Test Your Christmas Knowledge! Fun Quiz!
Are you able to pass this Christmas quiz? Think you know a lot about the special holiday? Yes, it's that time of the year when people begin looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Holiday music is playing in stores and malls. Kids are still acting good and bad. Early gifts are being purchased or put on layaway.
And the Grinch is looking to steal your joy.
Class instructions
Listen carefully, class - no cheating will be tolerated. Students who are caught cheating will be severely reprimanded, sent to the Dean's office, and a letter will be sent home to your parents. Oh, and Santa *will* be contacted and you *will not* receive anything other than a lump of coal for Christmas.
Place your smartphones under your desks. All I want to see on top of your work area is your pencil, pen or keyboard. No note passing will be tolerated. No whispering and no talking. Raise your hand if you wish to be excused to use the comfort room.
My assistant and **three time felon** Mr. Grab Hands will conduct a strip-search before you are permitted to exit the classroom.
Any questions? No, Jimmy - you may not chew gum or play Mobile Legends during the quiz.
Anything else? Yes, Mary - you may be dismissed to see your OBY-GYN. Please bring a note from your doctor by next week.
Is that it? Good. Let's begin.
Question 1
What are the two colors normally associated with Christmas? Choose 2 from the primary color wheel.
Question 2
Name a popular Christmas song and at least one lyric from the song.
Question 3
Write down one nickname for Santa Claus. Do not, I repeat, **do not use the name Santa alone.**
Question 4
What did Frosty The Snowman do when a magic hat was placed on his head?
Question 5 (20 point bonus)
What is the true story about the traditional Christmas as mentioned in the Holy Bible?
"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told" (Luke 2:1-20, NIV).
Finish
Now class, pass your papers forward and be sure you name is on the quiz at the top right corner. Let's be sure to tell the birth of Jesus this year when we celebrate Christmas.
Go straight home!
Did Dinosaurs Walk among Humanity?
Our teachers taught us in school that dinosaurs lived billions of years ago. They taught us that humanity wasn't even around during the time of the dinosaurs, and that a catastrophe - thought to be the Ice Age - wiped them from Earth. But the #Bible teaches us otherwise.
Faith versus Science
Most scientists are not Christians but rather are humanists. But we don't have to be a scientist to believe in the Bible. We simply delve into it and read its truth. If indeed the Bible is just a book with untruths in it, it serves little purpose, and hence salvation is also a myth; therefore we will all die once and rot in the ground.
Interestingly enough, though the Bible is God's revelation of Himself and His plan for all of humanity, it is also a science book, history book, a geography book, and a book of poems, among other genres.
Christians by faith believe as the Bible claims: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV).
This simply means that all we need to know about things as they pertain to this life may be found in the Bible.
Dinosaurs and humanity
Ancient and not so distant literature informs us that there were dragons during the time of man. For example, we have Bel and the dragon, the Kulta of Australian aborigines, St. George and the dragon, and of course numerous Chinese legends. Were these but myths and legends or was there actually something more to them?
Let's see what Moses wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, **and all the creatures** that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:26, NIV).
Did you catch that? **All the creatures.** All that have ever lived, mind you. **Dinosaurs did not evolve** out of an initial primordial slime! That is the lie of humanism. I'll not delve into the various problems with humanistic evolution, but I do know for a fact that my uncle wasn't a monkey, though he could go ape at times when he drank too much beer.
Anyway...
Around 1,600 years later, after Noah was instructed to build the 101,000 square foot ark, he and his family took a pair of each land-dwelling animal “wherein is the breath of life” aboard the ark (Genesis 8:15). This is to say that **God preserved a remnant** of humanity and animals from the global flood.
Even in the book of Job where we read about God speaking to Job: "Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox" (Job 40:15, NIV). Jesus was saying, "Hey, I am even bigger than behemoth! Trust me; I have a plan.'
What then shall we conclude?
For one thing, I'll trust God's word and this science by faith. Science continues to offer mounting evidence that dinosaurs did not predate humanity, and also that various kinds of dinosaur **kinds** did not go extinct until after the great global flood, the likes of which occurred only thousands of years ago (6,000 plus years ago it is said).
Dr. Brian Thomas writes of a recent dinosaur fossil discovery, stating: "[The] Argentinian sauropod find had the anatomy that points to Genesis creation, a size that points toward Job’s behemoth, and sediments that points to the Genesis Flood" (Thomas, 2021).
You may read more about this dinosaur by following the link below.
I enjoy reading scientific articles. One fact about these journal articles is that science is constantly updating things as they are discovered. Science thus continues to change. But God's word is everlasting and unchanging - something we can take comfort in. This is because the Creator, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8, NIV).
May you all be comforted and blessed with God's truth.
**Reference**
Thomas, B. (2021). Is Newfound Dinosaur Fossil the Biggest Ever? *ICR*. Retrieved from https://www.icr.org/article/is-newfound-dinosaur-fossil-the-biggest-ever/
My First 100 Words (with humor)
My son loves the song of the same name and plays it daily on You Tube Kids (ad free). A, anger, B, bribery, C, corruption, D, dastardly, E, egomaniac, F, never mind. Okay, so he doesn't have *that* version.
Learning
As my regular and faithful readers know, I've been regularly reading and writing since the 3rd grade. I was woman-slapped by by Guamanian teacher in elementary and was forced to write. I wrote fake news before it was cool. When I did not write well, my knuckles felt the brunt of her 18-inch wooden ruler. I learned with a quickly after a couple of raps.
University
By the time I hit college, I was 21 and fresh out of the US Army. My grammar was proficient and I made it a point to learn new words and use them properly.
I don't have any desire to bore you with words we should all know. But here are 26, and I'll throw a bone of humor in, one from each letter of the alphabet, chosen at random.
A - antithesis. Meaning: the direct opposite. Usage: The truth is the antithesis of a lie, you deadbeat.
B - brainstorming. Meaning: stimulating creative thinking. Usage: Adam and Eve began brainstorming how they could get around God's commands without getting hit by lightning.
C - contrived. Meaning: obviously planned or forced. Usage. The COVID restrictions were contrived by the wealthy to pocket more money at the expense of the poor, and yet dummies will vote fo them again.
D - didactic. Meaning: instructive; used for teaching. Usage: With the exception perhaps of "Pilgrims Progress, there are relatively few novels with a wholly didactic religious purpose.
E - erudite. Meaning: characterized by great knowledge. Usage: Sponge Bob's pal Patrick Star is not exactly erudite; he's dumber than a rock.
F - formidable. Meaning: something that inspires fear or respect. Usage: Counting the number of angels on the head of a pin proved to me a formidable task for an atheist.
G - genteel. Meaning: marked by refinement in taste and manners. Usage: Inasmuch as this is supposed to be a genteel meeting, I will do my best to refrain from calling anyone a pencil-necked geek.
H - hubris. Meaning: arrogance; excessive pride. Usage: The principal cause of ruination and damnation is wanton excess through the sin of hubris.
I - innate. Meaning: inherent in the essential character of something. Usage: He did, however, have an innate grasp of sarcasm, dressed with flair so people would leave him alone when they asked stupid questions.
J - jargon. Meaning: the language of a particular trade. Usage: I don't understand the crypto jargon like dip, bear and hodl.
K - kickshoe. Meaning. A dancer, but a really bad one. Usage: Have you seen all the kickshoes on TikTok - are they not hilarious?
L - lampoon. Meaning: to ridicule with satire: Usage: Tiffany wrote a critical lampoon of the journalist and sent it to her local newspaper, but the editor was sleeping with her and refused to publish it.
M - motif. Meaning: a recurring theme or subject. Usage: Roel's birthday motifs emphasized vampires, vodka and viruses.
N - nemesis. Meaning. An enemy or something that cannot be conquered. Usage: For a lot of read.cash users, writing is their chief nemesis.
O - onomatopoeia. Meaning: The formation of a word, such as *cuckoo, meow, honk,* or *boom,* by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent. Usage: Let's just say there's an element of onomatopoeia in the phrase cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo.
P - pseudonym. Meaning: a fictitious name typically used by an author. Usage: Satan doesn't appear to be a great pseudonym for a Christian writer.
Q - quandary. Meaning. A difficult situation that is hard to escape from. Usage: Maria found herself in quite the quandary when she had LBM at the mall and there was no toilet paper.
R - rubric. Meaning: an established mode of conduct or procedure. Usage: Reading the professor's rubric was as boring as watching paint dry.
S - soliloquy. Meaning: The act of talking while or as if alone, as in a play. Usage: Pedro's Hamlet soliloquy was two fries short of a full meal deal.
T - talisman. Meaning: A trinket thought to be a magical protection against evil. Usage: Denice used her crucifix as a talisman to ward off her ex-boyfriend.
U - ubiquitous. Meaning: being present everywhere at once. Usage: Lola's moth was ubiquitous in her province.
V - vacuous. Meaning: To be devoid of intelligence. Usage. There's a lot of vacuous content on Facebook.
W - wallow. Meaning: Devoting oneself entirely to something. Usage: The mistress was wallowing in misery when she found out she was his third mistress.
X - xenophobia. Meaning: A fear of foreigners or strangers. Usage: Hermits, not the crabs, prefer to be alone.
Y - yahoo. Meaning: A person who is not intelligent or interested in culture. Usage: Ever notice all the yahoos on Twitter barking at each other over trivial things?
Z - zephyr. Meaning: A slight wind. Usage: Was that a zephyr coming from her rear end after she ate?
There you have it, my yokels, homeslices, dawgs and besties!
W -
Why Hating Our Enemies Doesn't Work
Imagine someone was persecuting your country or your family and had done some serious harm to them. Perhaps they had even killed some. We would be extremely angry aside from being sorrowful and in deep mourning. We would likely seek our revenge. That's precisely how human nature typically works.
Injustices
When there is no justice in the land people sometimes take the law into their own hands. Countries do it all the time. This is why we observe wars throughout the world.
Justice is slow. Justice is corrupt, too. So called third-world countries are at a disadvantage when it comes to justice. Corruption is rampant in these countries. Oftentimes the rich and the powerful buy their way out of trouble while the poor are tossed into prison.
But rest assured that one day the perfect justice will come. All will receive their just due.
Prophets
The Bible features **16 prophets in the Old Testament**, some major and some minor. All are important. By major, we mean the writing is longer, and the minor prophets feature shorter writing.
Major prophets include Isaiah and Jeremiah, just to name a couple, whereas Amos and Jonah and Malachi are a few of the minor prophets.
People wrongly believe they can tie modern events into the prophetical books. No so fast!. The prophets wrote precisely what God told them to write, that is, **His exact words**. Remember, God is in control all of the time.
Furthermore, the prophets of old (there are no new ones) drew from the Old Testament Pentateuch - the first 5 books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. These books were where God's covenant were established and routinely renewed.
A fish story
There was a man named Jonah. He was preaching from 760 B.C. onward. His contemporaries were Hosea and Amos.
One wise scholar broke down the book of Jonah into the following: Chapter 1: Sea action; chapter 2: me action; chapter 3: reaction; and chapter 4: knee action.
Israel was being persecuted by its enemies and being killed. Jonah was ticked off and wanted them destroyed.
But God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach because there were things that troubled God, such as wickedness.
Jonah did not want to go. **He was reluctant because he hated the people of Nineveh**. Nineveh was the home of the Assyrians, Israel's enemy. The city is what is today the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Archeologists have identified the city's origins dating back to the 7th millennium B.C.
ISIS, that is, the militant Islamic group finally destroyed all visible remnants of Nineveh a ew years back. Shameful.
Back to the story
**Jonah had some wrong theology**. Back then, people believed that gods were only local. This means that they only lived where they were fed - where people offered them sacrifices such as humans and animals.
This is why Jonah hopped a boat and attempted to flee from God. But God intervened and sent a storm that threatened the lives of all aboard. Jonah, recognizing he was at fault, begged to be thrown overboard to save the others. At least he had some morals.
The people finally agreed, though reluctantly, and tossed Jonah into the Mediterranean Sea. Oops! Jonah fully expected to drown. But God intervened again!
A great fish (the Bible does not say a whale) swallowed Jonah and he awakened inside its belly and began to pray when he knew he was in fact alive.
Jonah was spit ashore by the great fish and went on to preach in Nineveh. He preached a message of repentance to 120,000 people. If they did not repent, God would destroy everything, people and animals and plant life. Total destruction.
Jonah split and headed for the desert. There is where Jonah had a flashback (chapter 4).
It was brutally hot in the desert and Jonah had no shelter so he prayed. Meanwhile, he built some shelter out of stones. There were no trees or shrubbery. He prayed for relief because he had no roof.
God immediately sprouted a gourd to provide Jonah with some shade. He waited in the distance to see fire and brimstone rain down from heaven, but it didn't happen. The people repented! There is no evidence in the Bible that they converted or believed, however.
Jonah was ticked off. His enemies weren't destroyed. He complained to God. God sent worms to destroy the gourd and Jonah complained some more. Why am I being tortured and the Assyrians are not is basically what Jonah said.
But God replied, you're worried about yourself and I am concerned about people! You see, God places value accordingly: humans, animals and plant life. Jonah was worried about plant life - God about humans and animals.
What are we concerned about besides ourselves?
Application
What can we learn from this story and how might we apply in in our Christian walk? First, we must come to the realization that God is in total control all of the time. Nothing can possibly interrupt His plan for His creation.
Second, we can learn that hating our enemies doesn't work to our advantage. In fact, it only brings harm to ourselves. We are told to love our enemies. Why is that? Because God loves them!
Jesus said:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV). https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:43-48&version=NIV#fen-NIV-23278a
Yes, God will exact His judgment in due time. He will judge all of us. The believers who have followed Jesus and obeyed and who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit will not be judged for their sins, but only for their works, and be rewarded accordingly.
On the other hand, unbelievers will be judged for their unbelief and thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation ).
Where do you stand? Do you still hate your enemies or do you pray for them? Are you like Jonah, rubbing your hands together awaiting their destruction? Or do you love and pray for your enemies as Jesus commanded?
When Misery and Suffering Come Our Way
Do you believe life is unfair? Well, that 's because it is! Troubles come upon both good and bad people. It always happens. Then again, we see evil people being blessed, and good people suffering. But through it all, we must be like Job and endure hardship and times of suffering.
Sickness
**We all get sick**. But Satan cannot cause any illness. But God allows illnesses for His reasons, which we don't understand yet. However, Satan **can** cause a person to be demon possessed.
Those who delve in witchcraft, the black arts like seances, horoscopes, Ouija Boards, the paranormal, Tarot cards and more, **open themselves up to demonic influence and possible demonic possession**. Yes, this still occurs today.
The good news is that believers can't be demon possessed. They can be harassed if they delve into the above-mentioned practices.
The challenge
One day Satan came to God with a challenge. "You know, God, I can get your servant Job to curse you." (Those weren't his exact words, but this was the premise of the challenge). God agreed to the challenge. The only thing Satan was not allowed to do (God was in total control) was kill Job. He could and did do everything else. In fact, Satan was only allowed to work within the boundaries that God had given him.
Satan went to work and killed Job's cattle, donkeys, sheep and camels. Then he killed all of Job's children by using the Chaldeans and other worshippers of idols who were against God. But Satan never is done.
We read "So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head" (Job 2:7, NIV). Job sat scraping his boils with pottery. Things were bad - really, really bad. Can you imagine what your response would be?
Job worshipped God in spite of it all!
Foils
Foils appear in literature, films and comics. Foils are characters who tempt the main character, and though sincere, are nevertheless misleading. They give alternatives to truth or what is happening, but **they are always wrong**. They are a contrast to the main character. In the story of Job, his four friends are his foils and contrast his beliefs. They mean well but are wrong.
Dialogue - Job and his friends
Job has been severely afflicted by Satan. And though he refuses to curse God **he does complain**. He says it is better to not live at all than to suffer. Job is miserable. We would be too.
Along comes his best buddy, Eliphaz. He tells Job that God is always good and that he would not be suffering if he did not deserve it. He is wrong. **God allows us to suffer even when we do not deserve it.**
In fact, four of his friends relay the same message and advise him to confess his sin and get right with God. "Admit it," they all say!
But Job replies to each of them: "Hey, dudes, I didn't do anything wrong!"
Bildad, his other pal, says: "C'mon, man - repent! Turn to God."
Job argues with God
Job ignored his friends for a bit and argues with God, saying, "Why me, LORD?"
Haven't we done the same before - many, many times? "Oh, pity me." we say, "I'll write a post about my sorrows and put it on read.cash."
Then Zophar stops by in chapter 11 and tells Job to give up the lie and repent and return to God. Job must think he's listening to parrots by now.
But Job explains to his best buds that he is actually worse off than evil people. He then states that they are unable to help him. Job says, "Yo, I need me some vindication!"
But again, we all never get what we deserve.
Another dude arrives in chapter 22 and Job thinks, "Oh, brother - another one." He likewise tells Job to repent, just like the others.
Then come Elihu - a neutral pal. After some comforting talk, he too says that God is sooooo good that He would never allow bad things to happen to a good person. He's wrong, of course - they do. Elihu argues from ontology - God is good, Job is bad, bad, bad. Elihu calls Job a sinner.
Job maintains he has done absolutely nothing wrong to offend God. Even his wife tells Job to curse God and die! She's also lost everything but is not sick. She is also miserable.
Then God
God arrives on the scene in chapter 35. He doesn't tell Job about the challenge or how he won it. He doesn't tell Job that he has remained faithful or that He allowed Satan to bring Job all the misery. He didn't tell Job why he became sick and He doesn't tell us, either!
In chapter 42 God speaks to Job and his four compadres. "I'm angry with you four (not Job). "I'm angry because you are all wrong - and Job is right - just like he told you over and over again."
This puts things into their proper perspective: **Life** ***is*** **unfair but God is in total control**. Even Jesus says, "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45, NIV).
Message of the book
Job is not a message about suffering but about wisdom. Good people do suffer. Bad people often do not.
This is what we all need to hear: **we must be constantly reminded that all of our difficulties, misery and illnesses are all in God's hands because He alone is in control**.
In the end, Job is implicitly saying that we all need something other than this life of suffering, cruelty, misery and dashed dreams. Life is unfair.
At the end of the book of Job, God blessed Job with considerably more than he previously had! **Guess what the point is**?
The best is yet to come for those who are faithful servants of the Lord!
The Book All Parents Need to Properly Raise their Child
As a child I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Seuss and mystery books. My parents always encouraged me to frequently read and study. But there was one book they never provided me with that is perhaps the most important book a child of any age should possess.
Flashback
I grew up near the beach in sunny Southern California. When I reached the 6th grade I no longer brought home homework or textbooks and yet I still received A's on my report cards.
At first my mother continued to question me why, as did my father when he came home (an officer in the US Navy). When my first report card was sent they marveled and asked me, "How did you do this - did you cheat?"
I didn't cheat. Instead, I read for comprehension, then completed my homework in class. This continued until the end of high school.
A life of reading
Since those early days I've never stopped reading. Nowadays I read 2-5 books a week, though my tastes have changed from fiction and non-fiction to primarily non-fiction. Occasionally I'll read humor but that's about it insofar as fiction goes (aside from Shakespeare). Whatever you read, continue to do so, because real writer's read... a lot. **I mean a lot!**
The book
There are 66 books in the Bible. I'll refrain from the argument of the additional books in the Roman Catholic faith except to say that the early church leaders rejected them because they were not written by the Apostles and were written after the first century church Apostles has passed away.
**The book is Proverbs**, the most secular book of the Bible. Secular? Yes, in the sense that it lacks theology, but instead is a collection of wise sayings. Anyone can read and understand it, even if they are not a Christian.
People are wrongly taught that the 31 chapters of Proverbs were written by King Solomon. He did write many but Solomon was primarily a collector of wise sayings. He collected wise sayings from Arab culture, Egyptian culture and from other kings such as King Lemuel and King Agur (both Arab kings).
Solomon's purpose for collecting them was for parents to properly raise their children. Aha, bet many did not know that!
Puzzles!
The book of Proverbs is not meant to be read like one would read a regular book. A reader should approach each wise saying carefully to grasp its meaning. This is because they are meant for readers to solve the puzzle - some being much easier than others. Proverbs are not meant to be solved easily but to get you to grasp the overall application for life.
Themes
There are a variety of themes in the book of Proverbs. Some of these include wisdom (the first 9 chapters), proper speech, family matters, matters of the heart, rich versus poor, laziness, and the concept of humbleness over pride.
Proverbs has been called a book of how to live by numerous Biblical scholars.
Examples of application
Remember the US proverb, "A stitch in time saves nine"? It's not all about sewing as some think it is, though obviously that is one application. If a tear appears, we should mend it before it becomes bigger and more ragged until the item becomes a worthless rag.
Here is the actual application. The proverb means that when problems arise, and they most certainly will, we should address them quickly rather than procrastinate. If we address our problems right away, they prevent them from getting really bad.
The last chapter of Proverbs (chapter 31) is profound. Aside from life's biggest choice aside from God, it concerns the matter of properly choosing a spouse. Many wrongly believe it is about finding the ideal woman - but that is not necessarily true.
In fact, women and your ladies can apply the wisdom inherent in the chapter to finding the ideal man for their lives.
Think of the book of Proverbs as a book of rules for living an honorable life. Discuss them with your children, ask them what the meaning is. Both of you will grow and lead a better moral life if you apply the wisdom these wise sayings teach. Indeed, if you truly want to properly raise your children, then the book of Proverbs is a must have. Just don't let it collect dust on your bookshelf.
The Reasons Why People Don't Write Daily
Anybody can come up with an excuse for not writing on a daily basis, just like we did when we wanted to be absent from school when we were kids. Any excuse will do, as long as we rationalize it in our minds.
**Disclaimer**: Get ready for some hard truths you likely won't except, because a lot of you are not writers. Most people cannot write well.
Excuses
Excuses are like opinions - everybody has them. Excuses for not writing can be legitimate, but many are absolutely not legit. It depends on one's perspective, sure, but our perspective may be lame when compared to that of others.
Sadly, one of the biggest blocks to writing daily is **laziness**. Modern generations have been raised by their governments and doting parents, both of whom thought it best to give their offspring everything on a silver platter - providing they had the financial wherewithal to do so. Many people have no earthly concept of the ethic of hard work and determination.
Legitimate excuses
Obviously there are legit reasons why people do not write daily. Some folks are employed full time. Along with their work schedule, they may have long commutes and/or other responsibilities, too.
For example, single Mom's carry the vast majority of the workload around the house. Without help from their family members, the time window narrows any opportunity to write. And yet they still find time to write.
Then there are those who work extensive hours - slaving away for others and making them money, while barely making ends meet. This drudgery is self-imposed slavery and unavoidable at times. But there is the concept of upward mobility that can free anyone from the chains of slavery. You have to work hard at it, however.
Illegitimate excuses
There is a ton of illegitimate excuses for not writing on a daily basis. If I made an attempt to list them all, we'd all fall fast asleep. But aside from laziness, as mentioned above, we can tack on writer's block. Yes, this occurs, but we quickly move on and put it behind us. How? By writing! Just putting pen to paper or tapping a keyboard will result in an eventual concept to write about.
You're not a writer
Just because you can write does not mean you **should** write. Furthermore, just because you do indeed write (anybody can) does not necessarily mean you are a **good** writer. Heck, you can refer to yourself as a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese, but that doesn't mean you are one.
**The majority of people are simply not writers**. They are here on read.cash for **one purpose only**: to make #BCH and buy what they want or need. It isn't even a hobby, but rather a means to make some crypto to be converted into cash.
The majority of these people don't care one iota about plagiarism, coming up with original ideas, or learning the writing craft. They also refuse to heed the advice of experienced writers who offer constructive criticism. They mistake constructive criticism for attacks on their person and all because of their pride.
These types will not improve. **They are not writers**.
Indeed, it is far easier to follow a silly trend that has no perceivable value because the mind is incapable of thinking like a writer should and **must** do. Writing is a difficult and thankless task.
Though there is a ton of books out there in the metaverse for free, yet ignorance and laziness cause them to stumble. They could learn grammar, learn structure, and learn to refrain from cutesy introductions, but nah, that's hard work and they know it, so they take the easy way out and bask in their shameless prose. They have an inability to make their words sing and hence make feeble, even embarrassing attempts at waxing poetic. At least it's funny.
Other talents
Do I now boast of my writing talent? Well, I have been writing for 35 years. This is one of my gifts honed over dozens of years. You have gifts, too. **Your gifts are not my gifts**. You may possess the ability to draw or paint a masterpiece. I don't. You may be able to craft an #NFT, I do not. Your artistic talent likely lies in another genre, if you have one at all, but you do have talents - everyone does. You are just ignoring your talent, your gift.
The fact is that many people never explore or hone their talents and thus they flounder in life without any meaningful purpose. You who are not writers must explore and determine what your talent is. It is likely better than what I can do in many cases.
Closing thoughts
"Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don’t see any” — Orson Scott
When and why do you make excuses not to write? Are they legit or are you fooling yourself? Are you simply here for the money? Deep inside, can you honestly call yourself a writer? Are you willing to put years upon years into honing your craft and accept constructive criticism? Be honest with yourself and accept whether you are a writer or not.
Writers write, hacks hack.
Making Homemade Spicy Texas Chili (with pics and instructions).
Everybody has a favorite warmup meal they prefer to prepare. For me, it's spicy Texas style chili. Okay, some folks don't use red kidney beans in their chili, but I do, so let's get that out of the way from jump street.
Prepping
The first thing I do is bring the Crock pot down from an upper shelf. Then I gather all of the ingredients and place them on the countertop. I crank the Crock pot up on high and pour my tomato sauce in to get it hot. If you don not have a Crock pot, a large cooking pot will suffice.
I then chop up my onions and jalapenos and dump them in.
Meanwhile, I am browning a half kilo of ground round and seasoning it with salt and pepper.
I have a preference for ground round over ground beef to cut out the unnecessary grease and fat.
I also open and add two cans of red kidney beans but I do not use the juice. You may if you prefer.
These beans are very healthy, as are the jalapenos.
I also add a tablespoon of jalapeno juice and a tablespoon of chili powder.
Rather than add a lot of salt, I substitute taco seasoning mix to the brew. Nevertheless, I do add a **teaspoon of salt**.
I dice up my SPAM (any flavor will do) and Hungarian sausages. I do use the entire can.
Cooking time
I leave all the ingredients on high for one hour, then turn it down to low for 2-3 hours, mixing occasionally. What's nice is that you can place any leftover chili in the ref and heat it in the microwave the next day or whenever, or you can freeze it to eat later in the week.
Eating
Sometimes I top the spicy chili off with a dollop of **Cheese Whiz** or a slice of cheese. At other times, I pour it over a half cup of steaming, white rice. Dependent on how spicy the chili is, I may add hot sauce.
Mind you, I have already added some while cooking so be careful before proceeding willy-nilly or will ruin the entire batch by making it too hot to eat.
Here is the chili cooking! Of course, more ingredients were being added after this photo.
Bon appetite, mon ami!
What Jesus do You Know?
Do you know Jesus? Which one? Many have come throughout history stating they were the promised Messiah. Even today we see men claim they are the Christ.
But there is only one Jesus, and if you don't know the right one, I'll be frank with you: the Bible says you are going to the lake of fire for all eternity after a temporary stopover in hell.
Fire and brimstone
Fire and brimstone preaching has fallen by the wayside and has been trampled underfoot. In its stead is the diluted, soft-sell, feel good message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel that is not the gospel and rarely saves. The hearts of many have waxed cold, their ears have been tickled with fanciful stories and decidedly wrong interpretations of God's word, and their sins have been downplayed with faulty reasoning from the pulpit.
But God will not be mocked. Judgment is on the land. Extreme judgment lies ahead. I will not tickle your ears or offer you a soft-sell message that distorts God's word, but rather speak the truth in a spirit of love as God has commanded.
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 24:37-39, NIV).
False prophets abound today. They preach there is no hell, no condemnation, no penalty for sin, no resurrection of the dead. Some preach that Jesus was not God, thereby denying the core tenet of the faith.
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15, NIV).
They preach and teach another gospel which is not the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9, NIV). They preach the absence of sin, the health and wealth gospel, and line their pockets with filthy lucre. Their damnation is sure, for they have led the flock to the eternal pit. Their condemnation is just.
What Jesus?
Various religions such as Islam recognize Jesus as a prophet or simply a good teacher. Unfortunately, they deny His divinity, that He is God manifested in the flesh, the exact representation of the Father.
Consider this: a prophet who does not relate the truth is supposed to be stoned to death. This is why the Jews of the ancient world sought to kill Jesus, for He healed and forgave sins, acts only God could perform. But the Jews refused to believe the truth like many have in the past and who continue to refuse to hear the truth. Their condemnation is also sure and just.
Jesus was also a teacher or a Rabbi and cleared up the false interpretations of God's word that the Pharisees and Sadducees had. much to their collective chagrin.
Now if Jesus is not God, then He is a liar or He is crazy. We might excuse crazy, but false prophets must be stoned to death. Nowadays they proliferate as the blind leading the blind. They possess the spirit of the antichrist like all unbelievers. Their condemnation is also sure and just.
The real Jesus Christ
Jesus has existed outside of time before the creation. *Jesus is God*. He was with God the Father in the beginning (Genesis 1:26). He came to this earth in the form of a Man, the God/Man, a mystery yet to be revealed to our limited minds.
Many deny Christ Jesus because they refuse to believe in the resurrection of the dead. But Jesus not only suffered as a man inasmuch as He hungered and thirsted, but He suffered horribly on the cross, remaining obedient even unto death, as prophesized by the prophets and the law centuries previous.
He rose again after three days and appeared to over 500 men. False teachers say he was merely a ghost, but Jesus ate and had flesh and bones!
We read about hen Jesus appeared: "They (the Disciples) were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; **a ghost does not have flesh and bones**, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence" (Luke 24:37-43, NIV).
Jesus is alive! He is God. He is coming again to judge the world's inhabitants. Trust in Him today and be saved!
Repent!
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" (Acts 3:19, NIV).
Confess and believe!
"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10, NIV).
Be a disciple!
"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels" (Mark 8:34-38, NIV). https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%208:34-38&version=NIV#fen-NIV-24536a
Persevere!
"I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown" (Revelation 3:11).
The consequences of unbelief
Do not be misled. Hell and the second, eternal death awaits unbelievers.
"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:11-15, NIV).
King David was a Scoundrel
We often get the wrong image of King David from the majority of pastors and teachers. Though he was indeed a man after God's own heart, he nevertheless was a scoundrel. How can this be?
The united monarchy
The three great kings of Israel are identified by biblical scholars as Saul, David and Solomon. While there were some 40 (Hebrew "many dozens") plus kings of the nation of Israel, only the above-mentioned three ruled over an undivided Israel.
Israel was involved in a civil war between Israel in the north and Judah in the South of the Promised Land. All of the kings of Israel were not descendants of David, but **all of the kings of Judah** **were descendants of David.** This preserved the Messianic lineage from whence Jesus would come.
All of the kings in the northern kingdom were evil. The kings of Judah were good and evil.
Judges to Kings history
There was a transition from biblical judges to kings. The last judge was not Samson, as some believe, but instead Samuel was the last judge, and a good one at that. In the book of 1 Samuel, Sam is given 95% of the coverage in chapters 1-7.
Beginning in chapters 8 through 15, Saul and David take the stage of history, David getting more coverage in this book than in 2 Samuel, a book solely dedicated to him.
**Note: 1 and 2 Samuel were one book that was later divided into two for easier reading.**
In chapters 16 through 31, we observe the historical significance of David and Saul and there is no further mention of Samuel except for his death.
Then in 2 Samuel, it's all about David.
King David
David was a superior military leader. He conquered the Promised Land and beat the Philistines to a pulp. He was otherwise not a good man whatsoever. How do we know this to be true? Two things: David's actions and from Scripture.
"...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
**But let's take a look at how David acted.**
The story of David and Bathsheba is known to many people. I'll summarize it.
David was chillin' like a villain atop his palace roof one day, and when he looked, there was Bathsheba (the name means "the seventh daughter; the daughter of satiety). Bathsheba was taking a nude bath and David said, "Whoa, Daddy! Yo, mine servants, find this beautiful babe and bring her to my crib!"
Okay, he didn't say *tha*t, but in his insatiable lust he sent his messengers to fetch Bathsheba. She willingly slept with the King, despite the fact she was on her monthly ... ahem, well, you ladies know, and despite the fact that she was married to Uriah the Hittite, a fierce military leader in David's powerful army.
To make a long story short, when Bathsheba informed David that she was preggers, David murdered Uriah and married Bathsheba. Murder and adultery. Not good. Not good at all. Bathsheba then bore David a son.
God saw his appointed king and sent Nathan the prophet to David, saying, "‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you **despise the word of the Lord** by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. **Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me** and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own" (1 Samuel 12:7-10, NIV).
Trouble in the house of David
God's word was true (and always is). David was a poor father. David's son Amnon falls in love with his half-sister Tamar and rapes her one day. His love then turns to hatred and Tamar mourns. Her bro Absalom comforts her, promising her he'll handle it all and not to sweat it but let it.
Meanwhile, King David does jack doodly squat about the sordid event: We read: "When King David heard all this, he was furious. Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar" (2 Samuel 13:21-22).
He was furious but did nothing.
Two years later, Absalom throws a big swag party at his sprawling ranch outside of Jerusalem (no masks required). The King has better plans than to go, so he reluctantly agrees to send his crown prince, Amnon his son. It was the trap Absalom wanted all along. With the death of Amnon, he would be the heir to the throne!
Absalom murders this older brother Amnon while he was wasted on wine for his revenge.
There are many other short stories about King David that reveal how he was far from the perfect man. But the point is that David repented of his sins, became faithful and was converted. He still ran afoul of God's commands, however, and sinned.
Our lesson
We all can learn a valuable lesson from King David. Though he was a scoundrel, God used him for His glory. David killed Goliath and routed the Philistines, thus fulfilling God's command to the early entrants to the Promised Land.
Unlike King Saul and King Solomon, David never worshipped another god. He had experienced the power, mercy and grace of the One true God and had n part in wicked ecumenism which leads to the eternal pit.
We, too, can be used of God. He has a preference for the weak, the poor in spirit, and those He can work His power through to achieve His plan. It doesn't matter what your sinful background is, God will forgive **if you come to Him, seek his forgiveness, repent, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind**.
Do not despise the word of God. Stop being like David, be like Jesus.
My Prison Penpal
Inside it is lonely. Inside you have very few friends and a lot of enemies. Inside you are watched 24/7. Prison: it's not necessarily living but rather the art of surviving. My now 27-year-old relative is in a Florida prison in the United States and we are penpals. I'll call her Rose to protect her identity.
The incident
It was not a typical day in Florida in September of 2016. The sun wasn't high in the sky but instead a rainy gloom dampened the roads and spirits of its inhabitants.
Already inebriated, a tipsy Rose was driving along in her newer model Ford SUV. A beggar stood in the median of the road pestering motorists at the traffic light for money. While distracted by turning up her stereo as she approached the stoplight, the SUV of Rose veered to the right and struck the homeless man, sending him slamming into a nearby maroon pickup truck.
Rose panicked. She hopped out of her vehicle to check on the man, and then quickly jumped back into her SUV after observing that the 28-year-old was unresponsive She sped away to a nearby adult entertainment bar for a shot of whiskey to calm her nerves.
She was arrested for hit-and-run shortly thereafter.
The sentencing
Since she nor her husband could afford a decent, paid attorney, the court had appointed Rose with a public defender to defend her against the reckless homicide charge and some drug-related charges. Rose was subsequently sentenced to a long prison term at the age of 22 some months later in 2017.
Life inside
Our correspondence through electronic email revealed Rose was genuinely sorry for what had happened. She nevertheless complained about the loneliness, the hate from other women prisoners and the guards, and the unthinkable, unbearable heat inside. She often made references to wanting to have a few beers.
Her urge to party had not left, even though she had killed a man. Gently I introduced my sordid past to her, one she was vaguely aware of, and how Christ Jesus had made me a new man. She was somewhat open to the idea but skeptical. How could God forgive her for killing someone?
Think before acting
Now years later, I still write her and will be writing her later today. I also send her money to buy food, snacks and personal items that the State of Florida does not provide its prisoners. All of her "friends" have abandoned her.
Over time our correspondence has turned to her rehabilitation efforts. She presently trains dogs for the elderly and disabled inside the woman's prison.
Rose is paying for the consequences of her errant thinking but she is able to be fully rehabilitated by Jesus rather than the State.
God the loving Father
**God is able and willing** to heal broken hearts and forgive anyone of **all their sins**. Even ruthless killers, drunkards, thieves, rapists, drug addicts, adulterers, sorcerers, bank robbers and all other sinful people may approach God and seek His forgiveness.
Many people have the wrong idea about God. They see Him as a vengeful ogre ready to punish, but that is not His ideal plan for any of his human creations. **God is a loving Father**!
You see, **all people are born into sin and are captive to Satan's power of sin.** *Only* the love, mercy and grace of God is able to set us free. He did it for me! Without going into specific details, I was a drunk, a womanizer, thief, drug addict and a criminal in the eyes of God. But He had a plan for me and He has a plan for you.
He has a plan for Rose, too.
Parole
I don't know when Rose will be eligible for parole - maybe in 2026. I don't know if the State of Florida will grant her parole because her crime is serious. But I do know this: God is able to set her free! That is much better than any parole. I don't mean He will cause an earthquake and free Rose like He did for Paul in the book of Acts, but he can set her mind free of the ways of this world.
He can do the same for you, too. **How**?
"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10, NIV).
May I encourage you to not despair. God seeks you now. You know it in your heart because He prompts you to call upon Him and yet you have shunned Him. But He hasn't shunned you...yet. Seek the Lord while He is able to be found. He loves you and wants you to come to Him today. There is forgiveness and hope in Christ Jesus. Stop being a prisoner to sin.
Time of Refreshing -a Day with my Son
Words that carry grace are refreshing to the soul. Doing things for others is fun and is the type of leisure I enjoy. My soul and spirit were refreshed while taking Friday off.
An early morning deadline for a client was met with ease, providing me with an opportunity to spend the rest of the day doing whatever I wanted to do. I chose sacrificing my time and periods of leisure.
Doing
Since **love is doing something rather than an emotion**, a concept most people fail to understand, I did the dishes for my spouse, ran a load of clothes through the washing machine, hung them out to dry, and neatly folded everything later. This gave her free time to take our boy to the beach and afterwards hit up a mall to shop. She kept the spending to a little under $200. Whew.
I read some articles on read.cash and gave away more #BCH to worthy writers. Saw a new trend where spammers are posting short, under 1-minute posts with links to buy things. I hope those in charge of this platform put an end to the spam and boot these people off the platform. Users here need to be careful clicking on these links lest you find yourself hacked or your computer is used as a bot.
Seeing
We have a rather spacious porch and front/back yard. A cherry tree, a mango tree, a huge calamansi tree, and various plants and flowers are everywhere. My son and I explored everything and took some selfies of him. We then posted them to his Facebook account, along with his beach pics.
Teaching
I like teaching but quit the public schools years ago. The curriculum was lacking and the pay was not sufficient. Anyway, we sorted through his toys and I asked him to name each one, played some ball, and read a couple of short books. I believe in the biblical concept as stated below.
Though he is only two, **I teach him daily**. We work on his #vocabulary most of all. His vocabulary is impressive for his age - and I ensure he learns proper English pronunciation. We take breaks when he begins to lose focus.
We got on #Lazada during one break and searched for a #Halloween costume, but we never made a decision to buy. The mall later today will offer better results, as those costumes from China look like a fire waiting to happen.
We are planning a Halloween party with the neighbors on our porch. Food, snacks, candy, and games are in the works.
Watching
I spend time with my son daily. Sadly, there are many absent fathers in society today. I call these guys breeders rather than men. A man takes responsibility for his actions and nourishes his son. Children need both parents, a man and a woman to grow up healthy and properly with a right sense of all the important values of life.
We watched his favorite videos on **You Tube Kids**. It's ad free. He has a preference for animals, airplanes and race cars.
Travel
We tried to go to the new mall that had its grand opening yesterday but no kids were allowed inside. That's fine - we shopped where we were wanted.
A couple of his friends moved a few kilometers away so we drove over and went to visit them for a few hours. One of the kids is very undisciplined so we had to watch him carefully because he likes to hit others. Not good.
We drove along the highway and looked at the scenery and bought some snacks, then had lunch on the beach - bangus and rice.
Cooking
In the late afternoon he and I cooked for Mom. We put together a meal of niligang baka. Potatoes, onions, fresh corn, cabbage, fresh Australian beef and spices poured over Jasmine rice was a nice meal.
Plans for subsequent ice cream fell through because we were too stuffed.
Relaxing
After dinner, we relaxed, played some more and wrestled. He missed his afternoon nap so I had hoped he would crash early. Nope. The little rascal finally slept well beyond his usual 8:30 p.m. bedtime.
The refreshing words that made my day were "thank you's" and plenty of "Daddy's!" Yeah, my day may sound boring compared to your day, but it was nevertheless fulfilling.
Spend some time with your child each day. Even if you are busy, let your kids know they are wanted and loved by **doing something** for or with them.
My Clients are Back: My Plans
The financial dry spell has finally come to an end. The once depleting savings I had are now in the process of being restored. My US clients are back. It is the peak time for writing in the United States and I am thankful for all of my faithful returning clients.
Looking ahead
While I refuse to boast about tomorrow and the future, it would be foolish if I did not have a plan in place. Therefore, to this end, I have planned to do a few things, namely: provide my loved ones a Merry Christmas; put money back for my son's college education in the United States; and buy some more #crypto.
Christmas
Quite frankly, I don't know how many more of these special holidays we can expect from the increasing intolerance of liberals, globalists, and the powers that be who are totally behind the pandemic scare.
As a consequence, I want to do #Christmas bigly this year. Adorning my female other half with fashion and assisting her poor family is my objective. They have refused the jib jab and are by and large confined to their immediate surroundings. One son who is employed as a truck driver fetches their needs.
University
I place little to no faith in the so called education system in the #Philippines. I home school my son and he is a quick learner of the English language. My gal teaches him Tagalog and the #Visayan dialect.
When he reaches the high school level, that is **if Jesus tarries**, I'll enroll him in a private Christian school after vetting one.
After he graduates, I'll be sending him to the **United States** to attend #Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia- a respected Christian college. His major will be his choice, but I hope he will play #baseball and be the first #Phil-Am to play in the Big Leagues. Hey, one has to dream!
Crypto
I've already bought some #BCH in the last few weeks because of the #dip, and plan to buy more for **a hedge against fiat currency**. I have been watching #ADA (Cardano) as well. I really like the folks from Stanford University who put it all together and believe it has a promising future.
But I am not a financial advisor so make your own choices. I do continue to stay away from these junk coins like #Pi, #Doge, and a host of others #meme coins.
In closing, now that my clients are back, I am able by the grace of #God to continue with my plans.
Finally, a big shout out to all my #sponsors here on read.cash.
Take a Breath!
The Roman poet Ovid one said, "Take a rest; the field that has rested gives a beautiful crop." Far too often we labor much too much without taking time to refresh our minds and body. On the other hand, some people rest far too much. We should strive to strike a balance in our life.
Health
Sleep is one of the human body’s best natural preventive medicines, and is able to restore and refresh both mind and body.
**We need to rest**. When we toil with our day-to-day activities our body and spirit wears down. We then have a tendency to become irritable, frustrated, cranky - and our mood takes a turn for the worse. I see this in myself and my spouse from time to time.
Our internal switch tells us when we need to rest, but we often ignore it. Caffeine or stimulants do not alleviate our tiredness but can lead to increased sleep deprivation. Stimulated, we press on to complete whatever tasks we need to complete, sometimes without great results we are capable of doing.
As a writer, I can work (and typically do work) 16-18 hours in a day during the peak season (September through mid-May). If I fail to rest my eyes and my body, my writing suffers. A nap always serves to get me back on track. My clients also receive better work when I am rested.
Rest versus laziness
Personally, I can never remember a time when I was lazy. A lazy day here and there, yes, but **never habitually lazy**. A dictionary defines laziness thus: "Unwilling to work or use energy.”
Unwilling to work. We see a lot of this today in all societies. It is not a good thing. There is plenty of work available, but people are becoming more dependent of their governments to provide for their needs. Laziness is destructive. **Rest is profitable**. We need to know the difference.
God's concept of rest
After Jesus created the universe (Genesis 2:2-3) according to the Father's plan, we know **He rested**. This is called the Sabbath. God does not need rest; however, He did this to **set an example for us**. As the Creator, he knew full well how frail the human body was.
When Jesus entered our time and appeared as a Man, he rested:
"The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a **quiet place and get some rest**” (Mark 6:30-31, NIV).
There are other instances of Jesus resting, even when people needed Him. **We need to follow His example**. We can't do everything for everyone and not expect to suffer from the negative impact of burnout.
The Old Testament command
God knows what is best for us and is quite serious about the concept of resting.
“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, **a sabbath of complete rest** to the Lord; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death" (Exodus 35:2).
Yikes! Death? Thankfully the new covenant came when Jesus did.
The new covenant
When speaking of rest, Jesus said:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, NIV).
This verse has a couple of revelations in it that are worth noting and understanding. Sin is in all of our lives from the moment we are born into the world. Sin wears the body down (makes us weary), even to the point of death.
"Come to me" is our personal invitation for the broken-hearted soul and heavily-burdened sinner. When an individual comes to Jesus, s/he gives their burdens over to Him. He forgives our sins and makes us a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The rest that Jesus Christ gives is **an eternal rest** far beyond our ability to fully comprehend, and it can **never be earned or bought** (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift!
I encourage you to not only get your proper physical rest, but also receive your spiritual rest in Christ Jesus. He will provide a safe harbor in times of trials and give you the rest you require. As we practice obedience to Him, as **He commanded**, our crops will yield beautiful fruit for His glory and our reward. In this we may rest assured of our salvation in Christ Jesus.
Late Starts can be Great Starts
I don't like being late to anything, even to the dentist. When a person is regularly late it demonstrates to others their lackadaisical attitude and lack of commitment to another person's time. **I never trust** a habitually late person in any of my affairs. **Never**. Late starts can be great starts or lead to ruin.
Yesterday's example
Yesterday I had an appointment with a well-known attorney where I live, a mover and a shaker. It was for 11 a.m. An important document needed to be signed/notarized. I was at her office at 10:30 a.m. It was my hope that she might be available earlier and that I could go buy some groceries at the SM supermarket afterward. No dice.
At 11:20, the secretary came out and handed me her phone. It was the attorney on the line, stating she could not make it at 11. She advised that I simply leave the document for her to notarize. What could I do? It had taken me a week to even get the appointment!
Around 3:30 p.m., I was finally home with the notarized document. My day was half shot to pieces. **I will not use the attorney again**. This is a poor example of the consequences of her being #late that falls on her.
Jobs and film audition interviews
As a #business owner, I hire on occasion. You would not believe how many people show up late with #excuses. I send them out the door immediately.
I also run a #film production company. I hold #auditions to pick the best suitable actors/actresses for all the roles. Again, many people show up late - a definite no-no in the film business. They are never hired. **Why**? Because if they are late to an audition, they will likely be late to a film shoot and set back production. This costs me or any other filmmaker money.
Time
Various cultures have different perspectives of time. In the U.S, we have a saying: **time is money**. In South Korea, **time is gold**. In the Philippines, **time is just time**.
**Timing is everything**. You cannot expect a joke to be funny without proper timing. Improper timing at a traffic signal can get you killed. You get the idea.
God's timing
You who regularly read my posts already knew I was going here. It is always my goal to take circumstances from our everyday life and provide ethics (applications) from God's word, the Bible.
God exists outside of time in eternity. He gives us the sun, mathematics and seasons so we can have a concept of time.
God regularly stepped into time and still does. He is immutable, which is to say He never changes.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8, NIV).
Before the beginning of time, as we know it, God the Father had a plan in the works: Jesus His Son was His instrument for the Creation (John 1:1), the Holy Spirit for sustaining it.
Acquaint yourself with God's timing
Nothing could be more important than getting on board with God and His perfect timing. **Absolutely nothing**. Quite often we take our time for granted, always expecting to see the sun rise the next day. But we know from experience this is not always so - people die when they do not expect to.
"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring" (Proverbs 27:1, NIV).
"The Lord is good to those **whose hope is in him**, to the one who **seeks him**; it is good to **wait quietly** for the salvation of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:25-26, NIV).
See the problem here? Far too often we brag about the next day before the present day is even finished. We say things like, "Tomorrow I will get busy." And, "The next day is the day I will get more motivated." Or "Tomorrow is when I'll make more money." "The next day is when I will trust the Lord God."
In like manner, we are impatient. Our world teaches us the wrong concept of instant gratification. We say, "I need money now!" Or "Hurry up, I need or want this and that!"
We are impatient creatures. But God is not necessarily.
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV).
**But God's patience has its limits**. While late starts can be great starts, they can also lead to eternal ruin.
Consider this
Where were you late the last time? What have you been putting off lately? Are you impatient with anything? What is your sole motivation in life? Money? Fame?
What about God's plan for your life? Have you ignored it? Most have and will to their own eternal destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
"For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, **now is the time** of God’s favor, **now is the day of salvation**' (2 Corinthians 6:2, NIV)
It's best to get a late start while there is today. "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14, NIV).
Be sure to be acquainted with God's perfect timing. Now is the day.
The Man Who Failed to Yield
You never know what awaits you when you leave the house each day. Some of the more amazing events and their memories will linger in one's memory many years afterwards.
I was driving to work one afternoon. It just so happens that by sheer luck and timing that I was promoted to work as an inspector in an automobile factory. It's funny that they called it that because we made camshafts, crankshafts and valves for diesel engines. We even manufactured a crankshaft for John Deere tractors.
The pay was excellent, one of the very best in town. Even some 20 years later the wage back then remains exceptionally above what people make working for, say, Amazon today.
Right of way
Any of us who have experience driving a vehicle is aware that there are times when we must yield to another driver, both by law and to show common courtesy to other drivers.
Well, that day as I pulled up to the main highway from a side road, I had to yield to traffic travelling in both directions. The huge factory was right across the street.
I looked to my left and observed a motorcycle travelling at what I deemed to be a high rate of speed in the distance. As I looked to my right, a car was also speeding but was slowing and was going to attempt to turn left on to the side road where I sat idling in my high-performance Chevy Malibu.
The accident
As I listened to my music and waited for an opportunity to make a right turn onto the highway, the driver of the car attempted to make a left turn. Unfortunately, he **did not see the motorcycle** and failed to yield.
The action of the accident went into slow motion in my brain.
The motorbike slammed into the passenger side of the car, sending the rider over the top of the car, where he landed on the unforgiving pavement. He was not wearing a helmet.
As I looked on in utter amazement, my first reaction was that he was dead on the spot. Then, with a quickness, I jumped out of my car and ran to his aid. He was still breathing, alive.
His head was severely injured. A large gash poured crimson onto the road. His leg was also mangled, his clothes were in shreds, and road rash had turned his once young body into a maze of gravel, dirt, grime, grease and unusual patterns.
I immediately went to work providing First Aid.
After three weeks in the hospital the man was finally discharged. As far as I know, though he survived the accident, he failed to change his ways. **He was also a man who failed to yield.**
Yielding to God's call
God is ever calling people to be part of His great plan of salvation. Many reject the call, although their conscience bears witness that **there is a God**. Though many acknowledge Him as God, they nevertheless decide and otherwise prefer to wait and live their lives as they please until a later time. They live a sinful life.
Other people have no intention of believing in what they refer to as the fairy in the sky. I shudder when I hear or red those statements. Indeed, Jesus says: "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36, NIV).
These people who refuse to yield to God do not know when they will be called to account upon death.
Are you listening?
**Life is fast-paced**. There is extensive competition in the world to distract us from the call of God. Our 24-hour day passes quickly into a week, a month, a year, a decade.
Are you delaying God's call? If so, **why?** If you *have* yielded to God's call, **why** are you not serving Him and doing His will? Don't you know that He uses unqualified people like us for His glory and our reward both now and in heaven?
"For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 5:2, NIV).
Again, you never know what awaits you when you leave the house each day. You may be the man or woman who refuses to yield. Don't be that person. **Yield to God's call on your life**.
Who were the Sons of God in Genesis 6?
The Bible is a **summary** of God's revelation of Himself and how He interacts with humanity. Everything you need for living a life on God's terms (rather than mankind's terms) is in His everlasting word, comprised of ****66 books****. There are no contradictions, only misunderstandings and mysteries.
Brief background and structure of Genesis
Moses wrote the book of Genesis (origins or beginning) around 1400 to 120 B.C. while he was in the wilderness. Essentially, it is the story of redemption at its very core. Chapters 1 through 11 provide a broad overview of creation to the death of Jacob's son, Joseph.
Beginning at chapter 12, Moses relates 10 origin stories that complete the Old Testament narrative. As the book proceeds, Moses begins to narrow the book down and place more emphasis and focus on specific topics.
Genesis 6:1-5
Humanity was growing more corrupt because of the **inherited sin of Adam and Eve** in the Garden of Eden, specifically when they ate of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Beginning in verses chapter 6, verses 1 and 2 we read: "When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, **the sons of God** saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose" (Genesis 6:1-2, ESV).
Seems harmless, right? God wanted man to be fruitful and multiply. But a closer examination of the Hebrew and Aramaic words, and the context in Genesis 6, reveal something more sinister that remains controversial but nevertheless true to this day.
The sons of God
Sons of God is translated "angels" (Job 1:6; 2:1 and 38:7). Remember, before the creation of the universe, God had already cast Satan and one-third of the angels down to Earth because of their rebellion. This is why Satan was in the Garden with Adam and his **equal** helper, Eve.
**These angels were demons**. "But angels are spirits!" you say. Yes, they are. But we also know that they are able to take on the appearance of men in physical form. We observe this in **Genesis 19:1-5** when two angels appeared in Sodom and Gomorrah and wicked men wanted to have sex with them. We also see angels appear in human form in Mark 16:5.
Demonic angels were able to do the same as God's holy angels, as we see in verses 2 and 3. What we have here then is **demons possessing the wicked descendants from Cain - regular men**! They then had sex with women, and the women bore children who were called **Nephilim**.
The Bible describes Nephilim thus: "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the **sons of God** came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the **mighty men** who were of old, the men of renown" (Genesis 6:4, ESV).
These Nephilim were mighty men. Giants. Huge and powerful men. Scary! We hear about them later as Israel is about to enter into the Promised Land.
But God was not pleased with the continued sin of humanity. We read: "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5, ESV).
**Sound familiar? This is true today**. Judgment will come again.
But God brought about His judgment on sin in the form of the Great Flood in Genesis 6:5-6. Verses 5-6 are linked to verses 1-4. We know about this story of the flood. Even pagans have heard the story.
This judgment was but an example of the final judgment of God in Revelation and 16 times elsewhere. These specific demons mentioned above were cast into the pit so that they would not repeat their grievous evil.
Controversy
Matters that are not pertinent to foundational doctrines (teachings) of the Christian faith may be debated in a spirit of love.
Some teachers believe demons cannot procreate with humans. This stems from Matthew 22:30: "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven" (NIV).
This verse does not imply that “angels are not able to marry.” Instead, it reveals a truth wherein that angels **do not marry**. Big difference.
The verse is making reference to the “angels in heaven.” However, it is not referring to fallen angels, who do not care whatsoever about God’s created order of things, and who consistently and actively pursue various means to disrupt God’s plan. The truth that God’s **holy** **angels** do not marry or engage in procreation does not mean that the same holds true of Satan and his demonic companions.
Today and in the future
God cannot look on sin and not judge it. His justice is right and pure, unlike the world's perverted sense of justice. Our worldly justice may be translated "just us" - that is - it is not fair towards the poor and downtrodden, but rather it excuses the crimes and sins of the wealthy and powerful.
But a final judgment is coming. Make no mistake about it.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds" (Revelation 20:11-13).
We are not all in this together
Do not be misled, we are not all in this together. Reality reveals the fact that we re all being separated in more ways than one by billionaire elites, politicians and their minions. Just a cursory glance at the media by a critical reader (and how few these are!) reveals the growing divide among modern humanity. This divide spans many things, of course, but here and for the sake of brevity only a few are mentioned.
My my my Corona
It's natural to blame the increasing clamp down on citizens by their governments where COVID is concerned. This is because instead of seeking herd immunity the elite seek **herd conformity**. Whether or not the virus is a staged event or not is besides the point. The point is that those behind the curtain are putting us into two separate camps: **the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.**
**Vaccine passports** are gaining wide acceptance among some people, while on the other side of the coin, others are protesting vaccine passports in huge numbers. Riots and clashes with opposing views are becoming more frequent. Take a look at alt media video channels and watch the video clips the mainstream media won't show you.
Whomever is ultimately pulling the strings, chaos has been the result. This is just a taste of things to come. **It will get worse.** And if you ever wondered what you would have done in World War II Germany, you have already made the choice: go along with the flow or resist.
Even people who have had one or two jabs are being discriminated against because they are refusing the booster. **They should refuse.**
The vaccine-pushing Nazi's have hoodwinked half of the the public into believing that an mRNA shot is effective. Even doctors are now pushing a narrative wherein they are refusing to treat unvaccinated patients for whatever ails them. Ironically, they have failed to realize that it is the vaccinated who are spreading the virus at a 60% rate or higher dependent on the country.
Societies are becoming unglued, unhinged and unmanageable. Lawlessness is increasing, as are capricious mandates. We are being divided by our leaders.
Politically
There are basically two camps when it comes to politics: liberal or conservative. Both have their good and bad points.
On the one hand we have liberalism, where virtue signaling, cancel culture, self above others, and Marxism are the norm. But to their credit, they do have one reasonable platform, such as pushing **rights for women**.
Liberals cry freedom and equality until it adversely affects them. They are hypocrites.
Conservatives are also hypocrites. Like their liberal counterparts, they too spend money they don't have and increase inequality.
They accept money from political action committees, special interest groups and crooks, while most of the population struggles to make ends meet.
Rare is the politician who doesn't line their pockets or purses with **filthy lucre**. **Power, fame and wealth are their goals**. The people come after corporations. As George Carlin aptly said, "Politicians are part of the big club and we are not in it"; we are plebes.
We have allowed ourselves to be divided and for "them" to gain more power over us.
Spiritually
There is a great falling away from all things Christian. The philosophy of all paths lead to God has become popular recently under the guise of tolerance. But the One true God is not tolerant nor does He accept any religious effort as long as the practitioner is sincere. That's simply not how it works.
People have a proclivity to find their own path to God and many do so in error, even to their own eternal destruction. Yoga, Eastern mysticism, the occult, transcendental meditation, astrology and horoscopes, cults like Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses (and many more), satanic worship, woke ideologies, the New Age Movement, and a host of others.
These above-mentioned adherents of false religions are living in darkness and are on a path not to enlightenment but to hell itself. We are not all in this together.
What to do?
Those of the Christian faith must live lives that follow Jesus. There our lives will be in a harmonious state. Sure, there will be divisions and arguments, but these are remedied in a spirit of love.
Those outside of the Christian faith are living in peril. Jesus can come at anytime and He will come suddenly when there is no time for repentance.
**Trust in Jesus today**. If you need guidance on what you must do to receive salvation, I am here to assist you.
Beware the Manipulators!
They are all around us. The manipulators, I mean. They live to pull your strings and control you like a puppet, as well as compel you to do what they want you to do, even though deep inside you don't want to cooperate. Beware the manipulators!
They are everywhere
Manipulators are everywhere we turn. We see them here on read.cash, social media, among loved ones and friends, in business, universities and in governments, more so in religions, just to name some, but certainly not all.
Manipulators are annoying. Unlike a nagging spouse who is direct and in your face, the serial manipulator utilizes subtle tactics to force their ways and beliefs upon you. If you leave yourself unguarded, the manipulators whisk you away into their spider web of lies and entrap you.
Social media platforms
Manipulators love to work on social media platforms. On read.cash a critical reader is able to spot them straightaway. They entice you with flattery and false greetings. "Hello, lovely read.cash readers, how's your day? I hope your day is going great, and kindly know that I love you all." What you should read between the lines is: Hey, read my article and tip me! Beware the manipulators!
This flattery is a blatant lie intended to deceive and lure you to read their article. A simple hello is harmless, but **the extraneous and otherwise extended greeting is bait**. Which one of these manipulators really cares for your wellbeing deep down inside? How many have sent *you* a tip or even reached out and helped you in your despair and misery?
More importantly, who can honestly say they love someone they have never met? **Think about it** and think critically.
It's the same on #Facebook. Oh, you have the maximum 5,000 friends, do you? Fantastic! Um, how many do you actually interact with? How many of your friends make attempts to bait you with a marketing scheme, entice you to join a Ponzi or pyramid scam as an affiliate? Their greed and lust for money knows no bounds. You are a means to their end.
How many "friends" entice you to show your flesh online after they manipulate you with false promises of money, gifts, marriage, and the ever enticing and flattering words, I love you?
Harsh but true
"Oh, you're being negative!" some will say. **Not at all**. The point of it all is to simply awaken you from your gullible slumber, to keep you from falling prey to ruthless and deceptive individuals who do not have your best interests in mind. They are determined to manipulate your feelings, beliefs, morals and actions for their own greedy gain and hence fuel their self-aggrandizement.
The manipulators in media
The manipulators work in the media. They write the news and opinion pieces. They write the lifestyle and sports pages to lure you to think the way they do, to get you to conform. They dangle the carrot before your hungry eyes and with convincing words beg you to take a bite. They distract you from what you should know or be concerned about.
The rank and file media goons are puppets, too. They are told what narrative to follow from their superiors above them, who in turn pass the orders down from their superiors. It's a racket to get you involved in group think as opposed to thinking on your own. Many people fall for it, believing that if it is news it must be true.
The media pushes you to buy this, avoid that, and most of all, to be a guinea pig and take the deadliest vaccine jab in the history of medicine and the world, **and you do it willingly**. Beware these manipulators!
Governments
In like manner, the governments of the world manipulate you. The leaders work to divide you along political ideologies. They are well aware that a house divided cannot stand, and that they are able to retain their power by keeping us fighting amongst ourselves.
They are corrupt. They are constantly in your face with false promises of safety and security, never able to deliver either one. You are on your own. They become really active when elections draw near. Beware these manipulators like robber barons, for that is what they are.
Universities
The manipulators are here in droves, too. They no longer teach, **they indoctrinate**. They tell you what you must believe. If you offer a counterargument to their narrative, what real education is, the professors shame you, lower your grades, and with the false argument from authority cast your beliefs aside: they have the PhD.
These are the manipulators of truth, the re-writers of history, the self-deluded masters of indoctrination, the likes of whom will reward you with a meaningless diploma if you conform. They wield the power; you don't because you place yourself under their wicked spell and go with the proverbial flow.
Religions
Here the manipulators are equally deceptive, if not more so. Sweet words pour from their poisoned lips like asps, all meant to kill your dreams and ruin your life.
These manipulators despise you and chase after their selves. They entice you to live your life as you will, oblivious to the eventual adverse repercussions. They want you to live as they do, tricking you and tickling your ears with juicy lies.
Gather wealth and possessions, they cry. Indulge the self because you deserve it. Come out of the closet and self-identify as anything other than what biologically proven science teaches.
In the end, the manipulators use and abuse you, they lead you to a life of ignorance, financial ruin, dissatisfactory lifestyles devoid of joy, and on the path to certain death. Beware the manipulators!
Wrestling with Updates
Yesterday was a monster test of my patience. My iMac prompted me to update to the new Big Sur iOS version, and then after that was complete, Windows 10 also needed updating (Windows 11 comes out October 5th). The total time spent on both updates was over 7 hours.
I wrestled over the updates because I had a lot of writing to complete, among other daily tasks. But I took the dive nevertheless, because I prefer to keep everything properly updated, and also have the latest drivers to ensure my computers work at peak proficiency. I also don't like procrastinating.
In the end, my patience held up and both tasks were completed. However, I missed my Bible lecture and need to go back online sometime today to complete it as it is the last lecture of the class before I receive the credits. I also missed out on any outdoor activities, much to my chagrin.
Wrestling with life updates
Most sane people seek to make changes in their lives that lead not only to some semblance of improvement, but with satisfactory changes that are easily implemented and retained over the long-term. **But it is difficult to break bad habits and routines**. Because of this, we typically delay making any changes and yet we wrestle with our delay tactics. It's a vicious circle. We always seem to have a rationale for delaying.
Some thinkers above my pay scale believe our lives completely change every 7 years. I haven't personally looked upon this in retrospect regarding my life to see if it is true. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't - I've no certainty regarding the matter.
Spiritual updates
How about our spiritual updates? Just as we need to cleanse our body from filth and grime and germs, we need a spiritual cleansing, as well.
Yes, for those of us who have received salvation from God by believing on Jesus by faith alone (**works follow a changed life**), we need to have our daily sins cleansed to remain in a right relationship with God.
Back in the old days of the Bible, nobody had Nikes and Air Jordan's. They wore crude sandals and walked on dusty roads or large stones. Obviously, though they may have bathed, their feet became filthy, and so when they entered someone's home their feet were washed. It was the custom of hospitality that came after a bow, a greeting, and a handshake.
Our feet are the means by which we traverse the world of sin in which we live.
This is why we read passages such as the one below.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9, NIV).
When we confess our sins daily we are washed from the sins of the world we committed. We don't need a priest to forgive our sins, for he is just another man with no authority. We whom are saved by Christ's blood are a "royal priesthood" and we have direct access to the throne of God through Jesus.
"But you are a chosen people, a **royal priesthood**, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9, NIV).
No need to delay further
If you are truly seeking a lasting and effectual change, come to Jesus in faith, live your life for Him rather than the world, and endure to the end. If you already believe, you are empowered by the Holy Spirit, who will prompt the changes you need to make in order to conform to the life of Jesus.
There's no need to wrestle with further delays. Enter into prayer and the throne room of God today, even now, and receive the cleansing of your feet (sins).
Suffering is for a Short While
It's a great morning to be alive. I opened my eyes at 3:35 a.m., after sleeping at 10:30, and then proceeded to make some coffee. I cranked up my iMac and noticed there was an impending update. Clicking update, I now wait for Mac Big Sur 11.6 to download and install. It's a process I am always wanting to delay because it if frequently time consuming.
Downloading (unknown time remaining)
Despite a relatively speedy Internet (for the #Philippines, anyway), the process is slow. It has been an hour and 25 minutes now, so it must be a big update. In my mind's eye I am already behind regarding what I hope to accomplish for the day.
If patience is a virtue, and I believe it is, it is continuing to download within me. After all, wisdom yields patience, and wisdom is an ongoing process. Come to think of it, **suffering is also an ongoing process for us mortal souls.**
Pandemic suffering
Most of us have suffered as a result of the coronavirus, so I really don't need to dwell on this fact. But I have heard one refrain among people I run across, either in person or online: **why would a good God allow such a pandemic to happen?**
It's an insightful question, so *why* does He?
First of all, we should be fully aware that **God is sovereign** (Psalm 90:3-6). As the Creator, He does what He wants when He wants, and **who are we to question Him**? He is in full control 100% of the time, from the beginning until the consummation of time.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," some will say, "but get to the point how a good God allows this pandemic to begin, to continue, and to cause suffering and death!"
Let's calm down and not blow a heart gasket here. God is at work in us all, whether we are believers or not.
Looking to Job
Satan sought to tempt Job and God allowed him to do so. Satan, the accuser, said that the only reason Job trusted God was because he had been blessed by God. **But God did not agree**. He knew Job was an upright and righteous man!
"So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. **Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”**
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (Job 2:10, NIV).
Job's wife not only had an anger problem, but she lacked faith, and she did not have any love and compassion for her husband. Job's reply is spot on. This is because in this earthly life we will experience goodness as well as pain and suffering.
In due time God restored Job and increased his blessings. You see, suffering is for a short time when compared to eternity. Peter said, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10).
The causes of suffering
There are three reasons why we suffer in this world. The primary reason is because we are a part of a fallen creation (Romans 8;18-25). The second is because of our sin. The third is when we are persecuted for the cause of Christ and are spreading His word.
The nitty gritty
Only a person who is a liar or a true prophet can make any claim to know the reasons why God brought about COVID-19. To us it remains a mystery. But what we can know is that one of God’s primary purposes in any trial we experience is to get our and the world’s attention off of self and instead directed towards Him.
The Bible provides insight and some history of pandemics and plagues. We know that God wants us to be obedient to Him rather than the world. And when the world is not, as we can see with all the lawlessness, sin and turning away from Him, He intervenes.
"The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish" (Deuteronomy 28:22, NIV).
God’s punishments always have an end goal of bring about repentance and restoration to His creation. So we cannot know if He placed the pandemic in our lives or allowed it. What we can know is that **He is seeking our attention**.
Attention!
C.S. Lewis once remarked in one of his several books, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, **but shouts in our pain**: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
There is no sure way to absolutely know whether or not the COVID pandemic has a specific spiritual cause, **but we can know that God has sovereign control over all things** (Romans 11:36), and that He will work all things together for the good of those **who know and love Him** (Roman 8:28-29).
The spread of a pestilence like the coronavirus is but a foretaste of the pandemics that will be an aspect of the end times. Jesus referred to **future plagues** associated with the last days in Luke 21:11.
Additionally, the two witnesses of Revelation 11 will have power “to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want” (Revelation 11:6). Seven angels will wield seven plagues in a series of final, severe judgments as detailed in Revelation 16.
Food for thought
Has the pandemic aroused in you an awareness and need to turn to God yet? Have you cried out to Him for His favor? God is asking each of us to repent of our sins and wrongdoing. He is asking for us to turn away from the worldly lives we often live and instead trust in Him. Won't you take some time today to do these very things?
Challenging Global Worldviews
I had a late start to my morning due to circumstances beyond my immediate control. My son decided he didn't want to sleep until 11 p.m. Then, while praying before sleeping, as I always do, my attention was drawn to how quickly the world is changing, and not for the good. In the end, I may have slept 4 hours.
Remembering
I can remember the days when a politician who was caught up in a scandal would resign out of a sense of decency and for the greater good of his constituents and the country as a whole.
I remember a time when there was no Internet and we led productive and playful lives rather than being confined to a chair and desk, living a digital live replete with carpal tunnel syndrome and diminished vison.
I remember when universities allowed for critical discussions and **sensible** challenges to essential teachings by one's professor without any pushback or reductions in grades.
But times have changed drastically, and I find myself daily challenging the global narratives that are pushed as freedoms but are in all reality are inhibitions and bondages rather than freedom.
Worldviews
We live in a world that promotes a **new kind of freedom**, one where everything is permissible but questioning authority, especially when religious beliefs conflict with various worldviews. This is the norm that results when otherwise decent people refuse to stand up and fight for what is right. They are trampled underfoot by the mobs that proclaim freedom for their views but deny it for others.
Nowadays countries engage in wars for profit as opposed to prosecuting a war do what is right and just. Greed and usury are what makes the world go round these days.
Then there is the rampant influx of propaganda, cancel culture and false teaching in the churches. One has to pick a cause to fight for, because in a war for truth one cannot successfully fight on too many fronts. I don't wage too much of a battle on globalism or politics, but I do wage war on false teachings perpetrated by various religions, cults and even false prophets within the Christian church. I have to do so based on God's word.
False doctrines
Doctrine is another word for an essential teaching. False teachers and so called prophets have an affinity for twisting the core doctrines of Christianity. The image below reveals some of the ways false teachers infiltrate the church.
In the old days, false teachers and prophets were stoned to death; today they are tolerated by **lukewarm churches**. This is because many church leaders do not possess the backbone or the wherewithal to combat heresy. Instead, they preach a soft, social gospel or a health and wealth gospel that tickles the ears of their congregants, and lead many to their eternal destruction.
Titus says false teachers are “...teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach” (Titus 1:11).
Challenging false teachers
As believers and disciples of Christ Jesus, we are commanded to fight against false teachings in the church. It's not a pleasant nor popular thing to do, but do it we must.
Peter warned against false teachers who had entered the early church. He wrote in Koine Greek which was spoken over most of the known world of his day.
In 2 Peter he castigates false teachers. It was a style we know as hellfire and brimstone, and which has greatly been diminished in contemporary times.
When writing, Peter acknowledged his fellow Apostle, Paul, when he writes: "He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are **hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures**, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16, NIV).
Note that Peter saw Paul's writing as Scripture! Scripture is God-breathed, and is inspired by the Father through the Holy Spirit.
False teachers then (and today) mocked the church by saying Jesus was not coming again. Some denied who Christ was - fully God and fully man. Some denied the resurrection, others denied the impact or cost of sin, and as a consequence lived sinful lives rife with debauchery.
Peter writes: "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And **many will follow** their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1–3, ESV).
Hey Jude
Jude doesn't let us down. He was **the brother of Jesus**. He spoke boldly against false teachers, even borrowing some points from Peter. Plagiarism was non-existent back in the first century.
When writing, Jude spoke about false teachers thus: "These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—**shepherds who feed only themselves**. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—**twice dead**" (Jude 12, NIV).
Harsh words? It is much harsher in the Greek! Jude meant for us to fight tooth and nail against false teachers. They were, and are today, leading people astray. But they have stored up for themselves eternal destruction in the eternal lake of fire.
In verse 19 Jude lays it down quite plainly as far as false teachers are concerned: "These are the people who divide you, who follow mere **natural instincts** and **do not have the Spirit**" (Jude 19, NIV).
What is "do not have the Spirit?" He means these false teachers are not true Christians! Timothy weighs in about these false teachers and unbelievers as: "...having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people" (2 Timothy 3:5, NIV).
One of the global worldviews is that all religions lead to God. This is a lie from the very pit of hell itself. It is a monumental mistake initiated by Satan. Religion is one thing, whereas Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus.
Recognize and respond
To those of you who are among **God's** **elect** (1 Peter 1:1), it is our responsibility to distance ourselves from false teachers and call them out. Jude calls on us to "...contend for the faith (v. 3). He means to fight vigorously. There is no apt word to translate this word contend from the Greek to English.
We can recognize some of the false teachers now present in the church. They are those who preach the health and wealth gospel, who preach the law over faith and grace, who blindside their flock with additional sacraments for salvation not found in God's word, and who deny who Jesus is.
Again, we can only fight so many battles against global worldviews, but the one fight we must contend for is the "faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
The Tongue is a Snitch!
Slips of the tongue. Freudian slips, the psychologists and psychiatrists say. They call these occasional slips a parapraxis. These so-called slips are verbal or memory mistakes that are believed to be associated with a person's unconscious mind.
These errors or misdeeds in speech of mine have raised the ire of my friends and loved ones. Ten years ago, I dropped the F bomb to a preacher. I also called my girlfriend by my ex-wife's name. Yikes! Talk about a wild tongue. Ever done something similar? We all say something wrong from time to time.
Examples from memories
I can remember several instances concerning myself and/or others who have unleashed their tongues and got into a load of hot water or experienced embarrassment.
Once when I worked in promotions for a top five radio station in the US, one of our popular DJ's was high on weed and casually dropped the F bomb while live on the air.
Multiple thousands upon thousands of people heard it. He was fired soon after being reprimanded for the mistake, but for missing his Sunday shift because he called in to miss work and let it slip that the reason he couldn't make it was because he was drunk.
When I was around 12 and living in San Diego, California, my Mom let out an outburst I have not forgotten all these years later. She had bought a nice, new blouse, washed it, and had put it in the clothes dryer. We were sitting at the dining room table talking (she was drinking coffee) when she suddenly jumped up and ran to the dryer. She screamed the F bomb when she saw the dryer had shrunk and ruined her blouse.
I once heard a pastor who admitted he had a way of saying things that rubbed people the wrong way. He thought it might be best to teach rather than preach, lest something vile come from his mouth. He soon figured out that controlling his tongue was possible when he got his heart right lined up with God's word.
Not a mistake
The humanists (as mentioned above) like to remind us that these mistakes are normal and a part of one's life. They are right in a sense, but where they err is stating that the mistakes emanate from our unconscious or subconscious mind. This is based on Freud's model of psychoanalysis, where the tripartite nature of man is expressed as superego, ego and id.
It is expressed as matter, energy, and antimatter when it comes to quantum physics.
But the so called subconscious or unconscious mind according to the Bible is expressed as **the real you**. This is to say that our will controls our tongue. **Put another way, it is what lives in our heart that eventually comes out in words**.
With many words
**Our tongue is a snitch**. It is powerful. In order to control it we have to become the right kind of person to say the right kind of words.
James calls it making an effort to bridle the tongue. He writes: "Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever **the pilot wants to go**" (James 3:4, NIV). The pilot is us, and our will charts our course.
Oh, but look what we do to rationalize speaking so much that which is harmful. We tell ourselves that what we speak is true. Yes, it may be true, but even if something *is* true, we should refrain from saying it if it is meant to harm others or we have an improper motive.
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness" (James 3:9. NIV).
We also believe that if a person harms us that it is also okay to speak our mind to them. But Peter says: "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind" (1 Peter 2:1, NIV).
At other times we may **feign piety**. We say something like, "Oh, she or he is a dreadful person, but I'll continue to pray for her." But this is often arrogance or misguided naivety that is the opposite of the virtue of piety.
None of these rationalizations are acceptable, friends. Not a single one. In fact, Jesus had something to say about this:
"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16-20, NIV).
Application
If we're going to learn to bridle the tongue, we need to know when to speak and when to hold our tongue. Our tongue will give our hearts away. Our hearts are best expressed in love, the love that Jesus and the Father have for us.
This love does not mean we should not speak up, however. It is important to speak the truth about God's word, even with others forbid you to do so. And yet there are times when we simply walk away and shake the dust from our feet.
As we grow in Christ and become more like Him, we apply his teachings and gain wisdom. Do you lack wisdom? I do in some things. But James also gives us the solution when he is close to ending his book.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord" (James 5:5-7, NIV).
Let's deny ourselves, gain wisdom and bridle our tongue.
Short-Sleeves in Baguio
It's a great Sunday morning with plenty of rain, and the temperature is a beautiful 26 Celsius. People are wearing jackets here. Me? I am wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt down the mountain from Baguio in the lowlands.
I don't miss Baguio like others do. Having lived there for three years near the Mansion House, I had the opportunity to visit and see almost everything the summer capital had to offer. It was cool, as far as doing and seeing things go, but eventually it grew old for me and I moved to Bonifacio Global City to a condo.
Also, as a DepEd teacher at a private school in the City of Pines, I wore long-sleeves because of my tattoos I had done while in the US Army. Other than school hours and some after hours tutoring, I didn't like being restrained by long-sleeves and unnecessary extra clothing.
Weather
No matter what the weather occasioned to be in Baguio, my preference was to wear a **simple shirt, shorts and flip-flops**. Meanwhile, Koreans and locals wore heavy coats suitable for an Ohio winter. It was interesting how the ladies always managed to show some cleavage, though. At any rate, cold weather is relative as far as I am concerned.
Ancient Greeks and Romans
Have you ever wondered how the ancient people lived 2,000 years ago during a real winter? I have. I knew from studying the Bible that it snowed in Israel, though notably the gospels make no mention of it. Only the Old Testament makes references to snow. Interesting, that.
**Above image**: *Tondo from an Attic red-figure kylix dated to c. 500 BC depicting Achilleus seated on the chair wrapped tightly in a himation.*
A himation was essentially a series or layers of cloaks or blankets made of wool. Inside one's home, walls were well insulated and fires provided warmth.
The winters in Greece could be exceptionally cold.
Even today many people in Rome and Greece do not have central air and heat in their homes. They make adjustments accordingly.
But the wealthy Romans had a crude form of central heat called a hypocaust. A wood furnace conducted heat into rooms underneath flooring and through pipes called caliducts. The Romans borrowed this system from the Greeks and improved on it. History is pretty cool.
Rest assured that the bigshots of the day had their share of, ahem, ladies and men to keep them warm. Sexual promiscuity was quite common back then, and perhaps more so today.
Sexual immorality
Hey, you flipped the script! Don't I always?
The summer of love began the sexual revolution in the USA in the 1960s. It was coined an expression of freedom, and sex with multiple partners was commonplace. It's no surprise that divorce rates rose exponentially during this same period. Their freedom was their bondage to sin.
So what is sexual immorality comprised of? Well, buckle up and get ready for the answer, because the truth is hard.
Sexual immorality consists of engaging in sexual relations or committing sexual acts that go against the grain of what was written in the Old and New Testaments. We have no right to pick and choose what sin is, as it is clearly defined in God's word. Marriage, too.
"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral" (Hebrews 13:4, NIV).
Sexual immorality detailed
How about **sleeping with one's stepmother**? "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife" (1 Corinthians 5:1).
This was happening in a church in the first century, among professed believers!
**Homosexuality is immorality**. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who **practice homosexuality**.." (1 Corinthians 6:9).
Today the LGBTQ community wrongly believes that they were born the way they are. This is untrue.
Because people rejected what may be known about God through creation and one's conscience, "God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."
"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves **the due penalty for their error**" (Romans 1:24-27, NIV).
**How about pornography**? It's very common throughout the world. Sexting, images, and sexually explicit videos are freely available to all with or without an Internet connection. Sadly, even Christian pastors, priests and laypeople engage in it, even when attending a Christian conference!
**Merriam-Webster.com** defines pornography as “the depiction of erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement.” This includes images or even writing, such as the ever popular "Fifty Shades of Grey" and other erotic novels.
But what did Jesus say? "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).
Oh, Jesus was just a man one might say. Actually, He was God in the flesh! (John 1:1).
Epilogue
Are you weathering the storms and temptations of sexual immorality in your life? Are you involved at present in any form of sexual immorality? On TikTok or Facebook, or in public places, is your clothing such that you revealing yourself in an immodest manner? Sleeping with someone of the same sex, perhaps? Watching porn online?
If so, **there is a remedy at the cross**. Repent of your sins and ask God for His forgiveness through Jesus Christ, who shed His blood as a sacrifice and died **once** for all who would believe on Him. Once saved, be baptized as a testament to your new life in Christ, deny yourself, and follow His commands, then endure to the end of your mortal life. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, your sins will become less, though you will never be sinless in this corrupt world.
The Phantom Promise of Security and Safety
The horrific events of 9/11 barely linger in the minds of most people. One would think that it was merely a one-off event in history 20 years ago which could never be repeated. I've sour news for you: something worse will happen. The groanings are becoming louder even now.
Freedom?
How are you liking your freedom since the "pandemic" kicked in? Do you like being told what to do, what time you can do it, and being forced by your government to submit to tyrannical mandates? No? You are likely on the precipice of being too late to do anything about it. Resistance is the only option at this point. It is that or be enslaved. But do read on for some simple truths.
From safety to tyranny
Shortly after the US was attacked by **20 Saudi terrorists**, President George W. Bush, who I had occasion to meet some 10 years prior to the event when he was the governor of Texas, signed **The Patriot Act** into law with hardly a whimper of a protest.
Such was the inevitability of worldly ways, and thus the decline and demise of democracy, wherein a freedom-loving populace went with the proverbial flow towards an ever-increasing police state.
The USA is not the only tyrannical State, however. Any of a number of nations have fallen into lockstep to the luring drumbeats of tyranny, oppression and the loss of freedoms, all cleverly disguised with the repetitive mantra: "for our own safety."
China, Russia, Iran, Canada, the Philippines and a host of other countries continue to drift willfully into the clutches of authoritarianism. Thankfully there remains a remnant who refuse to be led by those who make every effort to place a yoke around their necks and make us slaves.
The prediction
Remember the man behind the attack? It was Osama bin Laden, who had previously stated: “I tell you, **freedom and human rights in America are doomed.** The U.S. government will lead the American people in - **and the West in general** - into an unbearable hell and a choking life.”
He said this a month prior to 9/11 and he was as evil as he was right. I won't go into all the theories about how the US government aided the attack nor what role they played, as this is not what this article is about. Suffice it to say that 9/11 was evil.
Waiting on promises
Remember Abram in Genesis? God promised him that he would be the father of many nations. But Abram was old as was Sarai, who was also barren. Abram didn't wait on God's promise and instead took matters into his own hand. With Sarah's permission, Abram took and "knew" Hagar and she bore him a son who was named Ismael.
This son Ismael, which means affliction, would be the first of the Arab people, most of whom are Muslim. **But Ishmael was not the promised son God planned on giving to Abram**.
"And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." (Gen 17:19, KJV).
Like Abraham, we also don't like to wait on God's promises. We have a tendency to run ahead of Him and do it **our way**. But what we forget is the fact that God lives outside of time in eternity and therefore our time is always **His present tense**.
Ironically, most of us are willing to wait on the promises of governments which rarely come to fruition rather than the promises of God.
Osama bin Laden was of the lineage of Ishmael. History reveals what happens when we don't obey God and wait on Him. Paul speaks to this when saying: "At that time the son born according to **the flesh** persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. **It is the same now.** (Galatians 4:29, NIV).
In this allegory, Abraham's slave-wife Hagar (Genesis 16:1–3) serves as one who lives under the Law of Moses, and his free wife Sarah points to being justified before God ****by faith in Christ alone**** (Hebrews 11:11). Ishmael, born to the slave woman, is born into slavery. However, Isaac (one who rejoices) is the child of God's promise and was born from supernatural power, the very same power that created the universe and all that is in it (John 1:1).
Encouragement
One of the great privileges of being a child of God is knowing that what God has promised that He will do. Isaac was one of the promises of God.
Security and safety in Christ Jesus
There is security and safety at the cross. Jesus paid for all sins on the cross **one time** for all eternity. **His sacrifice was sufficient**. Those who place their faith in His finished work, die to self, follow His example, and endure until the end will receive the ultimate promise of a glorified body like Christ's, and live **eternally** with God.
Slave or free?
Will you choose or have you chosen to be a slave like Ishmael or be free from the law of sin and death like Isaac? Are you trusting in your government and are you dependent on it? Or are you willing to wait on the promises of God and enjoy his freedom, security and safety?
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
Yes, terrible times are upon us and will increase, but we who believe wait on the promises of God rather than governments. God's promise is not a phantom promise.
Burned to a Crisp!
My mother was once a chef for Hollywood biggies, and so I had a natural inclination to cook also. I favored baking sweets. At a young age I burned a lot of food to a crisp before eventually getting the hang of things.
Additionally, I was once an elite firefighter with the the U.S. Forest Service's Hotshots after a stint with one of the U.S. Army's parachute infantry battalions.
Hotshots
The #Hotshots were created in 1940 by the federal government. When I was accepted, there were only **120 of us in the entire State of California**. We parachuted, hiked, bussed, ran or helicoptered into raging forest fires in the Cleveland and Angeles National Forests, among other places and other assignments, such as rescues and proper land management. We were the #frontliners of our day.
The job was extremely difficult and dangerous, but I enjoyed the challenge it provided. What I did not like whatsoever was the damage I saw from fires: structures and people burned to a crisp.
These images tend to stick with a person for a lifetime. The destruction of the body is extremely painful. Anyone that has been ever been burned when cooking or in any other manner knows the pain I am speaking about.
A crispy future?
But as usual, let me turn both my and your attention to another crispy event: the eternal burning in hell and the eventual lake of fire. This is a **future occurrence** of the unrepentant masses who willfully reject God and refuse His mercy and plan of salvation.
You won't hear much preaching about hell and eternal destruction in modern churches. Nope. It's not considered polite or encouraging. Rather, many preachers and teachers seek to soft sell Scripture to their respective flocks. But they do err; teachers and preachers **must teach all of God's everlasting word**.
Hell and the lake of fire
The Holy Bible mentions the variant words of hell some 162 times in the New Testament alone. Yikes! That should get anybody's attention. It should strike fear in people to the extent that they do not want to go there for an eternal separation from God.
Think of hell as a **temporary place of suffering**, a jail, where people await their final sentencing to an eternal prison (the lake of fire).
Paul writes: "They will be punished with **everlasting destruction** and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (2 Thessalonians 1:9, NIV).
He is speaking to the church in Thessalonica about those people both then and in the future who will reject God's plan of salvation.
God is cruel?
Many people from the liberal persuasion state that God is cruel to send people to eternal punishment. That is simply not the case, my friends. **God is just and cannot look on sin**. This is why He sent His Son Jesus to suffer on the cross for the **full payment of sins**.
Recollect these words: "About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?") (Matthew 27:46, NIV).
Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1, NIV).
Jesus was destined to die before the foundation (creation) of the universe. **He has always existed** (John 1).
If God did not punish sin then He would not be just!
The parable of the net
Jesus often taught in parables. Its purpose was basically twofold: to get a person to think it through and glean the essential point, and to shield unbelievers from any extra punishment by way of their misunderstanding or grasp of the story. Mercy!
"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and **throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth"** (Matthew 13:47-50, NIV).
Here the point of the parable is plain. The wicked will be destroyed for their unbelief.
For a glimpse into what this eternal destruction is like, read the parable in Luke 16:19-31.
Additional verses
When speaking about the angels who abandoned heaven in their rebellion, Jude writes: "In a similar way, **Sodom and Gomorrah** and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. **They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire**" (Jude 1:7, NIV).
As we know, both cities were destroyed: "Then the Lord rained down **burning sulfur** on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens" (Genesis 19:24, NIV). Fire! Burned to a crisp!
And finally, John writes in Revelation:
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be c**onsigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur**. This is the second death: (Revelation 21:8, NIV).
An admonishment
There is no reason why anyone in their right mind and heart would ever want to live in an eternal punishment separated from God. But may will choose this course!
Jesus speaks to this fact in Matthew: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV).
How about you? What course have you charted for your future? Are you saving up deeds that lead to your destruction? Are you rejecting God's mercy and plan of salvation? Is your ultimate destiny to be burned to a crisp for eternity? I'll leave that to you to decide for yourselves.
Guilty Like These?
My sister loves reading her daily horoscope and is always posting it on her #Farcebook page. A friend of mine on Facebook also posts a daily religious statue or amulet along with a prayer or request for money (and if you **like her post** and believe it will come true, you'll received a monetary gift from God). Not. God is not a magical genie who grants your every desire, friends.
Many of my dear #Filipino #friends and #family are considerably steeped in #superstition and weave their awkward belief systems into their daily lives. Things like wearing a St. Christopher medallion or worshipping a statue in their backyards are just a couple of heretical practices that come to mind.
These people nevertheless all have something in common: they **claim to be Christians**. What they fail to understand is that what they are practicing is religious syncretism, an affront to the One true God, manifested in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is sinful behavior and heresy that leads to eternal damnation.
What is syncretism?
Don't take Merriam-Webster's diluted definition as gospel, as it is a watered down secular approach that inadequately defines the word. Syncretism is properly defined thus: "...the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief.” This is how the **American Heritage Dictionary** defines the term.
In our context syncretism is the mixing of various religious beliefs into one new system. It is based on the inclinations of men and women, as opposed to what is the clear standard found in the biblical Scriptures.
Nothing new
Looking back at the first century church in Colossae, we observe a church rife with religious syncretism. In fact, it permeated all over the then world. The Apostle Paul spoke harshly and adamantly (but in the spirit of love) about the perils and evils of religious syncretism to the church at Colossae (and other churches).
Putting the hammer down
I like Paul. He speaks the truth in love and is ever unafraid to combat heresy. We should as well. Much of the old world was rife with superstitions. Pagan worship was the norm. This is also true today. As believers, we should remind those who practice religious syncretism of the **centrality and superiority of Christ over all things**.
Asia Minor
The background of Asia Minor (**modern Turkey**) is interesting. People feared the spirit world of their own making. Animism, the belief that spirits dwelled in objects, was not unusual. But we know that animals have no souls. They are not rational creatures as much as we love them.
As a result, people believed that spirits lived where roads met (crossroads), believed in the 12 Zodiac signs (constellations), believed their dead ancestors were spirits that remained in the world, believed in apparitions (ghosts), used magic charms and amulets to ward off these spirits, and had all manner of superstitions pervading their daily lives. **They lived in fear**.
What a mess! And guess what, friends, these beliefs hold fast today. Indeed, there are modern parallels we can and should identify as religious syncretism.
Modern parallels
These consist of the above-mentioned horoscopes and amulets, Saint Christopher medals, voodoo, new age beliefs, superstitions, Mariology (worship of a female deity), pagan symbolism, new revelations from dreams and visions, alleged new revelations from the likes of from Joseph Smith's heretical Book of Mormon, the worship of angels, as well as religious festivals that have nothing to do with the reality regarding truth, as found in the Bible, just to name some of the heresies.
A jealous God
We use jealousy far different that of God's jealousy. We refer to it as being envious of a person(s) who have something we do not possess. But God *is* jealous. Wait, jealousy is a sin you say, and again that God cannot sin, and you're right.
But God is jealous only when someone gives to another something that rightly belongs to Him. Big difference, friends. After all, He is the Creator of **all things**.
We read: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:4-5).
Summing it all up
Any form of religious syncretism is not harmonious with biblical Christianity. Indeed, any modification to biblical law and the clear principles for the purpose of an alleged improved religion is heresy and should never be practiced.
We should all be reminded that the church is the Israel of the Bible, comprised of Jews and Gentiles who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness of sins) and who have followed Him who **alone** saves.
Do you practice syncretism? Have you allowed any other belief system to blend in with Christianity? If so, ditch it like you would a dirty mask during the pandemic. And repent. Ask for forgiveness. Refrain from heresy. God is a jealous God and any belief system outside of Christianity has placed you on the dark path to perdition.
Imitating Others - Who do You Imitate?
"Many often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing" - Aesop. When I was a kid I wanted to be three things when I grew up: a professional American football player, a brave, elite soldier, and a race car driver. My heroes were the U.S film actor and Hollywood icon, John Wayne, a quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings, Joe Kapp, and race car drivers like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt.
I went on to play semi-professional football as a wide receiver and a flanker, became an elite paratrooper/infantryman in the U.S. Army, and drove race cars for a few years. But I wasn't nearly as successful as my heroes.
As kids we played football on the streets, in schools and played rough. Whether it was under the California sun or on a rain-soaked, muddy field, we always played with reckless abandon.
In like manner, I imitated John Wayne. I fought the neighborhood bullies who poked fun at my deaf and blind sister when I had to, performed dangerous stunts, and tackled obstacles with hardly a thought of the risk involved.
In the military I jumped out of perfectly good airplanes, earned medals for extraordinary accomplishments and was battle ready at all times. And when driving dirt track race cars I sometimes drove without brakes at 160 k.p.h.
Imitation
Over the past 12 plus years here in the #Philipines, I have noticed an exceptionally high degree of imitation among the population. For example, when someone is successful in business, people simply copy the format, even to the point that their business is next to the one they copied. We often see this in the town markets with almost identical stalls.
And people like to imitate the manners and looks of Koreans, their favorite celebrities, singers, dancers and other people they admire. It's natural. Each of us observes something in others which makes us want to be more like them.
The missing ingredient
As much as we want to imitate others, the majority of us lack a most important ingredient: innovation. We obtain the information about those we admire, and then imitate them to a certain degree. But rarely, if ever, do we take the next necessary step and innovate, that is, the introduction of new things or methods.
Perhaps when we desire to switch from imitating someone and imitate another instead, is because we have not only failed to innovate and grow, but because we did not persevere.
Imitate Him
I do my best to imitate Jesus. He and the writers of the 26 New Testament books clearly stated that one must be a disciple, that is, a person who picks up his/her cross daily, lives with a new life in Christ, and follows His commands. It's not a bowl of cherries kind of life, but requires discipline, hard work and and the wherewithal to be joyous in every situation.
But back to the Aesop quote: "Many often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing"
People hiss at the name of Jesus and instead applaud His imitators: preachers, teachers, false prophets, leaders of the blind, satanic personalities, seers, witch doctors, practitioners of the magic arts. idols and others. Beloved friends, this should not be so.
Scripture reminders
Even Peter, one of the more heady, stubborn, impetuous persons who preached the good news of the gospel, wrote: "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, **leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps** (1 Peter 2:21, NIV).
And the Apostle Paul wrote: "Follow my example, as I **follow the example of Christ**" (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV).
And, "**Follow God’s example**, therefore, as dearly loved children **and walk in the way of love**, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2, NIV).
Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you **and learn from me**, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29, NIV).
Encouragement
There is certainly nothing wrong with the art of imitation. But we have to innovate (change) and persevere.
And who better to imitate than Christ Jesus, the perfect example? Will movie stars, celebrities, and others offer you peace and rest for your souls? Will false prophets, fortune tellers, demonic spirits, superstitions, traditions and idols benefit your life?
Call on the Name of Jesus and be imitators of He who saves to the uttermost.
You Can't Handle the Truth!
Most people will recognize the quote from "A Few Good Men" starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in the title.
William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, once stated: "No legacy is so rich as honesty." I like this. Few people even bother to read Shakespeare anymore, because it requires both a lofty discernment and understanding. However, and in contrast, many individuals religiously read repetitive posts on #Farcebook, Instasham, #Twit, and other frivolous bastions of drama and persistent untruths. In doing so, they have collectively departed from what may be known and have exchanged the truth for lies. It's easier that way.
Blinded by science
Science is great and has advanced the human species and its biosphere extensively, but in the end, arguably to our actual detriment. Technology, once a timely benefit regarding the advancement of humanity, has now been transformed into a plethora of icons, idols, idleness and incessant idiocy.
And people lap it up like a barren land consuming the spring rains.
Moreover, when scientists follow the scientific method without bias, we typically benefit as a species; and yet conversely, when scientists seek their respective **thirty pieces of silver**, we suffer the loss of truth.
An example
Perhaps one of the top three illustrations of paranoid science concerns the climate change fear porn crammed down our thirsty throats, telling us, threatening us, that we're all going to die (checks calendar again) in 9.5 years. These are loaded, hyperbolic untruths which defy true science and instead serve to misinform the gullible who refuse to know the truth. The arrogance of men and women who wrongly believe that God is not in control of His creation is patently absurd.
One witty writer actually took the time to research all of the scaremongering from "scientists" and news publications from the legacy media dating back 50 years. It's a fantastic read that serves to make the blind see again, **if they are willing**. Read it, I encourage you to do so and **see** for yourself.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/investigating-mass-hysteria-over-1-degree-climate-change-1850
Can't versus won't
Herein lies the rub (to quote Shakespeare). There is a glaring dichotomy between can't and won't. **Can't** describes the inability to do something, such as mastering the SAT with a perfect 1600 score with little education or building a spaceship to the moon from bits and pieces gleaned from a junkyard. On the other hand, **won't** is a refusal to acknowledge something, primarily because the heart is depraved or willfully blinded. Sadly, many people fall into the latter category. "Like sheep, all have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;" (Isaiah 53:6a, NIV).
Accessing the truth
You won't find much truth on social media because it is relegated to the insidious dustbin of cancel culture's ever-expanding vault. If you haven't been been kicked off or suspended from social media a few times, you haven't been advocating for the truth.
C.S. Lewis
Lewis was an avowed atheist. He set about to prove the Bible as a book of massive lies, and in the end he came to believe in the God of the Bible, manifested in the **Father, Son and the Holy Spirit**. Subsequent to discovering the truth, he remarked: "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."
The Bible
The canonical Bible that the early church approved of, and which was ultimately written by God, consists of 66 books penned by 40 men (as inspired by God) over a period of about 1,500 years. Therein one will find the truth.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6, NIV).
Many other "bibles" and heretical teachings exist which plagiarize the Holy Bible, notably the Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Jehovah's Witnesses version of the Bible, Egyptian and other worldwide myths.
Believe it or not
Everyone has a measure of faith. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7, NIV). David wrote this Psalm of truth. He was acutely aware of God the Creator.
One of the foremost commentators of the Bible was Matthew Henry. His response to this particular verse is spot on. He stated: "The children **of this world** trust in **second causes**, and think all is well if those do but smile upon them; they trust *in chariots and in horses*, and the more of them they can bring into the field the more sure they are of success."
Duly noted!
Where has your measure of faith been placed? In science? In social media? In rumors? In the world?
A word of encouragement
Do not be frightened that the world, as it is, is suffering labor pains, as it were. This was all foreordained before the foundation of the universe. God is 100% in control.
As we draw near to the end of the age, we live in both distressing and exciting times. Perhaps we will see Jesus coming in the clouds for His elect, but perhaps not. Nevertheless, we should set aside some time, **even today**, to reevaluate where we have placed our faith. Our eternity is dependent on it.
"For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2, NIV).
And...
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man" (Matthew 23:37-39, NIV).
The Elaborate Make Believe
Do you find yourself wanting to get away from it all at times? Many of us do. You are not alone. We all have a tendency to become bogged down with the cares of this world to the extent that we simply want to get away from it all and instead make believe everything around us and beating us down isn't really happening. But it is, it is indeed.
*What* isn't happening? Not that I need to remind you, because you and I have daily reminders, but we are 19 months into an unusual season where many of our dreams have been left unfulfilled because of the pandemic. Stranded at home, unable to enjoy our freedoms as we were formerly accustomed to, and out of employment opportunities, we sometimes struggle to find ways to pass our time, eke out a living, and avoid the doldrums of boredom.
Snooze the news
No matter what newspaper, magazine, TV show, movie or website you visit these days, you're going to find yourself enmeshed in wave after wave of propaganda and the **make believe**. The media continues to feed you stories that are untrue, partly true or outright lies, and all of these stem from the author's make believe world.
And if a person does not have their antennae up and their alert mode set to the on position, s/he is susceptible to fall into the elaborate make believe that is spun in a manner that is deliberately meant to lead one astray and off the pathways of truth.
A persistent and willful twisting of the truth is the **real new normal**. No longer is your television, theater, newspaper, website or magazine providing you with information that benefits you, but rather all are rife with cleverly designed lies that a mere decade or so ago would have been rebuked by their intended audiences.
Wanna get away from it all? **Snooze the news**. No, really - try it. Within a matter of days or a week you will experience a new mindset of your own, as opposed to the one the world wants to cram down your insatiable throat.
Put away your blues
The madness, lawlessness and downright creepiness of the world today can be rather depressing...if you let it. Wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters, corruption, political chicanery, doublespeak, cancel culture, and a paradigm shift from democracy to Marxist ideology buffets our senses on a daily basis.
The above-mentioned leads to a dire lack of hope for the future, and this slithering foreboding settles into the soul and saps the spirit. Much like a steamy summer, one becomes weak, weary and wanting for a change. The good news is that you ***do*** have it within you to make changes, though wise counsel should always be sought. Indeed, there are many who would lead you deeper into the world of the make believe. Don't go there - put way your blues and embrace joy.
Justify your views
*What* do you believe and *why* do you believe it? *What* is your worldview? Oftentimes, some soul searching is needed. If we really want change in our lives, we first have to be honest with ourselves. That can be a tough road to hoe.
If you believe in the ways of the world, you are already off the beaten track of whatever is true, right, honorable, admirable, lovely, and pure.
If your worldview does not line up with the aforementioned, you might want to think about getting back on track. Far too often we are easily misled by the world and live by its destructive ways. In short, we typically live for the pursuit of self and indulge ourselves with pleasures that are in all reality damaging to us. It is true that in our present world, we are observing a radical paradigm shift.
Now, more than ever, it is necessary that we choose the path we will follow to the end of our days when we will at least receive our just rewards for the life we lived.
Spread the good news
In an ever-increasing hostile world, when is the last time you spread some good news? If you have to think about it, you may want to reconsider your priorities.
Some people are prone to gossiping and backstabbing. They prefer to wallow in their misery and bring others down to their level. This is what Paul the Apostle referred to as **corrupt talk**. It defiles others and one's own soul, and it intensifies when there is a lack of truth, direction and true spiritual health.
We find a lot of the **make believe** today in discussions about the Bible and one's faith. Many people possess a penchant for majoring on the minors. They just love to proffer an opinion and be right.
For example, though they say they love the Scriptures and abide in them, the canonical Bible is not enough for them. If they knew what the word of God says and how it was written, they would not scurry about seeking apocryphal books, such as 1 Enoch, the Maccabees, the Gospel of Thomas, and many more distortions of the truth.
**The Gospel of Thomas** purports to provide us with the story of Jesus' childhood up until the age of 12 when He began teaching at the Temple in Jerusalem. The childhood accounts are numerous and fanciful, some so humorous that one cannot help but laugh. Still others portray Jesus as mean-spirited and downright hateful (and thus sinful).
One example is a brief story where boisterous kids are playing on a two-story home's roof. One of the boys allegedly pushed another boy off the roof and he died. The people blamed Jesus for the death, to which he is said to have replied:
"But Jesus, seeing that, leaped down straightway from the upper story and stood at the head of him that was dead and saith to him: Zeno, did I cast thee down? Arise and tell. For so was the boy called. And with the word the boy rose up and worshipped Jesus and said: Lord, thou didst not cast me down, but when I was dead thou didst make me alive" (Thomas 8:3).
Thomas is another example of the **make believe**. It arose after the first century A.D. and was not accepted by the church fathers who had actually observed the childhood of Jesus. Like modern lies and propaganda, it sets one on a course of destruction and onto paths of misinformation.
**The elaborate world of the make believe is all around us.** The make believe consists of myriad pitfalls waiting to swallow you and I up and, per Satan's plan, deceive us.
But there is **real hope** for the now. When the Jews were questioning Jesus about who he was, we read what Jesus replied:
"The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I **always do what pleases him**.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really **my disciples**. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:29-32, NIV).
You can be set free today if you call upon His name. He will chart a course for you that is a straight path that leads to the truth and the righteousness that pleases God, one not of our own making, but of rather the finished work on the cross and resurrection to life.
Get away. Get away from the world, the blues, from the lies and propaganda, from gossip and backstabbing, and come to Jesus today.
@Scotty17
