Rising Prices, Surging Crime What Can You Do? God Blessed the Seventh Day. How Effective Is Chemotherapy for Colon, Lung, Breast, and Prostate Cancers?

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Rising Prices, Surging Crime, What Can You Do?

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“As the cost of living escalates and crime intensifies, what can you do to aid your family? And where can you find lasting help, hope and stability in this time of turbulent change and uncertainty?

When God is a priority in your life, you can ask Him to guide your daily decisions and actions and He will respond with favor.

Among today’s many troubling issues is the fact that families are enduring financial turmoil as prices for food, gasoline, housing and nearly everything else skyrockets. Bills are piling up and worries magnify as an increasing number of people are living paycheck to paycheck. At the same time, lawlessness is mounting while government officials seem unable to deal with these issues.

What can you do? Precautions are vital in dangerous times (Proverbs 22:3; Proverbs 27:12). What steps can you take? And what is the most important action you can take to bring help, hope and stability to you and your family?  

Taking action to deal with rising prices

Most of today’s escalating costs are the result of inflation—the increase in the cost of goods and services which decreases people’s purchasing power. Inflation is, in effect, an endless tax that impacts everyone, but especially those who are poor, middle class or living on a fixed income and already have difficulty affording necessities.

In addition, inflation leads to rising interest rates—increasing the cost of large purchases such as houses and vehicles—and slows overall economic growth.

So what are some practical actions you can take to contend with the rising expenses your family is experiencing?

If you’re a conscientious shopper, you’re likely already buying less expensive, generic-brand products, using manufacturers’ coupons and reducing purchases of expensive prepackaged convenience foods. But what else can you do?

Consider changing where you shop, at least for some products. You may want to look for online-only and “dollar”-type stores for discounted food items as well as outlet grocery stores that offer significant markdowns as product “sell by” dates draw near. Also, consider shopping at “bulk” stores to purchase larger quantities of nonperishable food items, household paper products and other essentials—since doing so reduces your per unit cost.

You might also take a close look at what you’re spending for cell phone plans, video streaming services, vehicle and home insurance premiums, gym memberships, cable subscriptions and your credit card interest rate if you have to carry a balance. The recurring costs in these plans and services may be negotiable. Calling or writing to request lower rates is frequently successful—which can be valuable in helping reduce your monthly expenses.

Other money-saving suggestions include checking to see if you qualify for an energy assistance program. These are designed to help with monthly utility bills.

Consider replacing your old thermostat with a programmable one. You could save as much as 10 percent annually by turning down the heat in winter while you’re at work or school. You could also consider asking your employer for a pay raise if you’ve been a reliable, hardworking employee—good employees are increasingly hard to find.

You can probably come up with some other ways to cut costs too. Do additional research online for more ideas.

Protecting your home and family as crime surges

Sadly, criminal activity is surging in today’s society. Since crime can occur nearly anywhere—including your own neighborhood—take preventative measures to safeguard your family. According to a recent article in Forbes magazine, “You can start protecting yourself by evaluating your home, changing your habits when you leave and putting other measures in place that could improve your home’s security” (Emily Glover, “10 Ways to Secure Your Home Against Home Invasion,” Forbes, July 25, 2022).

The article goes on to explain that “according to the U.S. Department of Justice, a burglary is considered a home invasion when a resident is present. Although burglaries can and do happen at any time, they are most common during daytime hours.” Below are some valuable actions you can take to help protect your home and family:

“Keep Curtains and Blinds Pulled. Criminals may look through windows to scout potential burglary targets or to evaluate whether residents are home. Keep curtains or blinds pulled down in any room where you aren’t currently enjoying the natural light. This also goes for when you leave the house for work, errands or trips.

“Invest in a Home Security System. From ones that can be professionally installed and monitored to [do it yourself] options that offer great protection against home invasions.

“Get Motion-Sensing Lights. You can set motion-sensing smart lights to activate when you are out of the house. If you’re on vacation, this can also signal to helpful neighbors who are keeping watch that something isn’t right.

“Don’t Broadcast Upcoming Departures. As tempting as it may be to share upcoming travel plans on social media, it’s not worth the risk. Even telling a friend about your itinerary when you are in a public place can be ill-advised as you don’t know who else may be eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Keep the Doors Locked and Garage Shut. If doors are left unlocked or the garage is open, fast-moving burglars can strike when you go out on a walk, or even are just in the yard. It’s also worth keeping your windows locked, and don’t forget any windows to the basement.

“Look Out for Neighbors (and Vice Versa). What’s good for your neighborhood is good for your home. By making it clear to burglars that you live in a place where neighbors look out for each other, they may be deterred from trying their chances. If you decide to make a house key available to a neighbor, give it to them directly rather than leaving it in an outdoor hiding place.”

The most important action you can take

While the above measures involving cost savings and protecting your home and family can be highly beneficial, there is another extremely important action you can take to assure that you and your family will have what is needed to live satisfactorily and safely.

At Beyond Today magazine we desire to help our readers understand the crucial significance of placing their lives in the hands of their Creator who says in His Word, the Bible, that there is no real security apart from Him: “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalms 127:1).

Yet to those who trust Him He promises: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10, emphasis added throughout).

The Eternal God is supremely willing to offer you and your family the help, strength and guidance needed to successfully handle life’s many troubles (Psalms 18:2-3; Psalms 91:5-7). King David of ancient Israel stated: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalms 121:1-2, English Standard Version).

Also, the apostle Paul wrote, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, World English Bible).

These awesome promises can be yours if you place Him first in your life, turn from sin and diligently keep His commandments, which He designed for your full benefit (Psalms 119:2; Matthew 6:31-34; Matthew 19:17).

Jesus Christ declared, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). When God and His ways are a priority in your life, you can ask Him to guide your daily decisions and actions, and He will respond with great favor. Plus, He will gladly help you prepare for eternal life in His coming magnificent Kingdom (John 10:28).

All of this involves maintaining a close and enduring relationship with God through Jesus Christ—by daily prayer and living by “every word of God,” the Bible (Luke 4:4).

Why is a steadfast relationship with Christ so crucially important? It’s because your human strength and resolve can take you only so far. However, with the overwhelming aid, power and peace of mind He provides, you enjoy a huge advantage, as the following passages make clear. Psalms 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Also, Hebrews 4:16 says we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Furthermore, as the apostle Paul wrote, “Let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

These and other biblical promises affirm marvelous benefits that tower far above and beyond anything you could ever obtain on your own or even think up (Ephesians 3:20). So why carry the entire burden yourself when Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

As you face increasing expenses today and as crime and lawlessness could perhaps affect the safety of your family, be sure to take the appropriate actions to care for and safeguard them. But most importantly, place yourself and your concerns in the hands of your Creator!

If you diligently and humbly seek, trust and obey Him, He will be more than willing to give you the help, hope and stability you need. To be sure, “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Therefore, will you seek God and follow His ways? He wants to help you and your family and is looking forward to doing so!” From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/rising-prices-surging-crime-what-can-you-do

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God Blessed the Seventh Day

Genesis 2:2-3

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

“Genesis, the book of beginnings, recounts the six days of creation, followed by a seventh day of rest. By resting, God set the seventh day apart and made it holy.

This act of creation is recounted again in the Fourth of the 10 Commandments, which is about the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11). See more about this in “Did God Create the Sabbath in Genesis 2?”

Here’s more about the Sabbath from our Fundamental Belief  “11. The Seventh-Day Sabbath”:

“The seventh day of the week is the Sabbath of the Lord our God, and on this day humans are commanded to rest from their labors and worship Him. Established and blessed by God at creation, the seventh day of the week begins at sunset on Friday and continues until sunset on Saturday. The Sabbath is an identifying sign and a perpetual covenant between God and His people. True Christians follow the example of Jesus Christ, the apostles and the New Testament Church in observing the seventh-day Sabbath.”         From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/god-blessed-the-seventh-day/?

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How Effective Is Chemotherapy for Colon, Lung, Breast, and Prostate Cancers?

Image Credit: Unsplash. This image has been modified.

“How effective is chemotherapy for colon, lung, breast, and prostate cancers?

“Over the last several decades…medicine has waged a major war against cancer, concentrating on earlier diagnosis and improved therapy. The war is not being won. Nevertheless, medicine shows few signs of admitting that its strategy may be flawed. In this it resembles a World War I general who stated: ‘Casualties: huge. Ground gained: negligible. Conclusion: press on.’”

If you look at the contribution of cancer-killing chemotherapy to five-year survival in cancer patients, it’s on the order of only about 2 percent. As you can see below and at 0:50 in my video How to Win the War on Cancer, we’ve gotten pretty good at treating some pediatric cancers, testicular cancer, and Hodgkin’s disease.

But, if you look at our most common cancers—that is, of the colon, lung, breast, and prostate—the success rate is only about 1 percent. That means out of nearly 14,000 colon cancer patients, for example, only 146 lived out five years, thanks to chemotherapy. The chance of survival benefit of chemo is about one in a hundred, but doctors don’t tell patients that. “Any new chemotherapy drug is still promoted as a major breakthrough in the fight against cancer, only to be quietly rejected without the fanfare that accompanied its arrival.”

Indeed, the “minimal impact on survival in the more common cancers conflicts with the perceptions of many patients who feel they are receiving a treatment that will significantly enhance their chances of cure…In view of the minimal impact of cytotoxic chemotherapy on 5-year survival, and the lack of any major progress over the last 20 years, it follows that the main role of cytotoxic chemotherapy is in palliation.” It can shrink tumors, relieving pain and pressure, but that doesn’t tend to translate into living any longer. “The failure of therapy, coupled with the realization that the overwhelming majority of cancer is related to environmental, particularly lifestyle factors, dictates that prevention should be our foremost aim.”

Cancer is largely a preventable disease, but it does require major lifestyle changes. Of the millions of cancer diagnoses every year, as many as 90 to 95 percent of the cancers are caused by lifestyle factors, with only 5 to 10 percent caused by bad genes. We know this because of “enormous differences in the incidence of particular forms of cancer in differing geographical and socio-economic situations” around the world, which then change when people move from one place to another. For example, as you can see below and at 2:40 in my video, breast cancer rates differ by an order of magnitude, with the lowest rates in parts of Africa and Asia, until those Africans and Asians move and start eating and living like Americans, Argentinians, Europeans, or Australians.

So, “there is need for a major reappraisal of how the problem of cancer is approached.” The key to winning the war on cancer is prevention, which not only works better, but “has the great advantage that it entails nothing worse than nicotine [or jellybean] withdrawal symptoms. On the other hand, cancer treatment, even when successful, often exposes the patient to much suffering, both physical and psychological. Indeed, some cancer treatments are considered worse than the disease.”

Most importantly, a healthy lifestyle can nip cancer in the bud, whereas, by definition, early diagnosis and treatment don’t change the cancer rate or the number of people getting cancer in the first place. In terms of cancer prevention and treatment with nutrition, the “consumption of nutrients of animal-based foods were associated with increased cancer risk while nutrients of plant-based food were associated with decreasing risk.” It’s not enough just to avoid the bad stuff, though. Eating is pretty much “a zero-sum game.” Everything we put in our mouth is a lost opportunity to put something even more healthful in our mouth. It’s not just about avoiding foods with cancer-promoting properties. We need to eat foods with active cancer-suppressing mechanisms. By “wholistic nutrition,” we’re talking about whole foods, and we should get their nutrients not from extracts or pills, but from the whole foods themselves.

Ultimately, “cancer development is primarily a nutrition-responsive disease rather than a genetic disease,” but, again, we aren’t talking about nutritional supplements; we’re talking about “whole, intact food.”

I’m very excited to share some of Professor Emeritus Colin Cambell’s six new papers on redefining the role of nutrition in medicine.

For an overview on the power of diet, see my How Not to Die from Cancer and The Best Advice on Diet and Cancer videos. I’ve produced hundreds of videos about the role of different foods and food consumption patterns on different cancers. Browse all of the titles through the search bar on my website NutritionFacts.org.

Key Takeaways

• Despite a “major war against cancer,” chemotherapy only contributes about 2 percent to five-year survival in cancer patients.
• Although chemotherapy treatment is fairly effective for some pediatric cancers, testicular cancer, and Hodgkin’s disease, our most common cancers (of the colon, lung, breast, and prostate) only have about a 1 percent success rate, which means, for example, out of about 14,000 colon cancer patients, only 146 live for five years, thanks to chemo.
• Chemotherapy can shrink tumors and relieve pain and pressure, but does not tend to result in longer life.
• Up to 90 to 95 percent of cancers are caused by lifestyle factors, and bad genes are responsible for only 5 to 10 percent.
• The key to actually winning the war on cancer is prevention, not treatment.
• A healthy lifestyle can prevent cancer, whereas early diagnosis and treatment—by definition—do not change the cancer rate or number of people getting cancer to begin with.
• Animal-based foods are associated with increased cancer risk, while plant-based foods are associated with decreased risk. We should get our nutrients from whole, intact plant foods rather than extracts, pills, or supplements.”  From: https://nutritionfacts.org/2022/07/14/how-effective-is-chemotherapy-for-colon-lung-breast-and-prostate-cancers/

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What’s Behind the Storming of the U.S. Capitol? Repentance: What Does Repent Mean? Fruits Worthy of Repentance. All the Curses. Update. SNOW!

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What’s Behind the Storming of the U.S. Capitol?

“The takeover of the U.S. Capitol has joined the ranks of some of the darkest days in American history. What’s behind America’s increasingly violent divisions?

On Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, a mob overwhelmed the police guarding the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., where Congress was meeting to confirm the votes of the Electoral College. The horde forced their way in and took over much of the building. The lawmakers were quickly evacuated to a safe location.

Windows were broken, offices ransacked and government property stolen before order was restored. Four deaths were reported among the crowd, including a woman shot trying to force her way into an area where lawmakers were sheltering. A policeman later died of injuries he received grappling with an attacker.

This is the first time the Capitol has been successfully assaulted since British redcoats burned it in 1814 (during the War of 1812).

The shockwaves of this event rapidly rippled around the world. America’s friends look on aghast at our shame and wonder whether our mounting confusion signals their own to come. America’s enemies rub their hands with glee as they plot to take advantage of our distraction, disarray and disunity. Nondemocratic nations quickly jumped on the violence as evidence that American-style republicanism does not work.

What does this mean for the United States? How did we come to this humiliating place? Where will things go from here?”

Continue Reading. From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/whats-behind-the-storming-of-the-u.s-capitol/?

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Repentance: What Does Repent Mean?

“A major message of the Bible is a call to repent and change. This isn’t popular, but it’s vitally necessary. What is repentance? Why does God require it?

According to the apostle Paul, God “now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30 ).

Repentance is not a popular subject in most of the religious community. Seldom is a modern-day religious audience exhorted to repent.

Yet Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, vigorously preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and told his audience to “bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:2, 8). Soon after John’s martyrdom, Jesus Christ continued the same theme by preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

Within weeks following Jesus’ crucifixion, the New Testament Church was founded. Peter’s inspired words to an audience of thousands of devout Jews were, “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” (Acts 2:38).

What does repentance mean? Is it required for salvation? How important is this subject to you? Read more about what the Bible says about repentance in the related articles.” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/repentance/

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Fruits Worthy of Repentance

Matthew 3:8

“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”

John the Baptist’s message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). Surprisingly, this call to change became popular, and people from Jerusalem and all Judea came to be baptized by him.

But when some hypocritical religious leaders came to be baptized, John sensed they weren’t interested in really repenting—really changing. He clearly told them that just being a descendant of Abraham wasn’t enough. They would be judged by their own actions. They needed actions to produce fruits to prove they really were sorry and desired to change.

John described some of these fruits in Luke 3:10-14. They included giving to those in need, not cheating or intimidating people and being content. Those doing wrong should stop doing wrong to show they were serious about changing.

For more about what it means to repent, see our section on “Repentance.”

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All the Curses

2 Chronicles 34:24

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.’”

After the terrible, evil reigns of King Manasseh and King Amon, Judah was far from God. Young King Josiah sought to reverse course and sent men to repair the temple. There they found a long-lost copy of the Book of the Law, likely the five books written by Moses.

Josiah heard the words of the book, including the curses God warned would befall those who disobeyed Him (see Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, for example). Josiah tore his clothes as a sign of repentance and sent men to inquire of God about what would happen. God sent His answer through Huldah, one of four prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament.

God confirmed that calamity would surely come because the people of Judah had “forsaken” Him (2 Chronicles 34:24-25). But because Josiah’s “heart was tender” toward God and because he “humbled” himself before his Creator, God delayed the punishment until after his death (verse 27). Josiah’s example of repentance and turning to God represents the response God wants when He warns us of the curses that disobedience brings.

Josiah diligently tried to reform his nation, but his reforms were short-lived, and soon Judah was again rebelling and breaking God’s laws. The curses did come, and Judah went into captivity to Babylon.

For more about how to follow Josiah’s good example in turning to God, see the section on “Repentance.”” From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/all-the-curses/?

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Update.

On Sunday, the 10th we had snow! Very unusual for this part of TX. The next day my neighbor had to go to Huntsville, TX, but they had a bad tire, so we went in my van.  I had just had it serviced, and it should have been good to go. 

Fortunately, we made one stop before we got on the freeway and I noticed steam coming out from under the hood.  The radiator cap was loose and it had lost all my antifreeze.  We had that fixed and then it was very careful driving with slush on each side of the lanes.  Of course, that didn’t stop a few silly sods from passing us and racing down the wet roads!  At least we were able to shop at a decent grocery store and get a few things that are not available in this little town.

Even after this surgery on my left eye, I am still blinded by bright lights and sunlight.  The other eye is scheduled for the 28th.  Surely they will find out what is wrong soon?

On Friday we three studied the Sabbath School literature, and then Sherry and I went to the church the next day.

July 4 Reflections, What's Ahead for America? July 4th, Independence Day and the Meaning of Liberty. Update.

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July 4 Reflections  What's Ahead for America?

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These words, some of the most famous in the English language, are found in the Declaration of Independence of what would become the United States of America, adopted on July 4, 1776—a pivotal point in human history. As I write this on the evening of July 4, 2011, I can hear the thunder of fireworks exploding in the distance as Americans celebrate the nation’s 235th birthday.

Notice a truth that is self-evident in the words above: The men who wrote and signed this famous declaration believed that “all men are created” and that they have a Creator. The Declaration also refers to “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and to “the Supreme Judge of the world.” Obviously God was very much in their thinking at that pivotal time.

What would the nation’s Founding Fathers think if they could see their nation today?

They would obviously be profoundly impressed at the material wealth and prosperity of the country. Our houses, highways, cities and communications would astound them. Our standing as the world’s lone superpower would amaze them. The sheer size of the country—“from sea to shining sea”—would astonish them.

But many other things would shock them, and clearly not in any positive way.

What would they think of the fact that we murder more than a million helpless, innocent, unborn children every year through abortion?

What would they think of the shocking plagues of immorality, adultery, sexually transmitted diseases, drug and alcohol abuse, divorce, sexual perversions, violence and crime that rot our nation?

What would they think of the staggering amount of debt run up by our governments—currently totaling more than half a million dollars per U.S. household—with no realistic way to pay it off?

Why is this nation, so strong for so long, now facing problems seemingly at every turn? Why does it seem that things have suddenly gone so wrong in so many ways all at once?

Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence and later the third President of the United States, wrote this warning: “Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

Jefferson knew enough about history to know that a nation that forgets God will reap the consequences of rejecting our Creator—a lesson the United States is increasingly learning the hard way.

Another famous American President, Abraham Lincoln, said: “We have forgotten God . . . We have become . . . too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

What did these men know that we don’t? One thing they understood is the eternal truth of Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

They understood that ultimately a nation’s strength is only as strong as its faith in and obedience to its Creator. And they warned of exactly what we are seeing today. May we have the wisdom and heart to heed their warnings!:  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/july-4-reflections-whats-ahead-for-america

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July 4th - Independence Day and the Meaning of Liberty

“America’s Declaration of Independence continues to inspire hopes of liberty. What is the source of real freedom and liberty?

Transcript of YouTube: https://youtu.be/9fzxsTGrdyY

[Steve Myers] “It’s the 4th of July. What comes to your mind when you think of the 4th? Many things probably do - things like freedom, liberty, picnics…

[Darris McNeely] Absolutely, watermelon.

[Steve Myers] What about fireworks? All those things I think come to mind when you think of the 4th.

[Darris McNeely] Well, the July 4th holiday in the United States is a day that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And it was not only a declaration of independence for the United States, but it really was the signing of a document that means - meant a great deal to the entire world. For a hundred years after the signing of the Declaration, more than 200 nations and peoples signed similar declarations declaring their independence from whatever form of tyranny and oppression that they were under. The document that Thomas Jefferson penned inspired a whole generation and continues to motivate us today. Probably the most quoted phrase is where it says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, but among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  Inspiring words really rooted and founded in Scripture.

[Steve Myers] It is found in Scripture. In fact, it’s not just an American condition. This is a human condition. It’s something that we as human beings, we all long for. And of course that was identified as an important part of God’s plan. God’s plan talks about liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 it says, “Now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” And so God’s plan is wrapped around this concept of liberty and what it truly means to have spiritual liberty.

[Darris McNeely] And so, when we look at a document like this, when we observe a day like July 4th in the United States and other nations have their own periods and reflections on liberty as well. It is really from Scripture that we should gain our ultimate understanding of where freedom and liberty comes. But a document like this, signed by a group of people in July 1776, did begin something that continues to burn bright today. July 4, 1776 - a day that started a great movement and a great idea, the United States of America, freedom and liberty for all peoples, hopefully, and always in the Kingdom of God.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/july-4th-independence-day-and-the-meaning-of-liberty

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The 4th of July and the Bible

“Though the Fourth of July is celebrated as America’s founding, our true heritage goes back further than 1776. Was America’s independence prophesied in the Bible?

On July 4, the United States celebrates its 244th anniversary.

The Fourth of July holiday celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which declared the American colonists’ independence from Great Britain. Though this was when the founders declared their intention to break away from Great Britain, that independence wasn’t fully realized until after the bloody seven-year Revolutionary War. 

On Sept. 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the American Revolution. In that treaty, Great Britain recognized the United States as a free, sovereign and independent nation. Historians continue to debate how a ragtag group of colonists with no national government could defeat a global empire and the world’s most powerful army. On paper, it was certainly a war Britain should have won, and there are many reasons the American victory over the British Army was miraculous.

Is there a reason to believe God’s providence was at work in history?

Victory did not settle America’s fate.  The United States of America as we know it was not created spontaneously when Britain signed the Treaty of Paris or when the last British soldiers left New York in November 1783. The greatest challenge that faced the newly independent states was creating a functioning union that would bind the states into one nation.

The states’ becoming one unified nation was not at all a given early in its history. One of the greatest controversies after the Treaty of Paris was this issue: Would America become a collection of individual, sovereign states loosely tied together as a confederation, or would the individual states be unified as a nation—bound together by a powerful national government that would allow it to act as a single nation?

That issue took years to settle. If it were not for a series of miracles and compromises, the United States could have easily become a confederation of sovereign states (similar to today’s European Union)—or even fragmented into separate nations across the various regions of the American landmass. Imagine North America looking like Africa, Europe or South America—a continent containing several independent nation-states. That outcome could have happened.

From Articles to Constitution

The first attempt at a functioning union of the states was the Articles of Confederation. The United States operated under this document for eight years (1781-1789). It formed a very loose confederation between the states, led by a Continental Congress that had little power. Each individual state retained its own sovereignty and was not required to submit to the national government. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was no national executive office (president), no national currency (each state printed its own), and no national taxation. The national Congress had no power to govern commerce between the states or require the states to abide by treaties made with foreign governments. Throughout those eight years, the Articles of Confederation proved to be unworkable.

Failure at the Philadelphia convention could have resulted in a regional fracturing of America—preventing one union from coming into existence.A growing number of American thinkers began to promote a different form of governance called federalism. This called for a stronger national government with an executive branch and a clearer delineation of powers between the states and national government. Those who supported this stronger union were called Federalists, and those who opposed it came to be known as Anti-Federalists. (History buffs can dive deeper into the arguments of both sides by reading the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers.)

It wasn’t until 1787 that the controversy began to be settled. Because of the inefficiencies of the Articles of Confederation (made obvious by the infamous Shays’ Rebellion), the states agreed to send delegates to Philadelphia to discuss making improvements to the Articles of Confederation.

Eventually, the delegates decided that the convention would become a constitutional convention, with the goal of designing an entirely new system of governance based on the principles of federalism. The challenge was whether or not the delegates could agree on a constitution that all states (large and small, north and south) would ratify. The stakes were high. Failure at the Philadelphia convention could have resulted in a regional fracturing of America—preventing one union from coming into existence.

Again, this outcome was not only possible, but was highly likely given the political atmosphere of early America.

A new Constitution

But, in about four months, the delegates were able to produce a new Constitution for the United States of America. It would bind the states into a strengthened union led by a national government with more powers. This was achieved through savvy politics, political compromise and intentionally not addressing one of the most divisive issues of the time—slavery.

James Madison was one of the principle authors of the Federalist Papers and U.S. Constitution. 

After the Constitutional Convention finally had a finished document, the next order of business was convincing the individual states to ratify the proposed Constitution. The document itself stipulated that it needed to be ratified by at least nine states before it could go into effect. The challenge was getting large states like Virginia and New York to vote for ratification because, as large and powerful states, they had the most to lose in surrendering more authority to a national government. The Constitution could have theoretically been passed without all states ratifying it, but that would have ultimately left the land divided.

But all states eventually did ratify the Constitution. The whole process was completed (for the original 13 states) when Rhode Island finally ratified the new Constitution in 1790. With all 13 original states joining the union under the new Constitution, America was set on course to develop as one unified nation—eventually spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific. But maintaining the union was not without its hardships—it took many more compromises and a bloody four-year Civil War to settle the issue of slavery once and for all.

The United States in prophecy

Okay, you may be asking, why is all this history important?

Did you realize that the United States’ breaking from Great Britain to become a nation was a fulfillment of a prophecy made over 3,600 years ago? As we explain in our article “How the Blessings of Abraham Came to the United States,” certain physical blessings were promised to Abraham. These blessings were passed down to his son Isaac, then to Isaac’s son Jacob and finally to Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Jacob, in a very specific prophecy, declared that Ephraim would become a “multitude of nations” and Manasseh would become a single great nation (Genesis 48:19). Genesis 49:1 reveals that these promises were to be fulfilled in “the last days”—in other words, the modern era (from our historical viewpoint).

The promise of a “multitude of nations” was fulfilled by the British people—who became an empire and later a commonwealth of nations. Today Ephraim’s promises are primarily fulfilled in the nations of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (as well as other smaller nations that are part of the Commonwealth).

Americans would do well to consider the life of their original founding father—the patriarch Abraham—and recall his life of faithful obedience to God.   Manasseh’s promise of being a single great nation was fulfilled in the United States of America.

As Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, they would do well to consider that the Declaration of Independence from Britain was necessary in order to fulfill the Genesis 48:19 promise. For the prophecy to be fulfilled, America had to be independent from Britain and had to unite into a unified single nation. The entire history of the development and ratification of the U.S. Constitution was essential for that prophecy to be fulfilled. This understanding helps us to see God’s providential hand in history (Isaiah 46:10).

This Fourth of July comes at a troubled time in this nation’s history. It comes as we are dealing with a persistent global pandemic and increased racial tensions and unrest. This nation seems to be increasingly more divided on a host of issues that many fear could tear it apart. Now is a time when America could greatly benefit from returning to its spiritual roots. Those roots go back much further than the days of Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin.

Americans would do well to consider the life of their original founding father—the patriarch Abraham—and recall his life of faithful obedience to God, as described in chapters 12-25 of Genesis. In his life, we can find insight into our nation’s troubles today. He was a man who had his flaws and made mistakes, but grew from them and faithfully relied on God. You can learn more about him in our article “The Faith of Abraham.”

Originally posted on July 4, 2017; Updated on July 3, 2020.” From:  https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/the-fourth-of-july-in-prophecy/?

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Update.

These posts about Independence Day are a history lesson for me.  Being British, we didn’t learn as much about it as the American kids do.

With the new surge in Corona cases, we have ordered to wear masks most everywhere.  This has some people wondering who can dictate to them and order them around.  Me, not so…  “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  Luke 20:25 and Mark 12:17.  I assume that our TX governor has studied this, and knows what is best for us.  Just like wearing our seat belts, it is to be safe, “Just in Case”.  But they are stifling hot in this over 90° weather.

Finally, I was tired of my slow computer and ordered another desktop. It is a refurbished Dell High Performance Business one, with 16 GB Ram, and i7, so we will see how it does.  It has a 60 day return, so that should give it a good try.  I don’t know how I will get along with Windows 10 Pro, because I am used to Windows 7 and 8 Home!

Still no word as to when my cat can come home.  Now that we have found out that he is a young cat, he might be better off if I let him be adopted to a permanent family.  Then I could try to find and care for, an older, or special needs cat, an unwanted one, to give it a taste of a loving home.

My church neighbor and I had our Bible study on Thursday because I was making another trip to College Station on Friday to the HEB store for groceries that we can’t get here in this little Brookshire's in Navasota.  But this time I rode with one of the other tenants here at the senior apartments, and he didn’t scare me driving that 75mph highway like some folks do.

But when I got home I found out that my AC wasn’t blowing cold!  It is over 90° in the apartment.  I reported it and here it is, a day later, and the 4th. of July, and still hot in here.  Doesn’t the AC man realize when he got into the Heat and AC business, that it is like buying a milk cow… there are no days off.  So I am still waiting to see if the AC man is coming here today.

President George H.W. Bush. Christians Who Don't Celebrate Christmas, Here's Why. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

President George H.W. Bush, How the Mighty Have Fallen!

“Reflections on what the 41st president's achievements and habits have taught me.

helloquence/Unsplash

George Bush made a point of writing notes and letters to his family, friends and acquaintances throughout his life. I think that is the biggest lesson for me from his life.

King David deeply lamented the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan. The three were bonded by critical events at the founding of the monarchy of the nation of Israel. Out of the depths of despair, David wrote, “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19).

Last week’s death of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush brings some of the same sentiment. Mr. Bush served one term as the 41 st American President and his death makes us aware that a generation of Americans—the World War II generation; a generation of common people who were caught up in mighty events—is quickly passing from our time. We will do well to remember them.

George Bush enlisted in World War II at the age of 18 and flew a torpedo bomber in the South Pacific theater. His plane was shot down and he survived, though two of his crewmates died. He never desired to be called a “hero,” saying those who died and never came home were the true heroes. This was a modesty instilled in him by his mother, and it served him throughout his life.

At a significant historical moment in history, this same modesty likely helped shape President Bush’s response to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Refusing to gloat over the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bush aided German’s path to reunification and helped shape what he called, and hoped would appear to be, a “new world order.” America at that moment stood astride a new world as the sole global superpower. When Bush and his national security team assembled a coalition of nations to oust Iraq’s Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, it was thought a new moment of international cooperation had appeared. It was not destined to last.

George Bush made a point of writing notes and letters to his family, friends and acquaintances throughout his life. I think that is the biggest lesson for me from his life. No matter how busy we are and how high we go in life, the personal touch of a note or a card is always something that will lift people’s spirits and forge lasting bonds of friendship. I do this often in my work and find it a useful antidote to the instant digital world we inhabit. Words written in ink on paper are always in good taste.

Historians argue whether the times make a man or a man makes his time. I think President Bush was shaped by his time, as most of us are. At his death he is remembered fondly by many Americans for his part in a period of American resurgence of prosperity and world influence. His was a steady hand that guided the state through a unique moment.

A man who stood for beauty and good things in life has died. America was better off for having him as its president.”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/how-the-mighty-have-fallen-president-george-hw-bush

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Christians Who Don't Celebrate Christmas, Here's Why

 61 comments Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

“Why do some Christians not celebrate Christmas? Here are the reasons some gave for kicking the Christmas habit.

Have you given up celebrating Christmas? If so, why? Our readers share some of their reasons for not keeping Christmas.

“I cannot find Christmas in the Bible nor can I find that Jesus Christ told us to observe Christmas. Santa Claus is a lie that some people teach their children every year. For that matter, Christmas is false since it has nothing to do with Christ or His birthday.

“Beyond this, business people, who make most of their income during this time of the year, have increasingly promoted Christmas. Well-meaning people go in debt during Christmas time to give gifts to other people, which in turn motivates other people to give gifts to them. It makes no sense to keep a religious holiday that is not biblical, that Christ never sanctioned, that promotes lying to children, that puts people in debt and that blinds people to what Christ really taught.”  —P.A., Georgia

“It is a historical fact that Christmas is not the day or the season when Christ was born. So why observe a day that is a lie? Most people do not want to admit this fact. For example, how does the use of Santa Claus depict the birth of Christ? How does the Christmas tree depict Christ? Celebrating Christmas violates at least the First, Second and Third Commandments of God’s Ten Commandments. Observing a pagan holiday is a sin. God condemns the worship of pagan gods.

“The Bible does not command people to observe the birth of Christ as a holiday. This day, Dec. 25, is the date that has been observed for centuries as a pagan holiday in honor of the pagan sun god. God commands those who want to serve Him not to observe pagan holidays or any custom that breaks His holy laws.   —D.S., California

Our family traditionally celebrated Christmas on Dec. 24. We then followed up with a family day on Dec. 25. One day I had a strong desire to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, which I thought I had been doing up to that point. I met a number of people who were having the same strange experience. We asked ourselves, ‘What does God think about Christmas?’ ‘Are we truly pleasing God?’ ‘Am I doing something that Jesus did and taught?’

“I began to think of the songs we sang, ‘O Tannenbaum’ and ‘Oh! Christmas Tree.’ I had been singing to a tree as though it were alive and had some strange power. We decorated it and placed our gifts below the tree as though the gifts and good feeling emanated from and through the tree.

“I thought about the words to ‘Silent Night, Holy Night,’ a truly beautiful piece of music. I wondered about shepherds and their flocks in the fields on a lovely evening at the end of December. But this was a contradiction. December was a very cold time of the year and sheep wouldn’t be in open fields during that time.

“The Christmas stories about Santa Claus and the shepherds in the fields on Christmas Eve were false. I found out that Jerusalem has rain and cold that time of year and it sometimes snows in the region. Sheep are sheltered in the wintertime, not left out in inclement weather.

“I discovered that the Christmas tree and its ornaments and giving of Christmas gifts come from ancient Roman festivals. I also learned that the Christmas tree represents idolatry, which is an affront to God (Exodus 20:4-5). Jesus Christ never sinned in His life and says we should avoid sin, going against God’s will (Hebrews 12:1-4).

“The gifts our children had asked of Santa Claus created a financial burden on us. The lies about Santa Claus and his flying reindeer were misleading our children.

“Also, the Bible tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). During Christmas time, I saw little joy in giving and I saw children always expecting to receive. I have come to understand that godly blessings come from carefully obeying God. This is why I don’t keep Christmas.” —B.B., Canada

“God tells us to avoid the ways of the ancient pagans. Though modern Christianity observes Christmas, this is where it came from. To be frank, Christmas is a lie. Christmas is a substitute for righteous behavior. It makes people think they are doing good things for God, which somehow does Him service.” — A.H., Australia

“I have heard that Christmas has been around for nearly 4,000 years. If that is true, and I think it is, I do not see any evidence that the early apostolic Church observed Christmas or tried to ‘Christianize’ a pagan festival that predated Christ’s birth.

“It seems clear to me that the apostles and early Church kept the Holy Days recorded in the Old Testament, and there are several Old Testament scriptures that speak about the Holy Days being kept by all people after Christ’s return to earth. The Bible is clear that we are to shun paganism and observe the annual Holy Days and the weekly Sabbath day.” — D.N., Oklahoma

“I figure you can’t go wrong sticking with what the Bible says and by following the example of Jesus Christ Himself and the apostles and early Church. They never kept Christmas or anything like it. They knew what the Scriptures said about trying to use other religions’ practices to worship and honor God. It just doesn’t work; God expects better from us.

“It’s a shame that most people have never looked into the Bible and history to learn for themselves the true origins of Christmas. It’s an eye-opening study, one I started when I was only a teenager. I’ve learned so much more about what God is all about and what He wants and expects from us since I started relying on His Word rather than human traditions that have no basis in the Bible.” — R.A., Colorado”  

I was appalled when I heard the second line of “Oh Christmas Tree”, which is “How I love your branches.”    Now really!  People really need to read Jeremiah Chapter 10 and stop doing the pagan things which God detests.    SVT, Houston, TX

A Satire on Idolatry - Jeremiah 10

10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. ² Thus says the Lord,

“Do not learn the way of the [pagan] nations,
And do not be terrified and distressed by the signs of the heavens
Although the pagans are terrified by them;
³
For the customs and decrees of the peoples are [mere] delusion [exercises in futility];
It is only wood which one cuts from the forest [to make a god],
The work of the hands of the craftsman with the axe or cutting tool.
⁴
“They adorn the idol with silver and with gold;
They fasten it with hammers and nails
So that it will not fall apart.
⁵
“They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field;
They cannot speak;
They have to be carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not be afraid of them,
For they can do no harm or evil,
Nor can they do any good.”

 61 comments      https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/christians-who-dont-celebrate-christmas-heres-why

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Update.

This week I have been spending quite a bit of time helping a friend organize their stuff for sale at the bi-weekly “Yard Sale” at the storage place next to my subdivision.  We loaded three tables where everything is a $1. The more expensive things were marked separately on different tables.  This streamlined  it a lot better as they have so much stuff that it couldn’t be marked individually.

Zack and I cleaned the rug that my daughter had brought me with my carpet shampooer.  Now that I have had one eye done and the rug is cleaner, I could see the colors better.  It was not going to go with the carpet that I had got out of the attic, so we rolled it up and put it back up there. 

We put some more of that window film on the frames of my windows.  I have double paned windows, but that dead air space makes a big insulating difference.

As I had to go to Conroe on Thursday for another eye check-up, we loaded the van with several boxes of things donate to the Women’s Center.  They were very grateful.

I have another cat.  Yes, Gracie the one whose house burned is still here, but I took in a sweet, loving, starving, hurt, homeless, neutered, black Manx.  I call him Manxie.  He had dog bite marks on his neck, an infected eye and he was so skinny.  He is so grateful for anything that I do for him.  But I have to keep him in another part of the house from Gracie until he has been checked out by the vet.  My SPCA boss has said that I can run him through the SPCA system, so his vet bills will be paid by them.  I am too old to adopt an animal, so he would be going through the SPCA eventually for a ‘furever’ home, but for now he is mine.

As the pastor’s wife was sick with a bad cold, I went to the church early to ramrod the potluck.  She sent some cooked sweet potatoes, pea salad and brisket, and I took a ground turkey shepherd’s pie, and some dinner rolls. Some brought other dishes, so I had to make sure everything was warmed up to a safe 165 deg., and put the salads out.

The Bible readings were Gen. 25:19-28:9, Mal. 1:1-2:7, and Rom. 9:1-31.  The Teaching was “Narrowness Rebuked”  about Mark 9:38-40. The weather was wet and dreary, and I went around with wet feet all day.

Pity Me. What Must I Say or Do for God to Hear My Prayers? Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Pity Me!

“Self-pity is the first step in a downward spiral that leads to discouragement.  

Andrik Langfield Petrides/Unsplash

Self-pity is a bad way of thinking because it robs us of the ability to get on with life.

Self-pity is a luxury that we cannot afford, and it is bad for our health. The simplest cure is to count what you have left. As children, we used to hum and sing the words to “Count Your Many Blessings.” The positive frame of mind that came when we assessed what we did have rather than focused on what we did not have was always uplifting.

It is good to write your assets down on a piece of paper and think about them from time to time. We train our brains through seeing, hearing and feeling. Writing, and maybe even talking to yourself as you write, will put you in a positive frame of mind. The old question that asks, “Is the glass of water half full or half empty?” reflects this thought. Half full is positive.

Our minds are wonderfully created—perhaps the most marvelous of all the creation—but we can develop good or bad habits of thinking. Self-pity is a bad way of thinking because it robs us of the ability to get on with life. We may wallow in a sea of storms and waves in our lives and never see the sunshine and calm waters that will come.

Calm, decisive, successful action depends on clear thinking. Good thinking is not clouded with doubts and fears. One of the most powerful moments in which God reached into people’s lives was in Jesus’ first message to the masses (Matthew 5-7). He encouraged people to do something about their lives and not lose hope. He said they were the salt of the earth and were to let their lights shine so others may see. Jesus did not leave room for self-pity. He encouraged us to put all our energy into living. Never feel sorry for yourself.”      From : https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/pity-me

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What Must I Say or Do for God to Hear My Prayers?

“There is no prayer our Creator is unable to hear; He is all-knowing and all-seeing. God also has all power over all things, so He is not limited in what He can do in response. Our actions and attitudes can influence God's decision in granting our requests in prayer, however.

Ezra Jeffrey/Unsplash

We should pray completely convinced and confident that God hears our prayer and is fully capable of answering our every request.

God has the ability to hear all prayers but obviously does not grant all requests made in prayer. What if two people entered into a contest and both prayed for victory—they both can’t be given what they want. So God must decide when to act and when not to act.

Let’s ask the question a slightly different way

Is there anything I can do, or must do to get God to grant my requests? For Him to rescue or assist me in times of distress, or get Him to use His awesome power to help me accomplish my goals?

We are instructed to pray constantly, to keep hanging in there, and to expect an answer.

There is no set formula for prayer that would obligate God to grant a request. If that were true then God would be more like a magic genie in a lamp. We cannot control or manipulate God through any words, actions or rituals. He chooses to answer, or not, as He pleases. We are specifically told not to pray like this. (Matthew 6:7-8).

How do our actions and attitudes influence God’s decision to grant a request made through prayer?

On the negative side, indifference or disobedience to His commands, violence, dishonesty, pride, and injustice create a separation between us and our Creator. God does not give attention to the prayers of people who act and think like that. He may act in mercy towards them to get their attention and lead them towards meaningful change, but He acts as He pleases (Isaiah 59:1-2).

On the positive side, taking His commands seriously and trying to live by them, seeking peace, and having honesty, humility, personal integrity, generosity and fairness—these please our Creator and draw us closer to Him. God will give careful attention to the prayers and requests of such people. He will consider our requests and choose to act, or not act, according to what is good for us. (1 Peter 3:12).

Our Father knows what is best for us

The good that God desires for us is to learn to think and act like Jesus Christ and receive the gift of everlasting life. The path to that good involves suffering and perseverance, just as it did for Jesus Christ.

Consider how Jesus prayed the night before His execution. He prayed that God the Father not require Him to endure the painful suffering and death that lay only hours ahead of Him. The request was not granted. Jesus’ long session of prayer that last night ended with His submission to the will of the Father (Matthew26:39-44). Jesus’ suffering was the only path to the greater goal: God’s desire that many children receive eternal life.

In the same manner, our sessions of prayer and our requests are often the way in which we get our thoughts, attitudes and goals in sync with the thoughts, attitudes and priorities of our Creator.

How to pray

We might pray for release from pain, sickness or suffering, or we might pray for specific blessings, and our Father is happy to give us these good things. But if granting a certain request actually held us back from achieving our full potential as an eternal child of God, would it be good for us? We must have confidence that God knows the difference between the two and can make a better decision than we alone can.

We must not give up prayer thinking we are powerless to influence events. We are instructed to pray constantly, to keep hanging in there, and to expect an answer (1 John 5:14).

We should pray completely convinced and confident that God hears our prayer and is fully capable of answering our every request (Hebrews 11:6). We should also pray with a humble attitude, understanding that what we think is best for us may not be the way to achieve the greater goal our Creator has in mind for us: growing in spiritual completeness after the pattern of Jesus Christ, and to receive the gift of everlasting life.”          From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/what-must-i-say-or-do-for-god-to-hear-my-prayers?source=btupdate

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Update.

I knew that freezing weather was on it’s way, so Zack, my neighbor helped me do a bit of extra insulating that I hadn’t done before.  I had acquired a box of that insulating window film that you put around the inside of the window and tighten with a hair dryer, and so I thought I would try it out. I knew that when I opened the blinds on the north side it always felt colder, so this might stop that.  It did, and it felt cosier in there. It is invisable and it looks great.  So we put it on all the northern windows in my house and the guest house.

Then on Wednesday, my daughter Wendy arrived ready to take me for my eye surgery in Conroe the next day.  The surgery went OK, I guess, just sounded like someone was scraping dried cement off my eye ball, but it didn’t hurt.  Then because I can’t drive for a while she took me to the eye clinic for my post-op exam on Friday.  That was in Spring, TX as their Conroe office isn’t open on Fridays.  They said everything looked good, but I don’t see any difference in my sight.  Wendy and I had a great visit and then she went on to her daughter’s house.

On Saturday, a friend who has a unit at the storage place next door, picked me up and took me there as they were having one of their twice a month yard sale days.  I helped him put a few flashy and colorful things out to attract attention, and he said that it was his best sales day ever. Several large items that he had wanted out of there for ages, were sold.  He packed up the sale at his unit early as he had had enough, and took me to the afternoon church meeting starting at 2.00 pm.  But then he got a phone call that someone wanted to pick up their purchases so he left me at the church, tended to that, and picked me up later. 

The Teaching, Sermon, Message, call it what you will, was about “Faith vs. Work”.  And do James 2:14-17 and Romans 4:1-8 contradict each other? The conclusion was NO!  True faith and works are the same thing, as you can’t have one without the other, as faith produces good works. Faith without good works is dead.  I hadn’t been to that church for about 6 weeks, so it was great to see everybody.  Therefore,  I had an enjoyable and busy day.

Avoid Repetitious Prayer. How to Pray. Prayer From the Heart. Jericho: Archaeological Findings. Update:

For “Scripture Sunday”:

How to Avoid Repetitious Prayer

“Jesus cautioned against praying “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). Do you find it difficult to avoid repeating the same words in your daily prayers?

Here is one idea for avoiding repetitious prayers. (Click here to download PDF.)

This is a simple, but highly effective way to avoid that frustrating experience. Emphasize a different main subject on each day of the week.

    

Early in His ministry, Jesus gave His disciples a model prayer so that they would know how to talk with the Father. It is part of the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 6:5-15).

“The Lord’s Prayer” was a teaching tool

Jesus did not want His disciples simply to recite what He told them. Obviously, the disciples would have done that, if that was all there was to praying! They perceived there was more to it by seeing Jesus’ example over the years, and they asked for additional guidance.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

Seeing Jesus’ example prompted one disciple to ask Jesus (on behalf of them all) to review His instructions. Luke records Christ’s answer in Luke 11:2-4.

This has inappropriately come to be known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” instead of “the Lord’s model for praying.” Jesus said, “In this manner, therefore, pray” (Matthew 6:9, emphasis added throughout).

Christians still struggle with prayer today

In prefacing His instructions about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave this challenging counsel: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

What is challenging about that? Don’t just recite Jesus’ model prayer, the prayers written by other people or the prayers written by churches for their followers. Pray original prayers.” 

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/how-to-avoid-repetitious-prayer/

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How to Pray

“It is universally understood that Christians should pray.  But what should we say to God? Do we know how to pray? How does God want us to pray?

Jesus said we should ask our Father for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done—which includes praying for the work of His Church to be done. We are also told to ask for our daily needs, for forgiveness and for deliverance from “the evil one” (Satan).

When we wonder about prayer, it should be reassuring to know that even a disciple of Jesus asked Him for instructions about how to pray.

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1).

Simply stated, prayer is our means of communicating with God. As with any personal relationship, interaction with God matures as we spend more time with Him.

As the Lord’s disciple indicated, prayer is something that does not come naturally to us—it is something that needs to be taught. The inspired Word of God provides the answers to some frequently asked questions about how to pray.

To whom should we pray?

Elijah and others in the Old Testament prayed to God. The apostle Paul made references to praying to God in both of the epistles he wrote to the Christians living in the pagan city of Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:13 and 2 Corinthians 13:7).

Jesus taught His disciples to pray to “our Father” (Matthew 6:6). Jesus Himself told the gang that arrested Him in the Garden of Gethsemane that He could pray to His Father right then and be rescued (Matthew 26:53).

After His resurrection, Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to cling to Him because He had not yet ascended to heaven. He told her to tell the others that He was ascending to “My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17).

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/

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Prayer From the Heart

“The Bible gives many examples of what is most important to God when we come to Him in prayer. He wants us to pray from the heart. How do we do that?

Man was created to need God. But mankind today in general has not known the true God and His revealed way of living. Man has generally failed, leading to all of the evils and suffering we see around us.

Even those who have tried to live as close to God as they could have done so imperfectly. Yet even if imperfect, the benefits of a relationship with God far exceed anything offered by this world.

Prayer

To have a relationship with God, we have to keep in constant communication with Him through prayer.

The Bible is full of examples of the people of God talking with Him. For example, many of the psalms were actually prayers, and many of those were by David, the great king of Israel. (Consider Psalms 3, 4 and 5, to mention just a few).

There are many types of prayer mentioned in the Bible, but one common factor in prayers that helped build a relationship with God is that these effective prayers were heartfelt.

The Bible records many examples of prayer from the heart. First, let’s look at one prayed by Hezekiah, king of Judah, in the Old Testament.

Hezekiah’s heartfelt prayer

The first prayer we will examine is found in 2 Kings 20:1-3. When the prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah that he would die, Hezekiah reacted to the message with a supplication found in verse 3. Hezekiah reminded God of his efforts to walk before Him with a loyal heart. It seems he might have wanted to say more to God, but emotion overcame him and he broke down in tears and cried bitterly.”

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/prayer-fasting-and-meditation/how-to-pray/prayer-from-the-heart/

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Jericho

An Amazing Fact: “Archaeological findings in the Middle East sometimes reveal surprising evidence linked to biblical accounts. The ruins of the ancient city of Jericho contain collapsed brick walls, including a small section of wall still standing, which might reflect the story of Rahab!

In the 1950s, archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon conducted extensive exploration and research in the ruins of the ancient city of Jericho. She concluded that the city contained no evidence of the destruction recalled in the book of Joshua. But later researchers reexamined her work and found that her dating was incorrect. When the correct dates were applied to the findings, collapsed brick walls were found surrounding the city exactly as we would expect.

And what about the story of Rahab? The book of Joshua records that Rahab’s home and family were saved from destruction when she followed the instructions of the Israelite spies and hung a scarlet cord from her window. Interestingly, a short stretch of the city’s mud brick wall was left standing with houses positioned against it. This portion of the wall was even on the north side of the city, a short distance from the hills to which the spies escaped.

In today’s skeptical world, it can be easy to doubt the words of Scripture in the face of cynicism and doubt. But God’s Word stands true. Increasingly, the stories of the Bible have been linked with archaeological evidence, revealing that these passages are far more than stories and legends. We can trust that God Himself has spoken to us through His Word. His message for us, from stories of instruction to words of comfort and hope, has been preserved for thousands of years.”  

KEY BIBLE TEXTS
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. Joshua 6:5

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Update.

After lowering several of the mini-house upper kitchen cabinets, we have been adding shelves above them at the same height as the tops of the cabinets that could not be lowered, to keep continuity in the kitchen design.  On the big upper cabinet on the back wall where we had to cut the doors to accomdate the microwave and toaster oven, we just raised the doors to the top of the shelf above, and made it look like part of the cabinet. 

We did the same thing to the cabinet above the range hood.  Some of the shelves, we will just make doors to match the others.  I wish that I had caught the guy who was installing the porthole windows when he had his own ideas and raised them.  That is what made all the upper cabinets the wrong height, as the porthole was too high.  We actually found my original mark on the outside wall, where the first porthole was supposed to be.

We also added some permanent and temporary shelves under the deep window sills on the back wall of the bedroom, so that we can house some of the items that we use every day while the building is ongoing. Mostly different sizes of screws, nails and caulk on this one, so far.  Hans is still sanding on the great big 6’ tall, 17” deep, 40” wide shelf unit that will be going in between those window sills.  We should be bringing it in from the carport any day soon.  Then we will stain and polyurethane it and all the shelves and all the window sills.

Jay, my neighbor’s son, said his cold was too bad to go to church, so I went on my own again.  Not many in attendance this week because of one thing or another.  It was so cold in the chapel that my sinuses acted up, my head stopped up, and even when I donned a cardigan and a jacket, I was still cold.  I have never been able to find a place in there where the AC isn’t blowing artic air on me.  They could hang meat in there.  Why do people want it blowing on them that cold? The light company says that the economical AC temperature is 78F, so that is where I keep mine at home.  Each degree below that equals at least $10 a month, and I am on a strict budget.

This time I didn’t know what to take for the church potluck, and I had to make it on Thursday as I would be taking my neighbor to the doctor on the Friday afternoon.  That’s my usual “Preparation Day” when I cook for the potluck, wash my hair, choose and lay out my clothes, purse, shoes, all getting ready for the Sabbath. That gives me more time on Saturday, before church, to talk to my daughter on the phone.  So I cooked some organic boneless chicken thighs, added some already cooked organic potatoes, carrots, spices and called it Chicken Stew. 

I had intended to buy some 2 x 4’s for building the wall between the living room and bedroom in the mini-house when I was taking Zach to the doctor in Conroe.  Then Friday midday he comes here and calls them to postpone his appointment as he doesn’t feel well.  So that plan was dashed, as I won’t make a special trip to Conroe for just one thing, especially on a Friday.  So as Roy had spilled food and drink splotches on my carpet, Roy shampooed it so that it would be clean for the Sabbath.

The Bible readings were Num. 25:10-30:1, 1 Kings 18:36-19:21, and Rom. 11:2-32, and the Teaching was about Giving Thanks, Praise and Acknowledging the Wisdom of The Lord.

My crockpot of Chicken Stew was well received, as was my other crockpot of Rutabagas.  We also had some chicken patties, Chili Pie, pinto beans, broccoli, several salads, including green, potato, pea and cole slaw.  Pies, fruit and cookies were there for dessert.

Jay wanted to work, and Roy didn’t, so Jay and I put the new white canvas cover over the frame of the motorhome RVport today.