In the last few days Rodger and I have been watching a mini-series from 1978 depicting life in the 1800's that brought an interesting ending showing that repentance must happen continually. The series in 7 parts an hour each, is on the link below and can be seen for free on the internet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
It is about a man who messed up regularly , after which he was grieved about himself every time he did so.
It was a picture of our lives as human beings, continually messing up, confessing and desiring to be different, even though we never really reach perfection as we wish, it is in our hearts as believers.
We cannot always judge a man who messes up a lot, as being unsaved. We may not find ourselves doing "the big sins", but our hearts are continually battling sinfulness within them. Those who do not battle sin, thinking they do not have any, are the ones who may possibly not be born again, or a born again believer who walks in pride elevating self to such a degree that they cannot grow or change, they only learn to hide the real them from others.
Those who think they live holy and righteously are depending on their version of works for salvation, unable to confess and turn from what is going on in their heart, often denying that which God sees as in need of repentance.
Romans 7:14-25 "14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold [m]into bondage to sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.
16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin."
Monday, October 31, 2016
Saturday, October 29, 2016
The Heart of a Teacher
At a visit to the Museum dedicated to Laura Engels Wilder we saw this on the wall in the little school house replica: Early 20th century.
I want to teach my students how--
To live this life on earth,
To face its struggles and its strife
And to improve their worth.
Not just the lesson in a book,
Or how the rivers flow,
But to choose the proper path,
Wherever they may go.
To understand eternal truth,
And know right from wrong,
And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song,
For if I help the world to grow
In wisdom and grace,
Then I feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.
And so I ask your guidance, God
That I may do my part,
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.
James Metcalf
I want to teach my students how--
To live this life on earth,
To face its struggles and its strife
And to improve their worth.
Not just the lesson in a book,
Or how the rivers flow,
But to choose the proper path,
Wherever they may go.
To understand eternal truth,
And know right from wrong,
And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song,
For if I help the world to grow
In wisdom and grace,
Then I feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.
And so I ask your guidance, God
That I may do my part,
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.
James Metcalf
Excellence Used to be a Virtue
During our visit to Minnesota we stopped in at the museum dedicated to Laura Engels Wilder, the writer of the Little House on the Prairie books.
My, how things have changed!
While wandering through we saw this framed poster on the wall:
Rules for Teachers 1915
1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.
4. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.
6. You may not ride in a carriage with any man unless he is a father or brother.
7. You may not smoke cigarettes.
8. You may not dress in bright colors.
9. You may under no circumstances die your hair.
10. You must wear at least two petticoats.
11. Your dresses may not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.
12. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: sweep the floor at least once daily, scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water, clean the blackboards at least once a day, start the fire at 7 am so the room will be warm by 8 am.
My, how things have changed!
While wandering through we saw this framed poster on the wall:
Rules for Teachers 1915
1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.
4. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.
6. You may not ride in a carriage with any man unless he is a father or brother.
7. You may not smoke cigarettes.
8. You may not dress in bright colors.
9. You may under no circumstances die your hair.
10. You must wear at least two petticoats.
11. Your dresses may not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.
12. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: sweep the floor at least once daily, scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water, clean the blackboards at least once a day, start the fire at 7 am so the room will be warm by 8 am.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Fruit of the Spirit: Who Has Them!
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit are character qualities not works, but the character qualities produce right works.
The fruit are character qualities not works, but the character qualities produce right works.
Manipulators Come; Ignore Them
Anyone afraid to tell the truth because someone will accuse you of judging?
Remember that judging the matters of life is good and normal. Any attempt to foster guilt in someone because they have taken a stand for righteousness is merely intimidation to manipulate someone into silence.
DON'T FALL FOR IT!
One of the devil's favorite tactic is to make us doubt our convictions or right to express them.
Notice that nearly all liberals say whatever they want, but are enraged when we the redeemed of God say anything they don't want to hear.
Ignore their tactics, continue to speak and remove yourselves from them when they refuse truth.
Matthew 10:13-15 "…13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.…"
Remember that judging the matters of life is good and normal. Any attempt to foster guilt in someone because they have taken a stand for righteousness is merely intimidation to manipulate someone into silence.
DON'T FALL FOR IT!
One of the devil's favorite tactic is to make us doubt our convictions or right to express them.
Notice that nearly all liberals say whatever they want, but are enraged when we the redeemed of God say anything they don't want to hear.
Ignore their tactics, continue to speak and remove yourselves from them when they refuse truth.
Matthew 10:13-15 "…13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.…"
Judging Abortion!
A facebook brother made a comment that others were accusing him of judging, here was my answer to that thread;
"God commanded us to judge righteously. When I am accused of judging I simply say, not I, but I am telling you God's judgment.
To answer your question, no I do not believe a Christian walking with Christ could vote for someone who thinks that babies are non-persons and worthy of torturous dismembering of an innocent child while still alive in it's mother's womb.
Hillary is the kind of person who would have voted for the Dred Scott decision in the 1800's that declared "negros" as non-persons, leaving owners to do whatever they wanted to them because they had no rights.
Accusing someone of judging is a judgment of it's own. It is not possible to go through life without making choices about actions and beliefs. I am never ashamed of calling something what it is and no one will use the manipulation that declares me bad, mean or evil for deciding if something is right or wrong."
"God commanded us to judge righteously. When I am accused of judging I simply say, not I, but I am telling you God's judgment.
To answer your question, no I do not believe a Christian walking with Christ could vote for someone who thinks that babies are non-persons and worthy of torturous dismembering of an innocent child while still alive in it's mother's womb.
Hillary is the kind of person who would have voted for the Dred Scott decision in the 1800's that declared "negros" as non-persons, leaving owners to do whatever they wanted to them because they had no rights.
Accusing someone of judging is a judgment of it's own. It is not possible to go through life without making choices about actions and beliefs. I am never ashamed of calling something what it is and no one will use the manipulation that declares me bad, mean or evil for deciding if something is right or wrong."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)