First From Julie's Keyboard
What Is Man?
This week I heard a rather sobering reminder of just how this “God and man” relationship should be kept in check. It’s so blissful and encouraging when we
think on all the things provided for us through Christ our Lord. How reassuring to quote the passages from the Bible that tell us “who we are in Christ.” What a blessing to know that He has “provided for all things that pertain to life and godliness, to him who has the knowledge thereof.” (ref. 2 Peter 1:3)
As the old hymn states, “What a Friend we have in Jesus….What a privilege to
carry everything to God in prayer.” Indeed, we are a privileged, and blessed
beyond measure, people. What joy unspeakable and full of glory! How worshipful
and full of praise we should be, because He made this all possible.
Yet, in all the abundant blessings, how challenging it often is to keep our
eyes on the Blesser. Personally, it seems that more and more I’m beginning to
notice the creeping slyness of pride in the heart of men. My hand goes up first
as the guilty party. You see, in all essence, just as David stated in: Psalm 8:4 “What is man, that thou are mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?”
Shouldn’t we take care to keep this relationship in the proper perspective?
He’s All. He’s the Great I AM. Why do we see a need to brag on our own, or
puff up some “man” that only operates at any level because God alone has given
him the breath to do so?
The remark that pricked my heart and brought the sobering reminder to me was
this: Isaiah 2:22 “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein
is he to be accounted of?”
Did you hear this? What will we do with this? Did the prophet Isaiah
(speaking the Word of God), not just say that man is “a nose with air in it”?
The thought today is to try and state simply that, we aren’t miserable creatures
without hope that have been left to the foolish thinking that this world has to
offer. But, we are the “righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” This is ONLY
because of Christ, and Christ alone. Therefore, shouldn’t He get all the
glory?
I Cor. 1:31 “…He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
I Cor. 3:21 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are
yours;”
Again, “What is man, that thou are mindful of him?” He deemed us worthy of
redemption, yet, He will not share His glory with any of us. Shouldn’t this
help us adjust our attitudes and remarks?
I seem to have more questions than answers today, but the good part is in
knowing where the answer lies.
Blessed of the Lord,
Julie
____________________________________________
"This Nation Under God?"
What Is Man?
This week I heard a rather sobering reminder of just how this “God and man” relationship should be kept in check. It’s so blissful and encouraging when we
think on all the things provided for us through Christ our Lord. How reassuring to quote the passages from the Bible that tell us “who we are in Christ.” What a blessing to know that He has “provided for all things that pertain to life and godliness, to him who has the knowledge thereof.” (ref. 2 Peter 1:3)
As the old hymn states, “What a Friend we have in Jesus….What a privilege to
carry everything to God in prayer.” Indeed, we are a privileged, and blessed
beyond measure, people. What joy unspeakable and full of glory! How worshipful
and full of praise we should be, because He made this all possible.
Yet, in all the abundant blessings, how challenging it often is to keep our
eyes on the Blesser. Personally, it seems that more and more I’m beginning to
notice the creeping slyness of pride in the heart of men. My hand goes up first
as the guilty party. You see, in all essence, just as David stated in: Psalm 8:4 “What is man, that thou are mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?”
Shouldn’t we take care to keep this relationship in the proper perspective?
He’s All. He’s the Great I AM. Why do we see a need to brag on our own, or
puff up some “man” that only operates at any level because God alone has given
him the breath to do so?
The remark that pricked my heart and brought the sobering reminder to me was
this: Isaiah 2:22 “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein
is he to be accounted of?”
Did you hear this? What will we do with this? Did the prophet Isaiah
(speaking the Word of God), not just say that man is “a nose with air in it”?
The thought today is to try and state simply that, we aren’t miserable creatures
without hope that have been left to the foolish thinking that this world has to
offer. But, we are the “righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” This is ONLY
because of Christ, and Christ alone. Therefore, shouldn’t He get all the
glory?
I Cor. 1:31 “…He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
I Cor. 3:21 “Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are
yours;”
Again, “What is man, that thou are mindful of him?” He deemed us worthy of
redemption, yet, He will not share His glory with any of us. Shouldn’t this
help us adjust our attitudes and remarks?
I seem to have more questions than answers today, but the good part is in
knowing where the answer lies.
Blessed of the Lord,
Julie
____________________________________________
"This Nation Under God?"
God
and America! God and America? Have you ever once had a close friend,
maybe in grammar school or later in high school, then life circumstances
drew you apart and over the following years you realized you hardly
even know them now?
I wonder if it might be like that with God and America? We were so rich in relationship with Him in our beginnings, so dependent with such a passion to know Him more! O' we had our wonderings and straying from our relationship over the years, and He so lovingly waited on us, at times brought strong correction when necessary. We would return and once again it would be God and America building upon our relationship.
But now it seems we find ourselves somewhere else, this is more than just a straying, this seems to be much more serious. It makes me wonder just where it is that we may be going this time? We are doing things we have never done before, this is more than just being disobedient and rebelious. We are for the first time in our history, openly removing God from our sight, it is as if we can't even stand to even speak of Him. It seems our hatred of Him is such that we don't even want to mention Him or be reminded of Him in anyway.
We elect people to serve in our government that determine our children do not need to pray in school or have Bible readings. They decide that the 10 Commandments are destructive to our youth and must not be displayed in public before them. They determine that the Crosses placed throughout our Country must be removed out of our sight.
One of our own political parties determined it might not be a good idea to mention the words God or prayer at their convention. In our war memorials all references to God and our faith are to be left out. These are things we have never done before in our history, all of our faith and trust in God over our existence is left out of our history so our children will never know about this God we now hate so much!
I wonder if it might be like that with God and America? We were so rich in relationship with Him in our beginnings, so dependent with such a passion to know Him more! O' we had our wonderings and straying from our relationship over the years, and He so lovingly waited on us, at times brought strong correction when necessary. We would return and once again it would be God and America building upon our relationship.
But now it seems we find ourselves somewhere else, this is more than just a straying, this seems to be much more serious. It makes me wonder just where it is that we may be going this time? We are doing things we have never done before, this is more than just being disobedient and rebelious. We are for the first time in our history, openly removing God from our sight, it is as if we can't even stand to even speak of Him. It seems our hatred of Him is such that we don't even want to mention Him or be reminded of Him in anyway.
We elect people to serve in our government that determine our children do not need to pray in school or have Bible readings. They decide that the 10 Commandments are destructive to our youth and must not be displayed in public before them. They determine that the Crosses placed throughout our Country must be removed out of our sight.
One of our own political parties determined it might not be a good idea to mention the words God or prayer at their convention. In our war memorials all references to God and our faith are to be left out. These are things we have never done before in our history, all of our faith and trust in God over our existence is left out of our history so our children will never know about this God we now hate so much!
The
very disdain for God our enemies once had and we defended we have now
began to embrace. It perhaps has not manifested itself to such degrees
yet, but it is growing in our hearts as we drive ourselves further and
further from Him in our hatred.
(Science vs. god: does progress trump faith?)
By Wynne Parry, Published December 07, 2012, Mr. Parry discribes, I think, what is developing in our hearts. We are turning to ourselves and our greatness, our human evolution, to grow to greater and greater heights.
In his article He quotes Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at Arizona State University saying, "Tonight, I want to emphasize that 500 years of science have demonstrated that God, that vague notion, is not likely."
Mr. Krauss also stated, "The fact something may be relatively universal suggests we may be programmed to believe in certain things. That doesn't mean they exist."
A Mr. Shermer made the argument that as human groups grew larger, religion evolved as a mechanism for social control, a source of morality — one that is no longer
needed, saying, "We know we can do it without God,"
Krauss continued by saying, "Science has taught us we don't need God to
exist."
This changes everything, everything! Who we are, the people we are to become, society, government, education, philosophy, hope, it all changes! The very definition of the word America takes on a whole new meaning! Contrast who we were with who we are!
(Science vs. god: does progress trump faith?)
By Wynne Parry, Published December 07, 2012, Mr. Parry discribes, I think, what is developing in our hearts. We are turning to ourselves and our greatness, our human evolution, to grow to greater and greater heights.
In his article He quotes Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at Arizona State University saying, "Tonight, I want to emphasize that 500 years of science have demonstrated that God, that vague notion, is not likely."
Mr. Krauss also stated, "The fact something may be relatively universal suggests we may be programmed to believe in certain things. That doesn't mean they exist."
A Mr. Shermer made the argument that as human groups grew larger, religion evolved as a mechanism for social control, a source of morality — one that is no longer
needed, saying, "We know we can do it without God,"
Krauss continued by saying, "Science has taught us we don't need God to
exist."
This changes everything, everything! Who we are, the people we are to become, society, government, education, philosophy, hope, it all changes! The very definition of the word America takes on a whole new meaning! Contrast who we were with who we are!
"It
is the duty of all Nations to Acknowledge the providence of Almighty
God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly
implore His protection and favor." ~ President George Washington. The writings of George Washington, Vol. XII, p. 119.
"The safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of almighty God, and the National Acknowledgment of this truth is . . . an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him." ~ John Adams. The works of John Adams, Vol. IX, p. 169.l
"The safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of almighty God, and the National Acknowledgment of this truth is . . . an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him." ~ John Adams. The works of John Adams, Vol. IX, p. 169.l
Mr.
Adams, what might be your response to us today as a people with growing
hatred of the God whose Name we have inscribed upon the foundation of
our history?"I myself for many years made it a practice to read the Bible once every year. I have always endeavored to read it with the same spirit and with the same temper of mind which I now recommend to you: that is, with the intention and desire that it may contribute to my advance in wisdom and virtue." 1.
"So great is my veneration for the Bible, and so strong my belief that when duly read and meditated on, it is of all books in the world that which contributes most to make men good, wise, and happy, that the earlier my children begin to read it, the more steadily they pursue the practice of reading it throughout their lives, the more lively and confident will be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens to their country, respectable members of society, and a real blessing to their parents." 2.
"It is no slight testimonial to the verity and worth of Christianity that in all ages since its promulgation, the great mass of those who have risen to eminence by their profound wisdom, integrity, and philanthropy, have recognized and reverenced in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God." 3.
1. John Quincy Adams, letters of John Quincy Adams, PP. 10 -11
2. John Quincy Adams, letters of John Quincy Adams, PP. 9 - 10
3. John Quincy Adams, letters of John Quincy Adams, P. 8
That is very good Mr. Adams, but it seems all you believed is no longer necessary, we have evolved much better you and will be a much better people and build a much better government and society, this of course because we no longer need God!
May God bless each of you,
David
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