This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

Pride . . . our Downfall through the Ages

The first recorded sin in time is the devil’s fall from grace in the following passage, prophetically directed at the king of Tyre, but apparently meant to include an angel, namely Lucifer:

Isaiah 14:12–15: How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

Satan’s sin was pride. He was so beautiful, so wise, and so powerful as an angel that he began to covet God’s position and authority. He chafed at having to serve God and grew angry and rebellious. He did not want to serve, he wanted to be served; he, as a creature, wanted to be worshiped. How starkly contrasted to our savior Jesus Christ, who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

Some passages in Proverbs talk about the sin of pride and what effect it produces.

Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 11:2: When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 18:12: Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

Pride literally went before the fall, both the fall of Satan and the fall of man. Pride causes shame, loss of wisdom, destruction, and ruin. If one were to summarize what actually happened as Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, wouldn’t these passages describe their mental and physical condition exactly? The shame of committing sin against God, physical disease, pain and death looming on the horizon, loss of fellowship with God, and the fight to eke out a living from the cursed ground—all these are the outworking of the sin of pride.

Was Adam and Eve’s sin just disobedience by eating the forbidden fruit? Well, yes, that was the physical act that followed what had already occurred in their minds and hearts. But let’s take a closer look at the passages in Genesis to see what the real sin was and where it started.

Genesis 3:1–7: Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Genesis 3:12–13: Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

First Satan questioned God’s word, then he openly lied to Eve, contradicting what God had said. Then he used the tantalizing bait that humanity could be more like God by having their eyes opened, knowing things they currently didn’t know. The real heart of the situation is the statement that Eve thought the tree was good for food and desirable to make one wise. Why would she think this? God himself had told Adam (and either God himself or Adam had told Eve) that eating from the tree would lead to death. Why would she (and subsequently Adam) accept the word of a talking serpent over the word of God? Only doubt of God’s word and subsequently God’s motives could have led to this tragedy.

They didn’t just ignorantly decide to eat the fruit, nor did they eat it because “the devil made them do it.” Satan’s outright lies and cunning half-truths brought something to the surface of Eve’s mind that fateful day. She realized that to “be like gods” meant not having to serve God, it meant being equal to God. It meant that she felt as if God had deliberately kept her and Adam in the dark regarding their “divine potential.” Why should they tend God’s garden in Eden when they could be as gods themselves? Why should they have to obey God if they were also gods? The quickness with which Adam agreed to Eve’s offer of the fruit may possibly show that he too had these same feelings. In any event, we know that it was Adam’s sin that was responsible for the fall and the curse (Romans 5:12). The sin of pride that led to Satan’s fall had now infected the hearts and minds of Adam and Eve, and the result was the same: shame, loss of wisdom, ruin, and death.

In verses 12 and 13 are Adam and Eve’s response to God’s question. The sin of pride shows through in their replies. Look at whom they really blamed for their actions: “The serpent deceived me,” said Eve; “The woman you gave to be with me enticed me,” said Adam. They almost seem to say that if they had been God things would have been different; therefore, it’s all God’s fault. These are not the responses of broken and contrite hearts, they are the responses of a proud and willful people caught in the act of rebellion against God.

Pride is still man’s most prevalent sin. Little has changed since the fall. Man is still a creature consumed with pride. Romans 1:18–21 gives the current condition of mankind:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Why does mankind suppress the truth? Why does he not glorify God? Why is he unthankful? Why is his imagination vain and his heart darkened? Because he does not glorify God as God. Mankind wants to glorify himself as God. We want to be the sole decision maker and sole authority in our life. We want nothing to do with a creator God to whom we should owe allegiance. If only we could come up with some natural explanation for everything we see around us, if only we could ignore our conscience, if only we could forget past history that clearly shows divine intervention, then we could rationalize away God and make gods of ourselves. Isn’t this exactly what we see today? Now we have evolution, moral relativism, humanism, revisionist history, and all other attempts to willfully hold God’s revealed truth at arms length. Truly our sinful human pride knows no bounds!

The Lord knows where his creatures are most prone to err, and pride infects all of humanity. We could make a case for pride being the fountainhead of all other sins. Anger, hate, jealousy, and ingratitude all stem from pride; something we wanted to happen did not happen and we feel offended, our pride is wounded, and our emotions are stirred to cause us to act sinfully. We could even make the case that “the love of money is the root of all [kinds of] evil” passage in 1 Timothy 6:10 really deals with the sin of pride as well. We know that covetousness is the same as idolatry (Ephesians 5:5), and idolatry is the sin of creating our own god by being too proud and stubborn to worship the True God. Consider the following verses in Proverbs that reflect God’s attitude toward pride:

Proverbs 6:16–19: These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Proverbs 8:13: The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.

On God’s list of the top seven most heinous sins, pride comes in at number one! In verse 13 we see that the fear of the Lord is equated with hating pride and arrogance. If we allow pride to control us, we do not really fear God as we ought. C. S. Lewis said, “The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

What should we as Christians do to guard against this sin? There are no instant cures for this sin. Pride is a sin we struggle with on a daily basis. (In Romans 7:13–25 the Apostle Paul agonizes over his struggles against sin, and Paul had to endure the “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that was given to keep him from becoming exalted above measure.) However, God doesn’t leave us or forsake us. He gives us grace and power to overcome even this most insidious sin. A couple of passages in James and 1 Peter deal with this.

James 4:5–8: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

1 Peter 5:5–10: Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

In both of these passages we’re warned to forsake pride and humbly submit ourselves before God in order to resist the devil. We give Satan a foothold when we walk like him rather than like Christ (who came to do not His own will but the will of the Father).

It’s only through God’s grace and provision that we can daily overcome our innate pride. We need to pray (cast all our cares upon God), study the Bible (be sober and vigilant), be submissive to God by obeying Him and revering Him, and recognize that it is Jesus Christ who strengthens, establishes, settles, and perfects us.

Without Him we can do nothing!

Excerpted and paraphrased from https://answersingenesis.org/sin/the-first-sin/

---

Post about God – comments or articles
– whenever and wherever you desire.
FEAR NOT. God is with us,
because we make sure He is WELCOME.

At all times, remember. 
The QTree is a House of the Lord.
NEVER be afraid to speak His Name.

Shalom! May God’s PEACE be upon this House.

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

For God”s Glory

In the first section of Colossians 3 (1–17) Paul writes to encourage his readers in their general mindset and behavior. Concluding that section, Paul writes that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory (Colossians 3:17). This is the overarching principle that should govern the life of the believer.

Paul provides specific descriptions of what doing all for God’s glory should look like in how we think (Colossians 3:1–4), how we handle the desires of the flesh (Colossians 3:5), and how we should care for and treat one another (Colossians 3:12–15). He then identifies the basis for empowering that kind of thought and conduct (Colossians 3:16). Paul concludes the section with the exhortation that we make sure that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory (Colossians 3:17). Following those general instructions, Paul offers specific ways believers can faithfully steward the various relationships God provides (Colossians 3:18—4:6).

Because of the work God has done to make us alive in Christ, we should be focused on things above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1–4). Because of the future return of Christ in glory and the associated glorification of believers, we should put on the new self—walking in the newness of life and avoiding the idolatry of focusing on things that serve the flesh (Colossians 3:5–11).

An important aspect of walking in this newness of life is in how believers treat one another, and that should be characterized by love and its specific expressions like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12–14). Those expressions of love ought to be based on the peace that God has provided us through Christ, and that peace of Christ should be a controlling factor in how we think and act within the body—because we have been called to be part of that body with other believers. We ought also to be grateful for this (Colossians 3:15).

The key is to diligently allow the word of Christ to be at home in us—to dwell richly in us (Colossians 3:16a). As His Word shapes us, we can be sure that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory. The Word should change how we talk to each other, providing us avenues to build one another up and to teach each other—again, this is always to be accompanied by gratitude and thankfulness to God (Colossians 3:16b).

After providing these directions, and before discussing the expectations of our conduct in specific relationships (Colossians 3:18—4:6), Paul covers overarching principles that help us make sure that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory (Colossians 3:17). In this also we are to express thankfulness.

We are given important tools that enable us to make sure that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory (Colossians 3:17). Those tools include a heavenly focused mindset (Colossians 3:2), considering the “old self” to be dead and putting on the new self (Colossians 3:5–10), putting on a heart that expresses love and its individual characteristics (Colossians 3:11–14), allowing His peace to govern our hearts (Colossians 3:15), immersing ourselves in the Bible, which is allowing His word to be at home in us (Colossians 3:16), and being constantly filled with and focused on gratitude and thanksgiving (Colossians 3:15, 16, 17). When we are putting these tools to use, we are more likely to ensure that whatever we do in word or deed is for God’s glory (Colossians 3:17).
xhttps://www.gotquestions.org/whatever-you-do-word-deed.html

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 Isaiah 43:7 – “Even every one that is called by My Name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

---

Post about God – comments or articles
– whenever and wherever you desire.
FEAR NOT. God is with us,
because we make sure He is WELCOME.

At all times, remember. 
The QTree is a House of the Lord.
NEVER be afraid to speak His name.

Shalom! May God’s PEACE be upon this House.

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

One Nation . . . Blessed

In Western nations, America especially, we can see the Bible’s influence on many aspects of society. Everything from our laws to our work ethic to our view of marriage has been molded by a Judeo-Christian worldview. It has always been the case that the Word of God makes a difference in cultures where it is introduced. In first-century Thessalonica, a mob dragged some Christians through the streets shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6, ESV). It is only right that the Bible should have an influence on society, as it has an influence on the individuals within society.

God is the Creator of the world and the humans who inhabit it (Genesis 1). From the very beginning, God designed the world and people to “function” a certain way. When society doesn’t follow the principles that God gives us in the Bible, life simply doesn’t work as well. God’s the only One with the insight into how life functions to our best benefit, and He shares that wisdom with us in His Word. The Bible is described in Hebrews 4:12 as “alive and active.” This means, in part, that the Bible is as applicable and relevant today as it was when it was first written.

Looking back at the early stages of America, it is impossible not to see the influence the Bible had. Our government structure, laws, morality, education, and family values were all founded on principles that came directly from the Bible. The Founding Fathers, Presidents, and foreigners visiting a young America identified the key to the nation’s success as the biblical influence embraced by its society. When a nation honors God, it develops a respect for all of God’s creation. Where there is no honor of God, a society will fail to respect His creation, and people will suffer as a result.

From the beginning, people have had a choice whether to follow God’s way. But choices always carry consequences. The Old Testament history of Israel documents the societal laws and precepts God gave them. When Israel lived by God’s laws, their society functioned well, but when they deviated from God’s design, their society always went downhill. Attempts today to remove the Bible’s influence from society or to marginalize a biblical worldview reveal the pride of mankind that says, “We know better than the One who created us.”

None of this is to say that we should establish a theocracy such as ancient Israel had. God’s purposes in that system of government were for a certain time and place. However, when the Bible is properly understood, its influence on society can only lead to less crime, less divorce, less sloth, and more charity. As John Adams, the second President of the United States, wrote, “Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God . . . What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be” (Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, Vol. III, p. 9). Scripture says it best: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

---

At all times, remember. 

THIS [The QTree] is a House of the Lord.

NEVER be afraid to speak His name.

Post about God – comments or articles – whenever and wherever you desire. FEAR NOT. God is with us, because we make sure He is WELCOME.

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

Is God Silent?

In answering this question, we are reminded of Elijah and his flight from Jezebel. Elijah was a man of God whom God used to do some mighty things. However, when word reached him that Jezebel had threatened his life, he ran (1 Kings chapter 19). Elijah prayed to the Lord and in effect complained about how he was being treated: “He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too’” (1 Kings 19:10). The Lord’s answer to Elijah is thrilling: “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

We see in this passage of Scripture that what Elijah thought was not true. Elijah thought God was silent and that he was the only one left. God was not only “not silent,” but He had an army waiting in the wings so that Elijah was not alone: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18).

In our walk as born-again believers, it may seem that God is silent, but God is never silent. What looks like silence and inactivity to us is God allowing us the opportunity to listen to “the still small voice” and to see the provisions that He has made for us by faith. God is involved in every area of a believer’s life–the very hairs on our heads are numbered (Mark 10:30; Luke 12:7). However, there are times when we have to walk in obedience to the light that God has given us before He sheds more light on our path, because in this age of grace God speaks to us through His Word.

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it’” (Isaiah 55:8-11).

Therefore, when God seems silent to us as born-again believers, it may mean that we have stopped listening to His voice, we have allowed the cares of this world to plug our spiritual ears, or we have neglected His Word. God does not speak to us today in signs, wonders, fire, or wind. His Spirit speaks to us through the Word, and in that Word we have the “words of life.”
xhttps://www.gotquestions.org/God-silent-absent.html

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

Pride

According to Dictionary.com, pride is a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. The opposite of pride is humility, a Fruit of the Spirit and a most desirable characteristic in Christians.

Pride is an elevated view of and a preoccupation with self. Pride is a fault we despise in others yet freely excuse and even justify in ourselves. Many theologians believe that pride, not drunkenness, adultery, or murder, is the deadliest of all sins, for it was pride that led to Lucifer’s rebellion (Isaiah 14:14) and the first couple’s attempt at usurping God’s authority in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:5). Many other sins originate from pride.

God’s warning that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18) is illustrated again and again in the pages of Scripture. One particularly notable episode, the story of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, begins with his boasting, continues with his downfall, and ends with his confession. After being duly warned of his prideful nature by the prophet Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar stood on the rooftop of his palace and praised himself, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30, ESV). Immediately, God judged his pride, and for the next seven years, the once grandiose monarch groveled about on all fours in the manner of a wild beast while grazing on the palace lawn. From regal to rags and from banquet table to mouthfuls of fodder, King Nebuchadnezzar completed a seven-year course on the dangers of pride and the virtues of humility.

We must understand that pride, like dangerous narcotics, is addictive and detrimental to our well-being. The more we feed pride, the firmer its grip. Pride is a loathsome garment that is not easily shed, and it’s deceitful: those who think they have already achieved humility are probably mistaken. D. L. Moody used to pray, “Lord, make me humble, but don’t let me know it.”

Ethnic pride is the belief that one’s particular ethnic group is superior to others and other ethnic groups are to be subjectively measured in relation to one’s own. It is a system of belief that leads to an unhealthy level of pride and lack of concern for others. Since race is often a part of ethnicity, racial pride is usually related to racism, which has been a plague on humanity for centuries. There is no place among God’s people for the racially superior attitudes that lead to racism. Such attitudes are contrary to Scripture and displeasing to God.

Biblically, racial pride is sin. All men and women are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27; 9:6), although that image is corrupted by sin. God does not show partiality or favoritism (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34). Jesus did not lay down His life for a particular race, culture, or tribe, but by His death He “purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). The Scriptures tell us that Jesus came to save the world, both Jews and Gentiles. Paul bears this out by saying, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) and “There is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11).

Jesus superseded all barriers of race, culture, and ethnicity with His death on the cross. Paul wrote of the uniting of Jew and Gentile in Ephesians 2:14: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” Ethnocentrism, whether based on historical grudges, erroneous assumptions, or overt human pride, is wholly contrary to God’s Word. We are commanded to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34), and such a command precludes any discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or culture.

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

God’s Patience

The attribute of God’s patience is evident in both the Old and New Testaments. One example comes from God Himself, who proclaimed to Moses, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). The phrase slow to anger illustrates His patience. The psalmist also praises God as “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15).

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul describes God as kind, forbearing, and patient (Romans 2:4). The apostle Peter also referred to God’s patience when addressing objections from scoffers then (extending to now) regarding the second coming: “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 3:9). These are just a few instances of God being described as patient.

When Scripture describes God as being patient, it means that He endures humanity’s flaws, does not easily get angry, and holds back judgment to make room for repentance. His patience is also demonstrated in how He condescended to work through imperfect humans to carry out His plans. Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David, and the prophets are some examples.

Additionally, we view God’s patience toward humans right after the fall, when God made clothing for His shamed creations (Genesis 3:21). He also patiently listened to Cain, even in the face of judgment (Genesis 4:15). Then there is the flood. Scripture describes the inhabitants of the world as being “corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence” (Genesis 6:11). Even with the moral depravity of our day, we would be horrified at the violence of the world in that day. Yet God did not execute swift judgment. Instead, He waited till Noah built the ark, which took a long time (1 Peter 3:20).

In God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, His patience was revealed when He promised Abraham He would not exercise judgment if there were at least ten righteous people in the city (Genesis 18:32). For context, Sodom and Gomorrah had not only sinned, but there was a great outcry against them (verse 20). Yet God was willing to show mercy to all of them for the sake of only ten people.

Other instances of God’s patience include His dealings with the Canaanites (Genesis 15:16), the Ninevites in Jonah’s day (Jonah 3:10) and the Israelites before their exile (2 Kings 17:13–14). His patience also explains the perceived delay in Jesus’ second coming (2 Peter 3:9, 15).

Perhaps the most exceptional display of God’s patience is in the Person of Jesus. The Son of God took on human flesh, lived among His creation, and endured challenges in His ministry. He also patiently succumbed to humiliation at the cross in order to accomplish His redemptive work for humanity.

Like any other attribute of God, His patience surpasses ours. While this is good news for the struggling believer or those reaching out to an unbelieving loved one, it can also lead to frustration. Like the martyred saints in Revelation 6:10, believers may cry out “How long, Lord?” How long will we remain in the broken world? How long till restoration? How long till we are free from the clutches of sin and suffering? How long do we endure? But even in our perplexed state, we trust that God is absolutely in control and infinitely good.

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

Que Sera, Sera?

Determinism: The view that every event has a cause and that everything in the universe is absolutely dependent on and governed by causal laws. Determinism is related to fatalism, since determinists believe that all events, including human actions, are caused by something else. Determinism is typically thought to be incompatible with free will.

Fatalism: The belief that “what will be will be,” since all past, present, and future events have already been predetermined by God or another all-powerful force, such as “Fate.” In religion, fatalism may sometimes be confused with predestination, the doctrine that God chooses those who go to heaven before they are even born. It’s important to note that the Bible teaches predestination but not to the exclusion of free will; thus, the Bible does not teach fatalism.

Free will: The freedom of choice or self-determination that human beings possess; those who believe in free will believe that, given any situation, a person could have done other than what he did. Philosophers have argued that free will is incompatible with determinism and fatalism.

Indeterminism: The view that there are events that do not have any cause; many proponents of free will believe that acts of choice are independent of any physiological or psychological cause.

Theological fatalism or theological determinism is an attempt to demonstrate a logical contradiction between an omniscient God and free will, where free will is defined as the ability to choose between alternatives. In this it is similar in purpose to the conundrum “Can an omnipotent God make a rock too heavy for Him to lift?”

Theological fatalism’s premises are stated as follows: God is omniscient. Since God is omniscient, God has infallible foreknowledge. If God has infallible foreknowledge that tomorrow you will engage in an event (mow the lawn), then you must invariably engage in that event (mowing the lawn).

Therefore, according to theological fatalism, free will is not possible, since you have no alternative except to participate in the event (mow the lawn). If you do not mow the lawn, then God is not omniscient. But if you mow the lawn, then you don’t have free will, on account of your inability to choose an alternative.

Here is an opposing argument to theological fatalism: God is omniscient. Since God is omniscient, He is also infallible. If God has infallible foreknowledge that tomorrow you will mow the lawn, then you will freely choose to do so, not out of obligation or lack of choice. You still have free will to mow the lawn or not mow it; God merely knows your choice before you make it. You are not obliged to mow the lawn tomorrow any more than you are to play tennis or bake a cake. If you were going to change your mind, God would have seen that also, so you still have free will in all matters. Also, you will still make the same choices (exercising your free will), even if God chose not to see the future. God’s passive foreknowledge of the future does not alter your free will.

There is a vast difference between fatalism, chance (or fortune), and predestination.

Fatalism teaches that there is a blind, impersonal force over which no one has control—not even God—and that events are swept along by this blind, purposeless power.

Chance (or fortune) is a capricious force that supposedly causes things to happen “luckily,” without any control or direction by God. In a world ruled by chance, God can foresee what will happen, but that is all. Everything depends on mere luck. And if the advocate of chance is asked why or how things come to pass, he has no reply except to shrug and say, “It just happened.”

Predestination, the doctrine of the Bible, says that God has a purpose and He is working all things out according to His own will and purpose (Ephesians 1:11; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 14:24; 46:10). Predestination teaches that God neither does nor permits anything except what serves His purpose (Psalm 33:11). This means that GOD IS the SOVEREIGN of the world, the One who does all things as He wills.

Those who blindly believe que sera, sera, or “whatever will be, will be,” are as wrong as the advocates of chance. It is true that events are certain, but only so because of the sovereign God who fulfills His own decrees.

Serious students of the Bible do not believe that things “just happen.” Christians reject fatalism and godless determinism. Rather, they understand that a wise, holy, good, and sovereign God has control of every detail of life (Matthew 10:29–30). The man who does not really want God to have this control or who despises the truth of God’s sovereignty does not love God and does not want God in his life. But God is sovereign, and He cannot deny Himself.
xhttps://www.gotquestions.org/fatalism.html

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From Chuck Swindoll –

Predestination. Just the word appears intimidating. It is perhaps one of the most difficult concepts in all of Christian doctrine because it appears on the surface to rob humans of their most precious treasure: their autonomy.

Although the doctrine challenges our notions of self- determination, it is ultimately what separates Christians from humanists, who proclaim that the fate of the world is ours to decide. The past, they say, has been fired in the kiln of history and cannot be altered, but tomorrow is still soft and pliable clay, ready to be shaped by the hands of humanity. Individually and collectively, we—not an almighty figment of wishful thinking—will determine our own future. Put in today’s terms, “It’s all about us.”

God’s Word teaches exactly the opposite. God not only created humanity and directed our past, He has already shaped our future. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Ps. 115:3).

Coming to terms with the doctrine of predestination requires a dramatic shift in our perspective. We emerge from the womb and progress through childhood viewing the universe with ourselves at the center. Then something wondrous happens at some point in the process of maturing—for most healthy adults, anyway. We suddenly realize that the world extends beyond the circle of our own horizon and that others see the same world from a different viewpoint. Soon, the universe no longer revolves around us, and we accept that our little circle is but a very small part of a much greater reality.

The same is true of salvation! We faithfully share God’s “plan of salvation” with individuals—as we should—but we too often fail to appreciate that Christianity is not “all about us”; it’s about Him. If we are to proclaim the complete gospel of Jesus Christ, we must recognize and embrace God’s masterplan of salvation. The almighty Creator is fulfilling His own agenda for His universe, which cannot be altered; therefore, those who have heard and accepted the plan of salvation have become a part of something much greater than themselves, even if they don’t realize it.

Take a few moments now and reread Romans 8:28-39 in light of God’s master plan of salvation. We tend to claim the promises of those verses as individuals. God does indeed love us personally and individually, but note that Paul used the first-person plural, “we” and “us,” throughout the passage. This does not promise that God will alter the universe to ensure the highest good of each individual. On the contrary, God’s “plan of salvation” is a mighty river of destiny into which a believer plunges. This river of righteousness will eventually flood the world, washing away the old order to make room for the new. And when Jesus returns to set all things right, our belief in Him allows us to become a part of that new order.

Make no mistake: Paul’s letter to the Romans is not about our salvation. His primary subject is the righteousness of God, of which our salvation is a part. The Lord is pursuing His own agenda, remember. It is to remove death from the throne of creation and give it to His Son so that the righteousness of God will rule all things. And He will do this whether anyone decides to join Him or not.

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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

Hidden Things

In Matthew 11:25–30, Jesus Christ invites the faithful but weary remnant of believers—those who have come to the end of themselves, worn out, and burdened amid a faithless generation—to come to Him and find rest. He begins by giving thanks to His heavenly Father, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25). He then praises God for hiding certain truths “from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike” (Matthew 11:25, NLT).

This passage reveals that, through His infinite wisdom and grace, God exercises discretion in determining who will receive revelation of the truth and who will not. The “wise and learned” are those who have intellectual ability, abundant knowledge, and human wisdom, but lack humility and openness of heart. Jesus was speaking about the religious leaders of Israel who considered themselves intellectually superior. They were too proud to come to Jesus, to trust in Him and find rest.

The Bible says that God “in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom,” so He used “foolish preaching to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21, NLT). God chooses to reveal spiritual truth to those who are humble and dependent on Him, rather than those who rely solely on their own knowledge or status.

These “things” that are “hidden” according to Matthew 11:25 concern the kingdom of God as clarified through Jesus’ actions and teachings. They are revealed only to His followers who, like little children, embody meekness, humility, and spiritual neediness. When the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to them in parables, Jesus explained, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not” (Matthew 13:11, NLT).

These hidden things include Jesus’ authority and identity as Savior and Son of God. The apostle Paul wrote extensively about the mysterious and hidden things of God, which are understood only by true believers: “No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord … But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets” (1 Corinthians 2:7–10, NLT; see also Romans 16:25–26; Colossians 2:2–3; Ephesians 3:3–6; 1 Timothy 3:16).

God hides the secret mysteries of His kingdom from those who resist the truth. To the proud, His truth is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18–31). Paul explained that the gospel message “is hidden behind a veil … from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4, NLT). Without humble dependence and childlike trust in the Lord, no one can see and understand God’s ways (Matthew 18:3–4; 1 Corinthians 2:14; James 4:6; Romans 11:33–34).

Kingdom seekers are those with “ears to hear,” “eyes to see,” and “hearts to understand” (Matthew 13:1–23). They come to Jesus with humble, childlike faith (Matthew 18:1–4; 19:13–15). Coming to Jesus in this way means no longer relying on oneself but trusting in Him. Jesus invites His faithful ones to trust in Him and find rest. In His revolutionary beatitudes—with their inverted view of the world’s value system—Jesus declares, “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:3, NLT).

God the Father reveals His truth to people who recognize their own spiritual poverty. But for those who have closed their ears and hearts to the truth—the worldly wise, proud, and hard of heart—God takes an active role in hiding from them the secrets of His kingdom (see Matthew 13:14–16). They are the faithless ones who are too wise in their own eyes to lower themselves to the level of a meek and needy child.

The proper posture of believers, both now and in Jesus’ day, is modeled in Proverbs 3:5–7:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil” (NLT).
https://www.gotquestions.org/hidden-these-things-from-the-wise.html

This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts, and not by agenda-driven accusations and pronouncements.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here: 
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/

---

On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

---

Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

---

A Blessed 250th

One Nation Under God

The saying “one nation under God” is a part of the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America. An early version of the pledge was composed in 1885 by Captain George Thatcher Balch. Balch was an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War who wanted to find ways to teach patriotism to young children in the public schools. A few years later, in 1892, Francis Bellamy, a Baptist pastor from New York, significantly revised and expanded Balch’s original pledge in an effort to promote the 1893 World Fair. This version of the pledge went largely unaltered for decades when Congress officially adopted it in 1942 at the start of World War II.

However, the saying “one nation under God” was not a part of Bellamy’s pledge (the original draft simply stated, “One nation, indivisible”). In fact, Bellamy staunchly believed in the separation of Church and State and intentionally did not include any references to God in the pledge. It wasn’t until 1954 under the direction of President Eisenhower that the words “under God” were added to the pledge. This was mostly due to the growing fear of communism throughout the United States during the Cold War.

The inclusion of the phrase under God was meant to reaffirm America’s heritage as a predominately Judeo-Christian nation in the face of looming global threats (especially ones that were derived from atheistic, materialist worldviews such as communism). Having just come out of World War II, and with the Cold War in full swing, President Eisenhower sought to unify the nation and proclaim trust in God against destructive, godless forces.

In short, the saying “one nation under God” is simply the call of a citizenry to be a unified nation that trusts God to protect them from harmful and evil forces.

Is it wrong to pledge your allegiance to the country in which you are a citizen? No, the Bible does not forbid such an action. In fact, unity among the citizenry of a nation is a good and virtuous thing to pursue, so long as that nation is not directly contradicting the Word of God in its governance.

Ultimately, as Christians, our allegiance is to God alone. His Word is to be the ultimate authority in our lives (Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:16–17) as we seek to be good citizens of our nations (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:1–3; Titus 3:1). In fact, the Bible puts a strong emphasis on being unified as God’s people as we live and interact with one another in our daily lives (John 17:11; Romans 15:5–6; Ephesians 4:3). So, in a nation like the United States where the majority of people identify as Christian, being “one nation under God” would be a natural outflow of living according to the biblical commands for unity.
https://www.gotquestions.org/one-nation-under-God.html

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In God We Trust

“Nothing can be more certain than that our country was founded in a spiritual atmosphere and with a firm trust in God” These words were pronounced by Florida Representative Charles Bennett in 1955 on the House Floor as he proposed a bill that would require the words In God We Trust to be inscribed on all U.S. currencies. The bill was eventually signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 11, 1955. While In God We Trust had previously appeared on coins since after the Civil War, Bennett’s legislation codified the inscription on U.S. currency and led to a later act of Congress making the phrase In God We Trust the national motto of the United States of America.

While the exact phrasing of In God We Trust does not appear in the Bible, there are many passages that exhort readers to trust in the Lord. Solomon instructs his readers to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Isaiah records a song that includes the encouragement to “trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting Rock” (Isaiah 26:4, NASB). David adds that people should “offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:5, NASB). There are many similar instances in Scripture challenging people to trust in the Lord.

We also discover many instances in the Bible where people exemplified the saying In God We Trust. Jesus trusted His Father (Hebrews 2:13). Daniel trusted in God and was delivered from the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, also trusted in God, and He delivered them from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:28). David wrote that God doesn’t forsake those who have trusted in Him (Psalm 9:10).

On the other hand, there are numerous biblical warnings against trusting in anyone but God. Job explained that trusting in wealth is an iniquity tantamount to denying God (Job 31:24–28). Solomon cautions that the one trusting his own heart is a fool (Proverbs 28:26). Jeremiah records God’s warning against trusting in humanity: the one who trusts in “flesh” is like a bush in the desert, while the one who trusts in the Lord will be like a tree planted by water (Jeremiah 17:5–8).

In saying that people should trust Him, God is not saying that people should not trust each other. In fact, the kind of love He expects us to show “believes all things” and “hopes all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7, ESV). The warning is about trusting in humanity rather than trusting in God. The problem is that the heart is deceitful and sick, and the only one who understands the depths of that depravity is God (Jeremiah 17:9). He is the only One who is worthy of our full trust. If we trust in God—like the people of old who could say, “In God we trust”—we will not be disappointed (Psalm 22:5).
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