t take us that long to build a whole new house!  Though a small one, granted.  I think it was stress from the fire that made Gracie chew on cardboard boxes because she quit that. It seems strange not to have a cat in the house.

On Thursday I had my other eye done. A neighbor of Jay’s took me.  This cataract surgery seemed a lot easier than the first one.  No “cement-being-scraped-off-glass” sounds this time. Friday was the post-op follow-up, and my SPCA friend took me. I was trying to spread my ‘nuisanceness’ around so as not to bother one person too much! 

On Saturday I drove 10 miles to the church myself, but I did have another driver with me, Jay, even though he doesn’t have a license.  After the first eye surgery, I asked the nurse when I could drive and she said as soon as I felt that I wouldn’t be mowing down pedestrians.  There are no sidewalks on the freeway or country roads to the church, so there were no pedestrians for me to scare!

Because I didn’t know if I would even be able to get to church, I didn’t cook anything for the Sabbath potluck, so I grabbed some organic lentils and quinoa that were already cooked, added some seasonings and veggies, and took it in a little crockpot.  Then I grabbed a red velvet cake that was in my freezer, and so that at least contributed to the desserts. Neither weighed that much as I am not supposed to carry more than 5lb for now.

Jay and I arrived safely and I was able to drive OK.  The Bible readings were Gen. 37:1-36, Jer. 38:1-13, Mat. 3:13-17 and all of Mat. 1.  Our pastor has decided that we need to read more of the New Testament in church.  We cannot separate the Jews (Old Testament) and the Christians (New Testament) because Jesus was, and is, a Jew.  The Teaching was about Divine Requirements and we should be doers of The Word, not just hearers, and have inward righteousness.

It was great to see the family with a new baby that hadn’t been there for a while, as they were back in town for a couple of days.